Find a TenderCancelledProcurement termination notice
Published 5 Mar 2026, 15:16 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

Invitation to Tender for Tree Maintenance Services

Official notice

Authority: Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (Local council)

Open framework schemeServicesOpen procedureAbove threshold
Framework ceiling (notional)£2,400,000framework ceiling, not attributable revenue
Submissions closed 7 Apr 2026
Framework period 4 yrsends 31 May 2030 · starts 1 Jun 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The Council has identified its requirement to establish a Framework Agreement (“Contract”) to appoint three (3) suitably qualified and experienced Contractor’s.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (“the Council”), under the care of the Council’s Urban Forestry Unit deals with the inspection and maintenance of the Council's tree stock. These works are primarily on highways, parks and open spaces, although they do carry out work on all other Council land where trees are located at the request of the Land Manager.

Additional work is undertaken for the Neighbourhoods Directorate within the gardens of tenanted homes and sheltered accommodation, Sandwell Leisure Trust, Cultural Services, Sandwell Education Authority and Highways Maintenance. The Council does not assist with work on trees located on private land unless it is deemed to be dead, diseased or dangerous.

All trees that fall under the ownership or management of the Council are protected. Therefore, it is illegal for anyone other than, instructed and approved tree surgeons to prune, fell or carry out any form of works to these trees.

The Council will be using the In-tend e-Tendering System for this Procurement exercise, please visit in-tendhost.co.uk/sandwellmbc ↗ to access the Sandwell MBC In-tend Supplier Portal.

From here you will be able to register your company, express an interest in the opportunity, and gain immediate access to the ITT and other related documents.

In Order To View and Submit a Tender, you will be required to` Opt-In`.

For a Step by Step user guide to the Sandwell MBC In-tend Supplier Portal please click on the `Guidance for Suppliers` section of the website. All procurement responses must be carried out via the Sandwell MBC In-tend Supplier Portal.

If you require further assistance in respect of the system please contact the In-tend support team on 0844 272 8810.

Closing date: Tuesday 07 April 2026 at 15:00hrs

CPV: Horticultural services · Tree pruning

How this framework works

From the published notice
Type
Closed framework · open framework scheme (admission reopens)
Call-offs
every call-off is a further competition among the appointed suppliers
Places
up to 3 suppliers
Framework period
4 yrs from 1 Jun 2026
Scheme runs until
1 Jun 2030
Supplier levy on call-offs (max %)
Not Applicable
Published description of the framework

Mini Competitions will be conducted between the 3 contractors awarded a place on the framework and will be awarded to the Contractor who offers the Lowest Price. The circumstances that may require a mini competition may include but are not exclusively restricted to such instances as:

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1Awarded 4 yrsPublished value£2,400,000
Contract period: 1 Jun 2026 – 31 May 2030 (4 yrs)Value: £2,400,000 exc. VAT · £2,880,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: West Midlands

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
Quality: 30%Price: 70%
Published award criteria (2)
  • Price
  • Quality
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 70 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 7 points. This one is won on the number: sharpen the price before polishing the prose.
  • “Invitation to Tender for Tree Maintenance Services” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, up to 3 suppliers, not a single contract: each call-off is a further competition, so the pricing contest starts after appointment.

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
Cancelled
Procurement threshold
Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Open framework scheme
Who may use this agreement
Not stated in the notice; call-off rights may be limited to the establishing authority
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
5 Mar 2026, 15:16 GMT
Last source update
11 Jun 2026, 09:55 BST
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 5 May 2026
Authority reference
SMBC 25034
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-020019
Latest notice
Procurement termination notice (UK12)
Classification (CPV)
Horticultural servicesTree pruning
Delivery area
West Midlands (UKG37)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06634a Find a Tender

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: In-tend · Who buys & how to bid on In-tend
Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowedLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free · one account per buying organisation's portal · reCAPTCHA on signup
Appointment period ends
7 Apr 2026, 15:00 BST
Clarification deadline
31 Mar 2026, 17:00 BST
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Supplier levy on call-offs (max %)
call-off levy · Not Applicable
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Timeline

5 Mar 2026 → 11 Jun 2026 · 6 dates
  1. Tender notice published236 days ago
    5 Mar 2026, 15:16 GMT
  2. Clarification questions by210 days ago
    31 Mar 2026, 17:00 BST
  3. Admission / appointment period ends203 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown
    7 Apr 2026, 15:00 BST
  4. Award decision expected by175 days ago
    5 May 2026, 23:59 BST
  5. Contract starts149 days ago
    1 Jun 2026, 00:00 BST
  6. Latest notice published139 days ago
    11 Jun 2026, 09:55 BST

Notice history

3 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 5 Mar 2026
  1. Tender notice published
    5 Mar 2026, 15:16 GMT
    UK4
  2. Procurement termination notice published
    11 Jun 2026, 09:55 BST
    UK12
  3. Status changed to complete
    11 Jun 2026, 09:55 BST

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded toValueDateStatus
supplier not published—10 Jun 2026CancelledFollowing the publication of the Tender Notice (Ref: 2026/S 000-020019) on 05 March 2026 in respect of Tree Maintenance Services, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council ("the Council") has decided to discontinue the procurement process following the identification of an inconsistency in the framework classification contained within the published UK4 Notice. The Council has concluded that it is appropriate to discontinue the current procurement exercise and recommence the procurement process under a revised notice in due course.

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PJHD-8764-YRJJ Sandwell Council House, Freeth Street, Oldbury, West Midlands, B69 3DEContact name, email

Official documents & specifications (2)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Procurement termination notice tenderProcurement termination noticeUK12Procurement termination notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender