Prison Operator Services - HMP Dovegate

The Ministry of Justice (the "Authority") operating through His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) is seeking to run a procurement competition that intends to provide high quality, value for money custodial and maintenance services as part of the operation of HMP Dovegate.

This notice launches the procurement competition for the provision of prison operator services for HMP Dovegate, under the Light Touch Regime of the Public Contract Regulations (2015).

HMP Dovegate is a male Category B Reception, Training, Resettlement prison for over 18-year-olds located near Uttoxeter in Staffordshire.

Accommodation at the prison is divided into the main prison (960 places) and the Democratic Therapeutic Community (200 places).

In 2009 the addition of a further accommodation block and other facilities, saw the prison capacity increase to a maximum of 1,160 places.

Prison Operator Services (also referred to as "prison management" in global markets) involves the provision of Operational Custodial Services and Facilities Management (FM) of prisons in England and Wales.

Specifically, a Prison Operator Contract covers delivery of all operational custodial services (including but not limited to education, rehabilitation, training, work, security, resettlement) and FM services (hard and soft) that are required for a prison to hold prisoners, both safely and securely, while providing transformative services that reduce reoffending and maintain the prison to a high standard.

The Authority has procured contracts for the operation of prisons to the private sector since the early 1990s and has long advocated a shared approach to prison operation that includes a mix of public, voluntary and private sector involvement.

HMP Dovegate is currently a Private Finance Initiative funded prison, and the current contractual agreement will expire on 8h July 2026.

The Ministry of Justice wishes to guarantee the safe and efficient transfer of services with minimal disruption to staff and prisoners, whilst ensuring the prison is modernised to enable it to be fit for the future.

Details of the procurement can be found in the Invitation to Tender (ITT) documents which are structured into five volumes and are located in Ministry of Justice's e-Sourcing Portal (Jaggaer).

Volume 1: Introduction, Instructions, Procurement Process and indicative timelines - providing instructions on the completion and submission of tenders.

Volume 2: Bidder Response Criteria - providing details of the Response Criteria Bidders are required to cover in their Bids, together with guidance on completion of Bidder responses against each criterion.

Volume 3: The Draft Contract.

Volume 4: Evaluation Methodology - providing details of the evaluation methodology by which the Bid will be evaluated and the award criteria; and Volume 5: Data Rooms - containing details of the data and information that the Authority is making available to Bidders to assist them in the preparation of their Tenders.