---
title: "CO0587 - Essex ActivAte Programme (HAF) 2025"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04db1b"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04db1b"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04db1b.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04db1b.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL"
published: "2025-03-26"
---

# CO0587 - Essex ActivAte Programme (HAF) 2025

Buyer: ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04db1b

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## Summary

Essex County Council, in collaboration with Active Essex, has initiated the Essex ActivAte Programme (HAF) 2025 to deliver holiday activity and food services across Essex and Thurrock during the main school holidays. This procurement focuses on the "Holiday centre and holiday home services" category and invites bids under the open procedure method. Having received funding from the Department for Education, Essex County Council is looking for delivery partners or consortiums to manage free and inclusive holiday clubs for young people eligible for benefits-based free school meals and those in need. The procurement stage has progressed to the award and subsequent tender updates as of March 2025, with a target start date of 7th April 2025. The value of the procurement contract stands at £3,842,523.66, with maximum funding per project capped at £300,000. 

This tender presents substantial opportunities for SMEs and other business enterprises within the educational, recreational, and social services sectors to engage and expand their operations. Businesses focused on nutrition, physical activities, and youth engagement would be well-suited to compete due to the programme’s aim to provide holistic support and activities for young people. The tender facilitates businesses to tap into public funding, enhance their service portfolio, and contribute to social wellbeing, thereby fostering growth and community impact. With the open procedure offering a transparent and competitive bidding environment, interested enterprises can leverage this opportunity to contribute to a high-visibility public programme. Prospective bidders should possess the capacity to meet the outlined quality and performance criteria to ensure successful delivery.

## Notice

The Department for Education has provided Essex County Council with funding in order to deliver the holiday activity and food programme (HAF) across Essex during the Easter, Summer and Winter school holidays. Active Essex will be managing the programme on behalf of Essex County Council. Active Essex and Essex County Council will also be managing the HAF programme on behalf of Thurrock Council. Across Essex and Thurrock the programme is called Essex ActvAte. Essex ActivAte will engage and support young people and families who are eligible for benefits based free school meals and families most in need. The programme will provide free and inclusive holiday clubs across the county that will include a range of fun physical and enrichment activities, a free nutritious meal, nutritional education and mentoring and support for the young person and whole family. The programme aims to improve health generally, including, crucially, mental health and aim to provide the families with the knowledge and support to live healthier, happier lives. We are looking for delivery partners or consortiums who can lead and deliver Essex ActivAte clubs across Essex and Thurrock during the main school holidays. Maximum funding per project is PS300,000

### Lot Information

Lot 1

The Department for Education has provided Essex County Council with funding in order to deliver the holiday activity and food programme (HAF) across Essex during the Easter, Summer and Winter school holidays. Active Essex will be managing the programme on behalf of Essex County Council. Active Essex and Essex County Council will also be managing the HAF programme on behalf of Thurrock Council. Across Essex and Thurrock the programme is called Essex ActvAte. Essex ActivAte will engage and support young people and families who are eligible for benefits based free school meals and families most in need. The programme will provide free and inclusive holiday clubs across the county that will include a range of fun physical and enrichment activities, a free nutritious meal, nutritional education and mentoring and support for the young person and whole family. The programme aims to improve health generally, including, crucially, mental health and aim to provide the families with the knowledge and support to live healthier, happier lives. We are looking for delivery partners or consortiums who can lead and deliver Essex ActivAte clubs across Essex and Thurrock during the main school holidays. The Essex ActivAte programme has now been running for 3 years, working with over 300 delivery partners to offer over 150,000 free spaces and hot meals per year. Over the next year of 2025, it is our aim to extend the programme so that every young person who is eligible for benefits based free school meals or is in need of this holiday support has the opportunity to engage in a local club. Key outcomes of each Essex ActivAte club are: * To provide free and inclusive holiday activity clubs for eligible young people * To provide a safe environment for young people to attend in the school holidays * To provide a fun, high quality holiday club experience for the young people * To support the social skills of the young people attending * To provide mentors and role model through the Essex ActivAte club staff * To ensure that young people have at least 1 nutritious meal each day * To provide education for the young people and whole family around eating more healthy, nutritious meals, on a budget * Providing signposting and support for the whole family so that they have the understanding and knowledge to improve their physical and mental health and wellbeing, support network and opportunities. Please note, the Requirement Specific Quality responses will either 'Pass' or 'Fail' in line with whether, in our assessment, they have the capability and capacity to meet the minimum requirements set out in the identified evaluation criteria stated under each question. This assessment will be made through an evaluation of the answers provided to the questions asked in this document.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/011405-2025 |
| Notice type | Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 26 Mar 2025 |
| Submission deadline | 14 Feb 2025 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 5 Mar 2025 |
| Contract period | 6 Apr 2025 - 27 Feb 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £4,200,000 |
| Lots value | £4,200,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £3,842,523 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Cancelled |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL |
| Locality | CHELMSFORD |
| Post town | Chelmsford |
| Postcode | CM1 1QH |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLH East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLH3 Essex |
| ITL 3 | TLH36 Heart of Essex |
| Local authority | Chelmsford |
| Electoral ward | Moulsham and Central |
| Westminster constituency | Chelmsford |
| Delivery location | TLH3 Essex |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 100 |
| Supplier names | 3FOOD4U; ACE MUSIC THERAPY; ACTIVE ESSEX FOUNDATION; ALPHABAKE COOKERY; ALTERNATIVE MOVEMENT; AMAZING ACTIVITIES; AQ BASKETBALL; ARTS OUTBURST; ATF SOUTHEND; BLACKWATER GYMNASTICS CLUB; BRAINTREE DISTRICT MUSEUM TRUST; BUTTERFLIES CLUB; BWILD ADVENTURES; CAMP 4 CHAMPS; CANVEY ISLAND YOUTH PROJECT; CAST A THOUGHTIC; CASTLE POINT & ROCHFORD SSP; CHAFFORD TOTS TO TEENS CHILDCARE SERVICES; CHANGING LIVES COMMUNITY SERVICES; CHELMSFORD CITY COUNCIL SOUTH WOODHAM FERRERS LEISURE CENTRE; CHELMSFORD CITY FOOTBALL CLUB FOUNDATION; CHELMSFORD SPORT AND ATHLETICS CENTRE (CHELMSFORD CITY COUNCIL; CHELMSFORD THEATRE; CHILD & PROVIDE ACTIVE; CHRISTINA MARKS SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS; CLACTON KAYAK RENTAL; CMXSC; COLCHESTER UNITED COMMUNITY FOUNDATION; COMPUTERXPLORERS COLCHESTER; CRAFTY KATIE; DISABILITY 4 SPORT; ESSEX BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS; ESSEX ELITE SPORTS ACADEMY; ESSEX KIDS CAMP; ESSEX MUSIC SERVICE; ESSEX PROFESSIONAL COACHING; EVERYBODY LOVES MUSIC; FAMILY 1ST SERVICES; FOOTBALL FUN FACTORY (COMMUNITY 086; FUSION LIFESTYLE; FUTURE MAKERS; FUTURES ESSEX; GET WITH THE KIDS VIBE; GO BANANAS COLCHESTER; GO LEISURE COLCHESTER; HAPPY HEALTHY MINDS; HARLOW CULTURAL EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP (HARLOW LCEP; HCL ACTIVITY CAMPS; HEADWAY SPORTS; INTERACT (CHELMSFORD; JACK OF ALL SPORTS; JM & MB COACHING LTD T/A PREMIER EDUCATION; JTD ARTS; KIDBUSTERZ; KIDZACTIVE; KINETIX ACADEMY; LITTLE MUSKETEERS; LITTLE SPORTSTERS COACHING; MAKING IT MINDFUL; MALEARN; MATIPO ARTS; MEGA CAMPS; MERCURY THEATRE; MICHAEL RICHARDSON FOOTBALL ACADEMY; MINIME MINDFULNESS; MISTLEY KIDS CLUB; MOBILE GYM FITNESS; MONARCHS CHILDCARE; MULTICOACH; MULTISPORTS FOR SCHOOLS; MUSHROOM THEATRE; NEXT THING EDUCATION CAMPS; NURTURE DEN; OLIVERS LODGE; PLAYPALZ PARTY AND SOFTPLAY CENTRE; POP ESSEX; PREMIER EDUCATION 019; PREMIER SCHOOL; PREMIER SPORTS COACH SOLUTIONS; RISE SPORTS; ROBWHEN COACHING LTD TRADING AS SUPER STAR SPORT OEL; ROSEDAN LOMO; SAFE HAVEN AND RESPITE ENVIRONMENT (SHARE; SCHOOL’S OUT ACTIVITIES; SCWE CIC T/A SPORTSCOOL WEST ESSEX; SILVERBIRCH ANIMAL THERAPY S.A.T.; SOUTHEND UNITED COMMUNITY FOUNDATION; SPLAT CLUB; SPORTS COACHING SPECIALISTS (SCS; SPORTSCOOL EAST LONDON & SOUTH ESSEX; SRR ELITE CHEERLEADING; SSS EDUCATION GROUP LTD (T/A SUPER STAR SPORT; SSS ESSEX LTD T/A SUPER STAR SPORT ESSEX; ST HELENA CREATIVE SERVICES CIC/ THE CREATION STATION COLCHESTER; THE ACTIVE WELLBEING SOCIETY; THE ARK FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE; THE FUTURE OF SPORT; THE LIGHTHOUSE SPORTS AND SOCIAL HUB ESSEX; THURROCK COUNCIL - GRANGEWATERS; WELLBEING 4 LIFE T/A MOTIVATED-MINDS |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services

### Codes

- 55240000 - Holiday centre and holiday home services

## Release History

- 26 Mar 2025 at 16:50 - TenderUpdate - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/011405-2025
- 26 Mar 2025 at 16:45 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/011404-2025
- 14 Feb 2025 at 09:29 - TenderUpdate - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/005056-2025
- 3 Feb 2025 at 15:53 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/003502-2025

## Notice URLs

- https://procontract.due-north.com
- https://www.essex.gov.uk/

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04db1b. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04db1b.json.