Planning

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

NEPRO Four

THE ASSOCIATION OF NORTH EAST COUNCILS LIMITED

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Planning

14 Sep 2026 at 16:50

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

06 May 2026 at 21:42

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Planning

19 Jan 2026 at 08:22

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Association of North East Councils Limited, trading through NEPO, intends to establish NEPRO Four, a framework for specialist professional services. It will be a single-provider neutral vendor managed service: the appointed provider will manage a perpetual supply chain of suitable specialist suppliers rather than deliver the professional services itself, and must remain neutral when selecting them. The scope is intended to cover financial and insurance services; housing; architecture, construction, engineering and inspection; IT consultancy, software development, internet and support; research and development; business, legal and consulting services; education and training; health and social work; environmental consultancy; recreational, cultural and sporting services; and other community, social and personal services. Services may be delivered across the United Kingdom, Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Jersey.

This procurement is at the planning stage: NEPO has announced its intention to procure and has not yet invited tenders. It expects to use a competitive flexible procedure under the Procurement Act 2023 to establish a framework agreement above the relevant threshold. There will be one planned lot, considered suitable for SMEs, with a single provider solution. The estimated value is £6,000,000,000 excluding VAT, or £7,200,000,000 including VAT. The planned contract period is 1 September 2027 to 31 August 2031, with renewal provisions allowing the arrangement to extend no later than 31 August 2035. NEPO expects the next notice to be published by 20 November 2026. Preliminary market engagement starts with a questionnaire available from 14 September 2026, with submissions expected by 17:00 on 28 September 2026. Meetings are planned for 5 to 8 October 2026 in Gateshead, with online meetings possible by exception.

The future procurement will suit a provider able to operate a large, multi-disciplinary specialist services marketplace for public sector customers, coordinating a broad network of independent suppliers across professional, technical, social, environmental, cultural and community disciplines. Strong candidates are likely to have the systems, governance, commercial controls and supplier-management capacity to maintain a perpetual supply chain and allocate work fairly across it. The central requirement is neutrality: the framework manager must not deliver the specialist services itself and must remain impartial when selecting suppliers. This is therefore more relevant to an established neutral-vendor or managed-service operator than to a consultancy seeking to supply its own services directly. Specialist firms may also be relevant as future supply-chain partners, although this planning exercise concerns the single provider managing the framework. Temporary and permanent recruitment services are expressly outside scope.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

NEPRO Four

Notice Description

NEPO seeks to establish a Framework Agreement for Specialist Professional Services ("NEPRO Four"). It is envisaged NEPRO Four will operate as a Neutral Vendor Managed Service vehicle for the delivery of Specialist Professional Services. The Neutral Vendor will not provide Specialist Professional Services in its own right and must maintain neutrality at all times when selecting suitable suppliers to deliver services under the Framework Agreement. NEPO's existing Framework Agreement for Specialist Professional Services (NEPRO Three) will expire on 31st August 2029. For the avoidance of doubt, NEPO seeks to procure a single provider solution to manage a perpetual supply chain, capable of delivering a full spectrum of Specialist Professional Services. The scope of services covered under NEPRO Four will not include Temporary or Permanent Recruitment. The solution will be procured using the procedures outlined in the Procurement Act 2023 (PA 2023).

Planning Information

The purpose of this Preliminary Market Engagement Notice is to provide advance notice to the marketplace for the future opportunity and the intentions of NEPO to hold preliminary market engagement meetings with suppliers to help shape the framework NEPO503: NEPRO Four. Preliminary market engagement will begin with the "Preliminary Market Engagement Questionnaire" which will be made accessible via the Open e-tendering system on 14 September 2026 with a submission deadline of 17:00 on 28 September 2026. Suppliers wishing to access and complete the " Preliminary Market Engagement Questionnaire " must first register on the e-tendering system using the following link https://www.open-uk.org. Within the Questionnaire, Suppliers will be given the opportunity to register for a market engagement face to face session via the questionnaire. The preliminary market engagement meetings are advertised openly via this notice but are limited in number. Preliminary market engagement meetings will take place between 05/10/2026 - 08/10/2026. Appointments will be no longer than 60 mins. NEPO intends to conduct these sessions in person in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. In person meetings will be determined via correspondence but are expected to take place at NEPO's offices. The time and location of each appointment will be confirmed following the registration deadline. NEPO may, by exception, use its discretion to facilitate online meetings in the event that in-person meetings are not feasible for suppliers. Places will be secured on a first-come, first-served basis. Suppliers wishing to attend the preliminary market engagement meetings should be capable of meeting the requirements outlined within this notification. NEPO reserves the right to seek assurances from interested suppliers prior to allocation of places. Attendance at the preliminary market engagement event is optional and will not provide suppliers with an advantage in any future related procurement. Attendance also does not constitute an intention to tender for any future related procurement.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-060847
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/087047-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

66 - Financial and insurance services

70 - Real estate services

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

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

80 - Education and training services

85 - Health and social work services

90 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services

92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services

98 - Other community, social and personal services

CPV Codes

66000000 - Financial and insurance services

70333000 - Housing services

71000000 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

80000000 - Education and training services

85000000 - Health and social work services

90713000 - Environmental issues consultancy services

92000000 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services

98000000 - Other community, social and personal services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£6,000,000,000 £1B-£10B
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
14 Sep 2026Yesterday
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
20 Nov 20263 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Sep 2027 - 31 Aug 2031 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
THE ASSOCIATION OF NORTH EAST COUNCILS LIMITED
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
GATESHEAD
Postcode
NE8 3DF
Postcode Area
Newcastle upon Tyne
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC43 Tyneside
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Gateshead
Electoral Ward
Bridges
Westminster Constituency
Gateshead Central and Whickham

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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.

Loading OCDS record...