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Cumbria Substance Use - Treatment Service

Cumberland Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

13 Aug 2026 at 15:16

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Cumberland Council is planning a treatment service for the Cumbria Substance Use Service, on behalf of Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council. The service will provide addiction treatment, rehabilitation and community health services across Cumbria. It is a public service contract, separate from the Engagement and Recovery Support Service (ERS), which has already been awarded to The Well Communities. The planned treatment service is therefore aimed at organisations able to deliver specialist substance-use treatment and related rehabilitation support across the area. Cumberland Council is the buyer, while the service will support both councils. The procurement is a single service requirement rather than a set of separate lots, and the council has indicated that small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises may be suitable providers.

This process is at the planning stage: the councils have stated their intention to procure the treatment service, but it is not an invitation to tender. The council expects a contract to start on 1 October 2027 and run to 30 September 2033, with a possible extension taking the maximum end date to 30 September 2037. The estimated value is £56,000,000 excluding VAT, or £67,200,000 including VAT. The procurement is above the relevant threshold and will use a single lot. A virtual supplier engagement session is scheduled for 20 August 2026, from 10:00 to 10:45, to explain the service model, planned procurement process and indicative timetable. Questions for that session are requested by 17 August 2026 at 5.00pm.

The future requirement will suit established substance-use treatment providers, rehabilitation organisations and community health specialists able to deliver services across Cumbria for a long-term contract. Relevant experience is likely to include addiction treatment, recovery-focused interventions, rehabilitation support and community-based health provision. Providers should be prepared to demonstrate the clinical, operational and safeguarding capability needed to support people affected by substance use, although the published planning information does not yet set out detailed qualification or accreditation requirements. The council has expressly indicated that the requirement may suit SMEs and voluntary, community or social enterprises, so smaller specialist providers and mission-led organisations should consider whether they can participate independently or form a partnership. Interested organisations can use the planned engagement session to understand the emerging service model and help shape the tender documentation.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Cumbria Substance Use - Treatment Service

Notice Description

Earlier this year Cumberland Council undertook a procurement process for two separate contracts within the Cumbria Substance Use Service on behalf of both Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council. These contracts comprised the Engagement and Recovery Support Service (ERS) and the Treatment Service. The ERS Service contract has been awarded to The Well Communities. The councils are now returning to the market to procure the Treatment Service and would like to invite providers interested in bidding for this service to attend a virtual Supplier Engagement Session. The session will provide an opportunity to hear about the service model, procurement process and indicative timelines, and to ask any questions ahead of the procurement commencing. The virtual Supplier Engagement Session is scheduled for: Date: Thursday 20th August 2026 Location: Microsoft Teams Time: 10:00 - 10:45 Please refer to the attached Provider Information Pack for further details about the contract opportunity. You are encouraged to review this information and use it to help shape any questions you may wish to raise. If you have received this notice directly from the Council, your organisation is welcome to attend using the embedded Teams link. If you received this notice via the Chest or other communication, please contact john.salisbury@cumbria.gov.uk to request access. Questions are encouraged in advance and may be submitted to the same email address by 5.00pm on Monday 17 August. All questions received by this deadline will be addressed during the session. Any questions raised during the session itself will be responded to as part of the tender pack. Please note: The session will be recorded. A link to the recording will be included in the tender documents to ensure transparency and equal access to information for all interested parties. The Engagement Session will not include a full presentation of the Provider Information Pack, participants are encouraged to review it in advance. We look forward to your participation and engagement in shaping the future of Substance Use Services across Cumbria.

Planning Information

Earlier this year Cumberland Council undertook a procurement process for two separate contracts within the Cumbria Substance Use Service on behalf of both Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council. These contracts comprised the Engagement and Recovery Support Service (ERS) and the Treatment Service. The ERS Service contract has been awarded to The Well Communities. The councils are now returning to the market to procure the Treatment Service and would like to invite providers interested in bidding for this service to attend a virtual Supplier Engagement Session. The session will provide an opportunity to hear about the service model, procurement process and indicative timelines, and to ask any questions ahead of the procurement commencing. The virtual Supplier Engagement Session is scheduled for: Date: Thursday 20th August 2026 Location: Microsoft Teams Time: 10:00 - 10:45 Please refer to the attached Provider Information Pack for further details about the contract opportunity. You are encouraged to review this information and use it to help shape any questions you may wish to raise. If you have received this notice directly from the Council, your organisation is welcome to attend using the embedded Teams link. If you received this notice via the Chest or other communication, please contact john.salisbury@cumbria.gov.uk to request access. Questions are encouraged in advance and may be submitted to the same email address by 5.00pm on Monday 17 August. All questions received by this deadline will be addressed during the session. Any questions raised during the session itself will be responded to as part of the tender pack. Please note: The session will be recorded. A link to the recording will be included in the tender documents to ensure transparency and equal access to information for all interested parties. The Engagement Session will not include a full presentation of the Provider Information Pack, participants are encouraged to review it in advance. We look forward to your participation and engagement in shaping the future of Substance Use Services across Cumbria.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06e3cc
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077328-2026
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, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

33 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

33693300 - Addiction treatment

85312500 - Rehabilitation services

85323000 - Community health services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£56,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
13 Aug 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
19 Aug 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Oct 2027 - 30 Sep 2033 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
Cumberland 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
CARLISLE
Postcode
CA1 1RD
Postcode Area
Carlisle
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD1 Cumbria
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD13 Cumberland
Delivery Location
TLD1 Cumbria
Local Authority
Cumberland
Electoral Ward
Castle
Westminster Constituency
Carlisle

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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