Medequip wins £27.7m community equipment contract for four North West boroughs 2026

Key Points

• Medequip Assistive Technology Ltd has been granted the Integrated Community Equipment Service contract for Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, and Tameside.
• The three-year contract will commence on 1 October 2026 and end on 30 September 2029, with an additional option to extend the contract for up to two years.
• The published value of the equipment service lot stands at £27,678,899, while that of the minor adaptation lot valued at £2,598,932 is granted to SRD Building Services Ltd and 24-7 Locks Secure Horizon Ltd.
• The contract has been awarded through procurement process led by Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council as the representative of four local authorities within the provisions of the UK Procurement Act 2023, whereby 50% weight was placed on quality, 40% on price and 10% on social value.
• Medequip will provide the entire lifecycle of community equipment services, including procurement, storage, distribution, installation, repairs, decontamination and discharge, reablement and urgent community response services.

Manchester (Manchester Mirror) September 29, 2026 – Medequip Assistive Technology Ltd has secured the contract to deliver the Community Equipment Loan Service (CELS) across Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and Tameside, a multi-borough arrangement that will see the provider supply, maintain and manage assistive equipment for residents from 1 October 2026. The award follows a competitive open procedure under the Procurement Act 2023, with Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council acting as the lead authority for the consortium of four councils.

What does the Medequip CELS contract cover across four boroughs?

The Integrated Community Equipment Service lot, valued at £27,678,899, requires the provider to deliver a full community equipment service lifecycle for adults and children across the four boroughs and authorised adjacent areas. Operational scope includes procurement of stock and special equipment; storage, distribution, delivery, installation, fitting and adjustment; collection, cleaning, decontamination, refurbishment and recycling; repairs, servicing and preventative maintenance; technical assessments, joint visits and specialist engineering; and support for discharge, reablement, prevention, urgent community response and palliative care.

As reported in the Find a Tender award notice published on 13 August 2026, the contract period is set for three years from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2029, with the council reserving the sole right, subject to mutual agreement, to extend the term for up to a further two years. The procurement was structured in two lots, with Lot 1 covering the integrated community equipment service and Lot 2 covering minor adaptations works.

Who are the contract winners for equipment and minor adaptations?

Medequip Assistive Technology Ltd was awarded Lot 1 for the Integrated Community Equipment Service. For Lot 2, Minor Adaptations, two firms were admitted to a panel rather than a single contract winner: SRD Building Services Ltd and 24-7 Locks Secure Horizon Ltd, with the published value for the minor adaptations lot at £2,598,932. The tender documentation indicates that the minor adaptations provider will implement a system to accept referrals from prescribers electronically, liaise with prescribers, clients and their representatives to arrange completion of works, prepare construction phase plans and risk assessments and method statements proportionate to the works, and inform prescribers of completed works or any problems in contacting clients or completing jobs.

According to Tenderline’s summary of the award notice, two bids were received for Lot 1 and five bids for Lot 2, with all five Lot 2 bids coming from SMEs. The evaluation weighting applied across both lots was 50% quality, 40% price and 10% social value.

Which councils are commissioning the CELS service?

The contracting authority is Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council, with three co-contracting authorities named in the notice: Rochdale Borough Council, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council and Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council. The delivery area is recorded as North West (UKD3), and the procurement is classified under community health services, miscellaneous medical devices and products, and repair and maintenance services.

As noted in the official notice, the procedure was an open, above-threshold procurement published on Find a Tender, with submission via the ProContract (Due North) e-sourcing portal. The tender submission deadline was 13 May 2026, and assessment summaries were issued on 13 August 2026.

What services will Medequip provide under the CELS contract?

Medequip’s remit under the integrated community equipment service includes end-to-end management of assistive technology and medical equipment loans to residents. This encompasses equipment for daily living aids through to more complex pieces, enabling people to receive appropriate care and remain safely in their home environment. The provider is required to support urgent community response and palliative care pathways, and to facilitate out-of-area equipment deliveries for individuals under the commissioners’ responsibility subject to commissioner approval.

In previous awards, Medequip has described similar CELS contracts as supporting residents to live independently in their homes for longer, with services covering assessment, fitting, maintenance and collection of equipment. The company’s timeline of awards shows multiple CELS and integrated community equipment service contracts across England, including in Cornwall, Warwickshire, Derby, Birmingham and Peterborough.

How was the procurement evaluated and what were the bid statistics?

The procurement was conducted under the UK Procurement Act 2023, with the notice published on 13 August 2026 and the award recorded as active from 12 August 2026. The evaluation criteria were published as 50% quality, 40% price and 10% social value for both lots. The contract duration is three years with extension options, and the procurement is SME eligible.

According to the Tenderline record, the total estimated value of the procedure was £30,277,831, comprising £27,678,899 for Lot 1 and £2,598,932 for Lot 2. Two bids were received for Lot 1 and five for Lot 2, with all Lot 2 bids from SMEs. The notice indicates that the council reserves the right to extend the contract term for up to a further two years subject to mutual agreement.

Background to the CELS development in Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and Tameside

The Community Equipment Loan Service model has been established across multiple local authorities in England as a means of consolidating equipment provision, reducing duplication and improving turnaround times for residents requiring assistive technology. In recent years, Medequip has been awarded similar CELS or integrated community equipment service contracts by councils including Cornwall Council, Warwickshire County Council, Derby City Council and Birmingham City Council, with contract values ranging from around £12 million to £95 million depending on scope and population.

The Oldham-led consortium brings together four neighbouring boroughs in Greater Manchester and the North West to commission a single provider for equipment services, a approach intended to achieve economies of scale and consistent service standards across the area. The minor adaptations lot, awarded to SRD Building Services Ltd and 24-7 Locks Secure Horizon Ltd, complements the equipment service by enabling small-scale home modifications that support safe discharge and independent living.

Prediction: How might this CELS award affect residents and local health services?

For residents in Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and Tameside, the award is likely to mean a single point of contact for equipment needs, with potential improvements in delivery times, equipment availability and maintenance cycles as Medequip integrates the four boroughs into its existing CELS operating model. For local health and social care services, a consolidated contract may reduce administrative overheads, standardise referral pathways and support faster hospital discharge by streamlining equipment provision.

If Medequip replicates service levels from its other CELS contracts, the development could lead to more predictable equipment turnaround, clearer accountability for repairs and decontamination, and better data on equipment utilisation across the four boroughs. However, the impact will depend on how effectively the provider coordinates with prescribers, occupational therapists and community teams, and how well the minor adaptations panel works alongside the main equipment service to deliver joined-up support for residents.