Planning

Preliminary Market Engagement - Community Nursing Beds for Provision of Assessment and/or Rehabilitation within the Antrim Locality

NORTHERN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE TRUST

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

03 Feb 2026 at 10:35

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Northern Health and Social Care Trust, together with the Regional Business Services Organisation Procurement and Logistics Service, is currently in the planning stage of a public procurement process. The process is focused on the provision of Community Nursing Beds for assessment and rehabilitation within Antrim, part of Health and Social Care Northern Ireland. This stage involves preliminary market engagement to inform and consult potential service providers. The opportunity is categorised under the "Health and social work services" sector, with a CPV code of 85000000. Key dates include the deadline for PME submission, set for 20th February 2026, and the anticipated start date for the contract on 1st September 2026. The engagement is designed to align future procurement processes with the Procurement Act 2023 and relevant Northern Ireland Procurement Policy Notes.

This tender offers substantial opportunities for businesses specialising in health and social work services, particularly those capable of providing short-term care solutions in nursing homes for assessments or rehabilitation. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) are especially encouraged to participate, given the suitability and inclusion of these groups in the planning process. Engaging in this procurement process can enable businesses to expand their operations within the Northern Ireland healthcare sector, gain valuable contracts, and contribute to social value initiatives.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Preliminary Market Engagement - Community Nursing Beds for Provision of Assessment and/or Rehabilitation within the Antrim Locality

Notice Description

This Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) is being published by Business Services Organisation (BSO) Procurement and Logistics Service (PaLS), on behalf of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust (the Trust), for the purposes of informing and engaging with interested providers regarding the upcoming procurement for Community Nursing Beds for Provision of Assessment and/or Rehabilitation within the Antrim Locality, within Health and Social Care Northern Ireland (HSCNI). The Trust wishes to award a Contract for the provision of short-term care in general nursing home beds for adults who either require a period of bed based community Assessment and/or Rehabilitation following discharge from an acute hospital (step down) or directly from their own home environment (step-up). This engagement will take the form of an engagement paper and questionnaire, which interested providers are invited to complete. The CP13 PME Questionnaire - Explanatory Document should be read in conjunction with the CP12 PME Questionnaire (Appendix 1) and the PME Notice. The purpose of this PME exercise is to raise awareness of an upcoming procurement, gauge the level of interest in the provision of such services, make interested providers aware in advance of the key service requirements, the introduction of the Procurement Act 2023 and Northern Ireland Procurement Policy Note's (PPN's) relating to Social Value and Human Rights, cyber security requirements, sustainability and net zero requirements, that will be included in any future tender. This notice has been placed for advertising purposes only. The procurement exercise will be conducted in accordance with the information contained in any final published tender documentation. There is no guarantee a procurement process will run.

Planning Information

The CP13 PME – Explanatory Document and Appendix 1 – CP12 PME Questionnaire are available on eTendersNI (https://etendersni.gov.uk) under Resource ID/CfT Reference: 6371588. Please ensure you are registered with eTendersNI under Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV) Code '85000000 Health and social work services'. Your response to this PME Paper must be completed in 'Appendix 1 - CP12 PME Questionnaire' and submitted as an attachment via the eTendersNI secure messaging area of the Resource ID/CfT Reference: 6371588. The deadline for submission is 3pm on 20th February 2026. Any interest shown in the PME does not constitute a commitment to participate in a procurement exercise. Non-participation in this PME exercise does not preclude any provider from participation in any future procurement exercise. Please note that the contract dates in this Notice are anticipated and subject to change. Please also note that the estimated date of publication of Tender Notice is an anticipated date and subject to change.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-061513
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/009328-2026
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

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

85000000 - Health and social work services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
3 Feb 20266 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
1 Apr 20262 months to go
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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NORTHERN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE TRUST
Additional Buyers

REGIONAL BUSINESS SERVICES ORGANISATION PROCUREMENT AND LOGISTICS SERVICE

Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
palssocialcare.sourcing@hscni.net
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
ANTRIM
Postcode
BT41 2RL
Post Town
Northern Ireland
Country
Northern Ireland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLN Northern Ireland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLN0 Northern Ireland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLN07 Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
Electoral Ward
Cathedral
Westminster Constituency
Newry and Armagh

