Find a TenderPlanned procurementPreliminary market engagement notice
Published 15 Sept 2026, 16:28 BST

Official UK procurement notice

NEPRO Total Talent — UK public procurement notice

Authority: The Association of North East Councils Limited (Local council)

Framework agreementServicesAbove threshold
Sectors: Business Services & Consultancy (79) Delivery: GGIMJE+1 more
Framework ceiling (notional) £25,000,000,000framework ceiling, not attributable revenue
Tender notice expected 20 Nov 2026from the planned procurement notice
Framework period 4 yrsup to 8 yrs with extensions · starts 1 Sept 2027

What is being bought

Published requirement description

NEPO is considering the establishment of NEPRO Total Talent, a solution designed to provide public sector organisations with a compliant and flexible route for accessing and managing a broad range of workforce and talent requirements.

The proposed solution is intended to support requirements both inside and outside IR35 and may encompass contingent labour, consultancy services, Statements of Work (SoW), project-based delivery, specialist professional resources and other workforce-related services.

It is envisaged that the solution will provide a single, integrated approach to workforce engagement through the appointment of a specialist supply partner. The appointed provider would be expected to deliver workforce triage, market navigation and associated management services, enabling contracting authorities to identify and access the most appropriate delivery model for their specific requirements.

The solution is expected to provide contracting authorities with improved visibility, governance and control across workforce engagement activities, whilst supporting access to a diverse range of talent, resource and service delivery models through a compliant and efficient commercial route.

NEPRO Total Talent is intended to compliment the rest of the NEPRO suite of solutions providing public sector organisations with access to the most appropriate commercial models, market and expertise to meet their requirements.

Read the full description (173 more characters)

The precise scope, structure and delivery model of the solution remain subject to ongoing development and will be informed through the preliminary market engagement process.

CPV: Business and management consultancy services · Recruitment services

How this framework works

From the published notice
Framework period
4 yrs · up to 8 yrs from 1 Sept 2027

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1Lot 1PlannedRenewal 4 yrs
Contract period: 1 Sept 2027 — 31 Aug 2031 (4 yrs) · up to 8 yrs with extensionsDelivery: GG, IM, JE, UK
Extensions
Extension options published
79410000 Business and management consultancy services79600000 Recruitment services

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Planned procurement
Procurement threshold
Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Framework agreement
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
No (one-off requirement)
First published
15 Sept 2026, 16:28 BST
Last source update
15 Sept 2026, 16:28 BST
Authority reference
NEPO538
Latest notice
Preliminary market engagement notice (UK2)
Classification (CPV)
Business and management consultancy servicesRecruitment services
Delivery area
GGIMJEUK
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06fa4d

How it was run

Appointment period ends

Timeline

4 published dates · Europe/London
  1. Planning notice published5 days ago
    15 Sept 2026, 14:55 BST
  2. Market engagementin 40 days
    30 Oct 2026, 23:59 GMT
    The purpose of this Preliminary Market Engagement Notice is to provide advance notice to the marketplace of a future opportunity and NEPO's intention to undertake preliminary market engagement with suppliers to help shape a new NEPRO Total Talent solution. NEPO is seeking input from organisations more…with experience in the provision of integrated workforce, talent management, recruitment, contingent labour, Statement of Work (SoW), consultancy and related workforce solutions. The purpose of this engagement is to better understand current market capabilities, emerging trends, delivery models, technology solutions and innovative approaches that could support public sector organisations in managing a broad range of workforce and talent requirements. Suppliers wishing to participate in the market engagement process must first register on the Open e-Tendering system using the following link where registration will be open from Tuesday 15 September - Tuesday 6 October (www.open-uk.org) Further details regarding the engagement process, including registration for market engagement sessions, will be made available via the Open e-Tendering system. Market engagement sessions are expected to take place between 26 October 2026 and 30 October 2026. Sessions will be limited in number and will last no longer than 90 minutes. NEPO intends to conduct these sessions in person at its office in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. The date, time and location of each session will be confirmed following the registration period. Places may be limited and NEPO reserves the right to manage attendance to ensure a broad representation of the marketplace. Participation in the preliminary market engagement process is entirely voluntary and will not form part of any future procurement evaluation process. Suppliers participating in the engagement activities will not receive any advantage or disadvantage in any subsequent procurement process. NEPO reserves the right to amend, suspend or cancel the market engagement exercise at any time and does not commit to undertaking any subsequent procurement as a result of this notice. Information gathered during the preliminary market engagement process will be used solely to inform NEPO's understanding of the marketplace and assist in the development of a potential future procurement strategy and solution design.
  3. Tender notice expectedin 61 days
    20 Nov 2026, 23:59 GMT
  4. Contract startsin 345 days
    1 Sept 2027, 00:00 BST

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Pipeline notice
Awards (0)
No award published
Contracts (0)
No contract published
Bid statistics
No aggregate bid statistics published

Notice history

3 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 15 Sept 2026
  1. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    15 Sept 2026, 16:28 BSTUK2
  2. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    15 Sept 2026, 16:26 BSTUK2
  3. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    15 Sept 2026, 14:55 BSTUK2

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

The Association of North East Councils Limited (NEPO)

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-COH: 05014821 · GB-PPON: PYVX-2132-JNMM Northern Design Centre, Gateshead, North East, NE8 3DF
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Official documents & specifications (3)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure