Planning

Market Engagement Security Provision for Supported Hostels

LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

17 Sep 2025 at 15:30

Summary of the contracting process

The London Borough of Southwark is currently in the planning stage for procuring security services for its supported hostels, with a tender titled "Market Engagement Security Provision for Supported Hostels". This procurement process falls under the services category and targets the UK's UKI44 region. Key dates include a scheduled market engagement process to take place on 25 and 26 September 2025. Interested parties are invited to participate in one-on-one supplier events to discuss the contract requirements. The total contract value is anticipated to be £5,750,000, with provisions for light touch regime procurement above the statutory threshold. The procurement aims to commence on 1 September 2026 and conclude on 31 August 2029, involving managed guard services with a focus on safeguarding vulnerable adults in supported accommodations.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in security services, particularly those with expertise in safeguarding vulnerable adults and operating within social care environments. Suppliers must demonstrate at least two years of relevant experience and the ability to employ local staff, aligning with Southwark's social value requirements. The contract is especially suited for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs), as the procurement encourages innovative approaches to tackle the complex needs of the hostel residents. Businesses that can provide comprehensive training programs and maintain a skilled workforce to meet operational demands, including those who can develop resilience strategies for staff retention, will likely find this project a fruitful endeavour. The engagement process provides an initial platform for businesses to showcase their expertise and innovative capabilities to the borough.

Find more tenders on our Open Data Platform.
How relevant is this notice?

D3 Tenders Premium

Win More Public Sector Contracts

AI-powered tender discovery, pipeline management, and market intelligence — everything you need to grow your public sector business.

Notice Title

Market Engagement Security Provision for Supported Hostels

Notice Description

Southwark Council is looking to re-provide security cover across its supported hostels. The Council currently operates 5 supported hostels in the Borough: Manor Place, Jo Richards House, David Barker House, Northcott House and Keyworth Street Hostel. Support is given in a range of complex support needs from Domestic Violence, Substance Misuse, Mental Health and Offending. The core focus of future provision is on ensuring that vulnerable adults residing in the 5 council-run supported hostels are provided with the right level of security to safeguard them and to meet their needs. This is done by providing controlled access to the hostels out of hours and enforcing the schemes' rules such as preventing unauthorised overnight visitors, ensuring compliance with noise, anti-social behaviour and other laid down procedures for when the support staff working day ends. The principal duty of the Guards is to be visible at their station throughout the required hours, ensuring that unauthorised persons do not gain access to the building. However, the Specification (in process of being written as part of the procurement) also stipulates a range of other requirements, including assistance to residents, fire safety and evacuation, building checks, door management, welfare checks on the most vulnerable, harm minimisation-training in sharps, use of Naloxone etc. Suppliers must first and foremost have a minimum of 2 years' experience of safeguarding vulnerable adults in a supported hostel, foyer and/or other similar accommodation or care setting and be able to demonstrate and evidence that the staff they employ on this contract understand trauma informed approaches to safeguarding such residents. One of the Social Value requirements of the successful tenderer will be to employ local staff where possible offering employment opportunities to local people. Another key aspect of the procurement will be based on innovative ideas for assisting those customers living there to cope with their diverse and complex needs as well as demonstrating the ability to bring expertise and learning from current delivery elsewhere likely to benefit Southwark's hostels. Suppliers must be able to evidence relevant levels of training and licencing, and how this will equip each officer employed on this contract with the necessary skills to provide a better service to the client group resident at these hostels. For example, MABO or Healthcare Security Officer Training, as well as other bespoke training courses for all its staff working in this sector, including relief staff, in areas such as Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults, administering life-saving drugs and procedures around Handover, responding to Alarms, Dealing with aggressive abusive behaviour or the potential overdose of a resident as well as other situations such as reporting an observation and who to report it to, dealing with onsite theft and Responding to internal incidents, fire, medical etc. Suppliers should be established (minimum of 2 years) and specialised in delivering this type of provision (i.e. safeguarding and security services) within Housing, Foyer or Social Care environments. Suppliers need to be able to show that they are aware of and geared towards the challenges of attracting and retaining staff in this work environment and that any person working on site would have not only the relevant training but the requisite previous experience. Suppliers will also need to demonstrate that they are able to draw on reserve pools and/or move staff of the right calibre and credentials around to meet any staffing gaps in order to ensure continuity of service on a daily basis. The requirement is for a minimum of two guards to be on site at each hostel outside of core hours, 365 days a year to safeguard and assist residents as well as facilitate emergency evacuation if required (making a minimum total of 10 security personnel on duty at any one-time). The designated shift hours are 8pm-8am Monday to Friday (12 hours) and 24 hours on Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays. In all this equates to a total of 108 Hours of cover every week plus Bank Holidays.

