UK Public Sector Contracts & Tenders

Durham County Council (the Council) has a duty to provide services for vulnerable residents who are eligible for care and support according to the national criteria introduced by the Care Act 2014. The Council is seeking multiple providers that can provide the below named services. This is a flexible Framework where bidders may bid at any time. However, at the sole discretion of the Council, it may close the Framework should the Council deem they have sufficient providers to meet demand. The Council has the discretion to both open and close selected Lots and not all Lots should it choose to. The opportunity is divided into four Lots as detailed below: Lot 1: Learning Disability Standard Care Lot 2: Learning Disability Enhanced Care Lot 3: Mental Health Standard Care Lot 4: Mental Health Enhanced Care Bidders can bid for up to and including all 4 Lots and be awarded a Contract for up to and including all 4 Lots. Further details of the requirements are set out in the tender documents, which can be accessed free of charge, at www.open-uk.org using reference OPEN2026294. The Framework does not include any guarantee of any minimum volume of services, or any minimum expenditure. Furthermore, appointment under the Framework does not constitute a commitment by the Council, or any other contracting authority to the exclusive use of the Framework or an individual supplier for such requirements. Permitted modifications - The Council anticipates that changes may be required to reflect evolving service needs and external drivers. These may include (without limitation): -changes to the nature, scope, model or volume of Supported Living Services; -shifts in local and national health, care and wellbeing priorities; -changes in service user needs, complexity and demand; -amendments to statutory duties, regulatory requirements, inspection regimes or best practice guidance.

Durham County County are seeking one provider to undertake daily cleaning and janitorial duties within the bus stations, located across Durham County. A cleaning schedule will be implemented to ensure all key tasks are completed on a daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly basis, as well as a yearly deep clean. There are 5 bus stations in scope of this procurement, all located within County Durham: Bishop Auckland Bus Station Consett Bus Station Durham Bus Station Peterlee Bus Station Stanley Bus Station Full tender documents can be accessed, free of charge, by registering on the Open Portal at www.open-uk.org The proposed contract period is 1st September 2026 - 31st August 2028, with an option to extend a further 1 x 24-months, at the Council's sole discretion.

The service is to prevent individuals aged 18 and over from being discharged from hospital into street homelessness, and to support safe, timely, and sustainable discharges through coordinated in-hospital intervention and time-limited post-discharge support. The service will provide proactive, responsive, and coordinated support through: •Early identification of individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness; •In-hospital assessment, advocacy, and discharge coordination; & •Time-limited post-discharge support to sustain accommodation and reduce the risk of readmission. The service will specifically support individuals who: •Are homeless or at risk of homelessness; •Have support needs relating to drug and alcohol use; and •Are known to Adult Social Care services, including those with assessed care and support needs, those open to Adult Social Care teams, and those requiring coordinated discharge planning. Durham County Council (the Council) are seeking submissions from suitably experienced and skilled organisations to provide the specified services for the Housing, Health & Wellbeing Discharge Support Service. The service is commissioned in recognition of the significant risks associated with hospital discharge into homelessness, and the adverse impact this has on individual health and wellbeing, as well as system pressures across health, housing, and social care. The Council is committed to ensuring that no individual aged 18 and over is discharged from hospital into street homelessness, and that all discharges are safe, timely, and supported by appropriate accommodation and care pathways. The service will operate within the framework of statutory duties under the Care Act 2014, including the duty to promote individual wellbeing, prevent, reduce, and delay the need for care and support, and ensure the integration of services where this contributes to improved outcomes. The service will also support the Council in meeting its responsibilities under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, including duties to prevent and relieve homelessness and to work collaboratively with partner agencies through the Duty to Refer process. The service will deliver an integrated model of support spanning in-hospital intervention and time-limited post-discharge assistance, ensuring continuity of care for individuals with complex and multiple needs. It will form a key part of a wider system approach to discharge planning, working in close partnership with Adult Social Care, housing services, health providers, and other relevant stakeholders to facilitate coordinated and person-centred outcomes. A core feature of this integrated approach is the requirement for the provider to work proactively and collaboratively with Transfer of Care Hubs, clinical teams, and wider hospital-based staff to identify individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness at the earliest possible stage of admission. The service will accept and respond to referrals from Transfer of Care Hubs, hospital wards, Emergency Departments, and clinical teams, ensuring timely engagement and intervention to support discharge planning processes. A requirement of the contract is that staff work flexibly and may need to align as part of a hospital discharge pathway resulting in the need to be co-located from time to time within other relevant commissioned services and embrace opportunities for alignment with the National Health Service Neighbourhood Hubs Programme and integrated working with health, housing and adult social care partners. Further details of the requirements are set out in ITB Documents which can be accessed free of charge at www.open-uk.org

The Framework is for the provision of Drainage and Asset Management Investigation, Maintenance and Refurbishment Works to Durham County Council and affiliated bodies.

The opportunity is issued as a single contract without Lots for the provision of Weighbridge Test Unit Hire up to 44,000 kg.

This contract is for Regulation 44 Visits by an Independent Person. The Community Children's Homes maintained by Durham County Council provide support and care for some of our most vulnerable children. Durham County Council is committed to be the best parent we can be for Children in our Care and strives to ensure that we deliver support and care that is as good as every good parent. In addition to this we also host Aycliffe Secure Centre within County Durham for both male and females who have been admitted by courts or councils on a welfare and youth custody basis, this may be due to a risk to themselves or others or because there is a concern about involvement with criminal activities. The Children's Homes Regulations 2015 (Regulation 44) require all providers of Children's Residential Homes, to secure monthly visits (as a minimum) by an Independent Person to undertake a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home's arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home's care. There are currently 15 Community Children's Homes maintained by Durham County Council, including a Short Breaks Service and a Step-Down from Secure home. Each of these homes requires monthly Regulation 44 visits conducted by an Independent Person. In addition, Aycliffe Secure Centre comprises a further five homes. Over the course of the contract, the Council plans to develop up to five additional Community Children's Homes. It is anticipated that the scope and value of the contract will be adjusted accordingly as each new home is developed and registered with Ofsted, ensuring ongoing compliance with Regulation 44 requirements. The view of the Council is that the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE) will apply to this contract. However, Bidders should seek their own legal advice as to the applicability of TUPE and as to the effect of the TUPE clause contained in the contract Terms and Conditions.

Durham County Council (the Council) are seeking submissions from suitably experienced and skilled organisations to provide the specified services for the Health, Wellbeing and Night Hub. This includes the Safe Night Hub, Integrated Support Hub and dispersed properties. The main service should be based in one premises which is able to deliver the wrap around support required. The contract will also include the provision of 10 dispersed supported accommodation properties to be used as a step down pathway from the Night Hub. The Health, Wellbeing and Night Hub aims to deliver a preventative, integrated response for adults at risk of homelessness, rough sleeping, or poor health outcomes, particularly those discharged from hospital or unable to safely return to accommodation. The service aims to: •Prevent discharge to the street for eligible adults •Provide immediate, short-term step-down support following hospital discharge •Identify housing needs early and support move-on solutions •Support access to appropriate services such as Housing and homelessness services, Welfare benefits and financial support.GP registration and health appointments (not exhaustive) •Reduce rough sleeping and repeat homelessness •Improve service user engagement with statutory and voluntary services Further details of the requirements are set out in Document 3A Specification which can be accessed free of charge at www.open-uk.org. Permitted Changes to Contract: *Funding for these services is reliant upon the continued availability of funds from both the Council's core budget and The Homeless Prevention Funding. Funding amounts and sources are uncertain over the contract term and therefore DCC may need to invoke either contract modifications or termination as permitted under the relevant sections of the contract terms and conditions. At the Council's discretion, should the Council acquire further funding, including from different sources, additional services may be required and may slightly differ to that detailed in the Specification but will fall under the remit of the Health, Wellbeing and Night Hub service. The Council reserves the right to apply inflationary uplifts to the contract value at its sole discretion and will be based upon the availability of funding and commissioning priorities. The Council reserves the right to modify the service specification if new legislation and/or guidance regarding the delivery of this service is published by the Government. If a successful bidder's contract is terminated, either at the Council's or the provider's discretion, the council has the discretion to approach one or all of the other successful bidders to offer them the opportunity to deliver the Health, Wellbeing and Night Hub service OR go to market for a new supplier.

Durham County Council is seeking to establish a list of accommodation providers who can provide temporary and emergency accommodation within the boundaries of County Durham and its neighboring authorities. * This list will allow the Council to make individual placement requests based on need, suitability, and availability. Acceptance onto the list provides for no form of exclusivity or volume guarantee by the Council for Services from the Provider and the Council is at all times entitled to enter into other contracts and agreements with other Providers for the provision of any Services. This will be an Open list where providers can join throughout the contract lifetime.

Durham County Council (DCC) is seeking to secure one strategic partner, following a corporate wide catering review, to deliver catering services across a wide range of public facing venues. The Council currently has 15 customer-facing venues across a diverse portfolio of leisure, cultural, heritage and visitor locations. Existing operational arrangements include internally managed sites and third-party operated venues. This has resulted in a wide range of service approaches and financial profiles, presenting opportunities to enhance service alignment, scale efficiencies and elevate customer experience. The Council has developed a strong vision for this Procurement. Bidders will be invited to propose solutions, throughout the various stages of the procurement process, which align with this vision: 'To deliver a modern, financially sustainable and customer‑focused catering service that enhances the experience of residents and visitors, champions local suppliers and ensures high‑quality and nutritious, venue-appropriate food across in-scope venues.' The procurement will be a multiple stage Competitive Flexible procedure pursuant to the section 20 2(b) of PA23, comprising of 5 stages, including multiple competitive dialogue sessions.