---
title: "Out of Hours Call Handling Service 2026"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06e4d0"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06e4d0"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e4d0.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e4d0.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "Eastlight Community Homes"
published: "2026-08-14"
---

# Out of Hours Call Handling Service 2026

Buyer: Eastlight Community Homes  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06e4d0

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## Summary

Eastlight Community Homes is planning an enhanced out-of-hours call-handling service for its residents. The service is expected to cover telephone answering and call-centre operations, including emergency repairs triage, escalation arrangements, safeguarding and support for vulnerable residents, customer service standards, real-time call logging and call recording. It will also require reporting dashboards, business continuity arrangements, mobilisation support and integration with the organisation’s CRM and repairs systems. The procurement is for services delivered as part of Eastlight’s housing operations, with the buyer based in Braintree. The relevant service categories include telephone switchboard services, telephone-answering services, telephone operator services and call-centre services.

This procurement is at the planning stage, before the formal tender. Eastlight intends to use preliminary market engagement to test supplier capability, interest and appetite, and to refine the specification, evaluation approach and commercial model. Written market-engagement responses are expected by 28 August 2026, with possible supplier discussions and demonstrations between 7 and 11 September 2026. The formal procurement is anticipated in September or October 2026, with mobilisation and go-live anticipated in May 2027. The proposed contract would run from 31 May 2027 to 30 May 2030, with renewal potentially extending it to 30 May 2032. The estimated value is £275,000 excluding VAT, or £330,000 including VAT. A proposed Competitive Flexible Procedure remains subject to confirmation after engagement.

The work is likely to suit established call-centre, contact-centre and outsourced customer-service providers able to operate an out-of-hours resident service and handle urgent housing-related calls. Relevant preparation should cover emergency repairs triage, escalation, safeguarding and support for vulnerable residents, consistent customer-service delivery, real-time call logging, call recording and management reporting. Suppliers should be ready to explain how their technology integrates with CRM and repairs systems, supports reporting dashboards and maintains service continuity. Eastlight is also seeking practical approaches to mobilisation, supplier innovation, available technology and pricing models, alongside evidence that the service can improve quality and operational efficiency. Providers should consider whether they can demonstrate their systems and support wider digital transformation objectives before the formal procurement reaches the market.

## Notice

Prior to commencing the formal procurement process, ECH will undertake structured market engagement to test market capability, interest and appetite for delivering an enhanced Out of Hours Call Handling Service. This engagement will help ensure that the final specification, evaluation approach and commercial model are informed by current market practice, supplier innovation and available technology solutions. The market engagement will seek feedback from potential providers on key areas including repairs triage, safeguarding support, customer service standards, CRM and repairs system integration, real-time call logging, call recording, reporting dashboards, business continuity, mobilisation requirements and pricing models. Suppliers will also be invited to demonstrate their systems and explain how their approach could support improved service quality, operational efficiency and the wider digital transformation objectives of ECH. The engagement will be conducted in a transparent and non-discriminatory manner, ensuring that all participating suppliers receive the same information and that no supplier gains an unfair advantage ahead of the formal tender process. Outputs from the engagement will be used to refine the procurement documents, confirm whether the proposed Competitive Flexible Procedure remains the most appropriate route to market, and ensure that the resulting opportunity is attractive, proportionate and deliverable. For more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Braintree:-Telephone-switchboard-services./W8ZW446MF6 To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/W8ZW446MF6

### Planning Information

Suppliers are invited to participate in Eastlight’s preliminary market engagement for the proposed Out of Hours Call Handling Service. The engagement will explore the proposed service scope, including out-of-hours resident call handling, emergency repairs triage, escalation arrangements, safeguarding and vulnerable resident support, systems integration, reporting, mobilisation and commercial model. The market engagement request is due to be published on 14/08/2026, with written responses required by 28/08/2026. Eastlight may hold follow-up discussions and demonstration sessions between 07/09/2026 and 11/09/2026, ahead of the anticipated formal procurement process in September / October 2026 and contract mobilisation and go-live in May 2027.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077757-2026 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 14 Aug 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 28 Aug 2026 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 31 May 2027 - 30 May 2030 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £275,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Planning |
| Lots status | Planning |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Eastlight Community Homes |
| Locality | BRAINTREE |
| Postcode area | Chelmsford |
| Postcode | CM77 8FG |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLH East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLH3 Essex |
| ITL 3 | TLH34 Essex Haven Gateway |
| Local authority | Braintree |
| Electoral ward | Braintree Central & Beckers Green |
| Westminster constituency | Braintree |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 64214200 - Telephone switchboard services
- 79510000 - Telephone-answering services
- 79511000 - Telephone operator services
- 79512000 - Call centre

## Release History

- 14 Aug 2026 at 15:01 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077757-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077757-2026
  14th August 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/W8ZW446MF6
- https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Braintree:-Telephone-switchboard-services./W8ZW446MF6
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-06e4d0. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e4d0.json.