Official UK procurement notice
TSAT - Provision of Grounds Maintenance Services
Authority: THE THINKING SCHOOLS ACADEMY TRUST (Education)·On behalf of: PHP LAW LLP
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThis tender opportunity has been issued by Thinking Schools Academy Trust (the Trust) and Tenderers are invited to tender for the provision of grounds maintenance services (the Service). The Trust requires the Contractor to deliver the Service in full compliance with horticultural best practice and ensure that service delivery is consistent across all sites. Schools will join the contract once their current contracts end.
CPV: Grounds maintenance services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedRenewalPublished value£300,000
- Economic & financial standing
Provide details on annual turnover, recent financial statements, and tax compliance.
Submit audited accounts for the last two years or a letter of solvency if you are a new business
Tenderers must demonstrate their economic and financial standing in accordance with the following:
Due diligence checks will be undertaken on the preferred Tenderer's accounts to determine a Tenderer's financial standing. This will incorporate credit checks and a financial appraisal.
Any answers which lead the Trust, acting reasonably, to conclude, considering the risk that the relevant answer suggests about the Tenderer's ability to properly perform the specification, then the Tenderer may be rejected.
- Technical & professional ability
Provide details of up to three contracts to meet conditions of participation relating to technical ability set out in the relevant notice or procurement documents, from the educational sector.
The contract examples provided shall be relevant to the requirement, with a sufficient level of detail that provides confidence in the Tenderer's established past experience in similar and relevant projects/contracts.
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 sub-criteria (2)
- Quality Assessment: 30%
- Price Assessment: 70%
Published award criteria (2)
- Quality Assessment: Proposed Solution & Staff Delivery Team 10.0% Contract Management 10.0% Service Quality Monitoring 10.0%
- Price Assessment
- Economic & financial standing
Provide details on annual turnover, recent financial statements, and tax compliance.
Submit audited accounts for the last two years or a letter of solvency if you are a new business
Tenderers must demonstrate their economic and financial standing in accordance with the following:
Due diligence checks will be undertaken on the preferred Tenderer's accounts to determine a Tenderer's financial standing. This will incorporate credit checks and a financial appraisal.
Any answers which lead the Trust, acting reasonably, to conclude, considering the risk that the relevant answer suggests about the Tenderer's ability to properly perform the specification, then the Tenderer may be rejected.
- Technical & professional ability
Provide details of up to three contracts to meet conditions of participation relating to technical ability set out in the relevant notice or procurement documents, from the educational sector.
The contract examples provided shall be relevant to the requirement, with a sufficient level of detail that provides confidence in the Tenderer's established past experience in similar and relevant projects/contracts.
- Price carries 70 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 7 points. This one is won on the number: sharpen the price before polishing the prose.
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
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 5 May 2026, 22:26 BST
- Last source update
- 17 Sept 2026, 16:24 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 11 Jul 2026
- Authority reference
TSAT01.02- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-041265- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0691e7Find a Tender- Contract terms summary
The Contractor shall submit invoices and associated documentation by email to the Trust. Invoicing will be monthly, in arrears from the end of the previous month.
Where, during a monthly period, it has been identified, and agreed, that adjustments are required (in respect of service credits, additional works, errors or omissions), these will be taken account of within the invoice for the following month.
- Risks
The Contractor shall plan for the mobilisation and implementation of this Contract to provide a smooth transition and delivery to meet the contract start date.
The Contractor shall identify risks to the service delivery and provide appropriate planning and risk mitigation to ensure robust delivery of the Service.
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 12 Jun 2026, 12:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 3 Jun 2026, 12:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
EU Supply Tendering Portal - uk.eu-supply.com/login.asp ↗
Timeline
5 May 2026 → 17 Sept 2026 · 7 dates- Tender notice published167 days ago5 May 2026, 22:26 BST
- Clarification questions by139 days ago3 Jun 2026, 12:00 BST
- Submission deadline130 days ago12 Jun 2026, 12:00 BST
- Award decision expected by100 days ago11 Jul 2026, 23:59 BST
- Assessment summaries sent68 days ago13 Aug 2026, 00:00 BST
- Contract starts49 days ago1 Sept 2026, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published33 days ago17 Sept 2026, 16:24 BST
Notice history
5 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 5 May 2026- Tender notice published5 May 2026, 22:26 BSTUK4
- Contract award notice published13 Aug 2026, 11:08 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete13 Aug 2026, 11:08 BST
- Contract signature expected25 Aug 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published17 Sept 2026, 16:24 BSTUK7
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arborcure LtdSME1 Sept 2026 – 31 Aug 2029 · up to 31 Aug 2031Extensions: The possible extension of two (2) further years, in 12-month intervals (3 +1+1). · Options: The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid in relation to grounds maintenance services. To enable further schools to be added to the contract as they join the Trust. | £300,000 | 12 Aug 2026 | Awarded |
Contracts
TSAT - Provision of Grounds Maintenance Services · Arborcure LtdSME
- Signed
- 15 Sept 2026
- Value
- £300,000
- Period
- 15 Sept 2026 – 31 Aug 2029 · up to 31 Aug 2031 with extensions
- Status
- active
- Extensions
- The possible extension of two (2) further years, in 12-month intervals (3 +1+1)
- Options
- The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid. The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid in relation to grounds maintenance services. To enable further schools to be added to the contract as they join the Trust
15 agreed KPIs: Site Attendance · Punctuality/Considerations · Response to General Calls/Emails …
- Site Attendance
- Punctuality/Considerations
- Response to General Calls/Emails
- Low Priority Issue/Complaint
- Medium Priority Issue/Complaint
- High Priority Issue/Complaint (Health & Safety or Safeguarding Issue)
- Contract Review Meetings Attendance
- Individual Site Feedback
- Site Inspection Visits
- Customer Access to a shared area or portal
- Schedule of Works
- Emergency Works
- Additional Works
- Communication
- Health & Safety
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4final-stage tenders · 6 at stage one | 1 | 0 | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
2 public bodies on the noticeOther public bodies
- PHP LAW LLPProcess contact pointProcuring entityProcurement Consultant
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- ARBORCURE LIMITEDAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (3)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender