How to win: Cumbria Substance Use - Treatment Service

About this contract

This procurement is being conducted in accordance with the Provider Selection Regime (PSR) 2023 using the Competitive Process. Cumberland Council is acting as lead authority on behalf of both Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council to procure a contract for the provision of the Cumbria Substance Use; Treatment Service. The initial contract period is six years. The anticipated start date is 1st October 2027, and the initial period will end on 30th September 2033. Two optional extension periods of up to 24 months each are available. If both extensions are utilised, the contract will end on 30th September 2037. Use of these extensions is entirely at the discretion of the Council and will depend on both the success in achieving the required outcomes and the availability of further funding. The maximum total value of the contract over the full potential contract term (including the extension period) is up to £56m excluding VAT. The Council does not guarantee any spend against this Contract beyond the annual contract value stated for Year 1. The maximum budget available for the initial term of Year 1 is £4,235,981 per annum excluding VAT. The budget amounts set out are i

How to win contracts like this

• ✓Answer against the marking scheme, not the question text — Cumberland Council scores each response, so map your evidence to the published criteria and weightings.
• ✓At £56,000,000, expect quality and social value to carry a large share of the score — price alone rarely wins services work.
• ✓Show recent, comparable delivery: name similar services contracts you've delivered for public bodies, with measurable outcomes.
• ✓Start early: it closes 5 October 2026 and a strong bid takes iteration.

BidWriter drafts your responses from your company profile, scores them against the marking scheme, and tracks your whole pipeline. Free to start — no card needed.

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