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Find a TenderAwardedContract details notice
Published 4 Sept 2025, 15:06 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Independent Mediation Service for Education Health and Care Assessments and Reviews and Disagreement Resolution Service for SEND.

Official notice

Authority: Durham County Council (Local council)

ServicesBelow threshold - open competitionBelow thresholdLight touch regimeSME suitable
Sectors: Education & Training (80)Health & Social Care (85) Delivery: North East (UKC14)
Published estimate£250,000≈ £125k / year · £300,000 inc. VAT
Submissions closed 29 Sept 2025awarded 17 Oct 2025
Awarded to Why Mediate Limited
Contract term 2 yrsends 12 Oct 2027 · up to 12 Oct 2030 with extensions · starts 13 Oct 2025

What is being bought

Published requirement description

This contract is for Independent Mediation Service for Education, Health and Care Assessments and Reviews and Disagreement Resolution Service for Special Education Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND). Durham County Council is looking for a single provider to deliver this service.

It is a requirement of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years that all local authorities must have in place a mediation information and advice service which is independent of the local authority. This service will offer independent mediation to families and will provide an opportunity to resolve issues linked to requests for an Education, Health and Care Assessment and the outcome of Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan Assessments / Reviews prior to families lodging an appeal with a Tribunal.

CPV: Education and training services · Health and social work services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1AwardedRenewal 2 yrsSMEPublished value£250,000
Contract period: 13 Oct 2025 – 12 Oct 2027 (2 yrs) · up to 12 Oct 2030 with extensionsValue: £250,000 exc. VAT · £300,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: North EastEligibility: SME eligible
Extensions: Permitted changes that may occur: The contract has a potential to be increased due to demand. Any consequences of the White paper that is due to be released in Autumn 2025 that may have impact. · The Contract period is two years with the options to extend for up to three periods of up to twelve months each from the contract end date.
80000000 Education and training services85000000 Health and social work services

What it takes to win
i

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 more
How bids were scored

Lot awarding rule: Essential Criteria Pass/Fail Technical Questions 60% Price 60%

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Below threshold - open competition
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Awarded
Procurement threshold
Below threshold
Regulatory regime
Light touch regime
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
4 Sept 2025, 15:06 BST
Last source update
21 Oct 2025, 09:09 BST
Authority reference
002499
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-053984
Latest notice
Contract details notice (UK7)
Classification (CPV)
Education and training servicesHealth and social work services
Delivery area
North East (UKC14)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-059447 Find a Tender

How it was run

Official notice
Submission deadline
29 Sept 2025, 10:00 BST
Electronic submission
Allowed
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Tender documents can be accessed free of charge at www.open-uk.org ↗

Submissions must be received via www.open-uk.org ↗

Timeline

4 Sept 2025 → 21 Oct 2025 · 4 dates
  1. Tender notice published
    4 Sept 2025, 15:06 BST
  2. Submission deadline387 days ago
    29 Sept 2025, 10:00 BST
  3. Contract starts373 days ago
    13 Oct 2025, 00:00 BST
  4. Latest notice published365 days ago
    21 Oct 2025, 09:09 BST

Notice history

3 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 4 Sept 2025
  1. Tender notice published
    4 Sept 2025, 15:06 BST
    UK4
  2. Contract details notice published
    21 Oct 2025, 09:09 BST
    UK7
  3. Status changed to complete
    21 Oct 2025, 09:09 BST

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £250,0001 contract exc. VAT
Contracts signed 1latest 17 Oct 2025
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Why Mediate LimitedSME£250,000 †—Awarded

Contracts

  • Contract 1 · Why Mediate LimitedSME

    Signed
    17 Oct 2025
    Value
    £250,000
    Period
    20 Oct 2025 – 19 Oct 2027 · up to 19 Oct 2030 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    The options to extend for up to three periods of up to twelve months each from the contract end date.
    Options
    The contract has a potential to be increased due to demand. Any consequences of the White paper that is due to be released in Autumn 2025 that may have impact.

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Durham County Council

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PMPB-8772-VYWM Corten House, Dunholme Close, Durham, North East, DH1 5WBContact email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • WHY MEDIATE LIMITEDAwarded supplierGB-COH: 09148466GB-PPON: PXDC-1269-PQCL Enterprise House The Courtyard, Bromborough, North West, CH62 4UEContact email

Official documents & specifications (2)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Contract details notice contractContract details noticeUK7Contract details notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender