---
title: "Provision of the Distribution of Hillingdon People Magazine"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-07928c"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-07928c"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-07928c.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-07928c.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "London Borough of Hillingdon"
published: "2026-10-28"
---

# Provision of the Distribution of Hillingdon People Magazine

Buyer: London Borough of Hillingdon  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-07928c

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## Summary

The London Borough of Hillingdon intends to procure a door-to-door distribution service for its residents’ magazine, Hillingdon People. The service covers eligible residential properties across the borough, plus delivery of around 2,500 copies to Uxbridge Library. Each distribution cycle is expected to involve approximately 119,660 copies, normally delivered within about two weeks. The Council currently publishes at least four editions a year, although frequency may change to meet its requirements. The magazine is currently colour, approximately A4 size and usually 32–36 pages. The service may also include distributing Council booklets, leaflets or flyers alongside the magazine. Detailed postcode sectors and boundary information will be provided for the future procurement.

This is the planning stage: the Council is conducting preliminary market engagement, not inviting tenders or committing to a procurement or award. It seeks completed supplier questionnaires by 12 noon on 9 November 2026 and may then hold follow-up meetings. The Council expects to publish a future procurement notice on 16 November 2026. The proposed initial contract period is 15 April 2027 to 14 October 2030, with two possible one-year extensions, taking the maximum period to 13 October 2032. The estimated value is £389,000 excluding VAT (£466,000 including VAT). The requirement is presented as one lot. The final specification and procurement approach may be shaped by engagement feedback.

This requirement is suited to suppliers able to plan and carry out reliable, borough-wide residential distribution at substantial volume, with capacity to meet a short delivery window and provide additional copies to a library. The Council is seeking insight into delivery models, geographic coverage, distribution timescales, mobilisation, pricing, and how delivery can be monitored and tracked. Suppliers should be ready to explain their assurance and back-checking methods, how they investigate missed deliveries, and how they evidence remedial delivery. The Council is also interested in factors that could affect competition or value for money. Small and medium-sized businesses are identified as suitable for the procurement. Engagement is a chance to inform the eventual service specification; it is not a bidding opportunity.

## Notice

The London Borough of Hillingdon are conducting preliminary market engagement in advance of a future procurement and contract for the Provision of the Distribution of Hillingdon People Magazine to understand market capacity and capability and to test the viability of the Council's proposed service requirements. The Council is particularly interested in understanding potential delivery models, distribution timescales, geographic coverage, delivery assurance and tracking methods, mobilisation requirements, pricing structures and any factors which may affect competition or value for money. Feedback received may be used to inform the final specification and procurement approach. This preliminary market engagement does not constitute a call for competition or an invitation to tender and does not commit the Council to commencing a procurement process or awarding a contract. Participation or non-participation in this exercise will not prevent suppliers from participating in any future procurement opportunity. The Council may use information obtained through this exercise to inform the development of its procurement strategy, specification and tender documentation. The services under the proposed contract include, but are not limited to: The London Borough of Hillingdon requires a door-to-door distribution service for its residents' magazine, Hillingdon People. The Council currently publishes a minimum of four editions per year; however, publication frequency may vary during the contract to reflect Council requirements. Each distribution cycle is expected to involve approximately 119,660 copies, with distribution normally required to be completed within an approximately two-week delivery window. The supplier will be required to distribute Hillingdon People to eligible residential properties throughout the London Borough of Hillingdon and deliver approximately 2,500 copies to Uxbridge Library. On occasion, the Council may also require additional Council-related materials, such as booklets, leaflets or flyers, to be distributed alongside Hillingdon People. Detailed postcode sectors and boundary information will form part of the procurement documentation, so suppliers understand that the requirement is for borough-wide geographic coverage. The service will require appropriate delivery monitoring, back-checking and/or tracking arrangements to provide assurance and evidence that distribution has been completed. Suppliers will also be expected to support the investigation and resolution of reported missed deliveries and provide evidence of remedial delivery where required. For context, the current magazine is approximately A4 size (297 x 210mm), colour and normally comprises between 32 and 36 pages including the cover and is currently produced on 70gsm paper stock. The initial contract term is expected to be three years and six months, with options to extend for up to a further two years (1 year + 1 year), subject to satisfactory performance and the Council's requirements.

### Planning Information

This Preliminary Market Engagement ('PME') Notice is being published in advance of a future procurement and contract for the distribution of the resident magazine ‘Hillingdon people’ on behalf of the London Borough of Hillingdon ('the Council').
Interested bidders are asked to email Hillingdon at mkenyon@hillingdon.gov.uk to request a copy of a questionnaire to complete and to return to the same email address.
Please use the reference 'Hillingdon People Distribution’ - UK2: Preliminary market engagement Notice' when requesting and submitting the questionnaire.
Completed questionnaires are to be returned no later than 12:00pm, Monday 9th November 2026.
Following a review of completed questionnaires, the Council may invite suppliers to participate in follow-up engagement meetings where appropriate.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/102142-2026 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 28 Oct 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 16 Nov 2026 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 15 Apr 2027 - 15 Oct 2030 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £389,000 |
| 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 | London Borough of Hillingdon |
| Locality | UXBRIDGE |
| Postcode area | Southall |
| Postcode | UB8 1UW |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI7 Outer London - West and North West |
| ITL 3 | TLI74 Harrow and Hillingdon |
| Local authority | Hillingdon |
| Electoral ward | Uxbridge |
| Westminster constituency | Uxbridge and South Ruislip |
| Delivery location | TLI74 Harrow and Hillingdon |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 79823000 - Printing and delivery services
- 79824000 - Printing and distribution services

## Release History

- 28 Oct 2026 at 14:18 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/102142-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/102142-2026
  28th October 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- 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-07928c. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-07928c.json.