This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

27 Oct 2026 at 13:16

Summary of the contracting process

Cumberland Council plans to recommission its Telecare and Assistive Technology Service, a technology-enabled care service for people to live more safely and independently in their homes and communities. The service is intended to cover personal alarms, falls detectors and monitoring, alongside assistive technology such as medication reminders, environmental sensors, GPS devices and remote monitoring. It is also intended to support risk management, wellbeing and care delivery. The work combines equipment and digital solutions with service operations, including alarm monitoring, installation and maintenance of communications equipment, and health and social care services. Delivery is across Cumberland. The council wants technology-enabled care to become a core part of assessment, support planning and ongoing care.

The procurement is at planning stage: the council has set out its intention to buy the service, but has not yet invited tenders. It intends to refine the service specification through market engagement before launching the formal procurement. Suppliers are invited to comment on the draft specification by 5pm on 18 November 2026. Two online engagement sessions are planned for 25 November, 2pm–3.30pm, and 27 November, 10am–11.30am; each covers the same content. The proposed service start is 1 June 2027, for an initial five years, with two optional 12-month extensions at the council’s discretion. The estimated annual value is £450,000–£500,000 excluding VAT; the stated maximum contract value is £3.5 million excluding VAT over seven years. No lots are described.

This service is likely to suit providers able to combine reliable day-to-day telecare operations with a strategic partnership role in changing how adult social care uses technology. The council is looking to move beyond equipment supply and alarm monitoring towards prevention, independence, innovation and wider digital transformation. Providers with experience delivering similar services, and the capacity to serve people across Cumberland, are well placed to contribute to the emerging service model. The council is seeking feedback on whether its requirements are practical and deliverable, how providers would deliver them, and how digital innovation could improve outcomes. Small and medium-sized businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises are identified as suitable participants.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Telecare and Assistive Technology Service

Notice Description

Cumberland Council is procuring a new Telecare and Assistive Technology Service under the Procurement Act 2023 and it is a Light Touch Service. Telecare and Assistive Technology (TEC) refers to a range of technology-enabled solutions designed to support people to live safely, independently and with greater confidence within their own homes and communities. TEC can include traditional telecare services such as personal alarms, falls detectors and monitoring services, as well as a wider range of assistive technologies including medication reminders, environmental sensors, GPS location devices, remote monitoring solutions and other digital technologies that help people manage risks, maintain independence and improve their overall wellbeing. Through the recommissioning of this service, the Council aims to strengthen its Technology Enabled Care offer, increase the use of preventative support, improve outcomes for residents and ensure that technology becomes a core component of assessment, support planning and ongoing care delivery. It is proposed that the new service will start from 1 June 2027 for an initial period of 5 years, with the option to extend for an additional 2 x 12 months. The new service will have an estimated value of PS450,000 - PS500,000 (excluding VAT) per annum, with a Total Maximum Contract Value of PS3.5m (excluding VAT) over the 7-year contract. Use of extension periods is at the absolute discretion of the council.

Planning Information

Supplier Engagement Event Invitation and Survey Cumberland Council is preparing to recommission its Telecare & Assistive Technology Service, with a proposed contract commencement date of June 2027. As part of this process, the Council wishes to engage with potential providers and market specialists to help shape the future service model and inform the development of the forthcoming procurement opportunity. The Council's ambition is to move beyond a traditional telecare service focused primarily on equipment provision and alarm monitoring, towards a strategic partnership model that supports prevention, independence, innovation and the wider digital transformation of Adult Social Care services across Cumberland. The future contract is intended to establish a long-term partnership with a provider that can support both operational service delivery and the Council's wider Technology Enabled Care transformation journey. To support this engagement, the Council has developed a draft Service Specification which outlines its emerging vision for a modern Telecare, Assistive Technology and Technology Enabled Care service. We are keen to obtain feedback from potential providers on the proposed service requirements, strategic partnership approach and future delivery model, including whether the requirements are practical, achievable and deliverable within Cumberland. Supplier Engagement Events The Council will be hosting two supplier engagement sessions via Microsoft Teams: Session 1 • Wednesday 25 November 2026 • 2:00pm to 3:30pm Session 2 • Friday 27 November 2026 • 10:00am to 11:30am Both sessions will cover the same content and providers only need to attend one event. To reserve a place, please contact strategic.commissioning@cumbria.gov.uk, confirming which session you wish to attend and the names and email addresses of attendees. Review of Draft Service Specification Interested organisations are invited to review the draft Service Specification and provide written feedback to support the ongoing development of the service model. To allow sufficient time for the Council to consider and incorporate feedback ahead of the supplier engagement events, providers are requested to submit any comments on the draft Service Specification by 5:00pm on Wednesday 18 November 2026, one week prior to the first engagement session. In particular, the Council would welcome responses to the following questions: 1. Is your organisation interested in delivering the services described within the draft Service Specification and, if so, are you currently able to deliver these services across Cumberland? 2. Please provide a brief overview of how your organisation would propose to deliver the services outlined within the specification, including any existing experience of delivering similar services elsewhere. 3. Does the proposed strategic partnership approach reflect what you believe is achievable and effective in practice? If not, what changes would you suggest? 4. Are there any elements of the draft Service Specification that you believe would be difficult to deliver, and what alternative approaches would you recommend? 5. What opportunities do you see to further support Cumberland Council's ambition to increase the use of Technology Enabled Care and deliver improved outcomes through digital innovation and transformation? For further details and to access the premarket engagement links use the council’s online procurement portal, The Chest https://www.the-chest.org.uk; https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=2f0b360c-fdd1-f111-8142-6045bdf14b1f&p=e0cc5631-4690-e511-80fb-000c29c9ba21 The Council will review all feedback received and, where appropriate, use it to refine the final Service Specification and procurement documentation before launching the formal procurement process. Further Information If you have any questions regarding this engagement exercise, the supplier engagement events or the proposed recommissioning of the Telecare & Assistive Technology Service, please contact the Strategic Commissioning Team at: strategic.commissioning@cumbria.gov.uk Cumberland Council looks forward to working collaboratively with providers and market partners to help shape the future of Technology Enabled Care across Cumberland.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-079139
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/101548-2026
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

32 - Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment

45 - Construction work

50 - Repair and maintenance services

51 - Installation services (except software)

64 - Postal and telecommunications services

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

85 - Health and social work services


CPV Codes

32500000 - Telecommunications equipment and supplies

45314000 - Installation of telecommunications equipment

50333000 - Maintenance services of radio-communications equipment

51300000 - Installation services of communications equipment

64200000 - Telecommunications services

79711000 - Alarm-monitoring services

85000000 - Health and social work services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£3,500,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
27 Oct 20266 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Jun 2027 - 1 Jun 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
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

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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