Official UK procurement notice
I-4573: Adult Short Break Service
Authority: Oxfordshire County Council (Local council)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe Adult Short Breaks Service is designed to provide respite care for adults with learning disabilities or profound and multiple learning disabilities. The service aims to support individuals by offering person-centered, outcome-focused care that empowers them to live a good life. The service will also provide their family carers with a break from their caring responsibilities. The service may include both building-based and outreach support, allowing flexibility in how care is delivered. The service may also offer emergency placements when assessed as necessary. The Adult Short Breaks Service is expected to support a minimum of 170 people per year, operating 24/7 to ensure continuous support for those in need.
UK1: Pipeline notice publication number: 2025/S 000-022174.
The contract period includes an approximately 12 week mobilisation period from contract commencement to commencement of service delivery. The contract period will continue for 5 years from commencement of service delivery, with an option for the Council to extend the contract period by a further 3 years in aggregate.
CPV: Health services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1AwardedRenewal
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Direct award
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded without competition
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Light touch regime
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Direct award (no call for competition)
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 16 May 2025, 12:18 BST
- Last source update
- 17 Aug 2026, 20:09 BST
- Authority reference
DN796011- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-078317- Latest notice
- Transparency notice (UK5)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0515b5Find a Tender
- Why no open competition
- Switching Direct Award
- Published justification
A UK2 was published in respect of this contract at 10.50am on 31 October 2025.
Erroneously, no UK4 was published.
7 organisations attended market engagement.
123 potential participants expressed an interest in the procurement exercise at tender stage.
42 potential participants indicated an intend to submit a bid.
22 bidders submitted a response.
Save for the absence of a UK4, Oxfordshire County Council followed a compliant competitive tendering procedure within section 20 of the Procurement Act 2023, and a preferred bidder has been selected from amongst the 22 bidders who submitted a response. Assessment summaries have been circulated. Oxfordshire County Council intends to award the contract to its preferred bidder 30 days from the date of publication of the instant notice. A standstill period has already run and there will be no further standstill period.
The dates for future actions in this transparency notice are estimates. The steps in question will be taken on or after the estimated dates, but not before.
Owing to the publication of a UK2 and the high number of expressions of interest, Oxfordshire County Council considers it to be likely that this procurement exercise was drawn to the attention of all potential bidders, and further that no potential bidder would be denied a proper opportunity to seek a remedy under section 103 of the Procurement Act 2023 as a result of the absence of a UK4. Oxfordshire County Council is nevertheless publishing this transparency notice in order to ensure that its intention to award this contract is drawn to the attention of any bidder who, contrary to its expectations, would be denied a proper opportunity to seek a pre-contractual remedy within the meaning of section 103 of the Procurement Act 2023.
Oxfordshire County Council is using UK5 for this notice. Constraints upon the use of this form mean that it can only be used in certain specific circumstances, including to indicate either a direct award within ss.41-42 of the Procurement Act 2023, or switching to direct award under section 43 of the Procurement Act 2023. Because of these constraints, this form will on the face of it show that Oxfordshire County Council is switching to direct award. As observed above, however, but for the absence of a UK4, Oxfordshire County Council has in fact followed a compliant competitive tendering procedure.
- Risks
None
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- —
Timeline
16 May 2025 → 1 Oct 2026 · 5 dates- Planning notice published16 May 2025, 12:18 BST
- Market engagement334 days ago21 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT
Oxfordshire County Council is seeking views from potential providers on how best to deliver the Adults Short Break services. The Council is conducting a two-stage market engagement process to help shape the future service model:
Stage 1: Soft market testing via questionnaire.
Stage 2: A targeted virtual workshop, open to all providers who participated in Stage 1.
The workshop will provide an opportunity to explore key themes from the initial engagement, share insights, and discuss potential delivery models. Your input will be invaluable in informing the final specification and approach.
If Stage 1 participation is lower than anticipated, the Council reserves the right to expand Stage 2 invitations to additional providers to ensure a diverse and representative discussion. Further details, including the date and joining instructions, will be shared shortly.
If you are interested in sharing your views, please complete the provided questionnaire on the tender portal and return it by 21st November 2025.
- Next notice expected275 days ago19 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Latest notice published66 days ago17 Aug 2026, 20:09 BST
- Contract starts22 days ago1 Oct 2026, 00:00 BST
Notice history
7 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 16 May 2025- Pipeline notice published16 May 2025, 12:18 BSTUK1
- Preliminary market engagement notice published31 Oct 2025, 10:50 GMTUK2
- Published value published: £10,391,04031 Oct 2025, 10:50 GMT
- Transparency notice published17 Aug 2026, 20:09 BSTUK5
- Status changed to complete17 Aug 2026, 20:09 BST
- Procurement method changed17 Aug 2026, 20:09 BST
- Contract signature expected17 Sept 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HIGHER HEIGHT CARE LTDSMEAdult Short Break Service19 Sept 2026 – 30 Sept 2032 · up to 3 Jan 2035Extensions: Option to extend by 3 years in aggregate. For the avoidance of doubt, the dates for future actions in this transparency notice are estimates. The steps in question will be taken on or after the estimated dates, but not before. | £9,591,040 | — | Standstill |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- HIGHER HEIGHT CARE LTDAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (3)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Transparency notice Transparency notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender