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The Provision of Agency Operational Workers for the Probation Service

Ministry of Justice

This public procurement record has 12 releases in its history.

Award

02 Oct 2026 at 16:32

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
AwardUpdate

07 Jul 2026 at 10:52

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
AwardUpdate

03 Jul 2026 at 11:51

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

01 Jul 2026 at 15:33

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
TenderUpdate

02 Apr 2026 at 13:47

UK4 - Tender Notice
TenderUpdate

11 Mar 2026 at 15:12

UK4 - Tender Notice
Tender

11 Mar 2026 at 14:42

UK4 - Tender Notice
PlanningUpdate

30 Oct 2025 at 10:10

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

24 Oct 2025 at 14:46

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

24 Oct 2025 at 12:11

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Planning

07 Jul 2025 at 14:47

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

21 May 2025 at 10:10

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Ministry of Justice bought temporary operational staff for probation services delivered by His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service across England and Wales. The requirement covers qualified Probation Officers and Senior Probation Officers, as well as Probation Services Officers, Victim Liaison Officers and Unpaid Work Supervisors. Workers help cover staff absences, gaps before permanent recruitment and temporary increases in workload. Assignments may be based in prisons, courts, probation delivery units, approved premises, council buildings or police stations across England and Wales. This is a personnel supply service (CPV 79620000), with staffing levels varying according to operational need.

The procurement has been awarded and the contract is signed. Service Care Solutions Ltd was selected for the single lot. The award was dated 1 July 2026; the contract was signed on 17 August 2026 and runs from 2 November 2026 to 1 November 2032. Its value is £122 million excluding VAT (£146.4 million including VAT). The Ministry used an open procedure. Three valid bids were received, including two from small and medium-sized businesses. The evaluation used price per quality point to identify the most advantageous tender, with a minimum technical threshold required before bids could be evaluated. The lot was marked as suitable for small and medium-sized businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises.

This award shows a substantial, geographically dispersed requirement for temporary probation staffing, with demand fluctuating across operational sites throughout England and Wales. Suppliers competing for comparable work need recruitment capacity to source and deploy the specified probation roles, including qualified Probation Officers and Senior Probation Officers, alongside probation support, victim liaison and unpaid work staff. They must be able to meet the security and identity checks required before workers take up post and respond to staffing needs arising from absence, recruitment gaps and workload peaks. The successful offer was assessed on price in relation to quality, subject to passing a technical threshold, so a credible competitor needs both cost control and evidence of technical capability. The participation of two smaller firms among three valid bids indicates that smaller suppliers can compete for this scale of requirement.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

The Provision of Agency Operational Workers for the Probation Service

Notice Description

This requirement is to support the Authority (Ministry of Justice) and His Majesty's Prison & Probation Services (HMPPS) in the future delivery of temporary resources for Probation Services across England and Wales. The Probation Services is seeking a supplier(s) to provide qualified probation operational workers to address temporary staff shortfalls that could jeopardise the delivery of core business objectives. This may include covering periods of absence, in lieu of permanent recruitment or to manage temporary increases in work. Probation operational temporary staff include Probation Officers and Senior Probation Officers, both of whom must hold the relevant qualification for their role. Other key roles include Probation Services Officers, Victim Liaison Officers, and Unpaid Work Supervisors. All candidates are subject to security and identity checks prior to taking up post. The worker volume will fluctuate dependent on business need. HMPPS employee base is diverse and geographically dispersed across England and Wales. Temporary Probation workers may be based within one of the c.120 public or private prison establishments, c.170 courts, c.110 Probation Delivery Units, c.100 Approved Premises, or some are based within Council Buildings or Police Stations. Probation is divided into 12 Regions: London, South Central, Kent Surrey and Sussex (KSS) South West, East of England, West Midlands, East Midlands, Greater Manchester, Yorkshire and the Humber, North East, North West and Wales. These services are currently being delivered by two providers and these contracts expire in October 2026 necessitating the need for a new contract(s).

Planning Information

Please message via PQQ_521 on the Jaggaer portal to submit your preference and availability with three 30 minute time slot options between 12pm & 5pm on either the 5th or 6th November. The authority will confirm your timeslot before 5pm on 3rd November with joining details.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0519e4
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/093532-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

79620000 - Supply services of personnel including temporary staff

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£122,000,000 £100M-£1B
Lots Value
£122,000,000 £100M-£1B
Awards Value
£122,000,000 £100M-£1B
Contracts Value
£122,000,000 £100M-£1B

Notice Dates

Publication Date
2 Oct 20263 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
24 Apr 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
2 Mar 2026Expired
Award Date
1 Jul 20263 months ago
Contract Period
2 Nov 2026 - 1 Nov 2032 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active, Pending
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Ministry of Justice
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1H 9AJ
Postcode Area
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Service Care Solutions Ltd

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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