Planning Information

The engagement process will comprise One to One supplier events via Teams. Two days have currently been set aside to talk to interested parties individually on 25 and 26 September 2025. Each session will last approximately 30 mins at which Southwark will briefly set out what it is looking for, then invite each supplier to respond and pose any questions suppliers might have about the contract or the procurement. Note that the consultation may be recorded or notes taken to ensure that the resulting tender pack provides information such that all bidders have the same information and no potential bidder unable to make the dates is disadvantaged. Suppliers should contact Wayne Haywood (wayne.haywood@southwark.gov.uk / Tel: 0207 525 5000) to arrange their half hour slot on 25 or 26 September 2025.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-059c92
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/057478-2025
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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


CPV Codes

79710000 - Security services

79713000 - Guard services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£5,750,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
17 Sep 20255 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
15 Dec 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 Aug 2026 - 31 Aug 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
LONDON BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK
Contact Name
Wayne Haywood
Contact Email
wayne.haywood@southwark.gov.uk
Contact Phone
02075255000

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SE1 2QH
Post Town
South East London
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI4 Inner London - East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI44 Lewisham and Southwark
Delivery Location
TLI44 Lewisham and Southwark

Local Authority
Southwark
Electoral Ward
London Bridge & West Bermondsey
Westminster Constituency
Bermondsey and Old Southwark

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

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.

{
    "tag": [
        "compiled"
    ],
    "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-059c92-2025-09-17T16:30:39+01:00",
    "date": "2025-09-17T16:30:39+01:00",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-059c92",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PXTW-7647-VDLV",
            "name": "London Borough of Southwark",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PXTW-7647-VDLV"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "160 Tooley Street",
                "locality": "London",
                "postalCode": "SE1 2QH",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKI44"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "name": "Wayne Haywood",
                "email": "wayne.haywood@southwark.gov.uk",
                "telephone": "02075255000"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "url": "http://www.southwark.gov.uk",
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
                        "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-PPON-PXTW-7647-VDLV",
        "name": "London Borough of Southwark"
    },
    "planning": {
        "milestones": [
            {
                "id": "engagement",
                "type": "engagement",
                "description": "The engagement process will comprise One to One supplier events via Teams. Two days have currently been set aside to talk to interested parties individually on 25 and 26 September 2025. Each session will last approximately 30 mins at which Southwark will briefly set out what it is looking for, then invite each supplier to respond and pose any questions suppliers might have about the contract or the procurement. Note that the consultation may be recorded or notes taken to ensure that the resulting tender pack provides information such that all bidders have the same information and no potential bidder unable to make the dates is disadvantaged. Suppliers should contact Wayne Haywood (wayne.haywood@southwark.gov.uk / Tel: 0207 525 5000) to arrange their half hour slot on 25 or 26 September 2025.",
                "dueDate": "2025-09-24T23:59:59+01:00",
                "status": "scheduled"
            }
        ],
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "057478-2025",
                "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK2",
                "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/057478-2025",
                "datePublished": "2025-09-17T16:30:39+01:00",
                "format": "text/html"
            }
        ]
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-059c92",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "2023/54",
            "scheme": "UKPGA",
            "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
        },
        "title": "Market Engagement Security Provision for Supported Hostels",
        "description": "Southwark Council is looking to re-provide security cover across its supported hostels. The Council currently operates 5 supported hostels in the Borough: Manor Place, Jo Richards House, David Barker House, Northcott House and Keyworth Street Hostel. Support is given in a range of complex support needs from Domestic Violence, Substance Misuse, Mental Health and Offending. The core focus of future provision is on ensuring that vulnerable adults residing in the 5 council-run supported hostels are provided with the right level of security to safeguard them and to meet their needs. This is done by providing controlled access to the hostels out of hours and enforcing the schemes' rules such as preventing unauthorised overnight visitors, ensuring compliance with noise, anti-social behaviour and other laid down procedures for when the support staff working day ends. The principal duty of the Guards is to be visible at their station throughout the required hours, ensuring that unauthorised persons do not gain access to the building. However, the Specification (in process of being written as part of the procurement) also stipulates a range of other requirements, including assistance to residents, fire safety and evacuation, building checks, door management, welfare checks on the most vulnerable, harm minimisation-training in sharps, use of Naloxone etc. Suppliers must first and foremost have a minimum of 2 years' experience of safeguarding vulnerable adults in a supported hostel, foyer and/or other similar accommodation or care setting and be able to demonstrate and evidence that the staff they employ on this contract understand trauma informed approaches to safeguarding such residents. One of the Social Value requirements of the successful tenderer will be to employ local staff where possible offering employment opportunities to local people. Another key aspect of the procurement will be based on innovative ideas for assisting those customers living there to cope with their diverse and complex needs as well as demonstrating the ability to bring expertise and learning from current delivery elsewhere likely to benefit Southwark's hostels. Suppliers must be able to evidence relevant levels of training and licencing, and how this will equip each officer employed on this contract with the necessary skills to provide a better service to the client group resident at these hostels. For example, MABO or Healthcare Security Officer Training, as well as other bespoke training courses for all its staff working in this sector, including relief staff, in areas such as Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults, administering life-saving drugs and procedures around Handover, responding to Alarms, Dealing with aggressive abusive behaviour or the potential overdose of a resident as well as other situations such as reporting an observation and who to report it to, dealing with onsite theft and Responding to internal incidents, fire, medical etc. Suppliers should be established (minimum of 2 years) and specialised in delivering this type of provision (i.e. safeguarding and security services) within Housing, Foyer or Social Care environments. Suppliers need to be able to show that they are aware of and geared towards the challenges of attracting and retaining staff in this work environment and that any person working on site would have not only the relevant training but the requisite previous experience. Suppliers will also need to demonstrate that they are able to draw on reserve pools and/or move staff of the right calibre and credentials around to meet any staffing gaps in order to ensure continuity of service on a daily basis. The requirement is for a minimum of two guards to be on site at each hostel outside of core hours, 365 days a year to safeguard and assist residents as well as facilitate emergency evacuation if required (making a minimum total of 10 security personnel on duty at any one-time). The designated shift hours are 8pm-8am Monday to Friday (12 hours) and 24 hours on Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays. In all this equates to a total of 108 Hours of cover every week plus Bank Holidays.",
        "items": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "additionalClassifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "79713000",
                        "description": "Guard services"
                    },
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "79710000",
                        "description": "Security services"
                    }
                ],
                "deliveryAddresses": [
                    {
                        "region": "UKI44",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    }
                ],
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ],
        "value": {
            "amountGross": 6900000,
            "amount": 5750000,
            "currency": "GBP"
        },
        "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
        "specialRegime": [
            "lightTouch"
        ],
        "aboveThreshold": true,
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "suitability": {
                    "sme": true,
                    "vcse": true
                },
                "contractPeriod": {
                    "startDate": "2026-09-01T00:00:00+01:00",
                    "endDate": "2029-08-31T23:59:59+01:00"
                },
                "status": "planning"
            }
        ],
        "communication": {
            "futureNoticeDate": "2025-12-15T23:59:59+00:00"
        },
        "status": "planning"
    },
    "language": "en"
}