Find a TenderAwarded without competitionTransparency notice
Published 11 Sept 2026, 15:23 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Learning Disabilities Short Breaks and Emergency Support

Authority: Westminster City Council (Local council)

Direct awardLight touch regimeVCSE suitable
Sectors: Health & Social Care (85) Delivery: Delivery location not published
Awarded value £5,974,320published award · inc. VAT
Award in standstill Not publishedno call for competition
Award (standstill) to Learning Disability Network

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The direct award of a contract for Learning Disability Short Breaks and Emergency Support provision for Adults to Learning Disability Network London for a period of up to 60 months (3 years + 2 year optional extension) from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031. This is to provide service continuity whilst building plans are being developed and implemented to re-design the Kingsbridge Road site. Once building works are completed a full competitive tender process will follow.

The Council’s previous contract with the supplier ended on 31 March 2026. The supplier has continued to deliver the short breaks services for the Council since that date. It is intended that the contract will be formerly awarded to the supplier following publication of the Contract Award Notice. In order to regularise the position, the start date of the contract will be backdated to 1 April 2026 to encompass services provided since the expiry of the previous contract. This notice is intended to provide visibility of the Council’s intention to formally award the contracts and regulate the arrangements with the supplier by entering into the contracts on or around 14 September 2026 with retrospective effect. Note that this is an indicative date for signing/entering into the contract and is subject to change.

Read the full description (147 more characters)

The contract between Westminster City Council and LDN London is £4,978,600 (excl. VAT) £5,974,320 (inc. VAT) for the full term including extension.

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1Lot 1AwardedVCSE
Eligibility: VCSE eligible
85311000 Social work services with accommodation

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Direct award
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Notice status
Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
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
No (one-off requirement)
First published
11 Sept 2026, 15:23 BST
Last source update
11 Sept 2026, 15:23 BST
Latest notice
Transparency notice (UK5)
Delivery area
Not published
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f862
Why no open competition
Single Suppliers Intellectual Property Exclusive Rights
Published justification
The Council has statutory duties under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, the Care Act 2014 and other legislation, relating to the health, wellbeing and care of certain individuals. The Council is required to maintain access to supported and residential accommodation for adults with a learning disability. Paragraph 5 of Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023 provides a justification for the direct award of public more…contracts where a particular supplier has exclusive rights which means that only that supplier can supply the goods, services or works required, and there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or work. RBKC and WCC work together to commission bed-based short breaks from two different premises - Kingsbridge Road and Alision House. The services operate as an integrated bi-borough model, with shared capacity across both premises The supplier has exclusive property rights to both Kingsbridge Road and Alision House: - The Kingsbridge Road premises were purchased by RBKC in March 2024, the supplier was the existing tenant at the point of acquisition. RBKC is regularising that lease arrangement with the supplier to align with the proposed contracts. - The supplier owns Alison House. The supplier has confirmed it will not make these premises available to another supplier to deliver the services. Market engagement and a supplier property survey have been undertaken by the Council which has confirmed that no alternative, suitable premises are currently available. Accordingly, there is no reasonable alternative to the services being provided by the supplier from the existing premises. Additionally, the premises at Kingsbridge Road needs significant development work. Capacity at Kingsbridge Road will be significantly reduced during redevelopment works. Having one supplier operating from both premises will provide flexibility enabling the Council to manage capacity and maintain stability and service continuity during the redevelopment period. This further supports that there is no reasonable alternative. The proposed three-year contract, with an optional two-year extension, will maintain service continuity and enable the Council to meet its statutory duties while the refurbishment works are completed at Kingsbridge Road; as well as providing time for the Council to further explore alternative premises. Further information can be found in the Council’s decision paper https://committees.westminster.gov.uk/documents/s73612/AH26-06%20Direct%20Award%20-%20Short%20Breaks.pdf

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics — not a forecast
Awards 1some still in standstill
Awarded value (inc. VAT) £5,974,3201 award inc. VAT — no net value published
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Learning Disability NetworkVCSELearning Disabilities Short Breaks and Emergency Support WCC14 Sept 2026 — 31 Mar 2029 · up to 31 Mar 2031Extensions: optional 2 year extension term£5,974,320 inc. VATStandstill

Notice history

2 events · 1 release on Find a Tender · since 11 Sept 2026
  1. Contract signature expected
    14 Sept 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
  2. Transparency notice published
    11 Sept 2026, 15:23 BSTUK5

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Westminster City Council

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PJVD-6261-BPPJ 64 Victoria Street, London, London, SW1E 6QP [email protected]
View buyer profile →

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice

Official documents & specifications (2)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

  • Conflict of interest declarationtenderConflict of interest declarationNot published

Notices published for this procedure

  • Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender