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Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) for a Framework for Fitness Companies and/or Pool Based Fitness Companies to deliver exercise classes and other sessions in Leisure Facilities and Community Settings within County Durham

Durham County Council · Local authority

In brief

Durham County Council has announced plans to buy leisure and events work. This is an early notice: there is nothing to bid on yet, but it tells you a tender may follow.

It is a framework worth up to £800,000 excluding VAT: the most the buyer expects to spend across all suppliers, not one contract.

The contract runs for 4 years, starting 1 August 2026.

The buyer says it is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.

Built from the notice's own fields. Always check the official notice before you bid.

Can I win this?

Competition

Usually high: a median of 14 bids per contract for this buyer (from 81 awards in the last 12 months).

Framework

Winning puts you on a list of suppliers the buyer can call on; it does not guarantee work. The £800,000 is the most the buyer expects to spend across all suppliers over the framework's life, not one contract.

What the notice says

The Council are inviting suppliers to participate in preliminary engagement to gain insight from the market with the purpose of making any potential future framework opportunity well framed, feasible, focused and of likely interest to the market. We are seeking interest from fitness companies, including gym based and pool based, who are interested in delivering exercise classes within our Leisure Facilities and Community Settings across County Durham. A variety of informal agreements are currently in place across the Council. We now intend to formalise these arrangements by establishing a new framework that will support improved consistency and quality. This notice forms part of our preliminary market engagement, offering you the opportunity to share feedback and comments before the framework is released for formal tender submissions. Please note the contract value is based on the total framework value over a 4 year period and is expected to include a range of providers, so this opportunity is particularly suitable for SMEs.

How to bid

  1. Read the full notice on Find a Tender, including any tender documents it links to.
  2. Register your organisation on the Central Digital Platform (through Find a Tender) if you have not already. Suppliers need to be registered to take part in procurements under the Procurement Act 2023.
  3. Follow the submission instructions in the notice; it does not name an e-tendering portal.

Timeline

  1. Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 030604-2026

About the buyer

Durham County CouncilLast 12 months

Procurements

267

Awards

159

Suppliers it has used most for leisure and events

All tenders and awards from Durham County Council

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From notice 030604-2026 on Find a Tender, first published 1 April 2026. We last checked for changes on 28 September 2026.