Description
Provision of Property Management Services and Business Support Services at the Business Technology Centre (BTC), Bessemer Drive, Stevenage, SG1 2DX and Chells Industrial Units (CIU), The Glebe, Chells Way, Stevenage, SG2 0LQ. The contract value £6,274,035 excluding VAT £7,528,842 including VAT. The contract will run from 1st July 2026 - 30th June 2031.
Switching to direct award
By way of a Tender Notice issued on 23 January 2026 Stevenage Borough Council (Council) commenced a single stage tendering procedure (an open procedure) pursuant to section 20 of the Procurement Act 2023 (Act) inviting tenders for the Provision of Property Management Services and Business Support Services at the Business Technology Centre (BTC), Bessemer Drive, Stevenage, SG1 2DX and Chells Industrial Units (CIU), The Glebe, Chells Way, Stevenage, SG2 0LQ. The Tender Notice identifier is 2026/S 000-006245 and a link to the Tender Notice is available at https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006245-2026?origin=SearchResults&p=1 The tender process was a competitive tendering procedure under section 20 of the Act and the deadline for the receipt of tenders was 27th February 2026.
No tender submissions were received in response to the Tender Notice.
As the Council has carried out a competitive tendering procedure and received no suitable tenders in response to that tender process, it is permitted to award a contract directly to a supplier (that is not an excluded supplier) pursuant to section 43(1) of the Act where it considers that an award following a competitive tendering procedure is not possible. Given that no bids were received in response to the Tender Notice, the Council is satisfied that an award following a competitive tendering procedure under section 19 is not possible in the circumstances and the Council now intends to award a contract directly to Wenta Business Centres Limited under section 43(1). The chosen supplier is currently providing the services.
The council has carried out checks to ensure the chosen supplier is not an excluded supplier within the meaning of the Act.
As part of its decision to make a direct award under section 43(1), the possibility of carrying out a further tendering procedure has been considered. The Council is satisfied that time constraints would make it highly challenging to maintain the continuity of service at the BTC and CIU if the Council retendered and there is also a high probability of attracting an identical outcome with no suitable tenders which would leave the Council with no operator when the current contract expires.
The contract that the Council proposes to enter into has been published on the Council's webpage at the following location to view: https://www.stevenage.gov.uk/about-the-council/tenders-and-contracts/contract-register
In February 2025 the UK Government formally invited Stevenage Borough Council (the "Council") and the various other Councils of Hertfordshire to develop proposals for local government reorganisation in Hertfordshire which is likely to result in the current two-tier system of local government being reorganised into a single tier of local government with one or more unitary councils for the whole of the Hertfordshire area. If implemented, local government reorganisation is currently expected to take effect in April 2028 and, on that date, the existing two-tier councils will be dissolved and replaced by one or more new unitary authorities. Existing contracts held by the Council and the other Councils of Hertfordshire are expected to transfer to their successor authorities on vesting day in accordance with the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 and the Local Government (Structural Changes) (Transfer of Functions, Property, Rights and Liabilities) Regulations 2008. These reforms will be subject to a decision of the Secretary of State and could be subject to change at any time.
As these reforms may occur during the term of this contract and result in changes to the form, structure, size and shape of local government in Hertfordshire, they are a known risk to the Council within the meaning of paragraph 6, Schedule 8 of the Procurement Act 2023 (Act) in that the reforms could jeopardise the satisfactory performance of the contract but because the nature and extent of the reforms are presently unknown, it is not possible to address the risks in the contract. If these risks materialise, the contract may need to be modified under paragraph 5 of Schedule 8 of the Act. Such modification could include, but not be limited to, the need to replace the contracting authority with a successor public authority and/or vary the structure, scope, nature and/or geographical location/boundary within which the contract is delivered.
The contract start date will be 1st July 2026. There is a technical issue with the inserting of this date on the notice.