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Find a TenderAwardedContract details notice
Published 5 Feb 2026, 15:22 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

Targeted Careers Information, Advice and Guidance (TCIAG)

Official notice

Authority: Cumberland Council (Local council)

ServicesOpen procedureAbove thresholdLight touch regimeSME suitableVCSE suitable
Sectors: Education & Training (80) Delivery: North West (UKD1)
Published estimate£2,500,000≈ £833k / year · £3,000,000 inc. VAT
Submissions closed 16 Jun 2026awarded 20 Jul 2026
Awarded to Inspira 01
Contract term 3 yrsends 9 Jan 2030 · up to 9 Jan 2032 with extensions · starts 10 Jan 2027

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Cumberland Council have commissioned a provider to provide a Targeted Careers Information, Advice and Guidance (TCIAG) provider.

Provision of independent cares advice, information and guidance for target beneficiary groups beginning in Year 9 and progression to aged 18 (or 25 in the care of ECHPs/SEND).

Delivery of the Council's statutory requirements relating to the September Guarantee of all 16-17 year old's having a suitable place of learning/training/employment (including tracking and reporting to DfE).

Identification of 16-17 year old's Not in Education. employment and training.

Ensuring sufficient provision of education, employment and training.

The contract will have a maximum value of £2,5000,000. and will be in place for 3 years, with the option to extend for up to one 24 month period.

The initial term is 10 January 2027 to 09 January 2030, if the possible extension of 24 months is used, the contract would end on 09 January 2032.

CPV: Education and training services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1AwardedRenewal 3 yrsSMEVCSEPublished value£2,500,000
Contract period: 10 Jan 2027 – 9 Jan 2030 (3 yrs) · up to 9 Jan 2032 with extensionsValue: £2,500,000 exc. VAT · £3,000,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: North WestEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible
Extensions: If the contract runs for the initial term only it will end on 9 January 2030. The contract value for the initial term is £1,500,000 excluding VAT. If the council implements the optional extension periods, the contract would end on 10 January 2032. The maximum contract value for the initial term, the optional extension period and any potential uplifts stated in the contract is £2,500,000 excluding VAT. If the council implements an extension or uplift, this will be confirmed in writing to the successful supplier in advance. If the services to be provided are VAT exempt then VAT cannot be charged by the successful supplier.
80000000 Education and training services

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: 60%Price: 20%Social value: 20%
Published award criteria (3)
  • Quality: Each quality question response must achieve a consensus score of at least 5 (acceptable) at the moderation meeting. If a consensus score of 0 (unacceptable) or 2 (poor) is achieved, the bid will be excluded.
  • Social Value: Each social question response must achieve a consensus score of at least 5 (acceptable) at the moderation meeting. If a consensus score of 0 (unacceptable) or 2 (poor) is achieved, the bid will be excluded.
  • Price: Bid prices will be scored based on Year 1 only. The maximum contract value for Year 1 is stated in the ITT. Bids exceeding the stated maximum value will be treated as non-compliant and this will result in the bid being excluded from the evaluation process. Bids will be scored on a comparative basis with the lowest value total bid receiving 100% of the available marks, which is 20 points. All other bids will be proportionately based on the following formula; (Lowest price / Bidder's price) * maximum possible score.
What this means for your bid
  • 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
Open procedure
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Awarded
Procurement threshold
Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime
Light touch regime
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
5 Feb 2026, 15:22 GMT
Last source update
26 Aug 2026, 08:08 BST
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 30 Jul 2026
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-043620
Latest notice
Contract details notice (UK7)
Classification (CPV)
Education and training services
Delivery area
North West (UKD1)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-064932 Find a Tender

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: ProContract (Due North) · Who buys & how to bid on ProContract
Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowedLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free · short registration with manual review; public opportunity list
Submission deadline
16 Jun 2026, 10:00 BST
Clarification deadline
27 May 2026, 12:00 BST
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

The Chest www.the-chest.org.uk ↗

Timeline

5 Feb 2026 → 10 Jan 2027 · 11 dates
  1. Planning notice published257 days ago
    5 Feb 2026, 15:22 GMT
  2. Market engagement165 days ago
    8 May 2026, 23:59 BST

    Provider Engagement Session

    8th May 2026 10am-12pm via MS teams

    To reserve a space on the provider engagement session please send an email to Joel Rasbash, Commissioning Manager using the following email address: [email protected]

    A Microsoft Teams invite link will be sent to all providers who register an interest.

  3. Next notice expected162 days ago
    11 May 2026, 23:59 BST
  4. Tender notice published161 days ago
    12 May 2026, 16:42 BST
  5. Clarification questions by147 days ago
    27 May 2026, 12:00 BST
  6. Submission deadline127 days ago
    16 Jun 2026, 10:00 BST
  7. Assessment summaries sent84 days ago
    29 Jul 2026, 00:00 BST
  8. Award decision expected by82 days ago
    30 Jul 2026, 23:59 BST
  9. Standstill ends71 days ago
    10 Aug 2026, 23:59 BST
  10. Latest notice published56 days ago
    26 Aug 2026, 08:08 BST
  11. Today
    21 Oct 2026
  12. Contract startsin 81 days
    10 Jan 2027

Notice history

12 events · 7 releases on Find a Tender · since 5 Feb 2026
  1. Pipeline notice published
    5 Feb 2026, 15:22 GMT
    UK1
  2. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    13 Feb 2026, 16:16 GMT
    UK2
  3. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    27 Feb 2026, 16:26 GMT
    UK2
  4. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    14 Apr 2026, 13:07 BST
    UK2
  5. Tender notice published
    12 May 2026, 16:42 BST
    UK4
  6. Status changed to active
    12 May 2026, 16:42 BST
  7. Procurement method changed
    12 May 2026, 16:42 BST
  8. Deadline published: 16 Jun 2026, 10:00 BST
    12 May 2026, 16:42 BST
  9. Contract award notice published
    29 Jul 2026, 12:40 BST
    UK6
  10. Status changed to complete
    29 Jul 2026, 12:40 BST
  11. Contract details notice published
    26 Aug 2026, 08:08 BST
    UK7
  12. Contract signature expected
    28 Aug 2026, 23:59 BST
    scheduled
Published amendments (1)

Notice was edited to include an online engagement session via MS teams

Routine re-releases (7)
  • 2026-04: 1 release · 14 Apr 2026
  • 2026-02: 3 releases · 5 Feb 2026, 27 Feb 2026

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £2,500,0001 award exc. VAT
Bids received 33 from SMEs
Contracts signed 1latest 25 Aug 2026
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Inspira 01SME10 Jan 2027 – 9 Jan 2030 · up to 9 Jan 2032Extensions: There is one optional extension period available of up to 24 months. Use of the extension period is at the absolute discretion of the council. If the contract runs for the initial term only it will end on 9 January 2030. If the council implements the optional extension periods, the contract would end on 9 January 2032.£2,500,00020 Jul 2026Awarded

Contracts

  • Contract 1 · Inspira 01SME

    Signed
    25 Aug 2026
    Value
    £2,500,000
    Period
    10 Jan 2027 – 9 Jan 2030 · up to 9 Jan 2032 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    There is one optional extension period available of up to 24 months. Use of the extension period is at the absolute discretion of the Council.

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
3final-stage tenders30—

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Cumberland Council

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PJGX-9191-DYLV Cumbria House, 107-117 Botchergate, Carlisle, North West, CA1 1RDContact email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • INSPIRA (01)Awarded supplierGB-COH: 04182567GB-PPON: PTZY-3871-WMVL Castle View Gillan Way, Penrith, North West, CA11 9BPContact email

Official documents & specifications (7)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure