United Kingdom31 days leftOpen

Cumbria Substance Use: Engagement and Recovery Support Service

Tender Overview

ORGANIZATION

Cumberland Council

LOCATION

Cumbria, United Kingdom

VALUE

£28,800,000

DEADLINE

March 05, 2026 at 10:00

CATEGORY

Other

CPV CODE

33693300

REFERENCE

008525-2026

Project Timeline

Contact Information

View Original

Original Tender Description

Cumberland Council is acting as lead authority on behalf of both Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council to procure a contract for the provision of the Cumbria Substance Use: Engagement and Recovery Support Service, for a term of up to 10 years. The estimated total value of the contract over the total contract period (including any extension period) is a maximum value of up to £24m excluding VAT, but no guarantee is given as to the actual value of the contract. The maximum budget available for the initial term is £1,534,000 per annum excluding VAT. Westmorland & Furness Council may make available up to £50,000 transformation funding, which is included in the advertised value. The transformation funding is not guaranteed and is subject to a Transformation Plan being agreed between Westmorland & Furness Council and the Service Provider. Details of current expenditure are indicative only. The Cumbria-wide Substance Use Service (formerly Addiction Services) has now been split into two separate contracts: the Engagement and Recovery Support Service and the Treatment Service. Both contracts will be procured by Cumberland Council on behalf of Cumberland Council and Westmorland & Furness Council. Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, local authorities have a statutory responsibility for improving public health, which includes commissioning services that prevent harm and support recovery from substance misuse. This responsibility is reinforced by national guidance and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) commissioning standards. Substance misuse remains a major public health challenge in Cumbria, with high rates of drug- and alcohol-related deaths and significant health inequalities across the county. The Engagement and Recovery Support Service will be delivered through Recovery Hubs located in Carlisle, West Cumbria, Barrow-in-Furness, Penrith, and Kendal, supported by outreach and in-reach provision to ensure accessibility for rural and seldom-heard communities. The service will work collaboratively with the Treatment Service and wider system partners to deliver a person-centred, stigma-free, recovery-oriented system of care, ensuring continuity of support before, during, and after treatment episodes. The initial contract period is six years, running from 1st October 2026 to 30th September 2032. Two optional extension periods of up to 24 months each are available. If both extensions are utilised, the contract will end on 30th September 2036. Use of these extensions is entirely at the discretion of the Council.
⚠️

MANDATORY EXCLUSION GROUNDS

  • No specific mandatory exclusion grounds are mentioned in the provided information.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Be capable of delivering the Cumbria Substance Use: Engagement and Recovery Support Service across the entire Cumbria region.
  • Be able to establish and operate services in specific locations including Carlisle, West Cumbria, Barrow-in-Furness, Penrith, and Kendal.
  • Be capable of providing outreach and in-reach provision to ensure accessibility for rural and seldom-heard communities.
  • Be able to act as a service provider for both Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council.
  • Ensure compliance with relevant legislation and guidance, including the Health and Social Care Act 2012, national guidance, and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) commissioning standards.
🔧

TECHNICAL CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Deliver the Cumbria Substance Use: Engagement and Recovery Support Service.
  • Establish and operate Recovery Hubs in Carlisle, West Cumbria, Barrow-in-Furness, Penrith, and Kendal.
  • Implement outreach and in-reach provision to ensure service accessibility for rural and seldom-heard communities.
  • Work collaboratively with the separate Treatment Service and wider system partners.
  • Deliver a person-centred system of care.
  • Deliver a stigma-free system of care.
  • Deliver a recovery-oriented system of care.
  • Ensure continuity of support for service users before, during, and after treatment episodes.
  • Address the public health challenge of high rates of drug- and alcohol-related deaths and significant health inequalities in Cumbria.
  • Be prepared to agree a Transformation Plan with Westmorland & Furness Council to potentially access up to £50,000 in transformation funding.
💰

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Be capable of delivering the service within a maximum annual budget of £1,534,000 (excluding VAT) for the initial term.
  • Be capable of delivering the service within a total maximum value of up to £24,000,000 (excluding VAT) over the full contract period of up to 10 years.
📋

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  • Submit the bid by the deadline of 2026-03-05T10:00:00+00:00.

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DOC
OCDS Record
OCDS Data008525-2026_ocds_record.json
Summary:
This OCDS record provides metadata for a £24m, 10-year tender by Cumberland Council for a Cumbria Substance Use: Engagement and Recovery Support Service, delivered via recovery hubs and outreach.
DOC
OCDS Release Package
OCDS Data008525-2026_ocds_release.json
Summary:
This OCDS data package details Cumberland Council's tender for a Cumbria-wide Substance Use: Engagement and Recovery Support Service, valued up to £24m over 10 years, focusing on recovery hubs and outreach.
PDF
Official PDF Version
Administrative Documents008525-2026_official.pdf
Summary:
Cumberland Council seeks a provider for a 6-10 year, up to £24m contract to deliver the Cumbria Substance Use: Engagement and Recovery Support Service, focusing on recovery hubs and outreach for substance misuse across Cumbria.
HTM
Tender Notice
Administrative Documents008525-2026.html
Summary:
Cumberland Council seeks providers for a £24m, 6-10 year contract to deliver the Cumbria Substance Use: Engagement and Recovery Support Service, focusing on person-centred recovery through hubs and outreach for both Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness Councils.

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62
Good

Tender Quality Score

This tender provides a clear description of a vital social service but suffers from significant gaps in core documentation, evaluation criteria, and electronic submission, impacting fairness and clarity for potential bidders. While the service itself has a strong social purpose, explicit sustainability criteria are largely absent.

Score Breakdown

Legal Compliance75/100

The tender defines the procedure type and CPV code correctly, and the submission period is legally sufficient. However, the absence of explicit mandatory exclusion grounds and evaluation criteria in the provided information represents a notable gap in legal compliance with standard procurement regulations.

Missing explicit mandatory exclusion grounds
No evaluation criteria specified
Clarity60/100

The service description and AI-extracted requirements are clear and understandable. Nevertheless, the complete absence of specified evaluation criteria is a critical flaw, making it difficult for bidders to understand how their proposals will be assessed.

No evaluation criteria specified
Lack of specific, measurable performance conditions
Completeness55/100

Basic information, financial details, and timelines are well-populated. However, the tender lacks comprehensive core documents such as detailed specifications, instructions to bidders, or a draft contract, with only administrative and OCDS data provided. The absence of evaluation criteria also contributes to incompleteness.

Lack of comprehensive tender documents (e.g., ITT, full specification, draft contract)
No evaluation criteria specified
Fairness40/100

The tender value is disclosed, and requirements do not appear tailored. However, the critical absence of evaluation criteria severely compromises transparency and objectivity. The lack of electronic submission and a potentially tight deadline for a complex, high-value contract further reduce fairness and equal access for bidders.

No evaluation criteria specified, impacting transparency and objectivity
No electronic submission option
Practicality65/100

Contract start date, duration, and financing information are clearly provided. The significant drawback is the stated lack of electronic submission, which is a major practical inefficiency in modern procurement processes.

No electronic submission supported
Data Consistency90/100

All key fields are populated, and the data provided is largely consistent across different sections, including financial figures and timelines. There are no apparent disputes or suspensions.

Sustainability60/100

The service itself is inherently social, addressing critical public health challenges and supporting vulnerable communities. However, the tender does not explicitly include additional green procurement criteria, innovation focus, or specific social value clauses beyond the core service delivery.

No explicit green procurement criteria
No explicit innovation focus

Strengths

Clear and detailed description of the service scope and objectives.
Comprehensive financial information, contract duration, and start date.
Well-defined eligibility, technical, and financial requirements.
Appropriate CPV code and open procedure type.
Strong inherent social purpose of the service.

Concerns

Critical absence of explicit evaluation criteria.
Lack of comprehensive core tender documents (e.g., ITT, full specification).
No electronic submission option available.
Missing explicit mandatory exclusion grounds in the provided information.
Potentially tight submission deadline for a complex, high-value, long-term contract.

Recommendations

1. Publish comprehensive tender documents, including detailed specifications, instructions to bidders, and a draft contract.
2. Clearly define and publish objective evaluation criteria and mandatory exclusion grounds to ensure transparency and fairness.
3. Implement an electronic submission system to enhance accessibility, efficiency, and compliance with modern procurement practices.

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B
Tender Quality Score
62/ 100 · Good

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