Official UK procurement notice
ESPH Wealden District Council - Leisure and Active Wellbeing Service Contract (ESPH696)
Authority: Wealden District Council (Local council)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe Contract is for the operation of Crowborough Leisure Centre, Hailsham Leisure Centre and Uckfield Leisure Centre. The Contract also includes the design and delivery of a new Active Wellbeing Service of facility-based and neighbourhood-based programmes.
Crowborough Leisure Centre is a wet and dry side leisure facility that was built in 1986. It is located within Goldsmiths Recreation Ground in Crowborough. The facility is owned by Crowborough Town Council and is on a long term lease to the Authority. It is situated in the north of the district and attracts visitors from nearby settlements including Buxted, Mayfield and Rotherfield in addition to those living and visiting the town itself. Dry side facilities at Crowborough Leisure Centre include a 70-station gym, a 4-court sports hall, 2 multipurpose studios, 1 spin studio and a café. Wet-side facilities include a 6-lane, 25m swimming pool with a movable pool floor and an 84-seat spectator viewing area. There is also a health suite with a sauna and steam room.
Hailsham Leisure Centre is owned by the Authority. Originally built in 1985, it is situated in the town centre of Hailsham and consists of both wet and dry-side facilities. Dry side facilities include an 80-station gym, 3 multipurpose activity studios, 1 spin studio, a soft play centre, 3 treatment rooms, 1 meeting room, an 8-lane ten pin bowling alley and a café. Wet-side facilities include a 4-lane 25m swimming pool with an integrated teaching pool and a sauna.
Uckfield Leisure Centre is owned by East Sussex County Council and managed by the Authority on a long-term lease basis. Built in 1987, Uckfield Leisure Centre is a dual-use site shared with Uckfield College, a secondary school and sixth form for pupils aged 11 to 18. 2.The centre contains both wet and dry leisure facilities. Dry side facilities include a 46-station fitness gym, 1 squash court, 2 multipurpose activity studios, 1 spin studio and a 4-badminton court sports hall. Wet-side facilities including a 4-lane leisure pool, a 5m splash pool and a flume with water catch.
The Operator shall deliver an Active Wellbeing Service of Facility-Based and Neighbourhood-Based programmes. This will shall support the Authority’s strategic objectives for the service and contribute towards its wider local strategic priorities, extending the reach and impact of the Services beyond the Core Facilities. The Active Wellbeing Service shall meet the following required outputs:
- An increase in the number of residents from target groups participating regularly in sport and physical activity.
- A range of high-quality facility-based and neighbourhood-based programmes aimed at residents who are inactive or not engaging regularly in sport and physical activity
- A decrease in physically inactive residents
- An increase in the number of volunteers and volunteering opportunities
- Increased opportunities for access to sport and physical activity opportunities within priority localities
- Increased opportunities for access to sport and physical activity opportunities in community settings outside of the core leisure facilities
Commencing on 1 April 2027, the Contract is for 10 years, with an option to extend, which may be exercised by the Authority in consultation with the Operator, for a period or periods of up to 5 years. The total possible Contract duration, including extension provision, will therefore be 15 years.
- How the procedure runs: The Authority is using a Competitive Flexible Procedure, (Section 20 PA23). A staged procedure has been devised consisting of up to two stages. Stage One of the process comprises a combined Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) and Invitation to Submit Initial Tender (ISIT). The Authority will assess the Initial Tenders and reserves the right, at its sole discretion and subject to receiving a satisfactory Initial Tender Base Bid in response to the ISIT, to award the Contract at this stage. Notwithstanding the Authority’s right to award the Contract, on the basis of an Initial Tender Base Bid, following assessment of Initial Tenders the Authority may consider that negotiation is necessary in order for the Authority to receive the best and most comprehensive proposals from the Bidders. If this is the case a maximum of three Eligible Bidders will be progressed to Stage Two. If there are fewer than three Eligible Bidders the Authority reserves the right to proceed with any number less than that. Pursuant to Section 24 PA2023, the Authority reserves the right to refine the award criterion for this procurement, as set out in Section 7, as part of this competitive flexible procedure, and this may include refining the indication of the relative importance of the award criteria. The Authority may also modify the procurement in accordance with the provisions of Section 31 PA 2023.
CPV: Recreational, cultural and sporting services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1RenewalPublished value£67,500,000
What it takes to wini
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 morei
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).
- Simple description: The award criteria will be based on a split between cost and quality as 40 percent and 60 percent respectively. Quality will be assessed using the following criteria: Service Quality - 8% Facility Development - 8% Active Wellbeing Service - 8% Asset Management - 8% Programme Development and Innovation - 7% Sustainability - 7% Marketing and Pricing - 4% Staffing, Training and Development - 4% Performance Monitoring - 3% Social Value - 3% For the 40% allocated to cost the Tender Price submission for the Initial Tender Base Bid will be evaluated on the basis of the annual average Management Fee for the whole Contract term and scored to reward Bidders offering the most favourable management fee payment to the Authority
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
- Closed
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- ConcessionLight touch regime
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 30 Jul 2025, 17:11 BST
- Last source update
- 18 Dec 2025, 13:00 GMT
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 2 Dec 2026
- Authority reference
ESPH696- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-084365- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05698eFind a Tender
- How it runs
The Authority is using a Competitive Flexible Procedure, (Section 20 PA23). A staged procedure has been devised consisting of up to two stages.
Stage One of the process comprises a combined Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) and Invitation to Submit Initial Tender (ISIT). The Authority will assess the Initial Tenders and reserves the right, at its sole discretion and subject to receiving a satisfactory Initial Tender Base Bid in response to the ISIT, to award the Contract at this stage.
Notwithstanding the Authority’s right to award the Contract, on the basis of an Initial Tender Base Bid, following assessment of Initial Tenders the Authority may consider that negotiation is necessary in order for the Authority to receive the best and most comprehensive proposals from the Bidders. If this is the case a maximum of three Eligible Bidders will be progressed to Stage Two. If there are fewer than three Eligible Bidders the Authority reserves the right to proceed with any number less than that.
Pursuant to Section 24 PA2023, the Authority reserves the right to refine the award criterion for this procurement, as set out in Section 7, as part of this competitive flexible procedure, and this may include refining the indication of the relative importance of the award criteria. The Authority may also modify the procurement in accordance with the provisions of Section 31 PA 2023.
- Risks
Depending on the basis of award of contract (traditional or agency) the Council reserves the right to vary the contract at its discretion or if updated guidance is received from HMRC on the validity of the agency model for the services provided.
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 27 Mar 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- 13 Mar 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
All return documents for Conditions of Participation and Invitation to Submit Initial Tenders, and any subsequent tender stages, must be submitted via the council's eProcurement Portal, In-Tend. The Council's procurement portal is available here: in-tendhost.co.uk/esph/aspx/Home ↗
Timeline
30 Jul 2025 → 1 Apr 2027 · 8 dates- Planning notice published30 Jul 2025, 17:11 BST
- Market engagement23 Aug 2025, 00:59 BST
The Council are at an early stage in development of its proposals for the Leisure and Wellbeing Contract and seeks input from the market as to what might be the most advantageous way of packaging and scoping this future procurement opportunity. Prior to undertaking the formal procurement process, which is currently targeted for commencement in December 2025, the Council is seeking to undertake a preliminary market engagement exercise to review in summary:
i. Delivery of an outreach programme of community-based outreach services and activities
ii. Contract length
iii. Views on procurement route
iv. Potential risk allocation
v. Potential investment schemes and funding options
vi. Views on Agency Model and how this might be explored through the tender process
vii. Views on potential variant bids
The Council wishes to engage with experienced leisure / active wellbeing facility operators and service providers to inform the upcoming procurement process. The Council wishes to understand the current issues and opportunities facing the market in the delivery of these services.
The Council has issued a questionnaire for interested operators to complete and is available at the Council procurement portal here: in-tendhost.co.uk/esph/aspx/Home ↗
The deadline for submitting preliminary market engagement questionnaires is Friday 22 August 2025.
- Next notice expected330 days ago1 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT
- Tender notice published314 days ago18 Dec 2025, 13:00 GMT
- Clarification questions by229 days ago13 Mar 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Submission deadline215 days ago27 Mar 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Today28 Oct 2026
- Award decision expected byin 35 days2 Dec 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract startsin 154 days1 Apr 2027, 00:00 BST
Notice history
6 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 30 Jul 2025- Preliminary market engagement notice published30 Jul 2025, 17:11 BSTUK2
- Tender notice published18 Dec 2025, 13:00 GMTUK4
- Published value published: £67,500,00018 Dec 2025, 13:00 GMT
- Status changed to active18 Dec 2025, 13:00 GMT
- Procurement method changed18 Dec 2025, 13:00 GMT
- Deadline published: 27 Mar 2026, 12:00 GMT18 Dec 2025, 13:00 GMT
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (3)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Bidding documents and specifications Full tender documents are available from the Council's e-tendering portal.
Notices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender