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Grounds Maintenance Services: 2027-2031

Orkney Islands Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

31 Aug 2026 at 15:34

Planning Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Orkney Islands Council intends to procure grounds maintenance services across Orkney mainland, the linked south isles and Hoy. The work covers grass cutting, strimming, weed control, and maintaining planted areas, including shrubs and small trees. Separate service areas are planned for general grounds maintenance, sports pitches and cemeteries. Pitch sites include Bignold Park, Firth School, Market Green, Stromness Academy and St Margaret’s Hope school. Cemetery sites include Warbeth, St Olaf’s and St Magnus Cathedral, with possible work at Firth and Stenness. This is a services contract, classified under CPV 77314000, delivered mainly across Orkney Mainland and connected island locations.

This procurement is at the planning stage: the council has published a prior information notice to signal its intention, not an invitation to tender. The buyer expects to issue a contract advertisement in October 2026, following a 35-day PIN period; the stated future notice date is 5 October 2026. The expected contract period is four years, from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2031, with an option for one further 12-month extension, subject to meeting the contract’s performance criteria. The estimated total value is £2,000,000 including the stated currency of GBP. Three planned lots cover general services, pitches and cemeteries. The procurement method, evaluation criteria and participation requirements will be set out with the future tender.

The work is likely to suit established grounds maintenance contractors able to provide regular outdoor maintenance across mainland and island sites. Relevant capability includes grass cutting, strimming, weed control, and horticultural maintenance for shrubs and small trees. Suppliers should be prepared to cover distinct operational environments, including public open spaces, sports pitches and cemeteries, and to organise staff, machinery, vehicles and materials across Orkney’s linked south isles and Hoy. Experience of delivering planned, term-based grounds maintenance and managing service standards over several years would be useful, particularly because any extension depends on meeting performance criteria. The scope may suit a principal contractor with sufficient local capacity, or a business able to arrange reliable island logistics and supporting resources when the tender is issued.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Grounds Maintenance Services: 2027-2031

Notice Description

To provide grounds maintenance services across the Orkney mainland, linked south isles and Hoy. This will include grass cutting, strimming, weed control, maintenance of planting including shrubs and small trees. Note this will be a term service contract for the four year period from 1 April 2027 until 31 March 2031, with an option to extend for one further year subject to meeting the performance criteria defined in the contract.

Lot Information

Grounds Maintenance Services 2027-2031: General

To provide grounds maintenance services across the Orkney mainland, linked south isles and Hoy. This will include grass cutting, strimming, weed control, maintenance of planting including shrubs and small trees. Note this will be a term service contract for the four year period from 1 April 2027 until 31 March 2031, with an option to extend for one further year subject to meeting the performance criteria defined in the contract.

Grounds Maintenance Services 2027-2031: Pitches

This procurement is for Grounds Maintenance for pitches at Bignold Park, Firth School, Market Green, Stromness Academy and St Margaret's Hope school. The contract will run for the period 1 April 2027 until 31 March 2031 with option for further 12 month extension, subject to meeting the performance criteria defined in the contract.

Grounds Maintenance Services 2027-2031: Cemeteries

This procurement is for Grounds Maintenance for cemeteries at Warbeth, St Olaf's and St Magnus Cathedral and potentially Firth and Stenness. The contract will run for the period 1 April 2027 until 31 March 2031 with option for further 12 month extension subject to meeting the performance criteria defined in the contract.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06ef14
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082415-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Planning 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

77 - Agricultural, forestry, horticultural, aquacultural and apicultural services

CPV Codes

77314000 - Grounds maintenance services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£2,000,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
31 Aug 2026Yesterday
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
5 Oct 20262 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Orkney Islands 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
KIRKWALL
Postcode
KW15 1NY
Postcode Area
Kirkwall
Country
Scotland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM2 Highlands and Islands
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM20 Highlands and Islands
Delivery Location
TLM65 Orkney Islands
Local Authority
Orkney Islands
Electoral Ward
Kirkwall East
Westminster Constituency
Orkney and Shetland

Further Information

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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