This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Planning

23 Jun 2026 at 10:26

Planning

22 May 2026 at 14:28

Summary of the contracting process

The North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust is in the planning stage for a public procurement process seeking Hard Facilities Management (Hard FM) services, with an estimated value of £12.5 million. The procurement process is focused on the Trust's expansive operations in the North West of England, covering urban and rural areas across Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire, and Cumbria. A market engagement session is scheduled for 9 July 2026, aimed at gathering insights from potential suppliers to inform the procurement strategy. Interested suppliers must express their interest by 6 July 2026. The procurement is categorised under repair, maintenance, and engineering services and will follow a planned tender process, with the contract intended to start on 1 July 2027.

This opportunity presents potential for significant business growth for companies specialising in comprehensive, compliant, and customer-focused Hard FM services. Businesses that can demonstrate experience in managing geographically diverse healthcare estates and offer innovative, technologically advanced solutions will find this tender particularly relevant. Potential suppliers should be adept in areas such as mechanical and electrical engineering services, building maintenance, statutory compliance, and asset management. The contract encourages participation from companies that can contribute to the NHS's goals of efficiency, sustainability, and social value, including SMEs and companies offering innovative energy and lifecycle management solutions.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

Provision of Hard Facilities Management Services (Hard FM)

Notice Description

Introduction The Contracting Authority North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust is an Ambulance Trust providing Paramedic Emergency Services (PES), non-emergency Patient Transport Services (PTS) and 111 Services to a population of more than seven million across an area of 5,400 square miles. The North West region covers the areas of Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Mersey, Lancashire and Cumbria. Our headquarters is based in Greater Manchester but our services cover the whole region with three emergency operations centres, three area offices, five NHS 111 sites, one support centre, two patient control rooms, two hazardous area response team (HART) buildings and more than 100 ambulance stations. This large region combines both urban and rural areas which presents a range of challenges for the Trust and its staff. As a Trust, NWAS: * Receives approximately 1.7 million 999 calls and respond to over a million emergency incidents each year. * Makes more than 1.3 million patient transport journeys every year for those who require non-emergency transport to and from healthcare appointments. * Delivers the NHS 111 service across the region for people who need medical help or advice, handling more than 1.7 million calls every year. * Employs around 7,074 staff in over 300 different roles. * Has over 1,000 emergency and non-emergency vehicles operating across the North West. * Have an annual budget of PS473 million. North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust (NWAS) is undertaking a strategic review of its estate maintenance and engineering services with the objective of transitioning from the current reactive Measured Term Contract (MTC) arrangement to a fully integrated Hard Facilities Management (Hard FM) contract. This pre-market engagement exercise is intended to inform the Trust's procurement strategy, understand market capability, and gather supplier feedback regarding the proposed scope, delivery model, innovation opportunities, and commercial structure. The Trust welcomes engagement from experienced Hard FM providers capable of delivering a safe, compliant, efficient, and customer-focused service across a geographically diverse healthcare estate. Background The current service model is primarily focused on reactive maintenance and statutory compliance activities. Whilst this approach has supported operational requirements, NWAS is seeking to develop a more strategic estate management model that: * Improves asset reliability and resilience. * Reduces reactive maintenance demand. * Enhances statutory compliance assurance. * Supports estate lifecycle planning. * Delivers value for money. * Delivers efficiencies * Improves service consistency across the estate. * Supports sustainability and NHS Net Zero objectives. The future contract is expected to provide an integrated Hard FM solution that aligns with NHS estate management best practice. NWAS Estate Overview The Trust operates across 5,400 square miles, from Crewe to as far north as Carlisle, serving over 7.5 million residents. We currently have 126 sites with an occupied floor area of 37,971 m2. The estate portfolio includes: Cheshire and Merseyside * Ambulance stations * Fleet maintenance facilities * Operational support facilities * Emergency operations facilities * Emergency Operations Centres Greater Manchester * Ambulance stations * Emergency operations facilities * Fleet maintenance facilities * Operational support facilities * Emergency Operations Centres Lancashire and Cumbria * Ambulance stations * Rural response facilities * Fleet maintenance facilities * Operational support premises * Emergency Operations Centres Headquarters and Strategic Sites * Corporate offices * Education and training facilities * HART (Hazardous area Response Teams) The estate includes both owned and leased properties varying in age, size, complexity and operational criticality. Example of Reactive call quantities In the last 12 months there were approximately 3,355 recorded reactive issues dealt with, of which 149 were out of hours call outs. These where split into the following geographical areas: * Cheshire & Mersey - 1172 * Cumbria & Lancashire - 971 * Greater Manchester - 1212 Historic spend data Planned Maintenance 2023/24 PS590,370.00 2024/25 PS666,244.00 2025/26 PS658,890.00 Reactive Maintenance 2023/24 PS1,899,711.00 2024/25 PS1,979,029.00 2025/26 PS1,824,708.00 The Trust also incurred capital expenditure of more than PS1 million during the last financial year. However, this figure may fluctuate from year to year depending on the allocated capital budget. Proposed Contract Objectives The Trust is seeking market feedback on the delivery of a single integrated Hard FM contract designed to: * Maintain a safe and compliant estate. * Deliver planned preventative maintenance. * Reduce reactive maintenance activity. * Improve asset performance. * Provide robust compliance reporting. * Support capital planning and lifecycle management. * Deliver measurable performance improvements. * Introduce innovation and digital solutions. * Improve operational resilience. * Deliver efficiencies, value for money and savings. Indicative Scope of Services The future contract may include: Mechanical Services * HVAC systems * Heating systems * Water systems * Pressure systems * Ventilation systems * Air conditioning systems Electrical Services * LV distribution systems * Lighting systems * Lifts * Standby power systems * Electrical distribution and emergency switching systems * UPS systems * EV charging infrastructure * Ambulance equipment charging systems Building Fabric * Roofing * Doors and shutters * Internal fabric * External fabric * Drainage systems Statutory Compliance * Water hygiene management * Portable Appliance testing * Fire systems maintenance * Emergency lighting Testing * Pressure systems inspections * Electrical Fixed wire testing * Lifting equipment inspections Specialist Systems * Building Management Systems * Security systems * Access control * CCTV * Intruder alarms Additional Services * 24/7 helpdesk * Asset management * Lifecycle planning * Minor works * Project delivery * Energy management support * Compliance management systems Geographic Delivery Requirements The Trust seeks a provider capable of delivering services across all NWAS operational areas, including: * Greater Manchester * Cheshire * Merseyside * Lancashire * Cumbria The provider must demonstrate: * Appropriate regional coverage. * Mobilisation capability. * Emergency engineer and management response arrangements 24/7. * Local supply chain resilience. * Availability of suitably qualified personnel. Technology and Innovation NWAS is interested in understanding market capability regarding: * CAFM systems * Mobile workforce solutions * Predictive maintenance technologies * IoT monitoring * Compliance dashboards * Asset lifecycle modelling * Energy performance analytics * Carbon reduction initiatives Social Value, Carbon Reduction, Sustainability & Business Continuity Planning The Trust expects suppliers to support the North West Ambulance Service in its aim to achieve relevant targets. * Local employment opportunities. * Apprenticeships and skills development. * SME engagement. * Community investment. * Equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives. * Environmental sustainability. * Carbon reduction commitments. Commercial Considerations NWAS is seeking market feedback regarding: * Fixed price service models. * Performance-based mechanisms. * Open book arrangements. * Gainshare opportunities. * Lifecycle investment models. * Contract duration options. * Mobilisation requirements.

Planning Information

An hour and a half market engagement session will be held on Microsoft Teams on Thursday 9 July 2026 from 10:30am to 12:00pm. The purpose of this session is to inform potential suppliers of a forthcoming opportunity to tender for a Hard FM contract for North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust (NWAS). NWAS will present an overview of the current measured term contract requirements and the potential requirements of a Hard FM contract, considering the challenges faced with the expansive geographical footprint of the Trust, there will be an opportunity for suppliers to ask questions of the Trust at this session. Any expressions of interest to take part in this market engagement should be emailed to strategicprocurement@nwas.nhs.uk by Monday 6 July 2026 at 3pm. You will then be invited to the market engagement session scheduled for Thursday 09 July 2026 at 10:30am and will be included in any further communications regarding this market engagement notice. Following the preliminary market engagement process, a feedback questionnaire will be issued to all suppliers who have expressed an interest in this notice. Suppliers will be asked to submit their responses by Friday 24 July 2026. Suppliers will be invited to provide feedback on: 1. Capability to deliver the proposed scope. 2. Recommended service delivery models. 3. Mobilisation timescales. 4. Technology solutions. 5. Asset management approaches. 6. Contract duration recommendations. 7. Key risks and mitigation measures. 8. Opportunities for innovation. 9. Social value proposals. 10. Lessons learned from comparable NHS, or equivalent, contracts.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06a1dd
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/058858-2026
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
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

50 - Repair and maintenance services

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services


CPV Codes

50000000 - Repair and maintenance services

71334000 - Mechanical and electrical engineering services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£12,500,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
23 Jun 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
24 Aug 20262 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
30 Jun 2027 - 30 Jun 2030 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NORTH WEST AMBULANCE SERVICE NHS TRUST
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BOLTON
Postcode
BL1 5DD
Post Town
Bolton
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD3 Greater Manchester
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD36 Greater Manchester North West
Delivery Location
TLD North West (England)

Local Authority
Bolton
Electoral Ward
Heaton, Lostock & Chew Moor
Westminster Constituency
Bolton West

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.

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