{ "uri": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/api/1.0/ocdsRecordPackages/ocds-h6vhtk-06a9c8", "publisher": { "name": "Cabinet Office", "scheme": "GB-GOR", "uid": "D2", "uri": "https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/cabinet-office" }, "publishedDate": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "license": "http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/", "publicationPolicy": "https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/open-contracting", "version": "1.1", "extensions": [ "https://standard.open-contracting.org/profiles/eu/latest/en/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/open-contracting-extensions/ocds_amendment_rationale_classifications_extension/master/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/open-contracting-extensions/ocds_budget_breakdown_extension/master/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/open-contracting-extensions/ocds_contract_completion_extension/master/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/open-contracting-extensions/ocds_documentation_extension/master/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/open-contracting-extensions/ocds_pagination_extension/master/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/open-contracting-extensions/ocds_suitability_extension/master/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/portaledcahn/ocds_Links_extension/main/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cabinetoffice/ocds_uk_extension/main/extension.json" ], "packages": [ "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/api/1.0/ocdsRecordPackages/ocds-h6vhtk-06a9c8" ], "records": [ { "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-06a9c8", "releases": [ { "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-06a9c8", "id": "051158-2026", "tag": [ "planning" ], "date": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "initiationType": "tender", "parties": [ { "name": "Portsmouth City Council", "id": "GB-PPON-PCNL-5714-PRZV", "identifier": { "scheme": "GB-PPON", "id": "PCNL-5714-PRZV" }, "address": { "streetAddress": "Civic Offices, Guildhall Square", "locality": "Portsmouth", "postalCode": "PO1 2AL", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom", "region": "UKJ31" }, "contactPoint": { "email": "procurement@portsmouthcc.gov.uk" }, "roles": [ "buyer" ], "details": { "classifications": [ { "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE", "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment", "description": "Public authority - sub-central government" } ] } } ], "buyer": { "id": "GB-PPON-PCNL-5714-PRZV", "name": "Portsmouth City Council" }, "planning": { "milestones": [ { "id": "engagement", "type": "engagement", "description": "Portsmouth City Council (the Council) is undertaking a Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) exercise to inform the future procurement strategy for a mediation service working on behalf of Portsmouth Homes. \nTo ensure effective engagement with organisations, and in the interests of transparency and fair and equal treatment set out within the Procurement Act 23, the Council has instigated this Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) process via issue of a PME Notice on the Central Government Find a Tender Service / Central Digital Platform.\nThrough the PME exercise suitably experienced suppliers will have the opportunity to take part in 1-1 discussions with key Council officers between Tuesday 15th June and Friday 26th June 2026 between 9.30am and 4pm.\nMeeting slots will be allocated on a first come first served basis to Suppliers who can meet the minimum experience requirements. If more than 6 qualifying Suppliers express interest in 1-1 meetings the council will endeavour to make further meeting slots available but cannot provide any guarantees, as such interested suppliers are encouraged to submit formal expressions of interest as a matter of urgency. Where meeting slots cannot be allocated the Council will seek written feedback from affected Suppliers.\nThe feedback gained through this process will inform the development of the operational, commercial and contractual positions taken by the Council when the formal procurement process is undertaken.\nExpression of Interest Process and Participation Process\nAttendance at the one‑to‑one meetings, will be limited to Suppliers who have completed and submitted the accompanying Expression of Interest (EOI) form via In‑tend using the correspondence function .\nIn the first instance, interested Suppliers must complete the EOI form and return it via In‑tend, confirming their interest in taking part in the 1‑to‑1 discussions. The EOI form requests operators to provide the following information for up to two case studies demonstrating relevant previous experience in delivering mediation‑based services.\nThese minimum requirements are expected to form part of the pass/fail Conditions of Participation in the subsequent procurement process.\nThe expression of interest form requests Suppliers to provide the following information:\n•\tGeneral company information\n•\tDetails of previous experience managing a mediation service \nAvailability for meetings on:\n•\tSlot 1 - Monday 15th June 2026 - 09:30 - 11:00 at Somerstown Housing Office \n•\tSlot 2 - Tuesday 16th June 2026 - 14:30 - 16:00 at Paulsgrove Housing Office \n•\tSlot 3 - Friday 19th June 2026 - 09:30 - 11:00 at Leigh Park Housing Office \n•\tSlot 4 - Friday 19th June 2026 - 11:30 - 13:30 at Leigh Park Housing Office \n•\tSlot 5 - Friday 26th June 2026 - 09:30 - 11:00 at Paulsgrove Housing Office \n•\tSlot 6 - Friday 26th June 2026 - 11:30 - 13:00 at Paulsgrove Housing Office \n•\tNames of delegates who will attend the site visit and/or the 1-2-1 meetings, including their role and email address.\nIn addition to submission pf the EOI Suppliers will also be required to complete and submit a Conflict of Interest (COI) Statement using the form provided. Further information in respect of Conflict of Interest is included at the end of this brief.\nAt the Council's discretion, we may look to engage further with Suppliers who attend an initial one-to-one meeting and this information will be used to gather additional information or review specific aspects of the supplier's previous delivery of similar business models. \nSuppliers should note that there is no obligation to take part in this exercise and that if they do not take part, it will not preclude them from any subsequent related procurement process. Engaging Suppliers will not receive preferential treatment in the subsequent procurement process, and this is in no way an indication of the selection of any organisation or a guarantee of future work.\nCouncil Team\nThe key Council officers who will attend the 1-1 meetings are as follows:\n•\tLauren Rackham - Head of Community Safety \n•\tKirsty Pearce - Senior Housing Manager \n•\tLee Hickman - ASB Manager - Portsmouth Homes\n•\tSimon Courtney - Senior Procurement Professional - PCC Finance and Resources\n•\tShannon Penfold - Trainee Procurement Professional - PCC Finance and Resources\nPME & Procurement Administration\nThe Council will administrate the preliminary market engagement and future formal procurement process using its e-sourcing system In-Tend which will be used for:\n•\tAccess to and issue of information and documentation \n•\tClarification requests and response\n•\tExpression of interest submission \n•\tAllocation of 1-1 meeting slots\n•\tIssue of tender documentation\n•\tSubmission of tender responses\n•\tIssue of Award Decision notification\nThe In-tend system can be accessed for free using the following link:\nhttps://in-tendhost.co.uk/portsmouthcc/aspx/home\nPME Supporting information\nThe following documents have been included as part of the PME Briefing pack via the e-tendering portal, Intend - \n•\tMediation Service - PME Brief (this document)\n•\tMediation Service - PME 1-1 EOI\n•\tWebsite: Portsmouth Homes - Portsmouth City Council\n•\tConflict of Interest Statement\n•\tConflicts of Interest Declaration Form\n•\tIntend Guidance, Supporting Information & Clarification Process.\nPME Feedback Areas\nThrough undertaking 1 to 1 discussions with Suppliers, the Council is seeking structured feedback to inform the design of a future mediation service, including operational delivery, commercial arrangements and performance expectations. The areas below are intended to guide discussion and are not exhaustive - \n1. Service Delivery Model & Approach\n•\tHow do you typically structure mediation services within a social housing context (e.g. reactive vs early intervention, triage models)?\n•\tWhat approaches do you adopt for complex or high risk cases (e.g. repeat ASB, vulnerability, safeguarding considerations)?\n•\tHow do you ensure accessibility, inclusivity and culturally competent delivery?\n2. Demand, Capacity & Case Volumes\n•\tWhat assumptions would you normally make regarding referral volumes and case complexity?\n•\tHow do you flex capacity in response to peaks and troughs in demand?\n•\tWhat is your typical throughput (cases per mediator / per month)?\n3. Commercial Model & Pricing Structure \n•\tThe current model is based on a fixed fee for a defined number of referrals, noting that the Council has not consistently utilised full capacity.\n•\tWhat alternative commercial models would you propose to better align cost with actual demand?\n4. Outcomes, Performance & Reporting\n•\tWhat performance measures best demonstrate mediation effectiveness (e.g. resolution rates, repeat cases, tenancy sustainment)?\n•\tHow would you propose structuring reporting to align with the Council's current requirements (including case categorisation and satisfaction measures)? \n•\tWhat level of reporting frequency and data transparency would you expect?\n5. Integration with Housing Services\n•\tHow should mediation services interface with housing officers, ASB teams and safeguarding services?\n•\tWhat are the key success factors for embedding mediation within wider tenancy management processes?\n•\tWhat role should the Council retain vs. delegate to the provider?\n6. Technology & Case Management\n•\tWhat systems do you typically use to manage cases and reporting?\n•\tWhat are your views on working within a Council provided system (e.g. Caseworks+) vs. provider led systems? \n•\tWhat are the key risks and benefits of each approach?\n7. Mobilisation & Implementation\n•\tWhat would a realistic mobilisation period look like for this type of service?\n•\tWhat are the key mobilisation risks (e.g. staffing, referrals pipeline, stakeholder engagement)?\n•\tAre there any TUPE considerations based on typical service structures?\n8. Contract Structure & Term\n•\tWhat contract length would best support service stability and value for money?\n•\tWhat are the key contractual risks from a provider perspective (e.g. volume uncertainty, performance regimes)?\n•\tWhat break clauses or flexibility mechanisms would you expect?\n9. Social Value & Community Impact\n•\tHow can mediation services contribute to wider community cohesion and prevention of repeat conflict?\n•\tWhat measurable social value outcomes could be delivered?\nConflicts Assessment \nThe Procurement Act 2023 requires the Council to identify and keep under review actual and potential conflicts of interest. The Council must also mitigate conflicts of interest and address circumstances which the Council considers are likely to cause a reasonable person to wrongly believe there to be a conflict or potential conflict of interest.\nA conflict of interest arises when an individual's personal interests, relationships, or activities have the potential to interfere with their impartiality or the integrity of the procurement process. This may include financial, personal, familial, or business interests that could improperly influence, or be perceived to influence, their decisions or actions.\nSuppliers should refer to Conflicts of Interest Declaration Form accessible via In-tend for further details of the Council's duty regarding conflict of interests.\nSuppliers should complete and submit one conflict of interest declaration per organisation in word format.", "dueDate": "2026-07-03T23:59:59+01:00", "status": "scheduled" } ], "documents": [ { "id": "051158-2026", "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice", "noticeType": "UK2", "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender", "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/051158-2026", "datePublished": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "format": "text/html" } ] }, "tender": { "id": "P00005239", "legalBasis": { "id": "2023/54", "scheme": "UKPGA", "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents" }, "title": "Specialist Assessment and Restorative Service for Neighbour Nuisance and Antisocial Behaviour - Preliminary Market Engagement", "description": "Portsmouth City Council (the Council) is undertaking a Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) exercise to inform the future procurement strategy for a mediation service working on behalf of Portsmouth Homes. \nPortsmouth Homes delivers a range of landlord services including tenancy management, Neighbourhood services, repairs and maintenance, leaseholder services, neighbourhood management, and support for residents experiencing issues such as anti-social behaviour, neighbour disputes, and community conflict. These services are delivered in the context of Portsmouth's high population density and diverse communities, where effective early intervention and dispute resolution are essential to sustaining safe and cohesive neighbourhoods\nThe service operates as part of Portsmouth City Council's wider housing and neighbourhoods function, working closely with internal Council teams and external partners to meet statutory responsibilities and regulatory requirements set by the Regulator of Social Housing, particularly in relation to tenant satisfaction, safety, and community wellbeing\nAs part of its commitment to preventing escalation of conflict and supporting residents to resolve disputes constructively, Portsmouth Homes has historically worked with specialist providers to offer mediation and restorative approaches, particularly in relation to neighbour disputes and tenancy related conflict. \nThe Council is now seeking to engage with the market to inform the future procurement of a mediation service that aligns with Portsmouth Homes' operational needs, strategic priorities, and resident-focused approach, in line with public procurement requirements and best practice\nAs part of its improvement journey, Portsmouth Homes has a clear ambition to achieve a C1 grading from the Regulator of Social Housing, demonstrating strong governance, effective service delivery and a consistent focus on resident safety, engagement and experience. A future mediation service is expected to support this ambition by evidencing early intervention, fair and proportionate responses to conflict, and outcomes that reduce risk, complaints, enforcement activity and tenancy breakdown.\nThe Council is particularly interested in mediation models that align with Portsmouth Homes' commitment to resident centred services, transparency and regulatory assurance. This includes trauma informed and culturally competent practice, clear standards of quality and accountability, robust performance reporting, and effective partnership working with housing management and neighbourhood services. \nThis Preliminary Market Engagement seeks to understand how providers can help translate Portsmouth Homes' future vision and its regulatory ambition into a high quality, outcome focused mediation service. Market feedback will inform how a future service can strengthen governance, improve resident experience and contribute meaningfully to achieving and sustaining a C1 regulatory rating.\nTo ensure effective engagement with organisations, and in the interests of transparency and fair and equal treatment set out within the Procurement Act 23, the Council has instigated this Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) process via issue of a PME Notice on the Central Government Find a Tender Service / Central Digital Platform.\nContract Term and Value \nThe Council is targeting to commence the formal procurement process on 14h September 2026 and have formally awarded the contract by 11th December 2026. The contract will then commence on 1st April 2027 and run for an envisaged initial duration of 3 years with the option to extend by a further 4 years in intervals to be agreed. Although the Council will take input from the market via the PME process in respect of contract base term and extension options. The previous value of the service was £110,000 per year, though the Council will be looking at the commercial model in place to look to make efficiency savings without reducing the subsequent service deliverables. \nFuture Procurement Strategy\nThe Council are considering running the procurement process using an Open Procedure under the Procurement Act 2023, though the Council could use a single stage Competitive Flexible Procedure to incorporate additional flexibilities in respect of the approach to evaluating returns i.e. the inclusion of interviews, presentations etc. \nOpen Procedure \nThe Council will issue a Tender Notice under the Procurement Act 2023 outlining the key details and requirements, including the overview of the procurement process & associated programme\n of the opportunity, scope of the contracts, lotting options & associated contractual terms, minimum levels of technical experience & accreditations and evaluation & award criteria.\nThe Open Procedure is a single-stage competitive process where all interested suppliers may submit a tender, and there is no pre-qualification stage. \nAs part of this process, suppliers will be required to meet Conditions of Participation before their tender submissions are assessed. These conditions will relate to the supplier's legal and financial standing and technical ability to deliver the contract, which is likely to include the successful delivery of current and/or previous contracts of a similar value and scope as the Council's. \nIn addition, all suppliers and proposed subcontractors involved with the service delivery will be subject to assessment against the mandatory and discretionary exclusion grounds. \nMandatory exclusion grounds include, but are not limited to, convictions for offences such as fraud, bribery, terrorism, and cartel activity. Where a supplier meets a mandatory exclusion ground, the Council is legally required to exclude them from the procurement process. \nDiscretionary exclusion grounds may include issues such as poor past performance, conflicts of interest, or evidence of unethical conduct. The Council will assess these on a case-by-case basis and may choose to exclude a supplier where there is a significant risk to the integrity or delivery of the contract where insufficient evidence is provided in relation to self-cleaning.\nIssue of Contract Tender Notice\nThe Council will confirm the chosen procurement route in due course, by issuing a Contract Tender Notice outlining the key details and requirements, including -\n•\tan overview of the procurement process and programme \n•\tthe anticipated contract value \n•\tthe scope of services \n•\tdraft contractual terms \n•\tminimum technical experience and accreditation requirements \n•\tevaluation and award criteria\nThe notice will provide all necessary information for potential providers to assess and apply for the opportunity. The Council anticipates that this opportunity will be classified as an above-threshold concession under the Procurement Act 2023. This will be confirmed upon publication of the tender notice.\nSupplier Participation Process\nThe Council intends to hold one to one meetings with suitably experienced and interested Suppliers as part of this Preliminary Market Engagement exercise. These meetings will normally take place in person at one of the Area Housing Offices in Leigh Park, Paulsgrove or Somerstown. Where appropriate, meetings may also be held virtually via Microsoft Teams.\nIn the first instance, interested Suppliers are required to complete an Expression of Interest (EOI) form and submit it via the In‑tend portal, confirming their interest in participating in one‑to‑one discussions. As part of the EOI submission, Suppliers must provide two written case studies demonstrating relevant previous experience in delivering mediation‑based services.\nThese minimum requirements are expected to form part of the pass/fail Conditions of Participation in the subsequent procurement process. Suppliers who are unable to evidence the stated level of relevant experience will not be eligible to take part in this PME process or bid for the future opportunity.\nThe expression of interest form requests Suppliers to provide the following information:\n•\tGeneral company information\n•\tDetails of previous experience managing a mediation service \nPME & Procurement Process timetable\nThe Council are intending to run the PME and the subsequent envisaged tender process under the following Procurement Programme:\nPublish PME Notice\t Monday 1st June 2026\n1-2-1 supplier discussion* \t From Monday 15th June 2026 to Friday 26th June 2026\nIssue of Tender Notice Invitation to Tender \tMonday 14th September 2026\nRequest for clarification deadline\tFriday 9th October 2026 by 16:00\nTender Return Deadline\tFriday 23rd October 2026 by 12:00\nEvaluation of Tenders\tMonday 26th October 2026 to Friday 6th November 2026\nModeration of Tenders\tMonday 9th November 2026 to Friday 13th November 2026\nOptional Supplier Clarification Meetings\tMonday 16th November 2026 to Friday 20th November 2026\nInternal Gateway Sign Off\tMonday 23rd November 2026 to Friday 27th November 2026\nNotification of award decision, issue of assessment summaries and publication of Contract Award Notice\tMonday 30th November 2026\nStandstill Period\tTuesday 1st December 2026 to Thursday 10th December 2026\nPreferred bidder secured and confirmation of contract award\tFriday 11th December 2026\nContract Start\tThursday 1st April 2027", "items": [ { "id": "1", "additionalClassifications": [ { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "70333000", "description": "Housing services" }, { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "75231000", "description": "Judicial services" }, { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "85300000", "description": "Social work and related services" } ], "deliveryAddresses": [ { "region": "UKJ31", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" }, { "region": "UKJ35", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" } ], "relatedLot": "1" } ], "mainProcurementCategory": "services", "aboveThreshold": true, "lots": [ { "id": "1", "suitability": { "sme": true, "vcse": true }, "contractPeriod": { "startDate": "2027-04-01T00:00:00+01:00", "endDate": "2030-03-31T23:59:59+01:00", "maxExtentDate": "2034-03-31T23:59:59+01:00" }, "hasRenewal": true, "status": "planning" } ], "communication": { "futureNoticeDate": "2026-09-14T23:59:59+01:00" }, "status": "planning" }, "language": "en", "extensions": [ "https://standard.open-contracting.org/profiles/eu/latest/en/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/open-contracting-extensions/ocds_amendment_rationale_classifications_extension/master/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/open-contracting-extensions/ocds_budget_breakdown_extension/master/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/open-contracting-extensions/ocds_contract_completion_extension/master/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/open-contracting-extensions/ocds_documentation_extension/master/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/open-contracting-extensions/ocds_pagination_extension/master/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/open-contracting-extensions/ocds_suitability_extension/master/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/portaledcahn/ocds_Links_extension/main/extension.json", "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cabinetoffice/ocds_uk_extension/main/extension.json" ] } ], "compiledRelease": { "tag": [ "compiled" ], "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-06a9c8-2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "date": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-06a9c8", "initiationType": "tender", "parties": [ { "id": "GB-PPON-PCNL-5714-PRZV", "name": "Portsmouth City Council", "identifier": { "scheme": "GB-PPON", "id": "PCNL-5714-PRZV" }, "address": { "streetAddress": "Civic Offices, Guildhall Square", "locality": "Portsmouth", "postalCode": "PO1 2AL", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom", "region": "UKJ31" }, "contactPoint": { "email": "procurement@portsmouthcc.gov.uk" }, "roles": [ "buyer" ], "details": { "classifications": [ { "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE", "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment", "description": "Public authority - sub-central government" } ] } } ], "buyer": { "id": "GB-PPON-PCNL-5714-PRZV", "name": "Portsmouth City Council" }, "planning": { "milestones": [ { "id": "engagement", "type": "engagement", "description": "Portsmouth City Council (the Council) is undertaking a Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) exercise to inform the future procurement strategy for a mediation service working on behalf of Portsmouth Homes. \nTo ensure effective engagement with organisations, and in the interests of transparency and fair and equal treatment set out within the Procurement Act 23, the Council has instigated this Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) process via issue of a PME Notice on the Central Government Find a Tender Service / Central Digital Platform.\nThrough the PME exercise suitably experienced suppliers will have the opportunity to take part in 1-1 discussions with key Council officers between Tuesday 15th June and Friday 26th June 2026 between 9.30am and 4pm.\nMeeting slots will be allocated on a first come first served basis to Suppliers who can meet the minimum experience requirements. If more than 6 qualifying Suppliers express interest in 1-1 meetings the council will endeavour to make further meeting slots available but cannot provide any guarantees, as such interested suppliers are encouraged to submit formal expressions of interest as a matter of urgency. Where meeting slots cannot be allocated the Council will seek written feedback from affected Suppliers.\nThe feedback gained through this process will inform the development of the operational, commercial and contractual positions taken by the Council when the formal procurement process is undertaken.\nExpression of Interest Process and Participation Process\nAttendance at the one‑to‑one meetings, will be limited to Suppliers who have completed and submitted the accompanying Expression of Interest (EOI) form via In‑tend using the correspondence function .\nIn the first instance, interested Suppliers must complete the EOI form and return it via In‑tend, confirming their interest in taking part in the 1‑to‑1 discussions. The EOI form requests operators to provide the following information for up to two case studies demonstrating relevant previous experience in delivering mediation‑based services.\nThese minimum requirements are expected to form part of the pass/fail Conditions of Participation in the subsequent procurement process.\nThe expression of interest form requests Suppliers to provide the following information:\n•\tGeneral company information\n•\tDetails of previous experience managing a mediation service \nAvailability for meetings on:\n•\tSlot 1 - Monday 15th June 2026 - 09:30 - 11:00 at Somerstown Housing Office \n•\tSlot 2 - Tuesday 16th June 2026 - 14:30 - 16:00 at Paulsgrove Housing Office \n•\tSlot 3 - Friday 19th June 2026 - 09:30 - 11:00 at Leigh Park Housing Office \n•\tSlot 4 - Friday 19th June 2026 - 11:30 - 13:30 at Leigh Park Housing Office \n•\tSlot 5 - Friday 26th June 2026 - 09:30 - 11:00 at Paulsgrove Housing Office \n•\tSlot 6 - Friday 26th June 2026 - 11:30 - 13:00 at Paulsgrove Housing Office \n•\tNames of delegates who will attend the site visit and/or the 1-2-1 meetings, including their role and email address.\nIn addition to submission pf the EOI Suppliers will also be required to complete and submit a Conflict of Interest (COI) Statement using the form provided. Further information in respect of Conflict of Interest is included at the end of this brief.\nAt the Council's discretion, we may look to engage further with Suppliers who attend an initial one-to-one meeting and this information will be used to gather additional information or review specific aspects of the supplier's previous delivery of similar business models. \nSuppliers should note that there is no obligation to take part in this exercise and that if they do not take part, it will not preclude them from any subsequent related procurement process. Engaging Suppliers will not receive preferential treatment in the subsequent procurement process, and this is in no way an indication of the selection of any organisation or a guarantee of future work.\nCouncil Team\nThe key Council officers who will attend the 1-1 meetings are as follows:\n•\tLauren Rackham - Head of Community Safety \n•\tKirsty Pearce - Senior Housing Manager \n•\tLee Hickman - ASB Manager - Portsmouth Homes\n•\tSimon Courtney - Senior Procurement Professional - PCC Finance and Resources\n•\tShannon Penfold - Trainee Procurement Professional - PCC Finance and Resources\nPME & Procurement Administration\nThe Council will administrate the preliminary market engagement and future formal procurement process using its e-sourcing system In-Tend which will be used for:\n•\tAccess to and issue of information and documentation \n•\tClarification requests and response\n•\tExpression of interest submission \n•\tAllocation of 1-1 meeting slots\n•\tIssue of tender documentation\n•\tSubmission of tender responses\n•\tIssue of Award Decision notification\nThe In-tend system can be accessed for free using the following link:\nhttps://in-tendhost.co.uk/portsmouthcc/aspx/home\nPME Supporting information\nThe following documents have been included as part of the PME Briefing pack via the e-tendering portal, Intend - \n•\tMediation Service - PME Brief (this document)\n•\tMediation Service - PME 1-1 EOI\n•\tWebsite: Portsmouth Homes - Portsmouth City Council\n•\tConflict of Interest Statement\n•\tConflicts of Interest Declaration Form\n•\tIntend Guidance, Supporting Information & Clarification Process.\nPME Feedback Areas\nThrough undertaking 1 to 1 discussions with Suppliers, the Council is seeking structured feedback to inform the design of a future mediation service, including operational delivery, commercial arrangements and performance expectations. The areas below are intended to guide discussion and are not exhaustive - \n1. Service Delivery Model & Approach\n•\tHow do you typically structure mediation services within a social housing context (e.g. reactive vs early intervention, triage models)?\n•\tWhat approaches do you adopt for complex or high risk cases (e.g. repeat ASB, vulnerability, safeguarding considerations)?\n•\tHow do you ensure accessibility, inclusivity and culturally competent delivery?\n2. Demand, Capacity & Case Volumes\n•\tWhat assumptions would you normally make regarding referral volumes and case complexity?\n•\tHow do you flex capacity in response to peaks and troughs in demand?\n•\tWhat is your typical throughput (cases per mediator / per month)?\n3. Commercial Model & Pricing Structure \n•\tThe current model is based on a fixed fee for a defined number of referrals, noting that the Council has not consistently utilised full capacity.\n•\tWhat alternative commercial models would you propose to better align cost with actual demand?\n4. Outcomes, Performance & Reporting\n•\tWhat performance measures best demonstrate mediation effectiveness (e.g. resolution rates, repeat cases, tenancy sustainment)?\n•\tHow would you propose structuring reporting to align with the Council's current requirements (including case categorisation and satisfaction measures)? \n•\tWhat level of reporting frequency and data transparency would you expect?\n5. Integration with Housing Services\n•\tHow should mediation services interface with housing officers, ASB teams and safeguarding services?\n•\tWhat are the key success factors for embedding mediation within wider tenancy management processes?\n•\tWhat role should the Council retain vs. delegate to the provider?\n6. Technology & Case Management\n•\tWhat systems do you typically use to manage cases and reporting?\n•\tWhat are your views on working within a Council provided system (e.g. Caseworks+) vs. provider led systems? \n•\tWhat are the key risks and benefits of each approach?\n7. Mobilisation & Implementation\n•\tWhat would a realistic mobilisation period look like for this type of service?\n•\tWhat are the key mobilisation risks (e.g. staffing, referrals pipeline, stakeholder engagement)?\n•\tAre there any TUPE considerations based on typical service structures?\n8. Contract Structure & Term\n•\tWhat contract length would best support service stability and value for money?\n•\tWhat are the key contractual risks from a provider perspective (e.g. volume uncertainty, performance regimes)?\n•\tWhat break clauses or flexibility mechanisms would you expect?\n9. Social Value & Community Impact\n•\tHow can mediation services contribute to wider community cohesion and prevention of repeat conflict?\n•\tWhat measurable social value outcomes could be delivered?\nConflicts Assessment \nThe Procurement Act 2023 requires the Council to identify and keep under review actual and potential conflicts of interest. The Council must also mitigate conflicts of interest and address circumstances which the Council considers are likely to cause a reasonable person to wrongly believe there to be a conflict or potential conflict of interest.\nA conflict of interest arises when an individual's personal interests, relationships, or activities have the potential to interfere with their impartiality or the integrity of the procurement process. This may include financial, personal, familial, or business interests that could improperly influence, or be perceived to influence, their decisions or actions.\nSuppliers should refer to Conflicts of Interest Declaration Form accessible via In-tend for further details of the Council's duty regarding conflict of interests.\nSuppliers should complete and submit one conflict of interest declaration per organisation in word format.", "dueDate": "2026-07-03T23:59:59+01:00", "status": "scheduled" } ], "documents": [ { "id": "051158-2026", "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice", "noticeType": "UK2", "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender", "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/051158-2026", "datePublished": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "format": "text/html" } ] }, "tender": { "id": "P00005239", "legalBasis": { "id": "2023/54", "scheme": "UKPGA", "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents" }, "title": "Specialist Assessment and Restorative Service for Neighbour Nuisance and Antisocial Behaviour - Preliminary Market Engagement", "description": "Portsmouth City Council (the Council) is undertaking a Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) exercise to inform the future procurement strategy for a mediation service working on behalf of Portsmouth Homes. \nPortsmouth Homes delivers a range of landlord services including tenancy management, Neighbourhood services, repairs and maintenance, leaseholder services, neighbourhood management, and support for residents experiencing issues such as anti-social behaviour, neighbour disputes, and community conflict. These services are delivered in the context of Portsmouth's high population density and diverse communities, where effective early intervention and dispute resolution are essential to sustaining safe and cohesive neighbourhoods\nThe service operates as part of Portsmouth City Council's wider housing and neighbourhoods function, working closely with internal Council teams and external partners to meet statutory responsibilities and regulatory requirements set by the Regulator of Social Housing, particularly in relation to tenant satisfaction, safety, and community wellbeing\nAs part of its commitment to preventing escalation of conflict and supporting residents to resolve disputes constructively, Portsmouth Homes has historically worked with specialist providers to offer mediation and restorative approaches, particularly in relation to neighbour disputes and tenancy related conflict. \nThe Council is now seeking to engage with the market to inform the future procurement of a mediation service that aligns with Portsmouth Homes' operational needs, strategic priorities, and resident-focused approach, in line with public procurement requirements and best practice\nAs part of its improvement journey, Portsmouth Homes has a clear ambition to achieve a C1 grading from the Regulator of Social Housing, demonstrating strong governance, effective service delivery and a consistent focus on resident safety, engagement and experience. A future mediation service is expected to support this ambition by evidencing early intervention, fair and proportionate responses to conflict, and outcomes that reduce risk, complaints, enforcement activity and tenancy breakdown.\nThe Council is particularly interested in mediation models that align with Portsmouth Homes' commitment to resident centred services, transparency and regulatory assurance. This includes trauma informed and culturally competent practice, clear standards of quality and accountability, robust performance reporting, and effective partnership working with housing management and neighbourhood services. \nThis Preliminary Market Engagement seeks to understand how providers can help translate Portsmouth Homes' future vision and its regulatory ambition into a high quality, outcome focused mediation service. Market feedback will inform how a future service can strengthen governance, improve resident experience and contribute meaningfully to achieving and sustaining a C1 regulatory rating.\nTo ensure effective engagement with organisations, and in the interests of transparency and fair and equal treatment set out within the Procurement Act 23, the Council has instigated this Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) process via issue of a PME Notice on the Central Government Find a Tender Service / Central Digital Platform.\nContract Term and Value \nThe Council is targeting to commence the formal procurement process on 14h September 2026 and have formally awarded the contract by 11th December 2026. The contract will then commence on 1st April 2027 and run for an envisaged initial duration of 3 years with the option to extend by a further 4 years in intervals to be agreed. Although the Council will take input from the market via the PME process in respect of contract base term and extension options. The previous value of the service was £110,000 per year, though the Council will be looking at the commercial model in place to look to make efficiency savings without reducing the subsequent service deliverables. \nFuture Procurement Strategy\nThe Council are considering running the procurement process using an Open Procedure under the Procurement Act 2023, though the Council could use a single stage Competitive Flexible Procedure to incorporate additional flexibilities in respect of the approach to evaluating returns i.e. the inclusion of interviews, presentations etc. \nOpen Procedure \nThe Council will issue a Tender Notice under the Procurement Act 2023 outlining the key details and requirements, including the overview of the procurement process & associated programme\n of the opportunity, scope of the contracts, lotting options & associated contractual terms, minimum levels of technical experience & accreditations and evaluation & award criteria.\nThe Open Procedure is a single-stage competitive process where all interested suppliers may submit a tender, and there is no pre-qualification stage. \nAs part of this process, suppliers will be required to meet Conditions of Participation before their tender submissions are assessed. These conditions will relate to the supplier's legal and financial standing and technical ability to deliver the contract, which is likely to include the successful delivery of current and/or previous contracts of a similar value and scope as the Council's. \nIn addition, all suppliers and proposed subcontractors involved with the service delivery will be subject to assessment against the mandatory and discretionary exclusion grounds. \nMandatory exclusion grounds include, but are not limited to, convictions for offences such as fraud, bribery, terrorism, and cartel activity. Where a supplier meets a mandatory exclusion ground, the Council is legally required to exclude them from the procurement process. \nDiscretionary exclusion grounds may include issues such as poor past performance, conflicts of interest, or evidence of unethical conduct. The Council will assess these on a case-by-case basis and may choose to exclude a supplier where there is a significant risk to the integrity or delivery of the contract where insufficient evidence is provided in relation to self-cleaning.\nIssue of Contract Tender Notice\nThe Council will confirm the chosen procurement route in due course, by issuing a Contract Tender Notice outlining the key details and requirements, including -\n•\tan overview of the procurement process and programme \n•\tthe anticipated contract value \n•\tthe scope of services \n•\tdraft contractual terms \n•\tminimum technical experience and accreditation requirements \n•\tevaluation and award criteria\nThe notice will provide all necessary information for potential providers to assess and apply for the opportunity. The Council anticipates that this opportunity will be classified as an above-threshold concession under the Procurement Act 2023. This will be confirmed upon publication of the tender notice.\nSupplier Participation Process\nThe Council intends to hold one to one meetings with suitably experienced and interested Suppliers as part of this Preliminary Market Engagement exercise. These meetings will normally take place in person at one of the Area Housing Offices in Leigh Park, Paulsgrove or Somerstown. Where appropriate, meetings may also be held virtually via Microsoft Teams.\nIn the first instance, interested Suppliers are required to complete an Expression of Interest (EOI) form and submit it via the In‑tend portal, confirming their interest in participating in one‑to‑one discussions. As part of the EOI submission, Suppliers must provide two written case studies demonstrating relevant previous experience in delivering mediation‑based services.\nThese minimum requirements are expected to form part of the pass/fail Conditions of Participation in the subsequent procurement process. Suppliers who are unable to evidence the stated level of relevant experience will not be eligible to take part in this PME process or bid for the future opportunity.\nThe expression of interest form requests Suppliers to provide the following information:\n•\tGeneral company information\n•\tDetails of previous experience managing a mediation service \nPME & Procurement Process timetable\nThe Council are intending to run the PME and the subsequent envisaged tender process under the following Procurement Programme:\nPublish PME Notice\t Monday 1st June 2026\n1-2-1 supplier discussion* \t From Monday 15th June 2026 to Friday 26th June 2026\nIssue of Tender Notice Invitation to Tender \tMonday 14th September 2026\nRequest for clarification deadline\tFriday 9th October 2026 by 16:00\nTender Return Deadline\tFriday 23rd October 2026 by 12:00\nEvaluation of Tenders\tMonday 26th October 2026 to Friday 6th November 2026\nModeration of Tenders\tMonday 9th November 2026 to Friday 13th November 2026\nOptional Supplier Clarification Meetings\tMonday 16th November 2026 to Friday 20th November 2026\nInternal Gateway Sign Off\tMonday 23rd November 2026 to Friday 27th November 2026\nNotification of award decision, issue of assessment summaries and publication of Contract Award Notice\tMonday 30th November 2026\nStandstill Period\tTuesday 1st December 2026 to Thursday 10th December 2026\nPreferred bidder secured and confirmation of contract award\tFriday 11th December 2026\nContract Start\tThursday 1st April 2027", "items": [ { "id": "1", "additionalClassifications": [ { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "70333000", "description": "Housing services" }, { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "75231000", "description": "Judicial services" }, { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "85300000", "description": "Social work and related services" } ], "deliveryAddresses": [ { "region": "UKJ31", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" }, { "region": "UKJ35", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" } ], 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"releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "Portsmouth City Council" } ] }, "planning": { "milestones": [ { "id": "engagement", "type": [ { "releaseID": "051158-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "engagement" } ], "description": [ { "releaseID": "051158-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "Portsmouth City Council (the Council) is undertaking a Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) exercise to inform the future procurement strategy for a mediation service working on behalf of Portsmouth Homes. \nTo ensure effective engagement with organisations, and in the interests of transparency and fair and equal treatment set out within the Procurement Act 23, the Council has instigated this Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) process via issue of a PME Notice on the Central Government Find a Tender Service / Central Digital Platform.\nThrough the PME exercise suitably experienced suppliers will have the opportunity to take part in 1-1 discussions with key Council officers between Tuesday 15th June and Friday 26th June 2026 between 9.30am and 4pm.\nMeeting slots will be allocated on a first come first served basis to Suppliers who can meet the minimum experience requirements. If more than 6 qualifying Suppliers express interest in 1-1 meetings the council will endeavour to make further meeting slots available but cannot provide any guarantees, as such interested suppliers are encouraged to submit formal expressions of interest as a matter of urgency. Where meeting slots cannot be allocated the Council will seek written feedback from affected Suppliers.\nThe feedback gained through this process will inform the development of the operational, commercial and contractual positions taken by the Council when the formal procurement process is undertaken.\nExpression of Interest Process and Participation Process\nAttendance at the one‑to‑one meetings, will be limited to Suppliers who have completed and submitted the accompanying Expression of Interest (EOI) form via In‑tend using the correspondence function .\nIn the first instance, interested Suppliers must complete the EOI form and return it via In‑tend, confirming their interest in taking part in the 1‑to‑1 discussions. The EOI form requests operators to provide the following information for up to two case studies demonstrating relevant previous experience in delivering mediation‑based services.\nThese minimum requirements are expected to form part of the pass/fail Conditions of Participation in the subsequent procurement process.\nThe expression of interest form requests Suppliers to provide the following information:\n•\tGeneral company information\n•\tDetails of previous experience managing a mediation service \nAvailability for meetings on:\n•\tSlot 1 - Monday 15th June 2026 - 09:30 - 11:00 at Somerstown Housing Office \n•\tSlot 2 - Tuesday 16th June 2026 - 14:30 - 16:00 at Paulsgrove Housing Office \n•\tSlot 3 - Friday 19th June 2026 - 09:30 - 11:00 at Leigh Park Housing Office \n•\tSlot 4 - Friday 19th June 2026 - 11:30 - 13:30 at Leigh Park Housing Office \n•\tSlot 5 - Friday 26th June 2026 - 09:30 - 11:00 at Paulsgrove Housing Office \n•\tSlot 6 - Friday 26th June 2026 - 11:30 - 13:00 at Paulsgrove Housing Office \n•\tNames of delegates who will attend the site visit and/or the 1-2-1 meetings, including their role and email address.\nIn addition to submission pf the EOI Suppliers will also be required to complete and submit a Conflict of Interest (COI) Statement using the form provided. Further information in respect of Conflict of Interest is included at the end of this brief.\nAt the Council's discretion, we may look to engage further with Suppliers who attend an initial one-to-one meeting and this information will be used to gather additional information or review specific aspects of the supplier's previous delivery of similar business models. \nSuppliers should note that there is no obligation to take part in this exercise and that if they do not take part, it will not preclude them from any subsequent related procurement process. Engaging Suppliers will not receive preferential treatment in the subsequent procurement process, and this is in no way an indication of the selection of any organisation or a guarantee of future work.\nCouncil Team\nThe key Council officers who will attend the 1-1 meetings are as follows:\n•\tLauren Rackham - Head of Community Safety \n•\tKirsty Pearce - Senior Housing Manager \n•\tLee Hickman - ASB Manager - Portsmouth Homes\n•\tSimon Courtney - Senior Procurement Professional - PCC Finance and Resources\n•\tShannon Penfold - Trainee Procurement Professional - PCC Finance and Resources\nPME & Procurement Administration\nThe Council will administrate the preliminary market engagement and future formal procurement process using its e-sourcing system In-Tend which will be used for:\n•\tAccess to and issue of information and documentation \n•\tClarification requests and response\n•\tExpression of interest submission \n•\tAllocation of 1-1 meeting slots\n•\tIssue of tender documentation\n•\tSubmission of tender responses\n•\tIssue of Award Decision notification\nThe In-tend system can be accessed for free using the following link:\nhttps://in-tendhost.co.uk/portsmouthcc/aspx/home\nPME Supporting information\nThe following documents have been included as part of the PME Briefing pack via the e-tendering portal, Intend - \n•\tMediation Service - PME Brief (this document)\n•\tMediation Service - PME 1-1 EOI\n•\tWebsite: Portsmouth Homes - Portsmouth City Council\n•\tConflict of Interest Statement\n•\tConflicts of Interest Declaration Form\n•\tIntend Guidance, Supporting Information & Clarification Process.\nPME Feedback Areas\nThrough undertaking 1 to 1 discussions with Suppliers, the Council is seeking structured feedback to inform the design of a future mediation service, including operational delivery, commercial arrangements and performance expectations. The areas below are intended to guide discussion and are not exhaustive - \n1. Service Delivery Model & Approach\n•\tHow do you typically structure mediation services within a social housing context (e.g. reactive vs early intervention, triage models)?\n•\tWhat approaches do you adopt for complex or high risk cases (e.g. repeat ASB, vulnerability, safeguarding considerations)?\n•\tHow do you ensure accessibility, inclusivity and culturally competent delivery?\n2. Demand, Capacity & Case Volumes\n•\tWhat assumptions would you normally make regarding referral volumes and case complexity?\n•\tHow do you flex capacity in response to peaks and troughs in demand?\n•\tWhat is your typical throughput (cases per mediator / per month)?\n3. Commercial Model & Pricing Structure \n•\tThe current model is based on a fixed fee for a defined number of referrals, noting that the Council has not consistently utilised full capacity.\n•\tWhat alternative commercial models would you propose to better align cost with actual demand?\n4. Outcomes, Performance & Reporting\n•\tWhat performance measures best demonstrate mediation effectiveness (e.g. resolution rates, repeat cases, tenancy sustainment)?\n•\tHow would you propose structuring reporting to align with the Council's current requirements (including case categorisation and satisfaction measures)? \n•\tWhat level of reporting frequency and data transparency would you expect?\n5. Integration with Housing Services\n•\tHow should mediation services interface with housing officers, ASB teams and safeguarding services?\n•\tWhat are the key success factors for embedding mediation within wider tenancy management processes?\n•\tWhat role should the Council retain vs. delegate to the provider?\n6. Technology & Case Management\n•\tWhat systems do you typically use to manage cases and reporting?\n•\tWhat are your views on working within a Council provided system (e.g. Caseworks+) vs. provider led systems? \n•\tWhat are the key risks and benefits of each approach?\n7. Mobilisation & Implementation\n•\tWhat would a realistic mobilisation period look like for this type of service?\n•\tWhat are the key mobilisation risks (e.g. staffing, referrals pipeline, stakeholder engagement)?\n•\tAre there any TUPE considerations based on typical service structures?\n8. Contract Structure & Term\n•\tWhat contract length would best support service stability and value for money?\n•\tWhat are the key contractual risks from a provider perspective (e.g. volume uncertainty, performance regimes)?\n•\tWhat break clauses or flexibility mechanisms would you expect?\n9. Social Value & Community Impact\n•\tHow can mediation services contribute to wider community cohesion and prevention of repeat conflict?\n•\tWhat measurable social value outcomes could be delivered?\nConflicts Assessment \nThe Procurement Act 2023 requires the Council to identify and keep under review actual and potential conflicts of interest. The Council must also mitigate conflicts of interest and address circumstances which the Council considers are likely to cause a reasonable person to wrongly believe there to be a conflict or potential conflict of interest.\nA conflict of interest arises when an individual's personal interests, relationships, or activities have the potential to interfere with their impartiality or the integrity of the procurement process. This may include financial, personal, familial, or business interests that could improperly influence, or be perceived to influence, their decisions or actions.\nSuppliers should refer to Conflicts of Interest Declaration Form accessible via In-tend for further details of the Council's duty regarding conflict of interests.\nSuppliers should complete and submit one conflict of interest declaration per organisation in word format." } ], "dueDate": [ { "releaseID": "051158-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "2026-07-03T23:59:59+01:00" } ], "status": [ { "releaseID": "051158-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "scheduled" } ] } ], "documents": [ { "id": "051158-2026", "documentType": [ { "releaseID": "051158-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "marketEngagementNotice" } ], "noticeType": [ { "releaseID": "051158-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "UK2" } ], "description": [ { "releaseID": "051158-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender" } ], "url": [ { "releaseID": "051158-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/051158-2026" } ], "datePublished": [ { "releaseID": "051158-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00" } ], "format": [ { "releaseID": "051158-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "text/html" } ] } ] }, "tender": { "id": [ { "releaseID": "051158-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "P00005239" } ], "legalBasis": { "id": [ { "releaseID": "051158-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "2023/54" } ], "scheme": [ { "releaseID": "051158-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "UKPGA" } ], "uri": [ { "releaseID": "051158-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents" } ] }, "title": [ { "releaseID": "051158-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "Specialist Assessment and Restorative Service for Neighbour Nuisance and Antisocial Behaviour - Preliminary Market Engagement" } ], "description": [ { "releaseID": "051158-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": "Portsmouth City Council (the Council) is undertaking a Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) exercise to inform the future procurement strategy for a mediation service working on behalf of Portsmouth Homes. \nPortsmouth Homes delivers a range of landlord services including tenancy management, Neighbourhood services, repairs and maintenance, leaseholder services, neighbourhood management, and support for residents experiencing issues such as anti-social behaviour, neighbour disputes, and community conflict. These services are delivered in the context of Portsmouth's high population density and diverse communities, where effective early intervention and dispute resolution are essential to sustaining safe and cohesive neighbourhoods\nThe service operates as part of Portsmouth City Council's wider housing and neighbourhoods function, working closely with internal Council teams and external partners to meet statutory responsibilities and regulatory requirements set by the Regulator of Social Housing, particularly in relation to tenant satisfaction, safety, and community wellbeing\nAs part of its commitment to preventing escalation of conflict and supporting residents to resolve disputes constructively, Portsmouth Homes has historically worked with specialist providers to offer mediation and restorative approaches, particularly in relation to neighbour disputes and tenancy related conflict. \nThe Council is now seeking to engage with the market to inform the future procurement of a mediation service that aligns with Portsmouth Homes' operational needs, strategic priorities, and resident-focused approach, in line with public procurement requirements and best practice\nAs part of its improvement journey, Portsmouth Homes has a clear ambition to achieve a C1 grading from the Regulator of Social Housing, demonstrating strong governance, effective service delivery and a consistent focus on resident safety, engagement and experience. A future mediation service is expected to support this ambition by evidencing early intervention, fair and proportionate responses to conflict, and outcomes that reduce risk, complaints, enforcement activity and tenancy breakdown.\nThe Council is particularly interested in mediation models that align with Portsmouth Homes' commitment to resident centred services, transparency and regulatory assurance. This includes trauma informed and culturally competent practice, clear standards of quality and accountability, robust performance reporting, and effective partnership working with housing management and neighbourhood services. \nThis Preliminary Market Engagement seeks to understand how providers can help translate Portsmouth Homes' future vision and its regulatory ambition into a high quality, outcome focused mediation service. Market feedback will inform how a future service can strengthen governance, improve resident experience and contribute meaningfully to achieving and sustaining a C1 regulatory rating.\nTo ensure effective engagement with organisations, and in the interests of transparency and fair and equal treatment set out within the Procurement Act 23, the Council has instigated this Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) process via issue of a PME Notice on the Central Government Find a Tender Service / Central Digital Platform.\nContract Term and Value \nThe Council is targeting to commence the formal procurement process on 14h September 2026 and have formally awarded the contract by 11th December 2026. The contract will then commence on 1st April 2027 and run for an envisaged initial duration of 3 years with the option to extend by a further 4 years in intervals to be agreed. Although the Council will take input from the market via the PME process in respect of contract base term and extension options. The previous value of the service was £110,000 per year, though the Council will be looking at the commercial model in place to look to make efficiency savings without reducing the subsequent service deliverables. \nFuture Procurement Strategy\nThe Council are considering running the procurement process using an Open Procedure under the Procurement Act 2023, though the Council could use a single stage Competitive Flexible Procedure to incorporate additional flexibilities in respect of the approach to evaluating returns i.e. the inclusion of interviews, presentations etc. \nOpen Procedure \nThe Council will issue a Tender Notice under the Procurement Act 2023 outlining the key details and requirements, including the overview of the procurement process & associated programme\n of the opportunity, scope of the contracts, lotting options & associated contractual terms, minimum levels of technical experience & accreditations and evaluation & award criteria.\nThe Open Procedure is a single-stage competitive process where all interested suppliers may submit a tender, and there is no pre-qualification stage. \nAs part of this process, suppliers will be required to meet Conditions of Participation before their tender submissions are assessed. These conditions will relate to the supplier's legal and financial standing and technical ability to deliver the contract, which is likely to include the successful delivery of current and/or previous contracts of a similar value and scope as the Council's. \nIn addition, all suppliers and proposed subcontractors involved with the service delivery will be subject to assessment against the mandatory and discretionary exclusion grounds. \nMandatory exclusion grounds include, but are not limited to, convictions for offences such as fraud, bribery, terrorism, and cartel activity. Where a supplier meets a mandatory exclusion ground, the Council is legally required to exclude them from the procurement process. \nDiscretionary exclusion grounds may include issues such as poor past performance, conflicts of interest, or evidence of unethical conduct. The Council will assess these on a case-by-case basis and may choose to exclude a supplier where there is a significant risk to the integrity or delivery of the contract where insufficient evidence is provided in relation to self-cleaning.\nIssue of Contract Tender Notice\nThe Council will confirm the chosen procurement route in due course, by issuing a Contract Tender Notice outlining the key details and requirements, including -\n•\tan overview of the procurement process and programme \n•\tthe anticipated contract value \n•\tthe scope of services \n•\tdraft contractual terms \n•\tminimum technical experience and accreditation requirements \n•\tevaluation and award criteria\nThe notice will provide all necessary information for potential providers to assess and apply for the opportunity. The Council anticipates that this opportunity will be classified as an above-threshold concession under the Procurement Act 2023. This will be confirmed upon publication of the tender notice.\nSupplier Participation Process\nThe Council intends to hold one to one meetings with suitably experienced and interested Suppliers as part of this Preliminary Market Engagement exercise. These meetings will normally take place in person at one of the Area Housing Offices in Leigh Park, Paulsgrove or Somerstown. Where appropriate, meetings may also be held virtually via Microsoft Teams.\nIn the first instance, interested Suppliers are required to complete an Expression of Interest (EOI) form and submit it via the In‑tend portal, confirming their interest in participating in one‑to‑one discussions. As part of the EOI submission, Suppliers must provide two written case studies demonstrating relevant previous experience in delivering mediation‑based services.\nThese minimum requirements are expected to form part of the pass/fail Conditions of Participation in the subsequent procurement process. Suppliers who are unable to evidence the stated level of relevant experience will not be eligible to take part in this PME process or bid for the future opportunity.\nThe expression of interest form requests Suppliers to provide the following information:\n•\tGeneral company information\n•\tDetails of previous experience managing a mediation service \nPME & Procurement Process timetable\nThe Council are intending to run the PME and the subsequent envisaged tender process under the following Procurement Programme:\nPublish PME Notice\t Monday 1st June 2026\n1-2-1 supplier discussion* \t From Monday 15th June 2026 to Friday 26th June 2026\nIssue of Tender Notice Invitation to Tender \tMonday 14th September 2026\nRequest for clarification deadline\tFriday 9th October 2026 by 16:00\nTender Return Deadline\tFriday 23rd October 2026 by 12:00\nEvaluation of Tenders\tMonday 26th October 2026 to Friday 6th November 2026\nModeration of Tenders\tMonday 9th November 2026 to Friday 13th November 2026\nOptional Supplier Clarification Meetings\tMonday 16th November 2026 to Friday 20th November 2026\nInternal Gateway Sign Off\tMonday 23rd November 2026 to Friday 27th November 2026\nNotification of award decision, issue of assessment summaries and publication of Contract Award Notice\tMonday 30th November 2026\nStandstill Period\tTuesday 1st December 2026 to Thursday 10th December 2026\nPreferred bidder secured and confirmation of contract award\tFriday 11th December 2026\nContract Start\tThursday 1st April 2027" } ], "items": [ { "id": "1", "additionalClassifications": [ { "releaseID": "051158-2026", "releaseDate": "2026-06-01T08:48:04+01:00", "releaseTag": [ "planning" ], "value": [ { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "70333000", "description": "Housing services" }, { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "75231000", "description": "Judicial services" }, { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "85300000", "description": "Social work and related services" } ] } ], "deliveryAddresses": [ { "region": [ { "releaseID": 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