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Provision of Downstream Access DSA Postal Services

United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

20 Oct 2026 at 08:45

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is procuring downstream access postal services for NHS trusts in Lincolnshire and University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust. The service covers collection and delivery of letters, large letters and parcels within the UK through the NHS trusts’ postal arrangements. Small packages and parcels collection and delivery are optional at each trust’s discretion. The Lincolnshire lot covers United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust, with Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust able to use the service through a separate call-off agreement. The Derby and Burton lot is for University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust. Delivery is across the trusts’ service areas, including Lincolnshire and Derby and Burton.

The procurement is complete and both lots were awarded separately to DHL eCommerce Ltd. The award is dated 20 October 2026. Lot 1, covering Lincolnshire, has an estimated value of £6 million for United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals and Lincolnshire Community Health Services over four years; Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust’s potential call-off is estimated at £1.3 million over four years or part of that period. Lot 2, for University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, is estimated at £2.7 million over four years. These estimates may be exceeded because third-party final-mile delivery and other statutory costs are passed through. The lots run from 1 October and 1 November 2026 respectively to 30 September 2028, with options for two 12-month extensions at each authority’s discretion. The trusts used a further competition under a framework; the lots were evaluated and awarded individually.

The award demonstrates recurring NHS demand for managed downstream access postal services across multiple trusts, including the collection and delivery of letters and larger mail, with optional small-parcel services. A credible competitor would need the operational capacity to serve dispersed NHS sites across Lincolnshire and the Derby and Burton area, and to manage the final-mile delivery chain, including third-party costs. The framework call-off route and separate lot evaluations indicate that suppliers need to compete for defined trust groupings rather than assume a single combined service award. The selected supplier was a large-scale e-commerce delivery business, making established postal networks, reliable delivery operations and the ability to support multi-trust service arrangements relevant capabilities for a supplier seeking comparable NHS work.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Provision of Downstream Access DSA Postal Services

Notice Description

Provision of Downstream Access Postal Services to NHS trusts across Lincolnshire and University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust Additional information: Lot 1 Lincolnshire comprising United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust ULTH Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust LCHS and Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust LPFT Lot 2 University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust Both lots include the option for small packages and parcels collection and delivery at the discretion of each contracting authority. Lot 1 commenced 1 October 2026. Call-off signature date 20 September 2026. ULTH is the contracting authority on behalf of itself and LCHS under its LCHG group model. ULTH and LCHS estimated value over 4 years is PS6m excluding VAT. LPFT may call-off services under Lot 1 directly as a contracting authority at a future date at its discretion subject to the execution of a separate call-off agreement. LPFT estimated value PS1.3m over 4 years ex. VAT or part thereof. Lot 2 will commence 1 November 2026. Contract signature date 16 October 2026. Estimated value over 4 years is PS2.7m ex. VAT. UHDB is the sole contracting authority under this lot. Contract values over 4 years at individual trust level and combined aggregate level may exceed the totals specified due to the pass through of Third Party ie Final Mile Delivery and other statutory led costs outside of the contracting authorities' control. Both lots will end 30 September 2028 but may be extended as options for 2 x 12 months at each contracting authority's discretion. Framework GCA RM6280 Lot 2 Collection and Delivery of Letters, Large Letters and Parcels within UK via Further Competition Both lots individually evaluated and awarded to DHL eCommerce Ltd

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-cf75cb34-62bc-40a8-8728-b49f3ef01952
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/83405137-0202-485c-b7ca-e7207c31a18c
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Call-off from a framework agreement
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

64 - Postal and telecommunications services

CPV Codes

64110000 - Postal services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£10,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£10,000,000 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
20 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
20 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Contract Period
1 Oct 2026 - 30 Sep 2028 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LINCOLN
Postcode
LN5 7JH
Postcode Area
Lincoln
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLF East Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLF3 Lincolnshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLF30 Lincolnshire CC
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Lincoln
Electoral Ward
Park
Westminster Constituency
Lincoln

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

DHL Parcel UK Limited

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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