Award

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Development and Delivery of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council Labour Market Partnership Return to Work Programme 2026/2027

Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

15 Oct 2026 at 12:03

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Tender

26 Jun 2026 at 15:04

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council bought the development and delivery of a return-to-work programme through its Labour Market Partnership. The service is intended to help people access employment opportunities and support a skilled, flexible workforce and inclusive local economic growth. The requirement covers training and education, including adult and vocational learning, personal development, coaching, recruitment and business or management support. The Council serves the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough in Northern Ireland. The programme is specific to that borough and its local labour market; suppliers whose work focuses on employment support and skills development are the closest fit.

The procurement is complete and awarded to DFPF Ltd trading as People 1st. It used an open, below-threshold competition, with quality weighted at 90% and price at 10%. One lot covered the programme. The estimated lot value was £72,000 gross; the awarded contract value is £48,210 gross. The award date is not stated. The contract was signed on 23 September 2026 and runs from 25 September 2026 to 31 March 2027, with a possible nine-month renewal and a maximum extent date of 31 December 2027. The original planned delivery period was 3 August 2026 to 31 March 2027. The bid deadline was 17 July 2026, and the enquiry deadline was 10 July 2026.

The award shows that the Council buys targeted employment and skills support through an open competition, with delivery focused on returning people to work in the borough. A credible competitor would need to develop and deliver a practical programme suited to local jobseekers and employers, drawing on relevant training, adult education, vocational learning, personal development or coaching expertise. Recruitment capability and an understanding of business needs may also be useful, given the range of services within the requirement. The evaluation placed strong emphasis on quality, so evidence of effective programme design and delivery, participant support and outcomes would matter more than competing on price alone. The award to an SME indicates that this requirement was deliverable by a smaller supplier; the service is locally focused rather than a large-scale borough-wide workforce contract.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Development and Delivery of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council Labour Market Partnership Return to Work Programme 2026/2027

Notice Description

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council (ABC or 'the Council') is the largest local authority outside of Belfast with a resident population of over 217,000 people. The Borough has a strong and diverse economy with 9,255 VAT and/or PAYE registered businesses, an increase of 3.6 percent on 2021 (the largest increase of all LGD areas), accounting for 11.7 percent of all such businesses in Northern Ireland. The borough boasts a thriving entrepreneurial and diverse business base ranging from innovative small to medium enterprises (SME's) to global brands. The Council recognises that a skilled, flexible, and resilient workforce is key to the recovery and growth of the local economy and to achieving our vision for the Borough to be a place where all people can prosper. This means every person being able to access the opportunities available, regardless of background or circumstance. This reflects the Council's desire to help people, families, businesses, and communities to do well, succeed, and flourish. To achieve this vision, the Council is committed to tackling the issues that exist in society which prevent equal opportunities for all to achieve their full potential and lead a fulfilled life. We are committed to working with a wide range of stakeholders to drive productivity and inclusive growth through investment in skills, enabling businesses, and supporting people to achieve and excel. This includes ensuring that the ABC Council area has a dynamic and responsive skills system.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06be6e
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/097416-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - open competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

79410000 - Business and management consultancy services

79600000 - Recruitment services

79998000 - Coaching services

80000000 - Education and training services

80400000 - Adult and other education services

80500000 - Training services

80530000 - Vocational training services

80570000 - Personal development training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£72,000 Under £100K
Lots Value
£72,000 Under £100K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£48,210 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
15 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
17 Jul 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
25 Sep 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon Borough 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
CRAIGAVON
Postcode
BT64 1AL
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)
TLN07 Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
Electoral Ward
Craigavon Centre
Westminster Constituency
Upper Bann

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

D.F.P.F. LTD

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...