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-061513-2026-02-03T10:35:42Z",
    "date": "2026-02-03T10:35:42Z",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-061513",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PBRP-6676-CQZY",
            "name": "Northern Health and Social Care Trust",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PBRP-6676-CQZY"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Bretten Hall, Antrim Area Hospital, Bush Road",
                "locality": "Antrim",
                "postalCode": "BT41 2RL",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKN0D"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "PaLSSocialcare.Sourcing@hscni.net"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "id": "publicAuthorityCentralGovernment",
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "description": "Public authority - central government"
                    },
                    {
                        "id": "GB-NIR",
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_DEVOLVED_REGULATIONS",
                        "description": "Northern Irish devolved regulations apply"
                    }
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PWNJ-1991-NGDW",
            "name": "Regional Business Services Organisation Procurement and Logistics Service",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PWNJ-1991-NGDW"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Rosewood Villa, Longstone Hospital, 73 Loughgall Road",
                "locality": "Armagh",
                "postalCode": "BT61 7PR",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKN07"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "PaLSSocialcare.Sourcing@hscni.net"
            },
            "roles": [
                "procuringEntity",
                "processContactPoint"
            ],
            "roleDetails": "BSO PaLS will be conducting the procurement process including this PME process on behalf of the Trust. PaLS are the Centre of Procurement Expertise for Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland."
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-PPON-PBRP-6676-CQZY",
        "name": "Northern Health and Social Care Trust"
    },
    "planning": {
        "milestones": [
            {
                "id": "engagement",
                "type": "engagement",
                "description": "The CP13 PME - Explanatory Document and Appendix 1 - CP12 PME Questionnaire are available on eTendersNI (https://etendersni.gov.uk) under Resource ID/CfT Reference: 6371588. Please ensure you are registered with eTendersNI under Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV) Code '85000000 Health and social work services'. Your response to this PME Paper must be completed in 'Appendix 1 - CP12 PME Questionnaire' and submitted as an attachment via the eTendersNI secure messaging area of the Resource ID/CfT Reference: 6371588. The deadline for submission is 3pm on 20th February 2026. Any interest shown in the PME does not constitute a commitment to participate in a procurement exercise. Non-participation in this PME exercise does not preclude any provider from participation in any future procurement exercise. Please note that the contract dates in this Notice are anticipated and subject to change. Please also note that the estimated date of publication of Tender Notice is an anticipated date and subject to change.",
                "dueDate": "2026-02-20T23:59:59+00:00",
                "status": "scheduled"
            }
        ],
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "009328-2026",
                "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK2",
                "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/009328-2026",
                "datePublished": "2026-02-03T10:35:42Z",
                "format": "text/html"
            }
        ]
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-061513",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "2023/54",
            "scheme": "UKPGA",
            "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
        },
        "title": "Preliminary Market Engagement - Community Nursing Beds for Provision of Assessment and/or Rehabilitation within the Antrim Locality",
        "description": "This Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) is being published by Business Services Organisation (BSO) Procurement and Logistics Service (PaLS), on behalf of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust (the Trust), for the purposes of informing and engaging with interested providers regarding the upcoming procurement for Community Nursing Beds for Provision of Assessment and/or Rehabilitation within the Antrim Locality, within Health and Social Care Northern Ireland (HSCNI). The Trust wishes to award a Contract for the provision of short-term care in general nursing home beds for adults who either require a period of bed based community Assessment and/or Rehabilitation following discharge from an acute hospital (step down) or directly from their own home environment (step-up). This engagement will take the form of an engagement paper and questionnaire, which interested providers are invited to complete. The CP13 PME Questionnaire - Explanatory Document should be read in conjunction with the CP12 PME Questionnaire (Appendix 1) and the PME Notice. The purpose of this PME exercise is to raise awareness of an upcoming procurement, gauge the level of interest in the provision of such services, make interested providers aware in advance of the key service requirements, the introduction of the Procurement Act 2023 and Northern Ireland Procurement Policy Note's (PPN's) relating to Social Value and Human Rights, cyber security requirements, sustainability and net zero requirements, that will be included in any future tender. This notice has been placed for advertising purposes only. The procurement exercise will be conducted in accordance with the information contained in any final published tender documentation. There is no guarantee a procurement process will run.",
        "items": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "additionalClassifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "85000000",
                        "description": "Health and social work services"
                    }
                ],
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ],
        "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
        "specialRegime": [
            "lightTouch"
        ],
        "aboveThreshold": false,
        "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",
                    "maxExtentDate": "2032-08-31T23:59:59+01:00"
                },
                "hasRenewal": true,
                "status": "planning"
            }
        ],
        "communication": {
            "futureNoticeDate": "2026-04-01T23:59:59+01:00"
        },
        "status": "planning"
    },
    "language": "en"
}