Scope
Reference
C008PC
Description
Delivery of body removal services in the Colchester and Tendring areas of Essex.
Essex County Council (ECC) is responsible for providing the Coroner Service for the Essex Coroner Area which includes the administrative areas of Essex County Council and the unitary authorities (Thurrock Council and Southend City Council).
In support of this work, ECC must provide body removal services splitting the county into 6 geographical areas.
We are wishing to engage on an opportunity for re-tendering a contract to cover body removal in the Colchester and Tendring Districts. We are inviting responses from the market to support Essex County Council to design a tender which will meet our requirements and provide best value for the residents of Essex.
The closing date for responses is 5pm on 24 July 2025.
The current estimated publication date for the tender is September 2025 with a provisional contract award date during December 2025. The contract start date will be April 1st, 2026.
This notice is intended as an awareness, communication and information gathering exercise. Participation is no indication of a commitment to partake in any future tendering process nor does it infer any preferential or special status on those individuals and organisations who participate.
Please also note that this notice is not intended as a call for competition and as such you will need to express your interest in any future tender opportunity once the tender notice is published.
You are also advised to ensure your data on the Central Digital Platform is maintained up to date.
Please also note the following with regard to the potential impact of Local Government Reform (LGR) and Devolution to this project.
The contracting authority is Essex County Council and any Successor Body meaning one or more entities which assumes any of the Council's functions (as applicable) as a result of Local Government Reform (LGR). Such successor body or bodies may be, without limitation, a local authority, a combined authority, a combined county authority, a strategic authority or any other status determined pursuant to the Devolution and LGR Legislation.
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2028
- Possible extension to 31 March 2031
- 5 years
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 98370000 - Funeral and related services
Contract locations
- UKH3 - Essex
Engagement
Engagement deadline
24 July 2025
Engagement process description
The Authority wishes to invite interested parties to complete a market engagement questionnaire using Microsoft forms.
A link to the microsoft form will be included within the documents that will be published on Procontract, the Councils e-tendering system. Responses to this market engagement can only be submitted via Procontract.
ECC uses an e-tendering system, ProContract and you will need to create an account on ProContract to access and respond to both this market engagement exercise and to bid for any future opportunities issued by ECC, including this Body Removal Contract. Please visit https://procontract.due-north.com/Register to register an account. It is free to register and use the system.
If you have any questions regarding this exercise, please submit them via the ProContract Portal and we will reply to your questions as soon as possible.
We look forward to your participation and contributions.
Participation
Particular suitability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Publication date of tender notice (estimated)
1 September 2025
Contracting authority
Essex County Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PWVM-4844-NRQH
County Hall, Market Road
Chelmsford
CM1 1QH
United Kingdom
Region: UKH36 - Heart of Essex
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government