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Debt Enforcement Agents Contract

Cornwall Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

03 Aug 2026 at 16:57

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Cornwall Council intends to procure enforcement agent services for the lawful recovery of unpaid Council Tax, Business Rates, Penalty Charge Notices, Housing Benefit Overpayments, sundry debts and other eligible debt types. The service will provide continuity for statutory debt recovery, protect income supporting essential public services, and promote fair, proportionate and customer-focused treatment of people in debt. The work is classified as bailiff services and will be delivered across the United Kingdom. The proposed structure is a lotted contract, intended to encourage competition, strengthen resilience and secure specialist expertise across different debt types. This is a public-sector service requirement for organisations providing compliant debt enforcement, collections operations and associated customer support.

This procurement is at the planning stage: Cornwall Council has stated an intention to run a competitive procurement, but has not yet invited tenders. The council is carrying out market engagement, with responses expected by 18 August 2026; this engagement will inform the procurement approach and will not involve evaluation or supplier selection. The next notice is anticipated on 2 September 2026. The proposed contract is one lot, expected to run from 1 February 2027 to 31 January 2032, with renewal provisions allowing extension to 31 January 2034. Its estimated value is £9.5 million excluding VAT, or £11.4 million including VAT. The procurement is above the applicable threshold and the lot is marked as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The work is likely to suit enforcement agents, bailiff and debt recovery firms with experience handling multiple statutory and commercial debt types for public authorities. Strong candidates will be able to demonstrate compliance with all relevant legislation, robust governance and controls, and fair, ethical enforcement practices. The council is particularly seeking effective vulnerability management and customer support arrangements, so suppliers should be prepared to show how they identify and protect vulnerable customers, communicate proportionately and support appropriate repayment outcomes. The planned market engagement also seeks views on service delivery, innovation and technology, making this relevant to providers with mature case-management systems, secure digital processes, reliable operational capacity and ideas for improving recovery while maintaining customer-focused standards.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Debt Enforcement Agents Contract

Notice Description

Cornwall Council is seeking to procure Enforcement Agent Services to support the lawful recovery of unpaid Council Tax, Business Rates, Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), Housing Benefit Overpayments, Sundry Debts and other eligible debts following the expiry of the current contract in January 2027. The procurement will ensure continuity of statutory debt recovery services, protect critical income streams that fund essential public services, and support the Council's commitment to fair, proportionate and customer-focused debt recovery. The Council is proposing a lotted contract structure to encourage competition, improve resilience and secure specialist expertise across different debt types. Suppliers will be required to demonstrate compliance with all relevant legislation, strong vulnerability management processes, robust governance arrangements and a commitment to ethical enforcement practices. The new contract is expected to commence on 1 February 2027 following a competitive procurement process

Planning Information

Cornwall Council is engaging with the market ahead of a proposed procurement for Enforcement Agent Services covering Council Tax, Business Rates, Penalty Charge Notices, Housing Benefit Overpayments, Sundry Debts and other eligible debt types. The engagement will help shape the procurement approach and gather market feedback on service delivery, innovation, technology and customer support arrangements. No evaluation or supplier selection will take place as part of this engagement.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06da69
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/073387-2026
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
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

75 - Administration, defence and social security services

CPV Codes

75242110 - Bailiff services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£9,500,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
3 Aug 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
2 Sep 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Feb 2027 - 31 Jan 2032 Over 5 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
Cornwall 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
TRURO
Postcode
TR1 3AY
Postcode Area
Truro
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK3 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK30 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Cornwall
Electoral Ward
Truro Boscawen & Redannick
Westminster Constituency
Truro and Falmouth

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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