---
title: "Provision for DBS Checking Services"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06fae0"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06fae0"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06fae0.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06fae0.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "Royal Berkshire Fire Authority"
published: "2026-09-16"
---

# Provision for DBS Checking Services

Buyer: Royal Berkshire Fire Authority  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06fae0

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## Summary

Royal Berkshire Fire Authority procured DBS checking services to support recruitment and ongoing safeguarding compliance for its workforce. The service covers vetting employees, particularly people working in regulated or higher-risk roles, through Standard and Enhanced DBS disclosures. The requirement is an ongoing service intended to maintain statutory compliance, operational continuity and a reliable checking process. The buying organisation is Royal Berkshire Fire Authority, based in Reading, and the work supports its workforce and recruitment activity. This is a public-sector safeguarding and employment-screening requirement, relevant to organisations that provide DBS checking or related investigation and security services. The classification used is CPV 79700000, investigation and security services.

The procurement is complete and has been awarded following a competitive quotation exercise. Essex County Council was selected as the most economically advantageous supplier, using price-only evaluation, and the contract was signed on 14 September 2026. The stated route is a direct procurement below the applicable threshold, without competition. The contract runs from 14 September 2026 to 31 March 2029. Its value is £27,900 excluding VAT and £33,480 including VAT. The requirement was handled as one completed lot. The expected service profile is approximately 200 checks each year, comprising around 50 Standard disclosures and 150 Enhanced disclosures. The contract is active and the procurement status is complete.

This award indicates recurring demand from a fire authority for a dependable DBS screening service that can support recruitment and continuing safeguarding checks. A credible competitor for a future requirement would need to process both Standard and Enhanced disclosures accurately, handle a regular flow of employment-related checks and maintain continuity of service over a multi-year arrangement. Evidence of reliable turnaround, robust compliance controls and secure handling of sensitive applicant information would be commercially important. Suppliers should also be able to demonstrate cost discipline, because the selection was based solely on price among compliant submissions. Organisations experienced in investigation, security or statutory employment screening, with sufficient operational capacity to support a public-sector workforce, would be well placed when this type of requirement returns.

## Notice

The Authority requires DBS checking services to support recruitment activity and the ongoing safeguarding compliance of its workforce. These checks are essential to ensure that all employees, particularly those working in regulated or higher-risk roles, are appropriately vetted in line with statutory requirements. The Authority is seeking approximately 200 DBS checks per annum, consisting of a combination of 25% (approx. 50) Standard and 75% (approx. 150) Enhanced disclosures. Given the ongoing nature of this requirement, a cost-effective and reliable supplier is required to ensure continuity of service and compliance with safeguarding obligations. Following a competitive quotation exercise, Essex County Council has been identified as the most economically advantageous supplier based on a price-only evaluation. Their submission demonstrated the lowest overall cost when compared with other compliant suppliers in the market. The appointment of Essex County Council will ensure the Authority maintains a compliant, cost-effective, and stable DBS checking service, supporting both operational requirements and business continuity.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/087641-2026 |
| 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 |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 16 Sep 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 14 Sep 2026 - 31 Mar 2029 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £27,900 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Royal Berkshire Fire Authority |
| Locality | READING |
| Postcode area | Reading |
| Postcode | RG31 7SD |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire |
| ITL 3 | TLJ16 Berkshire West |
| Local authority | West Berkshire |
| Electoral ward | Tilehurst Birch Copse |
| Westminster constituency | Reading West and Mid Berkshire |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | Essex County Council |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 79700000 - Investigation and security services

## Release History

- 16 Sep 2026 at 10:42 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/087641-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/087641-2026
  16th September 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.rbfrs.co.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-06fae0. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06fae0.json.