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Grant to Third Sector VCS Providers

Durham County Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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10 Sep 2026 at 09:55

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Durham County Council commissioned services from voluntary and community sector organisations to support individuals and households in crisis. The work includes providing goods or vouchers, customer support and financial guidance, alongside resilience services intended to strengthen community infrastructure and longer-term resilience. The services are delivered in County Durham. The procurement is a light-touch public service requirement led by the council, with one completed lot and two appointed providers: Age Concern Durham County and Durham County Carers Support. It is relevant to third-sector organisations with experience supporting people in financial or household crisis, delivering practical assistance, providing customer-facing support, or building resilience through community-based services. The requirement combines direct support with advice and wider community infrastructure activity.

The procurement is complete and was awarded through a direct award below the applicable threshold, without competition. Two active awards were made on 30 April 2026: Age Concern Durham County received one award with a contract value of £225,330 excluding VAT (£270,396 including VAT), while Durham County Carers Support received a separate award valued at £289,794.84 excluding VAT (£347,753.81 including VAT). Both contracts were signed on 30 April 2026 and run from 1 May 2026 to 30 April 2027, with an option to extend by two further 12-month periods, potentially extending the contract period to 30 April 2029. The published classifications cover financial consultancy and customer services. The procurement was below threshold and used the light-touch regime.

This award shows that Durham County Council buys locally delivered third-sector support for people and households in crisis at a substantial service scale, using separate providers for the same overall requirement. A credible future competitor would need demonstrable capability in crisis support, practical assistance such as goods or vouchers, customer-facing services and financial guidance. It would also need to show that it can deliver resilience work beyond immediate intervention, including support that strengthens community infrastructure and longer-term household or community resilience. Organisations with established voluntary or community-sector relationships in County Durham, experienced frontline teams and the capacity to manage sustained service delivery would be well placed. Relevant strengths include financial advice, customer support, referral handling and partnership working with community organisations.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Grant to Third Sector VCS Providers

Notice Description

For VCS organisations to support individuals households in crisis, including awards of goods/vouchers or resilience services to build community infrastructure, longer term resilience.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f656
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085680-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - without competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large, SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

66 - Financial and insurance services

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

CPV Codes

66171000 - Financial consultancy services

79342300 - Customer services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£515,124 £500K-£1M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
10 Sep 20266 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 May 2026 - 30 Apr 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
Durham County 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
DURHAM
Postcode
DH1 5WB
Postcode Area
Durham
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC41 Durham
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
County Durham
Electoral Ward
Framwellgate & Newton Hall
Westminster Constituency
City of Durham

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
2
Supplier Names

AGE CONCERN DURHAM COUNTY

Durham County Carers Support

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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