Official UK procurement notice
Provision of Temporary Agency Workers for Northern Ireland Civil Service, Agencies and Non Departmental Public Bodies
Authority: Department of Finance (Central government)·On behalf of: CPD - Supplies and Services Division
What is being bought9 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionThe Northern Ireland Civil Service, Agencies and Non Departmental Public Bodies are seeking to establish a Contract for the provision of temporary Agency Workers with Supplier(s) for the provision of temporary Agency workers. A list of participating bodies can be found on pages 2-3 of Schedule 2 Specification.
- The authority expects to re-tender this requirement around 13 Oct 2033, 23:59 BST.
CPV: Recruitment services · Supply services of personnel including temporary staff
Lots and requirements (9)Procurement structure
9 lots · all with a published value (£1,443,500,000 together) · same conditions of participation on every lotLot #1DfC Administration roles and Corporate FunctionsRenewalPublished value£1,000,000,000
DfC Administration roles and Corporate Functions (for full description, see Schedule 2 Specification)
- Economic & financial standing
FC1 General Assessment of Financial Standing and FC2 Credit Check.
- Technical & professional ability
TA1 Company Experience, TA2 Human Rights and TA3 Tackling Modern Slavery.
Lot #2Administration roles (excluding DfC) and Corporate FunctionsRenewalPublished value£300,000,000
Administration roles (excluding DfC) and Corporate Functions (for full description, see Schedule 2 Specification)
- Economic & financial standing
FC1 General Assessment of Financial Standing and FC2 Credit Check.
- Technical & professional ability
TA1 Company Experience, TA2 Human Rights and TA3 Tackling Modern Slavery.
Lot #3Professional and TechnicalRenewalPublished value£40,000,000
Professional and Technical (for full description, see Schedule 2 Specification)
- Economic & financial standing
FC1 General Assessment of Financial Standing and FC2 Credit Check.
- Technical & professional ability
TA1 Company Experience, TA2 Human Rights and TA3 Tackling Modern Slavery.
Lot #4Environmental, Scientific Services and Medical Roles (excluding OHS medical roles)RenewalPublished value£55,000,000
Environmental, Scientific Services and Medical Roles (excluding OHS medical roles) (for full description, see Schedule 2 Specification)
- Economic & financial standing
FC1 General Assessment of Financial Standing and FC2 Credit Check.
- Technical & professional ability
TA1 Company Experience, TA2 Human Rights and TA3 Tackling Modern Slavery.
Lot #5Ancillary and IndustrialRenewalPublished value£2,500,000
Ancillary and Industrial (for full description, see Schedule 2 Specification)
- Economic & financial standing
FC1 General Assessment of Financial Standing and FC2 Credit Check.
- Technical & professional ability
TA1 Company Experience, TA2 Human Rights and TA3 Tackling Modern Slavery.
Lot #6Legal RolesRenewalPublished value£25,000,000
Legal Roles (for full description, see Schedule 2 Specification)
- Economic & financial standing
FC1 General Assessment of Financial Standing and FC2 Credit Check.
- Technical & professional ability
TA1 Company Experience, TA2 Human Rights and TA3 Tackling Modern Slavery.
Lot #7Youth and Social Care RolesRenewalPublished value£3,000,000
Youth and Social Care Roles (for full description, see Schedule 2 Specification)
- Economic & financial standing
FC1 General Assessment of Financial Standing and FC2 Credit Check.
- Technical & professional ability
TA1 Company Experience, TA2 Human Rights and TA3 Tackling Modern Slavery.
Lot #8Finance and Governance rolesRenewalPublished value£13,000,000
Finance and Governance roles (for full description, see Schedule 2 Specification)
- Economic & financial standing
FC1 General Assessment of Financial Standing and FC2 Credit Check.
- Technical & professional ability
TA1 Company Experience, TA2 Human Rights and TA3 Tackling Modern Slavery.
Lot #9ICT RolesRenewalPublished value£5,000,000
ICT Roles (for full description, see Schedule 2 Specification)
- Economic & financial standing
FC1 General Assessment of Financial Standing and FC2 Credit Check.
- Technical & professional ability
TA1 Company Experience, TA2 Human Rights and TA3 Tackling Modern Slavery.
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).
- Economic & financial standing
FC1 General Assessment of Financial Standing and FC2 Credit Check.
- Technical & professional ability
TA1 Company Experience, TA2 Human Rights and TA3 Tackling Modern Slavery.
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
- Closed
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Yes · next expected 13 Oct 2033
- First published
- 5 Sept 2025, 12:54 BST
- Last source update
- 13 Oct 2025, 15:52 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 5 Jan 2026
- Authority reference
5972224- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-064882- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0594e3Find a Tender- Contract terms summary
For details on invoicing procedures please see : www.finance-ni.gov.uk/ar ↗ ticles/account-ni-good-invoicing-practice
The estimated value figure indicated in the Scope Section represents an overall estimated contract value. This value reflects the potential scale of the contract and takes into account potential optional extension periods and the uptake of potential optional services as detailed in the tender documents. This figure does not however take into account the application of indexation or increases to charges due to increases in the Real Living Wage. Neither CPD nor the contracting Authority can provide any guarantee as to the level of business under this contract. The Contracting Authority does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any tender. Suppliers remain responsible for all costs and expenses incurred by them or by any third party acting under instructions from the Supplier in connection with taking part in this procurement process regardless of whether such costs arise as a consequence, directly or indirectly of any amendments made to the procurement documents by the Contracting Authority at any time. No legally binding contract shall arise (and a Supplier shall have no legitimate expectation that a contract will be entered into) until such time as entry into the Contract has been confirmed by the Contracting Authority.
- Risks
A list of participating bodies can be found on pages 2-3 of Schedule 2 Specification.
Exclusions
If at any time during the procurement, or post award, it comes to the attention of the Contracting Authority (CA) or CPD, by whatever means, that a Supplier has become ‘excluded’ or ‘excludable’ as per Sec 57 of the PA 2023, the CA, after compliance with its obligations under the PA 23, reserves the right to exclude said Supplier from the procurement procedure or terminate any contract they have been awarded.
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 13 Nov 2025, 14:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- 4 Nov 2025, 14:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Tenders must be submitted electronically via the relevant Call for Tender (CfT)
opportunity on eTendersNI, website details immediately below.
Paper submissions will not be accepted or considered and will be rejected by the
Contracting Authority / Buyer.
The tender documents are available with unrestricted and full direct access, free of
charge, at: URL etendersni.gov.uk/epps ↗
Timeline
5 Sept 2025 → 19 Jan 2026 · 8 dates- Planning notice published5 Sept 2025, 12:54 BST
- Market engagement5 Sept 2025, 23:59 BST
A Preliminary Market Engagement questionnaire was published on 8 May 2025. There were 12 responses received from Suppliers by the deadline of 29th May 2025, presenting their feedback. Each Supplier demonstrated that they would be prepared to meet the Buyer’s expectations and requirements within a range of proposed solutions. The findings were as follows:
- All respondents able to fulfil role as main/prime contractor, with capability of bidding on multiple Lots and no barriers to participating in procurement process
- No Supplier expressed concerns regarding the proposed procurement timetable; there was a willingness to work with incumbent suppliers to ensure a smooth changeover.
- All possessed their own IT system, highlighting capability to deliver MI.
- All potential Suppliers supportive of proposed contract duration.
- There was a wide range of replies from respondents in relation to Lot Structure, with suggestion of amalgamating Lots.
- No issues were raised concerning meeting KPIs, IT system requirements, data requirements, or delivering service during NICS major transformation (Integr8).
- Indicative of the current NICS policy to integrate sustainable development and social value into procurement, there were 4 questions within the PME addressing these subjects, with each of the suppliers expressing a commitment to both social value and sustainable development.
CPD, NICSHR and DfC are content with the PME questionnaire feedback.
A document entitled ‘Schedule 10 Performance Levels’ was issued via an eTendersNI message to all interested suppliers of the previous preliminary market engagement exercise. This document contains key performance indicators and service levels. The suppliers were asked to provide any feedback by the deadline of 3pm on 3 September 2025. Five suppliers responded and their feedback was considered.
- Next notice expected8 Sept 2025, 23:59 BST
- Tender notice published378 days ago13 Oct 2025, 15:52 BST
- Clarification questions by356 days ago4 Nov 2025, 14:00 GMT
- Submission deadline347 days ago13 Nov 2025, 14:00 GMT
- Award decision expected by294 days ago5 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract starts281 days ago19 Jan 2026
Notice history
6 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 5 Sept 2025- Preliminary market engagement notice published5 Sept 2025, 12:54 BSTUK2
- Tender notice published13 Oct 2025, 15:52 BSTUK4
- Published value updated to £1,443,500,00013 Oct 2025, 15:52 BSTwas £1,400,000,000
- Status changed to active13 Oct 2025, 15:52 BST
- Procurement method changed13 Oct 2025, 15:52 BST
- Deadline published: 13 Nov 2025, 14:00 GMT13 Oct 2025, 15:52 BST
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
3 public bodies on the noticeOther public bodies
- CPD - Supplies and Services DivisionBeneficiary authority
- CPD - Supplies & Services DivisionProcess contact pointProcuring entityConstruction and Procurement Delivery - Supplies and Services Division, is a Centre of Procurement Expertise and provides a central procurement function for central government in Northern Ireland. A list of participating bodies can be found on pages 2-3 of Schedule 2 Specification.
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender