Official UK procurement notice
Vertical Agreement for Lead Provider (East) for Care at Home
Authority: Southend-on-Sea City Council (Local council)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionSouthend-on-Sea City Council are looking to establish a vertical agreement with Southend Care Limited.
Background:
Southend-on-Sea City Council recently established the Care at Home Framework via a competitive tendering procedure. This established 2 lead providers across 3 areas as well as 14 locality providers across 4 areas. In addition to this, Southend-on-Sea intend to direct award via vertical agreement an additional lead provider area (East) to Southend Care Limited. Please note this is in accordance with market engagement and Care at Home tender documentation.
The contract comprises the following:
Southend City Council defines "Care at Home" as comprising three essential services:
- Homecare: Personalised assistance provided to individuals in their own homes, including help with daily tasks, personal hygiene, and medication management.
- Reablement Service: A short-term intervention aimed at helping people regain independence after illness, injury, or hospitalisation.
- Southend Enhanced Discharge: A seamless transition from hospital to home, ensuring continuity of care and support.
Justification:
Southend Care are wholly owned by Southend-on-Sea City Council and more than 80% of its activities are on behalf of Southend-on-Sea City Council, therefore meeting the criteria for the vertical agreement.
The vertical agreement is an exempted contract and therefore is not subject to the rules of a covered procurement under Procurement Act 2023, however in the interests of transparency this direct award has been publicly communicated via this notice.
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1Awarded
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Direct award
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Notice status
- Awarded without competition
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Direct award (no call for competition)
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 4 Jun 2026, 10:48 BST
- Last source update
- 4 Jun 2026, 10:48 BST
- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-052659- Latest notice
- Transparency notice (UK5)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06ad2dFind a Tender
- Why no open competition
- Single Suppliers Technical Reasons
- Published justification
Justification:
Southend Care are wholly owned by Southend-on-Sea City Council and more than 80% of its activities are on behalf of Southend-on-Sea City Council, therefore meeting the criteria for the vertical agreement.
The vertical agreement is an exempted contract and therefore is not subject to the rules of a covered procurement under Procurement Act 2023, however in the interests of transparency this direct award has been publicly communicated via this notice.
Notice history
2 events · 1 release on Find a Tender · since 4 Jun 2026- Transparency notice published4 Jun 2026, 10:48 BSTUK5
- Contract signature expected1 Jul 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southend Care LtdVertical Agreement: Southend Care Limited1 Jul 2026 – 31 Mar 2029 · up to 31 Mar 2031Extensions: Extension in 2 12 month increments subject to internal approval, performance and business need/demand | £11,500,000 inc. VAT | — | Standstill |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- Southend Care LtdAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (1)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Transparency notice Transparency notice on Find a Tender