Official UK procurement notice
Grounds maintenance · UK public procurement notice
Authority: Cottenham Parish Council (Local council)
What is being bought3 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionCottenham Parish Council is seeking a suitably experienced and reliable contractor to provide grounds maintenance, grass cutting and general village maintenance services throughout Cottenham, Cambridgeshire.
The contract will include routine grass cutting across designated areas of the village, including specialist cutting regimes for ecological and biodiversity areas, and comprehensive grounds maintenance at Cottenham Recreation Ground.
The Recreation Ground accommodates seasonal football and cricket pitches, children's playgrounds, a skatepark and a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA). It is also home to Cottenham Village Hall, the sports pavilion, a pre-school and a nursery facility.
The contractor will be responsible for maintaining sports pitches to the standards required by the Parish Council, local sports clubs and their respective governing bodies. Works will include regular grass cutting, football pitch line marking, cricket outfield maintenance, seasonal pitch preparation and other associated maintenance. Experience of PitchPower assessments and implementing the resulting maintenance recommendations would be advantageous.
General village maintenance will include emptying designated public refuse bins, litter picking, cleaning bus shelters and noticeboards, and maintaining designated verges, green spaces and other public areas. The contract may also include seasonal maintenance, weed control and other routine environmental tasks specified by the Parish Council.
The successful contractor will be expected to:
Deliver services in accordance with agreed schedules, seasonal requirements and specified maintenance standards.
Apply appropriate maintenance regimes to sports pitches, amenity grassland and ecological areas, supporting biodiversity while maintaining safe, accessible and attractive public spaces.
Plan works around sporting fixtures, facility bookings and community activities, minimising disruption to users and visitors.
Provide suitably trained and competent staff, appropriate machinery, equipment and materials.
Comply with relevant health and safety legislation, risk assessments, safe working practices, environmental requirements and waste disposal regulations.
Maintain effective communication with the Parish Council and promptly report defects, hazards, vandalism or other issues identified during site visits.
Maintain accurate records of completed works and report any incidents or work that cannot be completed as scheduled.
Demonstrate reliability, flexibility, value for money and a proactive approach to maintaining public spaces.
The contract requires a high standard of workmanship, effective seasonal planning and a responsive service that meets the needs of the Parish Council, sports clubs, community facilities and residents.
Detailed specifications, site locations, work frequencies and required service standards will be provided in the tender documentation.
CPV: Floral-display services · Planting and maintenance services of green areas · Sports fields maintenance services · Tree pruning and hedge trimming
Lots and requirements (3)Procurement structure
3 lots · all with a published value (£54,000 together) · same evaluation weights on every lotLot #1Recreation GroundRenewalPublished value£37,000
Mowing - Football pitches, cricket outfield playgrounds and other grassed public areas at the recreation ground
(with the exception of the MUGA BNG Grassland)
Football line marking
Cricket Square - Cutting, watering (as required), spiking (as required), marking, rolling
Seasonal maintenance for football and Cricket square
Play areas and skatepark - Grass cutting and strimming around equipment as required + monthly safety check of equipment
General recreation ground maintenance
The main sports facility is currently divided into three distinct areas, Fields 1-3 (F1-3).
- F1 has the primary adult 11v11 football pitch
- F2 has 11v11 and 9v9 football pitches, football training area, cricket square and field
- F3 has 11v11, small 11v11, 9v9, 7v7 and 5v5 football pitches
Lot #2Grass cuttingRenewalPublished value£9,500
Fortnightly cutting to six sites around the village with some areas to remain uncut during May ("No Mow May").
In addition there are 5 'specialist' sites with their own regime as detailed in the tender document.
Lot #3Village MaintenanceRenewalPublished value£7,500
CPC is responsible for several open spaces around the village, both formally planted and not planted, which require regular maintenance.
- War Memorial - weeding and maintenance as required (minimum twice per year)
- Village Sign - weeding and maintenance
- Council noticeboards (6), cleaning, inspection and light maintenance
- The Pound (car park) - hedge cutting, removal and suppression of weeds & other obstructing vegetation
- Refuse Bin emptying - Recreation Ground & Lambs Lane
- Litter picking - Recreation Ground
- Bus shelter cleaning
- Footpath planters/ tubs - weeding and general maintenance. Watering to be carried out if required or during extreme weather
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 sub-criteria (2)
- Quality: 60%
- Cost: 40%
Published award criteria (2)
- Quality: Quality, of which: 60% References 20% Staff and general staff experience 10% Method Statements 5% Adequate Public Liability insurance held and confirmation that your insurance is still valid? 10% Have you or your staff undertaken any general and/or safety training or certification for working in this field of work? 10% Equalities Policies 5%
- Cost: Cost (based on an estimate of the likely work over the 1 year term) 40%
No conditions of participation were published on the notice; check the tender documents.
- Price carries 40 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 4 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
- Turnover usually expected: about £15,000 – ~£74,000 per lot (twice each lot's annual value).
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula. Turnover is an indicative market norm (≈2× annual value), not a published condition.
Competition analysis · published record, not a forecast of who will bid
Planting and maintenance services of green areas (CPV 7731) in North East England, and who usually turns up
Cottenham Parish Council has too little published record in this market to describe on its own. Published market evidence for the same work stands beside whatever it has. Frameworks and DPS are kept out: they attract a different number of bids. Whole-market view: Planting and maintenance services of green areas (CPV 7731) →
How the contest usually goes
Winner shares use published awards; bid and price charts use contested lots.
i
How often small and medium firms win.
Share of awards where the winner’s size is known.
The counts under this question show how many awards have a known supplier size.
Across this market, small firms won 91% of awards with a known supplier size.
i
How often local firms win similar work.
Winners with a registered address in the delivery region, out of awards with a known address.
Here, local means registered in North East England.
A local branch does not count if the registered address is elsewhere.
Across this market, 30% of winners were registered in the delivery region.
i
How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.
Middle value in days from the deadline to the first award notice, on competitions that published both dates.
Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.
Half of these awards were announced within 24 days of the bid deadline.
i
How often work is awarded with no recorded rival.
Direct awards and tenders where every published lot count shows one bid.
The market share is a minimum: some awards have no bid count.
Thin markets produce this too; it is not proof of a tailored specification.
Across this market, at least 29% of awarded procurements had no recorded rival.
How many bids did past lots attract?
i
How many bids past lots received.
Each colour is a bid-count range. Only competed lots with a published count are included.
Past bids do not predict this tender.
1 bid6%
2–334%
4–623%
7+37%
How did awards compare with estimates?
i
Where winning prices landed against estimates.
Each colour shows awards below, close to or above the published estimate, one lot at a time.
Past prices are a guide, not a bid price.
Below estimate69%
Within ±2%0%
Above estimate31%
Assess each lot i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
Open a lot for its forecast, this buyer’s previous supplier and possible competitors, from published award history, not a bid list
Lot #1Recreation GroundCPV 77310000Published estimate£37k
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative. The bar shows 318 past lots.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid14%
2–334%
4–633%
7+19%
i
Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
No earlier contract of this buyer matches this lot on the published record.
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
No supplier with a record in this category fits this lot yet.
Lot #2Grass cuttingCPV 77310000Published estimate£10k
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative. The bar shows 318 past lots.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid14%
2–334%
4–633%
7+19%
i
Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
No earlier contract of this buyer matches this lot on the published record.
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
No supplier with a record in this category fits this lot yet.
Lot #3Village MaintenanceCPV 77310000Published estimate£8k
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative. The bar shows 318 past lots.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid14%
2–334%
4–633%
7+19%
i
Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
No earlier contract of this buyer matches this lot on the published record.
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
No supplier with a record in this category fits this lot yet.
About this data
- Source. Official UK public procurement notices (Find a Tender), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. New notices arrive through the day; the figures are rebuilt nightly.
- Two views, kept apart. The authority’s own track record and the wider market for the same kind of work sit side by side and are never mixed. Where the local picture is too thin, a figure widens to a broader market and says which one it used.
- Forecasts are labelled. The price forecast and its range, possible competitors and the match score are our estimates from past awards: not published facts, not win chances and not price advice. Official notices do not say who is bidding.
- Every figure shows what it rests on. Not every notice publishes a bid count, a value or a delivery region, so each figure carries the number of records behind it, and one built on few records is marked as such. The on a figure explains it; the counting rules are in the methodology. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
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
- Open for tender
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 17 Oct 2026, 10:35 BST
- Last source update
- 17 Oct 2026, 10:35 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 2 Dec 2026
- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-098227- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-078a32Find a Tender
How to participate & submission route
Official notice- Requests to participate (first stage)
- —
- Tender submission deadline
- 16 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- —
- Electronic submission
- Not allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Quotations should be submitted in a sealed envelope for the attention of the Parish Clerk, marked with Quote Title and Reference Number.
Address:
Jo Brook, Clerk
Cottenham Parish Council, Village Hall,
Lambs Lane,
Cottenham
CB24 8TA
Timeline
17 Oct 2026 → 1 Jan 2027 · 4 dates- Tender notice publishedearlier today17 Oct 2026, 10:35 BST
- Today17 Oct 2026
- Submission deadlinein 30 days16 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Award decision expected byin 46 days2 Dec 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract startsin 75 days1 Jan 2027
Notice history
1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender- Tender notice published17 Oct 2026, 10:35 BSTUK4
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Nothing awarded yet- Awards (0)
- No award published
- Contracts (0)
- No contract published
- Bid statistics
- No aggregate bid statistics published
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (4)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
Notices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender