Find a TenderAwardedContract details notice
Published 18 May 2026, 11:19 BST

Official UK procurement notice

CHS – Freedom to Speak Up Guardian Services

Official notice

Authority: Croydon Health Services NHS Trust (Central government)

ServicesCompetitive flexible procedureAbove thresholdSME suitableVCSE suitable
Published estimate£492,909≈ £164k / year · £591,491 inc. VAT
Submissions closed 26 Jun 2026awarded 26 Aug 2026
Awarded to The Guardian Service Ltd2 awards
Contract term 3 yrsends 17 Sept 2029 · up to 17 Sept 2031 with extensions · starts 18 Sept 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The Trust has appointed an independent provider to deliver Freedom to Speak Up Guardian services to support the Trust's commitment to fostering an open, transparent, and safe speaking-up culture.

The service provides staff with access to an independent and impartial route for raising concerns regarding, but not limited to:

  • Patient safety
  • Quality of care
  • Bullying and harassment
  • Workforce issues
  • Professional conduct
  • Governance concerns
  • Organisational culture
  • Any matter where staff may feel unable to raise concerns through normal management channels.

The service operates in accordance with NHS Freedom to Speak Up principles and relevant whistleblowing legislation.

  • The authority expects to re-tender this requirement around 1 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST.
  • How the procedure runs: As per tender documentation

CPV: Human resources management consultancy services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1AwardedRenewal 3 yrsSMEVCSEPublished value£492,909
Contract period: 18 Sept 2026 – 17 Sept 2029 (3 yrs) · up to 17 Sept 2031 with extensionsValue: £492,909 exc. VAT · £591,491 inc. VAT
Delivery: LondonEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible
Extensions: Option to extend for two (2) additional one-year periods

What it takes to win
i

How this buyer will score bids.

The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).

Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add more
How bids were scored
Price: 30
Published sub-criteria (1)
  • Cost: 30
Published award criteria (2)
  • Cost: 30%
  • Quality & Social Value: Quality 60% and Social Value 10%
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 30 of 30 points: a 10% discount moves about 3 points. This one is won on the number: sharpen the price before polishing the prose.

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Competitive flexible procedure
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Awarded
Procurement threshold
Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Yes · next expected 1 Sept 2026
First published
18 May 2026, 11:19 BST
Last source update
24 Sept 2026, 10:45 BST
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 1 Sept 2026
Authority reference
C449206
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-051526
Latest notice
Contract details notice (UK7)
Classification (CPV)
Human resources management consultancy services
Delivery area
London (UKI)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-069acc Find a Tender
How it runs

As per tender documentation

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: Atamis legacy domain (health-family.force.com) · Who buys & how to bid on Atamis
Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowedLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Legacy Salesforce domain still used in notices — use the current Atamis portal · this portal address is a legacy domain; the operator has migrated
Submission deadline
26 Jun 2026, 13:00 BST
Clarification deadline
19 Jun 2026, 13:00 BST
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via health-family.force.com/s/Welcome ↗

Timeline

18 May 2026 → 24 Sept 2026 · 10 dates
  1. Planning notice published163 days ago
    18 May 2026, 11:19 BST
  2. Market engagement155 days ago
    25 May 2026, 23:59 BST

    Interested suppliers are invited to submit a brief expression of interest and capability overview to HRPSProcurement@stgeorges.nhs.uk by the stated deadline.

    Responses should include a concise overview of the organisation, relevant experience and capability, indicative approach to service delivery, and any additional information the supplier considers relevant to inform the Authority's understanding of the market and potential delivery options.

    Responses will be used for market understanding only and will not form part of any future evaluation.

  3. Tender notice published148 days ago
    1 Jun 2026, 15:51 BST
  4. Next notice expected148 days ago
    1 Jun 2026, 23:59 BST
  5. Clarification questions by131 days ago
    19 Jun 2026, 13:00 BST
  6. Submission deadline124 days ago
    26 Jun 2026, 13:00 BST
  7. Assessment summaries sent63 days ago
    26 Aug 2026, 00:00 BST
  8. Award decision expected by56 days ago
    1 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
  9. Contract starts40 days ago
    18 Sept 2026, 00:00 BST
  10. Latest notice published34 days ago
    24 Sept 2026, 10:45 BST

Notice history

11 events · 6 releases on Find a Tender · since 18 May 2026
  1. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    18 May 2026, 11:19 BST
    UK2
  2. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    18 May 2026, 11:24 BST
    UK2
  3. Tender notice published
    1 Jun 2026, 15:51 BST
    UK4
  4. Status changed to active
    1 Jun 2026, 15:51 BST
  5. Procurement method changed
    1 Jun 2026, 15:51 BST
  6. Deadline published: 26 Jun 2026, 13:00 BST
    1 Jun 2026, 15:51 BST
  7. Tender notice published
    1 Jun 2026, 16:06 BST
    UK4
  8. Contract award notice published
    26 Aug 2026, 11:52 BST
    UK6
  9. Status changed to complete
    26 Aug 2026, 11:52 BST
  10. Contract signature expected
    8 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
    scheduled
  11. Contract details notice published
    24 Sept 2026, 10:45 BST
    UK7
Published amendments (2)

Changes to estimated contract end date.

Publication date of next tender notice to be amended

Routine re-releases (6)
  • 2026-06: 1 release · 1 Jun 2026
  • 2026-05: 2 releases · 18 May 2026, 18 May 2026

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 2
Awarded value £516,9681 award exc. VAT · 1 repeated publication of the same award counted once
Bids received 33 from SMEs
Contracts signed 1latest 16 Sept 2026
Awarded toValueDateStatus
The Guardian Service LtdSMEFreedom to Speak Up (FTSU) Guardian Services - CHS18 Sept 2026 – 17 Sept 2029 · up to 17 Sept 2031Extensions: Option to extend for two (2) additional 12 months periods£516,96826 Aug 2026Awarded
The Guardian Service LtdSME£516,968 †same award published again · counted once—Awarded

Contracts

  • CHS - Freedom to Speak Up Guardian Services · The Guardian Service LtdSME

    Signed
    16 Sept 2026
    Value
    £516,968
    Period
    18 Sept 2026 – 17 Sept 2029 · up to 17 Sept 2031 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    The Trust may, at its sole discretion, extend the contract for a further two twelve month periods.
    Options
    The Trust may, at its sole discretion, extend the contract for a further two twelve month periods: • Option 1: 12 months (to 17 September 2030) • Option 2: 12 months (to 17 September 2031)

    No agreed KPIs: KPIs have been set. However, they do not need to be published as this only applies for contracts estimated above £5 million.

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
3final-stage tenders30—

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Croydon Health Services NHS Trust

Contracting authorityPublic authority - central government GB-PPON: PPHP-9287-GXBV Croydon University Hospital, 530 London Road, Croydon, London, CR7 7YEContact name, email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • The Guardian Service LtdAwarded supplierGB-PPON: PHMT-9963-GBGJ First Floor, 14-15 Berners Street, London, London, W1T 3LJContact email

Official documents & specifications (6)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure