UK Public Sector Contracts & Tenders

Worcester City Council is undertaking a Preliminary Market Engagement exercise to gather information from the market to help inform the development of a potential future procurement. The purpose of this engagement is to better understand current market capability, capacity, delivery models, innovation, and any risks or constraints that may affect how a future procurement could be structured. Information gathered may be used to refine the scope, specification, and procurement approach. Participation in this PME is voluntary and does not form part of any procurement or competitive process. Taking part in this engagement will not confer any advantage, nor will it prejudice participation in any future procurement exercise. No evaluation or selection will take place at this stage. Organisations are invited to review the PME documents available via the procurement portal and respond in accordance with the instructions provided. Responses will be treated in confidence, summarised on an anonymised basis, and may be published as part of any subsequent procurement documentation. This Preliminary Market Engagement is being conducted in accordance with sections 16 and 17 of the Procurement Act 2023. Please see separate document on the portal for more information. The Council is using the e-procurement portal known as the Proactis Pro-Contract portal https://procontract.due-north.com to conduct this procurement exercise. To gain access to the procurement documents, bidders will need to register their company details at the above website. Once registered, bidders will be emailed a log-in and password, allowing them to gain access to the procurement documents. Bidders will need to search for the invitation under Worcester City Council and then electronically submit an expression of interest and follow the online instructions to view the procurement documents.

Worcester City Council is undertaking a Preliminary Market Engagement Exercise (PME) to support its Bereavement Services in understanding the current market for Memorial Calligraphy Services, including physical Books of Remembrance and associated digital or online formats. The purpose of this engagement is to gather information from suitably experienced and qualified organisations regarding service capability, delivery models, digitisation options, pricing structures, quality assurance arrangements and turnaround times. The information obtained will help inform internal planning, budget setting and any potential future procurement approach. Interested organisations are invited to review the Specification set out in Appendix 1 of the PME documentation and to complete the Preliminary Market Engagement Questionnaire contained within Appendix 2. This exercise is being carried out solely as a market sounding and information gathering activity. It is not an invitation to tender, a call for competition, or a request for expressions of interest. Participation in the PME will not confer any advantage or disadvantage in relation to any future procurement process. The Council may use the outcomes of this PME to shape the scope, specification and procurement strategy of any subsequent procurement exercise. In accordance with sections 16 and 17 of the Procurement Act 2023, the Council reserves the right, subject to internal governance and where legally justified, to consider appropriate procurement routes should the market be extremely limited. All communication in relation to this PME must take place via the messaging facility on the Council’s procurement portal. Please see separate document on the portal The Council is using the e-procurement portal known as the Proactis Pro-Contract portal https://procontract.due-north.com to conduct this procurement exercise. To gain access to the procurement documents, bidders will need to register their company details at the above website. Once registered, bidders will be emailed a log-in and password, allowing them to gain access to the procurement documents. Bidders will need to search for the invitation under Worcester City Council and then electronically submit an expression of interest and follow the online instructions to view the procurement documents.

We invited potential providers to attend a market engagement event for the provision of home improvement agency services in Worcestershire. Potential providers were invited to attend a market engagement event via a PIN and Contracts Finder which took place on Wednesday 12th June 2024. The event presentation and event questions and answers can be accessed via the e-procurement portal known as the Proactis Pro-Contract portal procontract.due-north.com. To gain access to the documents suppliers will need to register their company details at the above website. Once registered, suppliers will be emailed a log-in and password which will allow them to gain access to the procurement documents. Suppliers will need to search for the market engagement event under Worcester City Council and then electronically submit an expression of interest and follow the online instructions to view the documents. The service is being jointly procured by a partnership of six District, Borough and City Councils and Worcestershire County Council for the new contract commencing on the 1 April 2025. The service supports people to live more independently at home with a range of adaptations and improvements to keep homes safe and accessible. The assistance includes: • Mandatory/Discretionary Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) Adaptations • Minor Adaptations • Housing Options support • Discretionary grants to make Homes Healthier and Safer to Live In • Occupational Therapist/Trusted Assessor services

This PIN is not a call for competition and is not published to reduce time limits for the receipt of tenders. The service is being jointly procured by a partnership of six District, Borough and City Councils and Worcestershire County Council for the new contract commencing on the 1 April 2025. We invited potential providers to attend a market engagement event for the provision of home improvement agency services in Worcestershire. Potential providers were invited to attend a market engagement event via a PIN and Contracts Finder which took place on Wednesday 12th June. The event presentation and event questions and answers can be accessed via the e-procurement portal known as the Proactis Pro-Contract portal procontract.due-north.com. To gain access to the documents suppliers will need to register their company details at the above website. Once registered, suppliers will be emailed a log-in and password which will allow them to gain access to the procurement documents. Suppliers will need to search for the invitation under Worcester City Council and then electronically submit an expression of interest and follow the online instructions to view the documents.

We would like to invite potential providers to attend a market engagement event for the provision of home improvement agency services in Worcestershire. The service is being jointly procured by a partnership of six District, Borough and City Councils and Worcestershire County Council for the new contract commencing on the 1 April 2025. This PIN is not a call for competition and is not published to reduce time limits for the receipt of tenders. The Council is using the e-procurement portal known as the Proactis Pro-Contract portal https://procontract.due-north.com to advertise this market engagement event. To gain access to the market engagement event leaflet, suppliers will need to register their company details at the above website. Once registered, suppliers will be emailed a log-in and password which will allow them to gain access to the procurement documents. Suppliers will need to search for the invitation under Worcester City Council and then electronically submit an expression of interest and follow the online instructions to view the market engagement leaflet.

The 3 gas cremators at Worcester City Council’s (the “Council”) Astwood Crematorium were installed in 1997. Due to their operational age the Council is looking to procure 2 no. electric cremators to replace them to increase operational resilience and secure environmental compliance with space for a 3rd cremator if possible for future proofing service provision. The Council is looking to procure the electric cremator contractor by September 2024 at RIBA Stage 3 so the contractor can form part of the Council’s wider design team appointed to design and develop a remodelled building and cremator replacement works. The Council has secured SALIX grant of £1.5m towards the cost of the replacement cremators however this grant funding can only be utilised against qualifying expenditure incurred in the grant funding period April 2025 to March 2026. It is essential therefore that the cremators are installed, commissioned and operational to meet the grant funding window. Potential suppliers will not be prejudiced by any response to this PIN, or failure to respond. This PIN does not formally signify the beginning of a procurement and does not constitute a commitment by the Council to undertake any procurement exercise. In the event that the Council decides to formally commence the procurement of electric cremators for the Astwood Crematorium, a separate contract notice will be issued.

Following Worcester's successful award of grant funding from the Towns Fund, Worcester City Council is seeking to develop a bike share scheme to support access to bicycles across the City, including city centre, leisure, employment and education destinations and residential areas for residents and visitors within Worcester. As the project delivery team for the bike share scheme develops their ideas, it is recognised that there is a mixed picture of success with similar schemes around the UK. This 'soft market testing' exercise is being undertaken to ensure that operators, recognised to be experts on the delivery and sustainability of bike share schemes, are able to contribute their expertise to help shape the design of the scheme. The project delivery team values your input into the detailed design of the scheme, what you think will work and what we could do to ensure long term sustainability. The Council is issuing a Prior Information Notice (PIN) as a Request For Information (RFI) to gather market intelligence and information, to gain a better understanding of the capacity and appetite of the market in delivering the proposed provision and to alert the market to a possible future tender opportunity. The PIN invites Economic Operators to express an interest in this RFI exercise only. The RFI is not an invitation to tender, pre-qualification or selection process. This PIN/RFI is intended as an awareness, communication, and information gathering exercise. An expression of interest is no indication of a commitment to participate in the RFI process. No preferential or special status will be gained by Economic Operators who express an interest in this RFI, complete the RFI or express an interest in taking part in further soft market engagement. The Council are using the e-procurement portal known as the Proactis Pro-Contract portal https://procontract.due-north.com to conduct this procurement exercise. To gain access to the procurement documents, contractors will need to register their company details at the above website (there is no charge for this). Once registered, contractors will be emailed a log-in and password which will allow them to gain access to the procurement documents. Contractors will need to search for the invitation under Worcester City Council and then electronically submit an expression of interest and follow the online instructions to view the procurement documents.

Following Worcester's successful award of grant funding from the Towns Fund, Worcester City Council is seeking to develop a bike share scheme to support access to bicycles across the City, including city centre, leisure, employment and education destinations and residential areas for residents and visitors within Worcester. As the project delivery team for the bike share scheme develops their ideas, it is recognised that there is a mixed picture of success with similar schemes around the UK. This 'soft market testing' exercise is being undertaken to ensure that operators, recognised to be experts on the delivery and sustainability of bike share schemes, are able to contribute their expertise to help shape the design of the scheme. The project delivery team values your input into the detailed design of the scheme, what you think will work and what we could do to ensure long term sustainability. The Council is issuing a Prior Information Notice (PIN) as a Request For Information (RFI) to gather market intelligence and information, to gain a better understanding of the capacity and appetite of the market in delivering the proposed provision and to alert the market to a possible future tender opportunity. The PIN invites Economic Operators to express an interest in this RFI exercise only. The RFI is not an invitation to tender, pre-qualification or selection process. This PIN/RFI is intended as an awareness, communication, and information gathering exercise. An expression of interest is no indication of a commitment to participate in the RFI process. No preferential or special status will be gained by Economic Operators who express an interest in this RFI, complete the RFI or express an interest in taking part in further soft market engagement. The Council are using the e-procurement portal known as the Proactis Pro-Contract portal https://procontract.due-north.com to conduct this procurement exercise. To gain access to the procurement documents, contractors will need to register their company details at the above website (there is no charge for this). Once registered, contractors will be emailed a log-in and password which will allow them to gain access to the procurement documents. Contractors will need to search for the invitation under Worcester City Council and then electronically submit an expression of interest and follow the online instructions to view the procurement documents.

Following Worcester’s successful award of grant funding from the Towns Fund, Worcester City Council is seeking to develop a bike share scheme to support access to bicycles across the City, including city centre, leisure, employment and education destinations and residential areas for residents and visitors within Worcester. To support this, the Council is issuing a Prior Information Notice (PIN) as a Request For Information (RFI) to gather market intelligence and information, to gain a better understanding of the capacity and appetite of the market in delivering the proposed provision and to alert the market to a possible future tender opportunity. The PIN invites Economic Operators to express an interest in this RFI exercise only. The RFI is not an invitation to tender, pre-qualification or selection process. This PIN/RFI is intended as an awareness, communication, and information gathering exercise. An expression of interest is no indication of a commitment to participate in the RFI process. No preferential or special status will be gained by Economic Operators who express an interest in this RFI, complete the RFI or express an interest in taking part in further soft market engagement.

Worcestershire Single and Childless Couples Homelessness Support Service The Worcestershire District and County councils would like to invite service providers interested in tendering for the Worcestershire Single and Childless Couples Homelessness Support Service to a Market Engagement event. The event will provide an opportunity for the councils to gauge the level of interest and capability of providers, help providers develop a clear understanding of the service requirements, obtain feedback from providers and give providers an opportunity to ask questions and/or raise any concerns. This event is aimed at helping providers to properly plan and prepare for the contract opportunity. The Market Engagement event will be held on Monday 26th September 2022 from 10.00am to 12 noon. The event will be accessible by Teams and in person at Wyre Forest House, Finepoint, Kidderminster DY11 7WF. Please email Charlie.hodges@bromsgroveandredditch.gov.uk by Thursday 22nd September 2022 if you would like to receive the Teams link and agenda. The service is split into two core areas: 1. Providing housing support to single and childless couples who are at risk of homelessness with a focus on preventing that homelessness or providing a pathway into sustainable accommodation. 2. Managing the delivery of emergency accommodation and providing support for rough sleepers during periods of severe weather. The service will be re- tendered in November 2022 with the new service being launched April 2023.

Worcestershire Single and Childless Couples Homelessness Support Service The Worcestershire District and County councils would like to invite service providers interested in tendering for the Worcestershire Single and Childless Couples Homelessness Support Service to a Market Engagement event. The event will provide an opportunity for the councils to gauge the level of interest and capability of providers, help providers develop a clear understanding of the service requirements, obtain feedback from providers and give providers an opportunity to ask questions and/or raise any concerns. This event is aimed at helping providers to properly plan and prepare for the contract opportunity. The Market Engagement event will be held on Monday 26th September 2022 from 10.00am to 12 noon. The event will be accessible by Teams and in person at Wyre Forest House, Finepoint, Kidderminster DY11 7WF. Please email Charlie.hodges@bromsgroveandredditch.gov.uk by Thursday 22nd September 2022 if you would like to receive the Teams link and agenda. The service is split into two core areas: 1. Providing housing support to single and childless couples who are at risk of homelessness with a focus on preventing that homelessness or providing a pathway into sustainable accommodation. 2. Managing the delivery of emergency accommodation and providing support for rough sleepers during periods of severe weather. The service will be re- tendered in November 2022 with the new service being launched April 2023.