Where Care Excellence Meets Business Success. Transform your operations today - 0333 577 0877
We are here to help 24/7.

Awarded· 8 Jan 2026

DoLS Standard Authorisations (Form Three and Form Five Assessments)

Durham County Council · County Durham, North East

Durham County Council has awarded DoLS Standard Authorisations (Form Three and Form Five Assessments). It is a contract for other health and social care in County Durham.

Source: Find a Tender, published 8 Jan 2026. Details are refreshed every 30 minutes.

Key dates

  1. 2026

    Award notice published

    UK7 - Contract Details Notice · 09:53

    View notice
  2. 2026

    Contract starts

  3. 2026

    Contract ends

    0½ years after it starts

01

About this tender

In brief

Durham County Council has awarded DoLS Standard Authorisations (Form Three and Form Five Assessments). It is a contract for other health and social care in County Durham. The contract went to Action First Assessments. It was awarded on 8 January 2026. The contract value is £135,450. The contract runs from 9 January 2026 to 4 May 2026. It lasts 0½ years.

It is run as a below threshold - without competition. Find a Tender published it on 8 January 2026. The notice number is 001292-2026. The OCDS ID is ocds-h6vhtk-06017f.

Summary of the contracting process

Durham County Council has completed a public procurement process for the provision of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding (DoLS) Standard Authorisations, specifically focusing on Form Three and Form Five Assessments. The contract was awarded to ACTION FIRST ASSESSMENTS LTD, a supplier based in London. This service procurement falls under the health and social work services industry category and will be executed within the UKC14 region.

The procurement process was conducted through a direct method, classified as below the threshold and without competition, under the legal framework of UKPGA 2023/54. The contract period begins on 9th January 2026 and runs until 4th May 2026, with the contract being signed on 8th January 2026.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly those with expertise in managing DoLS assessments or similar domains, stand to benefit significantly by engaging in this type of procurement.

The contract's substantial value of £162,540 and its light-touch regime offers a chance for businesses to secure vital work and develop a relationship with a sub-central public authority like Durham County Council, creating pathways for future collaborations and growth in the government contracting sphere.

The notice in full

The provision of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding Standard Authorisations (Form Three and Form Five Assessments)

Lots: no lot details came through with this notice. The official notice and the tender pack have the full breakdown.

02

Key facts

Every field the notice carries. Anything it leaves blank is listed under its table.

Contract

Service
Other health and social care
Procurement type
Standard
Category
Services
Contract period
9 Jan 2026 to 4 May 2026 (0½ years)
Awarded to
Action First Assessments
Number of suppliers
1

Procedure

Notice type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement method
Direct
Procedure
Below threshold - without competition
Current stage
Award
Stages so far
Award
Published on
Find a Tender Service
Awardee scale
SME

Values

Contracts value
£135,450

Not stated in the notice: tender value, lots value, awards value.

Status

Tender
Complete
Lots
Complete
Awards
Active
Contracts
Active

References

Find a Tender notice
001292-2026
Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06017f
CPV code
85000000 - Health and social work services
CPV division
85 - Health and social work services
03

Location

Durham County Council is based in County Durham. The area the service covers can be wider, so check the notice and the lots.
Local authority
County Durham
Town
Durham
Postcode
DH1 5WB
Electoral ward
Framwellgate and Newton Hall
Constituency
City of Durham
Region
North East
Sub-region
Durham
Area
Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear
Country
England
04

Buyer and supplier

Contracting authority

Organisation
Durham County Council
Category
Services
Address
Durham, DH1 5WB · North East · England

Not stated in the notice: contact, phone.

Awarded supplier

Supplier
Action First Assessments
Awardee scale
SME
Number of suppliers
1
Awards value
Not stated
05

Documents and links

Official sources for this notice. The tender pack itself sits on the buyer's portal.
06

Questions about DoLS Standard Authorisations (Form Three and Form Five Assessments)

Who won the DoLS Standard Authorisations (Form Three and Form Five Assessments) contract?

Durham County Council awarded the contract to Action First Assessments on 8 January 2026. It is due to end on 4 May 2026, which is when a re-tender would normally follow.

How much is the DoLS Standard Authorisations (Form Three and Form Five Assessments) contract worth?

The contract value is £135,450. The contract runs from 9 January 2026 to 4 May 2026 (0½ years).

Who is the buyer for DoLS Standard Authorisations (Form Three and Form Five Assessments)?

Durham County Council, based in County Durham, North East.

Get ready for the next round

Contracts like this come back. We help care providers build the evidence, policies and case studies a buyer scores, so you are ready when the re-tender opens.

What to do next

  1. This contract has been awarded.
  2. It is due to end on 4 May 2026.
  3. A re-tender usually follows near the end.
  4. Build your evidence and case studies now.
  5. Keep your policies and training records current.