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23_27 Cleaning Chemicals and Hand Soaps

Leicestershire County Council

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Tender

18 Sep 2026 at 11:19

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

28 May 2026 at 07:53

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

07 May 2026 at 13:59

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Leicestershire County Council, trading as ESPO, is procuring a closed framework for cleaning chemicals and hand soaps for resale through the ESPO Catalogue. The goods category covers cleaning and polishing products, soaps, hand sanitisers, automatic soap dispensers and wipes. Four lots are available: professional-standard industry-leading cleaning chemicals; professional-standard industry-leading hand soaps, sanitisers and dispensers; non-leading or supplier-own-brand cleaning chemicals and hand soaps; and ESPO Smartbuy own-brand cleaning chemicals and hand soaps. Lot 4 requires ESPO Smartbuy labelling on each bottle or container. Products are intended for commercial kitchens, offices, classrooms, commercial, industrial and educational environments, with deliveries to the ESPO warehouse in Leicester. The framework supports ESPO customers’ wider public-sector requirements across the United Kingdom.

The procurement has reached tender: ESPO invited offers through an open procedure. It is divided into four lots, each with a separate estimated value: Lot 1 £2,500,000 net (£3,000,000 gross), Lot 2 £2,500,000 net (£3,000,000 gross), Lot 3 £833,333 net (£1,000,000 gross), and Lot 4 £1,166,667 net (£1,400,000 gross). The overall estimated value is £7,000,000 net (£8,400,000 gross). Tenders must be submitted by 12:00 on 19 October 2026, and enquiries by 17:00 on 12 October 2026. The contract period is 1 March 2027 to 31 March 2029, with an extension option until 28 February 2031. Award is due by 4 December 2026. Lots 1–3 are evaluated 20% price and 80% non-price; Lot 4 is 70% price and 30% non-price. Economic and technical participation conditions apply. Electronic submission is allowed, and a 1% framework fee on awarded turnover applies.

This opportunity suits manufacturers, brand owners, distributors and specialist wholesalers supplying professional cleaning and hygiene products to public-sector and institutional customers. Lot 1 and Lot 2 require brands with significant market presence and recognition in the professional cleaning and hygiene industry, evidenced through widespread commercial use, distribution and awareness among professional users. Lot 3 is suited to suppliers offering professional-standard non-leading or own-brand products. Lot 4 is relevant to suppliers able to provide professional-standard chemicals and hand soaps under ESPO Smartbuy labelling requirements. Businesses should have the technical and economic capability required by the tender documents, reliable supply and distribution arrangements, and capacity to deliver to the ESPO warehouse. The framework allows call-offs either without competition or through further competition between capable appointed suppliers.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

23_27 Cleaning Chemicals and Hand Soaps

Notice Description

ESPO is a trading department of Leicestershire County Council. It is a non-profit making body owned and operated jointly by six local authorities. We provide a catalogue range, providing our customers with access to over 28,000 products that cover all key areas of education and wider public sector requirements. We are establishing a catalogue framework covering the supply of cleaning chemicals and hand soaps, including branded, unbranded and private label (ESPO Smartbuy) cleaning chemical and hand soap products. All products are for resale via the ESPO Catalogue. The Framework is divided into 4 lots. Please refer to the tender documents for any further details (including further details on each of the lots) - the closing date for submission of Tenders is 12:00 (12 noon / 12pm) on 19 October 2026. To tender (please proceed to step (e) if an expression of interest has already been completed): (a) Go to https://www.eastmidstenders.org/ (b) Register (if not already registered on ProContract e.g., via https://procontract.due-north.com/Register); (c) Search for tender opportunity 23_27 (via "View Opportunities" from the EastMidsTenders Portal, or alternatively via searching on https://procontract.due-north.com/Opportunities/Index); (d) Express an interest; (e) Download the tender documents (from the ProContract Activity summary screen). Any questions or clarifications relating to this tender opportunity should be submitted to ESPO as a message on the eProcurement Portal, once an Expression of interest has been completed.

Lot Information

Industry-Leading Brands of Professional Standard Cleaning Chemicals

This Lot is for the supply of cleaning chemicals for use in commercial kitchens, offices and classrooms in commercial, industrial and educational environments. The products must be 'professional standard' brands that have established significant market presence and recognition within the professional cleaning and hygiene industry, demonstrated through widespread commercial use, distribution and awareness among professional users. Goods are for delivery to the ESPO warehouse, Leicester.

Options: ESPO reserves the right to add or remove products (i.e., those products listed within the Framework Pricing Schedule, 23_27) throughout the lifetime of the Framework, so long as they are in line with the Framework scope.

Renewal: Once the initial period of the contract has ended (i.e., 31 March 2029), there is an option to extend the framework by up to a further 23 months. This is dependent on ESPO, ESPO Customers, and market needs, as well as the performance of sales. Total estimated values captured in this notice include the option to extend the framework as noted above.

Industry-Leading Brands of Professional Standard Hand Soaps

This Lot is for the supply of hand soaps, hand sanitisers and soap dispensers for use in commercial, industrial and educational environments. The products must be 'professional standard' standard brands that have established significant market presence and recognition within the professional cleaning and hygiene industry, demonstrated through widespread commercial use, distribution and awareness among professional users. Goods are for delivery to the ESPO warehouse, Leicester.

Options: ESPO reserves the right to add or remove products (i.e., those products listed within the Framework Pricing Schedule, 23_27) throughout the lifetime of the Framework, so long as they are in line with the Framework scope.

Renewal: Once the initial period of the contract has ended (i.e., 31 March 2029), there is an option to extend the framework by up to a further 23 months. This is dependent on ESPO, ESPO Customers, and market needs, as well as the performance of sales. Total estimated values captured in this notice include the option to extend the framework as noted above.

Non Industry-Leading Brands and Supplier's Own Brand(s) of Cleaning Chemicals and Hand Soaps

This Lot is for the supply of cleaning chemicals and hand soaps for use in commercial kitchens, offices and classrooms in commercial, industrial and educational environments. The products must be 'professional standard'. Goods are for delivery to the ESPO warehouse, Leicester.

Options: ESPO reserves the right to add or remove products (i.e., those products listed within the Framework Pricing Schedule, 23_27) throughout the lifetime of the Framework, so long as they are in line with the Framework scope.

Renewal: Once the initial period of the contract has ended (i.e., 31 March 2029), there is an option to extend the framework by up to a further 23 months. This is dependent on ESPO, ESPO Customers, and market needs, as well as the performance of sales. Total estimated values captured in this notice include the option to extend the framework as noted above.

ESPO Own-Brand "Smartbuy" Cleaning Chemicals and Hand Soaps

This Lot is for the supply of cleaning chemicals and hand soaps for use in commercial kitchens, offices and classrooms in commercial, industrial and educational environments. The products must be 'professional standard'. All items are required to be supplied with ESPO's own-brand "smartbuy" labelling adhered to the bottle/container. Goods are for delivery to ESPO's warehouse, Leicester.

Options: ESPO reserves the right to add or remove products (i.e., those products listed within the Framework Pricing Schedule, 23_27) throughout the lifetime of the Framework, so long as they are in line with the Framework scope.

Renewal: Once the initial period of the contract has ended (i.e., 31 March 2029), there is an option to extend the framework by up to a further 23 months. This is dependent on ESPO, ESPO Customers, and market needs, as well as the performance of sales. Total estimated values captured in this notice include the option to extend the framework as noted above.

Planning Information

The purpose of the Pre-Market Engagement (PME) is to cover a range of topics designed to best explore our requirements in a possible future procurement. These topics may include: 1. Develop ESPO’s requirements and approach to the procurement. 2. Help better identify suitable suppliers in the market and to understand their supply chains. 3. Understand products/service offerings from suppliers and the marketplace in general. Engagement with suppliers is anticipated to be a mix of methods, including Requests for Information (RFI) hosted on the EastMidsTenders eProcurement Portal (www.eastmidstenders.org), and meetings (both virtual and in-person). Visits to supplier’s premises may also be used where deemed to be of particular use. Suppliers wishing to participate in the engagement process must first express an interest as follows: (a) Go to https://www.eastmidstenders.org/; (b) Register (if not already registered on ProContract); (c) Search for tender opportunity '23_27' (via "View Opportunities" from the EastMidsTenders Portal); d) Express an interest. Suppliers can then access the RFI questionnaire in the ‘Messages’ section via the ‘Activity’ dashboard once an expression of interest has been registered - the deadline for responding to the RFI is 17:00 (5pm) on 12 June 2026. Responses to the RFI as well as any questions or clarifications should be submitted to ESPO as a message on the eProcurement Portal. Notwithstanding the above process, as this procurement exercise is a renewal of an existing ESPO framework, ESPO reserves the right to engage with some, all or none of the incumbent suppliers appointed to the existing ESPO framework, alongside any additional suppliers identified following the above expressions of interests and/or a RFI exercise.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-069365
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/088574-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

33 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products

39 - Furniture (incl. office furniture), furnishings, domestic appliances (excl. lighting) and cleaning products

CPV Codes

33141118 - Wipes

33711900 - Soap

33741300 - Hand sanitizer

39800000 - Cleaning and polishing products

39831700 - Automatic soap dispensers

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£7,000,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£7,000,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
18 Sep 20263 days ago
Submission Deadline
19 Oct 20264 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
4 Sep 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Mar 2027 - 31 Mar 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Leicestershire County Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LEICESTER
Postcode
LE19 1ES
Postcode Area
Leicester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLF East Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLF2 Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLF22 Leicestershire CC and Rutland
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Blaby
Electoral Ward
Enderby
Westminster Constituency
South Leicestershire

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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