Prison Operator Services - HMP Oakwood

This notice launches the procurement competition for the provision of Prison Operator Services for HMP Oakwood, under the Competitive Flexible Procedure (Light Touch Regime) of the Procurement Act 2023.

Background

HMP Oakwood is a male Category C Manage and Maintain prison located in Staffordshire, England, with a current operational capacity of 2,134 prisoners.

Under this procurement, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) (the Authority) is seeking a single operator to manage and maintain both the prison regime and the prison facilities at HMP Oakwood.

The Authority has procured contracts for the operation of prisons by the private sector since the early 1990s and continues to support a mixed economy of public, voluntary, and private sector involvement. The current contract for HMP Oakwood will expire on 23 April 2027.

Scope of Services

The Prison Operator Services contract (also referred to as “prison management” in global markets) includes:

The contract is based on the Cabinet Office Model Services Contract and is designed to ensure safe, secure, and transformative prison operations that reduce reoffending and maintain high standards.

The Authority aims to ensure a safe and efficient transfer of services with minimal disruption to staff and prisoners, while modernising the prison to ensure it is fit for the future.

The Authority confirms that dilapidation reports will not be provided as part of the documentation available in the HMP Oakwood Data Room. However, bidders will be granted access to relevant lifecycle data to support their understanding of the estate’s condition and future maintenance requirements. In addition, the Authority will facilitate a series of site visits throughout the procurement process, as outlined in the Procurement Timeline, to enable bidders to gather contextual and operational insights necessary for bid development.

Procurement Documentation

The Invitation to Tender (“ITT”) documents are available via the Ministry of Justice’s e-Sourcing Portal, Jaggaer, and are structured into five volumes:

required to address in their Tenders, together with guidance on completion of Bidder responses against each Evaluation Question

Contract Duration

The anticipated contract duration is 12 years from the operational services commencement date, with: