Official UK procurement notice
Learning Disabilities Short Breaks and Emergency Support
Authority: Westminster City Council (Local council)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThis UK6 Notice details the direct award of a contract for Learning Disability Short Breaks and Emergency Support provision for Adults to Learning Disability Network London for a period of up to 60 months (3 years + 2 year optional extension) from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031. This is to provide service continuity whilst building plans are being developed and implemented to re-design the Kingsbridge Road site. Once building works are completed a full competitive tender process will follow.
The Council’s previous contract with the supplier ended on 31 March 2026. The supplier has continued to deliver the short breaks services for the Council since that date. It is intended that the contract will be formerly awarded to the supplier following publication of the Contract Award Notice. In order to regularise the position, the start date of the contract will be backdated to 1 April 2026 to encompass services provided since the expiry of the previous contract. This notice is intended to provide visibility of the Council’s intention to formally award the contracts and regulate the arrangements with the supplier by entering into the contracts on or around 26 October 2026 with retrospective effect. Note that this is an indicative date for signing/entering into the contract and is subject to change.
The contract between Westminster City Council and LDN London is £4,978,600 (excl. VAT) £5,974,320 (inc. VAT) for the full term including extension.
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1Awarded
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Direct award
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Notice status
- Awarded without competition
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Light touch regime
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Direct award (no call for competition)
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 11 Sept 2026, 15:23 BST
- Last source update
- 20 Oct 2026, 17:31 BST
- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-099208- Latest notice
- Contract award notice (UK6)
- Delivery area
- Not published
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f862Find a Tender
- Why no open competition
- Single Suppliers Intellectual Property Exclusive Rights
- Published justification
The Council has statutory duties under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, the Care Act 2014 and other legislation, relating to the health, wellbeing and care of certain individuals. The Council is required to maintain access to supported and residential accommodation for adults with a learning disability.
Paragraph 5 of Schedule 5 of the Procurement Act 2023 provides a justification for the direct award of public contracts where a particular supplier has exclusive rights which means that only that supplier can supply the goods, services or works required, and there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or work.
RBKC and WCC work together to commission bed-based short breaks from two different premises - Kingsbridge Road and Alision House. The services operate as an integrated bi-borough model, with shared capacity across both premises
The supplier has exclusive property rights to both Kingsbridge Road and Alision House:
- The Kingsbridge Road premises were purchased by RBKC in March 2024, the supplier was the existing tenant at the point of acquisition. RBKC is regularising that lease arrangement with the supplier to align with the proposed contracts.
- The supplier owns Alison House.
The supplier has confirmed it will not make these premises available to another supplier to deliver the services.
Market engagement and a supplier property survey have been undertaken by the Council which has confirmed that no alternative, suitable premises are currently available. Accordingly, there is no reasonable alternative to the services being provided by the supplier from the existing premises.
Additionally, the premises at Kingsbridge Road needs significant development work. Capacity at Kingsbridge Road will be significantly reduced during redevelopment works. Having one supplier operating from both premises will provide flexibility enabling the Council to manage capacity and maintain stability and service continuity during the redevelopment period. This further supports that there is no reasonable alternative.
The proposed three-year contract, with an optional two-year extension, will maintain service continuity and enable the Council to meet its statutory duties while the refurbishment works are completed at Kingsbridge Road; as well as providing time for the Council to further explore alternative premises.
Further information can be found in the Council’s decision paper
Notice history
3 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 11 Sept 2026- Transparency notice published11 Sept 2026, 15:23 BSTUK5
- Contract award notice published20 Oct 2026, 17:31 BSTUK6
- Contract signature expected26 Oct 2026, 23:59 GMTscheduled
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learning Disability NetworkVCSELearning Disabilities Short Breaks and Emergency Support WCC26 Oct 2026 – 31 Mar 2029 · up to 31 Mar 2031Extensions: optional 2 year extension term | £5,974,320 inc. VAT | 14 Aug 2026 | Awarded |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- Learning Disability NetworkAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Transparency notice Transparency notice on Find a Tender