HCC April 2026 – The Provision of a Framework for Building Cleaning Services

Hertfordshire Full Stop Facilities Management Services (hereinafter referred to as “HFS”) the trading organisation of Hertfordshire County Council (hereinafter referred to as “the Council”) is advertising its requirement to appoint competent and cost-effective organisations to be part of its Building Cleaning Framework to provide Building Cleaning services to sites throughout the County.

This Framework will be utilised by all departments of the Council including establishments such as Schools, fire stations, disused sites, day centers, libraries etc. It may also be used for works outside of the Council as requested by our partners and customers (this may be outside the geographical area of Hertfordshire in some cases). Please be aware the intention is to award this Framework to between 7 (seven) and 10 (ten) Contractors and this is therefore not your anticipated income should you be successful. It will carry with it no exclusivity or guarantees of works, but is expected to form the main Framework for the commissioning of Building Cleaning Services for the Council

The estimated annual spend on the Framework for the Council is currently in the region of £8,000,000 per annum. If some or all the districts, boroughs and /or parish and town Councils join this Framework at a later stage, this figure may increase, therefore the advertised spend has allowed for this possibility.

Full details of the requirement can be found in the Specification, Schedule 1 of the Framework document.

Please note that TUPE does not apply to the Framework but will apply to Call-Off Contracts.

In February 2025 the UK Government formally invited Hertfordshire County Council (the ”Council”) and the various district and borough Councils of Hertfordshire (see attached - District and borough councils | Hertfordshire County Council) 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 district and borough 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.

Tenderers should note that any variation(s) to the terms and conditions of the contract will be made in accordance with its terms.