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APX038 Grounds Maintenance Services for Apex Housing

Apex Housing Association

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Tender

28 Oct 2026 at 10:24

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

13 May 2026 at 12:01

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Apex Housing Association is buying planned and discretionary grounds maintenance across its housing and other sites throughout Northern Ireland. The work includes routine upkeep, with the option to order remedial and emergency tasks. Sites are grouped into five geographical lots: Derry City and Strabane; Fermanagh and Omagh and Mid Ulster; Causeway Coast and Glens and Mid and East Antrim; Belfast and Antrim and Newtownabbey; and Armagh, Ards, Newry and Lisburn. The sites include general-needs housing developments and multi-occupancy schemes, with a retail unit and community centre also included in the Belfast-area lot. Requirements and site-level details are set out by lot in the scope, price list and site plans. Each awarded lot has its own contract. Suppliers may bid for any combination of lots.

Apex invited offers through a single-stage competitive flexible procedure. The tender set an enquiry deadline of 20 November 2026 at 12:00 UTC and a submission deadline of 27 November 2026 at 12:00 UTC; an award decision was scheduled by 11 January 2027. Contracts were due to start on 3 April 2027, initially running for 24 months, with up to two 12-month extensions and a maximum term of 48 months. Estimated annual lot values, including discretionary works and excluding VAT, are £130,000 for Lot 1, £70,000 for Lot 2, £50,000 for Lot 3, £60,000 for Lot 4 and £70,000 for Lot 5. Estimated maximum value across the lots over the maximum term is £1,520,000 excluding VAT; discretionary work is not guaranteed. Evaluation weights planned services at 50%, discretionary works at 10%, quality at 30% and social value at 10%.

The requirement is expressly suitable for small and medium-sized businesses, and offers a choice of regional operating areas rather than requiring bids for the whole of Northern Ireland. Grounds-maintenance contractors with the resources to service the developments and other sites in their chosen area are the natural fit. Delivery needs to cover planned maintenance and, where instructed, remedial and emergency work; suppliers should also be able to manage service orders, apply price-list rates and provide quotations where no rate applies. Bids require a procurement-specific questionnaire, quality and social-value responses, and pricing. Conditions of participation are checked pass or fail, followed by evaluation of compliant bids. A supplier would normally receive no more than two lots; a third is possible only in exceptional allocation circumstances and depends on sufficient capacity. Quality and social value together account for 40% of evaluation.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

APX038 Grounds Maintenance Services for Apex Housing

Notice Description

Apex Housing Association Limited is seeking Suppliers to provide planned and discretionary grounds maintenance services at its sites across Northern Ireland. The requirement is divided into five geographical Lots, with a separate Contract entered into for each Lot awarded. Apex may also instruct discretionary, remedial and emergency grounds maintenance works through Service Orders. No minimum volume or value of discretionary work is guaranteed. The estimated annual values, excluding VAT and including an allowance for discretionary works, are: Lot 1 - PS130,000 Lot 2 - PS70,000 Lot 3 - PS50,000 Lot 4 - PS60,000 Lot 5 - PS70,000 The estimated maximum value across all five Lots over the maximum 48-month contract period is PS1,520,000 excluding VAT. The estimated values are provided for information only and do not guarantee any level of expenditure or volume of work. Each Contract will have an initial term of 24 months, with options to extend for up to two further periods of 12 months. If a Lot becomes vacant during the Contract period, Apex may offer the affected Lot to an appointed Supplier that submitted a compliant Tender for that Lot, in accordance with the Contract. In these circumstances, Apex may permit a Supplier to deliver a maximum of three Lots. Any reallocation will be subject to the Supplier's acceptance and capacity and may be temporary or apply for the remainder of the affected Lot's Contract term.

Lot Information

Lot 1 - Derry City and Strabane

Provision of planned and discretionary grounds maintenance services for Apex sites within the Derry City and Strabane District Council area. The Lot comprises 18 General Needs Developments and two Multi-Occupancy Schemes. The full requirements and individual sites are identified in the Scope, Price List and Site Plans.

Options: During the Contract period, Apex may instruct discretionary, remedial and emergency grounds maintenance works through Service Orders. The volume and value of such work are not guaranteed. Prices will be determined using the applicable rates in Part 2 of the Price List. Where no applicable rate is available, the Service Provider will submit a quotation for agreement by Apex before the Service Order is issued and the work commences, except where immediate make-safe work is authorised in an emergency. Apex may also add, remove or amend sites within the geographical area of the relevant Lot in accordance with the Contract, with the Prices adjusted accordingly.

Renewal: The initial Contract period is 24 months. Apex may, at its discretion and subject to satisfactory Service Provider performance, extend the Contract for up to two further periods of 12 months. The maximum Contract duration is 48 months.

Fermanagh and Omagh and Mid Ulster

Provision of planned and discretionary grounds maintenance services for Apex sites within the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council and Mid Ulster District Council areas. The Lot comprises 18 General Needs Developments and seven Multi-Occupancy Schemes. The full requirements and individual sites are identified in the Scope, Price List and Site Plans.

Options: During the Contract period, Apex may instruct discretionary, remedial and emergency grounds maintenance works through Service Orders. The volume and value of such work are not guaranteed. Prices will be determined using the applicable rates in Part 2 of the Price List. Where no applicable rate is available, the Service Provider will submit a quotation for agreement by Apex before the Service Order is issued and the work commences, except where immediate make-safe work is authorised in an emergency. Apex may also add, remove or amend sites within the geographical area of the relevant Lot in accordance with the Contract, with the Prices adjusted accordingly.

Renewal: The initial Contract period is 24 months. Apex may, at its discretion and subject to satisfactory Service Provider performance, extend the Contract for up to two further periods of 12 months. The maximum Contract duration is 48 months.

Causeway Coast and Glens and Mid and East Antrim

Provision of planned and discretionary grounds maintenance services for Apex sites within the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council and Mid and East Antrim Borough Council areas. The Lot comprises eight General Needs Developments and five Multi-Occupancy Schemes. The full requirements and individual sites are identified in the Scope, Price List and Site Plans.

Options: During the Contract period, Apex may instruct discretionary, remedial and emergency grounds maintenance works through Service Orders. The volume and value of such work are not guaranteed. Prices will be determined using the applicable rates in Part 2 of the Price List. Where no applicable rate is available, the Service Provider will submit a quotation for agreement by Apex before the Service Order is issued and the work commences, except where immediate make-safe work is authorised in an emergency. Apex may also add, remove or amend sites within the geographical area of the relevant Lot in accordance with the Contract, with the Prices adjusted accordingly.

Renewal: The initial Contract period is 24 months. Apex may, at its discretion and subject to satisfactory Service Provider performance, extend the Contract for up to two further periods of 12 months. The maximum Contract duration is 48 months.

Belfast and Antrim and Newtownabbey

Provision of planned and discretionary grounds maintenance services for Apex sites within the Belfast City Council and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council areas. The Lot comprises 37 General Needs Developments, one Retail Unit, one Community Centre and one Scheme. The full requirements and individual sites are identified in the Scope, Price List and Site Plans.

Options: During the Contract period, Apex may instruct discretionary, remedial and emergency grounds maintenance works through Service Orders. The volume and value of such work are not guaranteed. Prices will be determined using the applicable rates in Part 2 of the Price List. Where no applicable rate is available, the Service Provider will submit a quotation for agreement by Apex before the Service Order is issued and the work commences, except where immediate make-safe work is authorised in an emergency. Apex may also add, remove or amend sites within the geographical area of the relevant Lot in accordance with the Contract, with the Prices adjusted accordingly.

Renewal: The initial Contract period is 24 months. Apex may, at its discretion and subject to satisfactory Service Provider performance, extend the Contract for up to two further periods of 12 months. The maximum Contract duration is 48 months.

Armagh, Ards, Newry and Lisburn areas

Provision of planned and discretionary grounds maintenance services for Apex sites within the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council; Ards and North Down Borough Council; Newry, Mourne and Down District Council; and Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council areas. The Lot comprises 17 General Needs Developments and two Multi-Occupancy Schemes. The full requirements and individual sites are identified in the Scope, Price List and Site Plans.

Options: During the Contract period, Apex may instruct discretionary, remedial and emergency grounds maintenance works through Service Orders. The volume and value of such work are not guaranteed. Prices will be determined using the applicable rates in Part 2 of the Price List. Where no applicable rate is available, the Service Provider will submit a quotation for agreement by Apex before the Service Order is issued and the work commences, except where immediate make-safe work is authorised in an emergency. Apex may also add, remove or amend sites within the geographical area of the relevant Lot in accordance with the Contract, with the Prices adjusted accordingly.

Renewal: The initial Contract period is 24 months. Apex may, at its discretion and subject to satisfactory Service Provider performance, extend the Contract for up to two further periods of 12 months. The maximum Contract duration is 48 months.

Planning Information

Interested suppliers should complete the questionnaire and submit responses via eTendersNI messaging or technical envelope.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-069771
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/101900-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

77 - Agricultural, forestry, horticultural, aquacultural and apicultural services

CPV Codes

77314000 - Grounds maintenance services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£350,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£1,488,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
28 Oct 20265 days ago
Submission Deadline
27 Nov 20264 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
3 Apr 2027 - 2 Apr 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
2030-10-26

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Apex Housing Association
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDONDERRY
Postcode
BT48 6HL
Postcode Area
Northern Ireland
Country
Northern Ireland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLN Northern Ireland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLN0 Northern Ireland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLN0A Derry City and Strabane
Delivery Location
TLN Northern Ireland
Local Authority
Derry City and Strabane
Electoral Ward
City Walls
Westminster Constituency
Foyle

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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