North Hertfordshire District Council is undertaking Preliminary Market Engagement in relation to a proposed two-year, non-exclusive, multi-supplier arrangement for nightly-paid emergency and temporary accommodation for homeless households. Demand is variable and placements may be required on the same day or outside normal working hours. The current planning assumption is approximately £250,000 aggregate expenditure per year for two years, with no guaranteed volume or spend for any supplier. This exercise is not a tender and responses will not be scored or used to pre-qualify suppliers. The Council is seeking practical feedback to inform the final specification, pricing mechanism, contractual terms and booking process. All responses must be submitted via the Council’s e-tendering portal, ‘In-Tend,’ accessible at https://supplier.in-tend.co.uk/supplyhertfordshire/home. For technical assistance, contact the In-Tend Helpdesk at 0845 557 8079 or email [email protected].

Procurement Act 2023

Light touch

Updated estimated date of tender notice publication and end date for engagement

North Herts Council will undertake Preliminary Market Engagement through a combination of a written supplier questionnaire and two online supplier engagement sessions. 1. Supplier questionnaire Interested suppliers are invited to review the Preliminary Market Engagement document and complete the questionnaire available through the Supply Hertfordshire/In-Tend portal under procurement reference NHDC01131137. The questionnaire seeks practical feedback on matters including accommodation type and geographical coverage, same-day availability, household requirements, pricing and rate mechanisms, booking and cancellation arrangements, contractual risks, supplier participation barriers and the proposed two-year multi-supplier arrangement. Brief and practical responses are welcomed. This is not a tender and responses will not be scored or used to pre-qualify suppliers. 2. Online supplier engagement sessions The Council will also hold two online engagement sessions for existing and prospective accommodation providers. These sessions will: - explain the Council's emergency and temporary accommodation requirement and how placements currently operate; - explain the proposed commercial/procurement approach and the issues on which the Council is seeking market feedback; - provide suppliers with an opportunity to comment on the proposed arrangements, raise concerns and suggest alternative or improved approaches; - provide practical guidance on registering on the Supply Hertfordshire/In-Tend portal, locating the opportunity and participating in the subsequent procurement process; and - include a short legal and governance overview explaining the relevant statutory homelessness and procurement context and the principal contractual considerations for the proposed arrangement. The sessions will be interactive and the Council particularly welcomes feedback on anything that may make participation difficult for smaller, independent or non-traditional public-sector suppliers. Details of the online sessions, including joining instructions, will be provided through the Supply Hertfordshire/In-Tend portal. Suppliers may participate in the questionnaire, the online sessions, or both. Participation in the PME is voluntary and will not confer any preference or advantage in the subsequent tender. Material non-confidential information arising from the engagement that is relevant to the future procurement will be reflected appropriately in the final procurement documents. The deadline for written PME responses is 6 November 2026.