Official UK procurement notice
Grounds Maintenance & Associated Services
Authority: Kent County Council (Local council)
What is being bought6 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionThis Framework will provide a compliant, flexible, and outcomes-focused route to market for public sector organisations seeking to procure the delivery of Grounds Maintenance & Associated Services including but not limited to:
•General Grounds Maintenance: Provision of planned and reactive maintenance activities to ensure external areas are presented to an agreed standard, including grass and vegetation management, upkeep of pathways and communal areas, litter control, and seasonal operations delivered in accordance with service-level requirements.
•Soft Landscaping: Delivery of works relating to planted and living landscape features, including installation and maintenance of planting schemes, turfing, soil preparation, and biodiversity enhancement measures, undertaken to approved specifications and horticultural standards.
•Hard Landscaping: Construction, refurbishment, and maintenance of built landscape assets such as paving, fencing, boundary treatments, drainage features, and other structural elements, ensuring durability, accessibility, and compliance with relevant regulations and design standards.
•Specialist Services: Provision of targeted, technical, or compliance driven activities including ecological management, invasive species treatment, environmental protection measures, site clearance, and works requiring specialist qualifications, equipment, or accreditations.
•Arboriculture: Professional tree management services incorporating inspections, risk assessments, pruning, preservation, and safe removal undertaken in line with statutory duties, industry best practice, and agreed tree care strategies.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at:
www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-West-M… ↗
To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
CPV: Cemetery maintenance services · Grassing services · Grounds maintenance services · Landscaping work · Landscaping work for cemeteries · Landscaping work for green areas · Landscaping work for parks · Landscaping work for playgrounds · Landscaping work for riding areas · Landscaping work for roof gardens · Landscaping work for sports grounds and recreational areas · Ornamental plants, grasses, mosses or lichens · +10 more
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Open framework
- Call-offs
- call-offs may be awarded directly or by further competition
- Framework period
- 4 yrs from 25 Nov 2026
Who may buy through it
This Framework is for use by Customers in the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies that exist on 21/07/2026 and which fall into one or more of the following categories:
Ministerial government departments
Non ministerial government departments
Executive agencies of government
Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs), including advisory NDPBs, executive NDPBs, and tribunal NDPBs
Assembly Sponsored Public Bodies (ASPBs)
Police forces
Fire and rescue services
Ambulance services
Maritime and coastguard agency services
NHS bodies
Educational bodies or establishments including state schools (nursery schools, primary schools, middle or high schools, secondary schools, special schools), academies, colleges, Pupil Referral Unit (PRU), further education colleges and universities
Hospices
National Parks
Housing associations, including registered social landlords
Third sector and charities
Published description of the framework
Call-Off Contracts may be awarded using any one of the following methods outlined below.
1.Direct Award (Award Without Competitive Selection)
2.Rapid Request for Quote (Rapid RFQ)
3.Further Competition
The ultimate responsibility for selecting the most appropriate and compliant route for a specific requirement rests with the Customer. The onus will be on the Customer to carry out their own due diligence before selecting which method to use. The Customer will determine the requirement, specification and award, based on the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT)
Direct Award (award without a competitive selection):
This Framework permits Direct Award, defined under the Procurement Act 2023 as awarding a Call-Off Contract without conducting a new competitive selection procedure. A Direct Award may only be used where the Customer can identify the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT) using only the information and scores submitted at Framework award, without requesting any new pricing, clarification, or qualitative information from Suppliers.
Permitted Direct Award Methods
Customers may use any of the following objective, pre-published Direct Award methods. The Customer must choose one method before reviewing Supplier capability for their requirement.
- Overall Framework Ranking (Quality + Price Combined Score)
- Highest Total Quality Score
- Lowest Overall Price/Highest Commercial Advantage
4.Lowest Priced Individual Role Rates
- Highest Score in a Specific Evaluation Question
Rapid RFQ
A Rapid RFQ is a streamlined competitive process appropriate for low-complexity or tightly defined requirements where essential criteria can be specified as Pass/Fail, and price acts as the ultimate determinant among compliant Suppliers.
Further Competition
A Further Competition process is used where Customers carry out a competition for the award of a Call-Off Contract.
Lots and requirements (6)Procurement structure
6 lots · all with a published value · same evaluation weights on every lotEvery one of these 5 lots carries the same published figure, £83,333,333: it is the framework's maximum for the whole notice, not each lot's own budget, and no share per lot is published. The cards below say ceiling above rather than repeat it.
Lot #1Londonceiling above
This Lot provides a compliant route to market for public sector organisations seeking Grounds Maintenance & Associated Services across all Greater London Boroughs.
Services available under this Lot include, but are not limited to:
General Grounds Maintenance, including grass cutting, vegetation management, litter control, pathway maintenance, and seasonal grounds maintenance activities.
Soft Landscaping, including planting, turfing, horticultural services, soil preparation, and biodiversity enhancement works.
Hard Landscaping, including paving, fencing, boundary treatments, drainage features, and associated refurbishment and maintenance works.
Specialist Services, including ecological management, invasive species treatment, environmental protection measures, site clearance, and other specialist grounds maintenance activities.
Arboriculture Services, including tree inspections, surveying, pruning, risk assessments, preservation works, and tree removal.
Lot #2South of Englandceiling above
This Lot provides a compliant route to market for public sector organisations seeking Grounds Maintenance & Associated Services across the South East and South West regions.
Services available under this Lot include, but are not limited to:
General Grounds Maintenance, including grass cutting, vegetation management, litter control, pathway maintenance, and seasonal grounds maintenance activities.
Soft Landscaping, including planting, turfing, horticultural services, soil preparation, and biodiversity enhancement works.
Hard Landscaping, including paving, fencing, boundary treatments, drainage features, and associated refurbishment and maintenance works.
Specialist Services, including ecological management, invasive species treatment, environmental protection measures, site clearance, and other specialist grounds maintenance activities.
Arboriculture Services, including tree inspections, surveying, pruning, risk assessments, preservation works, and tree removal.
Geographical Coverage
Kent
Surrey
East Sussex
West Sussex
Hampshire
Berkshire, Oxfordshire
Buckinghamshire
Isle of Wight
Gloucestershire
Wiltshire
Dorset
Somerset
Devon
Cornwall
Lot #3East & Midlandsceiling above
This Lot provides a compliant route to market for public sector organisations seeking Grounds Maintenance & Associated Services across the East of England and East & West Midlands regions.
Services available under this Lot include, but are not limited to:
General Grounds Maintenance, including grass cutting, vegetation management, litter control, pathway maintenance, and seasonal grounds maintenance activities.
Soft Landscaping, including planting, turfing, horticultural services, soil preparation, and biodiversity enhancement works.
Hard Landscaping, including paving, fencing, boundary treatments, drainage features, and associated refurbishment and maintenance works.
Specialist Services, including ecological management, invasive species treatment, environmental protection measures, site clearance, and other specialist grounds maintenance activities.
Arboriculture Services, including tree inspections, surveying, pruning, risk assessments, preservation works, and tree removal.
Geographical Coverage
Essex
Hertfordshire
Bedfordshire
Cambridgeshire
Norfolk
Suffolk
West Midlands
Warwickshire
Worcestershire
Staffordshire
Shropshire
Lot #4North of Englandceiling above
This Lot provides a compliant route to market for public sector organisations seeking Grounds Maintenance & Associated Services across the North West, Yorkshire & the Humber, and North East regions.
Services available under this Lot include, but are not limited to:
General Grounds Maintenance, including grass cutting, vegetation management, litter control, pathway maintenance, and seasonal grounds maintenance activities.
Soft Landscaping, including planting, turfing, horticultural services, soil preparation, and biodiversity enhancement works.
Hard Landscaping, including paving, fencing, boundary treatments, drainage features, and associated refurbishment and maintenance works.
Specialist Services, including ecological management, invasive species treatment, environmental protection measures, site clearance, and other specialist grounds maintenance activities.
Arboriculture Services, including tree inspections, surveying, pruning, risk assessments, preservation works, and tree removal.
Geographical Coverage
Greater Manchester
Merseyside
Lancashire
Cheshire
Cumbria
North Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
York
Tyne and Wear
County Durham
Northumberland
Tees Valley
Lot #5Devolved Nationsceiling above
This Lot provides a compliant route to market for public sector organisations seeking Grounds Maintenance & Associated Services across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Services available under this Lot include, but are not limited to:
General Grounds Maintenance, including grass cutting, vegetation management, litter control, pathway maintenance, and seasonal grounds maintenance activities.
Soft Landscaping, including planting, turfing, horticultural services, soil preparation, and biodiversity enhancement works.
Hard Landscaping, including paving, fencing, boundary treatments, drainage features, and associated refurbishment and maintenance works.
Specialist Services, including ecological management, invasive species treatment, environmental protection measures, site clearance, and other specialist grounds maintenance activities.
Arboriculture Services, including tree inspections, surveying, pruning, risk assessments, preservation works, and tree removal.
Lot #6NationalPublished value£83,333,333
This Lot provides a compliant route to market for public sector organisations seeking Grounds Maintenance & Associated Services across all of the UK & Northern Ireland.
Services available under this Lot include, but are not limited to:
General Grounds Maintenance, including grass cutting, vegetation management, litter control, pathway maintenance, and seasonal grounds maintenance activities.
Soft Landscaping, including planting, turfing, horticultural services, soil preparation, and biodiversity enhancement works.
Hard Landscaping, including paving, fencing, boundary treatments, drainage features, and associated refurbishment and maintenance works.
Specialist Services, including ecological management, invasive species treatment, environmental protection measures, site clearance, and other specialist grounds maintenance activities.
Arboriculture Services, including tree inspections, surveying, pruning, risk assessments, preservation works, and tree removal.
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Published award criteria (3)
- Quality
- Price
- Social Value
- Price carries 10 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 1 point. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
- “Grounds Maintenance & Associated Services” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract: call-offs may be direct or by further competition.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Closed
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Framework agreement
- Who may use this agreement
- This Framework is for use by Customers in the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies that exist on 21/07/2026 and which fall into one or more of the following categories: Ministerial government departments Non ministerial government departments Executive agencies of government Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs), including advisory NDPBs, executive NDPBs, and tribunal NDPBs Assembly Sponsored Public Bodies (ASPBs) Police forces Fire and rescue services Ambulance services Maritime and coastguard agency services NHS bodies Educational bodies or establishments including state schools (nursery schools, primary schools, middle or high schools, secondary schools, special schools), academies, colleges, Pupil Referral Unit (PRU), further education colleges and universities Hospices National Parks Housing associations, including registered social landlords Third sector and charities
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 11 Dec 2025, 12:05 GMT
- Last source update
- 26 Aug 2026, 15:30 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 21 Oct 2026
- Authority reference
Y26019- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-081448- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Not published
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05f3a7Find a Tender
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 24 Sept 2026, 17:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 10 Sept 2026, 17:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Access Code: 4VP48H9Y2Z
Timeline
11 Dec 2025 → 25 Nov 2026 · 7 dates- Planning notice published315 days ago11 Dec 2025, 12:05 GMT
- Market engagement279 days ago15 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT
The purpose of this engagement is to:
Understand market capability and capacity
Inform the development of the specification and pricing mechanism
Explore innovative solutions
Identify potential risks and delivery models
Suppliers are invited to participate in the following activities:
Online Questionnaire
Teams meetings (upon request only)
- Tender notice published57 days ago26 Aug 2026, 15:30 BST
- Clarification questions by42 days ago10 Sept 2026, 17:00 BST
- Admission / appointment period ends28 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown24 Sept 2026, 17:00 BST
- Award decision expected byearlier today21 Oct 2026, 23:59 BST
- Today22 Oct 2026
- Contract startsin 34 days25 Nov 2026
Notice history
6 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 11 Dec 2025- Preliminary market engagement notice published11 Dec 2025, 12:05 GMTUK2
- Tender notice published26 Aug 2026, 15:30 BSTUK4
- Published value published: £500,000,00026 Aug 2026, 15:30 BST
- Status changed to active26 Aug 2026, 15:30 BST
- Procurement method changed26 Aug 2026, 15:30 BST
- Deadline published: 24 Sept 2026, 17:00 BST26 Aug 2026, 15:30 BST
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender