Notice Information
Notice Title
Cumbria Substance Use - Treatment Service
Notice Description
This procurement is being conducted in accordance with the Provider Selection Regime (PSR) 2023 using the Competitive Process. Cumberland Council is acting as lead authority on behalf of both Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council to procure a contract for the provision of the Cumbria Substance Use; Treatment Service. The initial contract period is six years. The anticipated start date is 1st October 2027, and the initial period will end on 30th September 2033. Two optional extension periods of up to 24 months each are available. If both extensions are utilised, the contract will end on 30th September 2037. Use of these extensions is entirely at the discretion of the Council and will depend on both the success in achieving the required outcomes and the availability of further funding. The maximum total value of the contract over the full potential contract term (including the extension period) is up to PS56m excluding VAT. The Council does not guarantee any spend against this Contract beyond the annual contract value stated for Year 1. The maximum budget available for the initial term of Year 1 is PS4,235,981 per annum excluding VAT. The budget amounts set out are indicative only. For clarity, the maximum total value stated represents an upper limit calculated for indicative purposes only. It includes allowances for potential uplifts, inflationary adjustments and a discretionary safeguard to ensure continuity over the full potential contract term including any extension periods. The figure does not represent a guaranteed level of expenditure. Actual annual contract values may be lower. If the council implements an extension or uplift, this will be confirmed in writing to the successful supplier in advance. If the services to be provided are VAT exempt, then VAT cannot be charged by the successful supplier. The Councils have made available up to PS230,000 transformation funding, which is included in the maximum total value. The transformation funding is not guaranteed and is subject to a Transformation Plan being agreed between the Councils and the Service Provider. Any reference to 'additional funding' within the Invitation to Tender (ITT) encompasses Additional Funding, Supplementary Funding and Transformational Funding, as defined within the accompanying documentation and any subsequent clarifications. Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, local authorities have a statutory responsibility for improving public health, which includes commissioning services that prevent harm and support recovery from substance misuse. This responsibility is reinforced by national guidance and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) commissioning standards. Substance misuse remains a major public health challenge in Cumbria, with high rates of drug- and alcohol-related deaths and significant health inequalities across the county. The Treatment Service will deliver structured, clinically-led interventions for individuals affected by substance use and their families. The Service will operate across Cumbria and be delivered through Recovery Hubs located in Carlisle, West Cumbria, Barrow-in-Furness, Penrith, and Kendal, supported by outreach and in-reach provision to ensure accessibility for rural and seldom-heard communities. The service will work collaboratively with the Engagement and Recovery Support Service and wider system partners to deliver a person-centred, stigma-free, recovery-oriented system of care, ensuring continuity of support before, during, and after treatment episodes. Tenderers must note that there is a mandatory pass/fail question regarding delivery of the requirements within the available contract funding. Tenderers must confirm that they have reviewed the Service Specification, Contract Terms and Pricing Schedule and are able to deliver the requirements within the published Year 1 Contract Value, recognising that future funding increases, inflationary uplifts, transformation funding and other additional funding streams are not guaranteed and should not be relied upon. A Tenderer that is unable to respond Yes to provide this confirmation will be excluded from further participation in the Procurement and any Quality, Social Value and Pricing responses will not be evaluated or considered. For further details and to access the tender documents, use the council's online procurement portal, The Chest https://www.the-chest.org.uk You must be registered on The Chest to be able to view the opportunity and submit a tender. Registration is simple and free on the above link. Ensure you read and understand the Invitation to Tender (ITT) and all of its appendices before completing the tender documents. Any clarification questions must be sent to the council via messaging on The Chest by the deadline stated in the ITT. All bids must be received electronically via The Chest by the deadline stated in the ITT.
Lot Information
Lot 1
Renewal: Potential for two (2) contract extensions, each of up to 24 months each depending on both the success in achieving required outcomes and availability of further funding. For the avoidance of doubt, use of any extension period is entirely at the sole discretion of the Council and shall not be deemed guaranteed or implied
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/084022-2026
- 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
- Open procedure
- Tender Suitability
- SME, VCSE
- Awardee Scale
- Not specified
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- CPV Divisions
33 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products
-
- CPV Codes
33693300 - Addiction treatment
85312500 - Rehabilitation services
85323000 - Community health services
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- £56,000,000 £10M-£100M
- Lots Value
- £56,000,000 £10M-£100M
- Awards Value
- Not specified
- Contracts Value
- Not specified
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 4 Sep 20262 weeks ago
- Submission Deadline
- 5 Oct 20262 weeks to go
- Future Notice Date
- Not specified
- Award Date
- Not specified
- Contract Period
- 1 Oct 2027 - 30 Sep 2033 Over 5 years
- Recurrence
- Not specified
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Active
- Lots Status
- Active
- 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
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084022-2026
4th September 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077328-2026
13th August 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
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.