Official UK procurement notice
Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Services
Authority: Cumberland Council (Local council)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionCumberland Council have commissioned a provider to deliver Mediation and Disagreement Resolution Services for parents/carers of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
These services aim to resolve disputes before an appeal is lodged with the First-tier Tribunal ("the Tribunal") about a local authority decision.
Supporting outcomes in relation to this and the Council's Delivery Plan 2025-27 includes the following priorities:
- Improving outcomes for children and families
- Promoting health and wellbeing
Disagreements can include the local authority's or an education provider's duties and provision, health and social care provision through the EHCP process and school exclusions for children with SEND.
CPV: Social work and related services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedRenewalPublished value£205,000
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 award criteria (3)
- Quality
- Price
- Social Value
- Price carries 20 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 2 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
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
- 12 Nov 2025, 08:31 GMT
- Last source update
- 15 Apr 2026, 13:37 BST
- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-080059- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05df23Find a Tender
- Reserved participation area
- K02000001
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 16 Jan 2026, 10:30 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- 9 Jan 2026, 10:30 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
Timeline
12 Nov 2025 → 15 Apr 2026 · 7 dates- Planning notice published343 days ago12 Nov 2025, 08:31 GMT
- Market engagement330 days ago25 Nov 2025, 23:59 GMT
We are inviting all interested organisations to attend this session on the 25th November 2025 at 13:00pm via Microsoft Teams, where there will be representatives from the Children and Family Wellbeing and Strategic Commissioning Teams.
The agenda for the event will include:
- A short presentation
- A Q&A session
Please register your interest on the Chest and complete and return the document attached to the notice.
The Tender for the Contract is expected to be advertised towards the end of November/beginning of December, via the Chest Procurement Portal www.the-chest.org.uk ↗
- Tender notice published320 days ago5 Dec 2025, 11:16 GMT
- Clarification questions by285 days ago9 Jan 2026, 10:30 GMT
- Submission deadline278 days ago16 Jan 2026, 10:30 GMT
- Contract starts204 days ago1 Apr 2026, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published189 days ago15 Apr 2026, 13:37 BST
Notice history
8 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 12 Nov 2025- Preliminary market engagement notice published12 Nov 2025, 08:31 GMTUK2
- Tender notice published5 Dec 2025, 11:16 GMTUK4
- Published value updated to £205,0005 Dec 2025, 11:16 GMTwas £200,000
- Status changed to active5 Dec 2025, 11:16 GMT
- Procurement method changed5 Dec 2025, 11:16 GMT
- Deadline published: 16 Jan 2026, 10:30 GMT5 Dec 2025, 11:16 GMT
- Contract details notice published15 Apr 2026, 13:37 BSTUK7
- Status changed to complete15 Apr 2026, 13:37 BST
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Why Mediate LimitedSME | £205,000 † | — | Awarded |
Contracts
Contract 1 · Why Mediate LimitedSME
- Signed
- 1 Apr 2026
- Value
- £205,000
- Period
- 1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2029 · up to 31 Mar 2031 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- There is the potential for a contract extension of two up to 12 months, depending on both the success in achieving the required outcomes and availability of further funding.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- WHY MEDIATE LIMITEDAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (4)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Technical specifications Registration on The Chest is Free
Notices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender