Escorting and Related Services

Procurement reference

project_19029

Procurement description

The Home Office is seeking to engage with suppliers who are interested in becoming the commercial partners (Prime Contractor) responsible for delivering the Escorting Services contract, which provides the in-country and overseas escorting of detained persons and management of Short-Term Holding Facilities (STHF), across the UK and Northern France.

Background:

The Home Office is responsible for detaining and enforcing the removal of people from the UK who have no legal basis to remain here. The Escorting Services contract is fundamental to delivering this through the movement of people within the UK, which supports the functioning of the immigration detention / removal estate; the removal of people from the UK, which is predominately via air travel and a mix of escorted (to destination) and unescorted (not escorted to destination). The contract also includes the operation, management and maintenance of Residential Short-Term Holding Facilities and the operation and management of Non-Residential Short-Term Holding Facilities at air/seaports and Immigration Enforcement reporting centres (STHFs). STHFs support the wider immigration detention / removal estate, enforcement activity within the community and protection of the UK border.

Requirement (please note not exhaustive and subject to change):

Management Services – includes operational control centre, performance monitoring and reporting, audit arrangement, and complaint procedures.

Core Services – includes welfare, care of children, risk assessments, use of force, staffing & personnel and training.

In-Country Escorting – 24/7 escorting between locations within the UK. Includes prisons, police stations, hospitals (inc bed watches), STHFs, Immigration Removal Centres. Also includes escort to aircraft for purpose of removal (unescorted) and provision of medical escorts.

Overseas Escorting – 24/7 escorting from place of detention within the UK to designated overseas destination, primarily via air travel with a mix between scheduled and charter flights. Also includes provision of medical escorts and interfacing with the authorities travel service provider.

Non-Residential STHF - the operation and management of designated holding rooms across all parts of the UK. There are currently 28 of these facilities which operate up to 24/7 and can hold people up to 24 hours and beyond in certain circumstances.

Residential STHF – the operation, management and maintenance of RSTHF across all parts of the UK. There are currently 3 of these facilities which operate 24/7 and can hold people up to 7 days in certain circumstances.

Juxtaposed Controls (Northern France) 24/7 escorting services with the UK control zones (Calais, Coquelles, and Dunkerque) and operation and management of 5 (currently) holding rooms at these French ports.

Main category

Services

Delivery regions

• UK - United Kingdom

Total value (estimated)

1201000000.00 GBP Excluding VAT

1441200000.00 GBP Including VAT

Contract dates (estimated)

01 May 2029, 00:00AM to 30 April 2039, 23:59PM

Home Office

Is the total value above threshold?

Above threshold

CPV classifications

• 50111100 - Vehicle-fleet management services
• 60130000 - Special-purpose road passenger-transport services
• 79710000 - Security services
• 55500000 - Canteen and catering services
• 80000000 - Education and training services

Delivery regions

• UK - United Kingdom

Sustainability

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)

Contract start date (estimated)

01 May 2029, 00:00AM

Contract end date (estimated)

30 April 2039, 23:59PM

Engagement process description

This Preliminary Market Engagement exercise seeks to inform the Authority's understanding of the market in relation to the proposed Escorting and Related Services contract. In particular, the engagement intends on gathering non-binding, high-level insights on potential delivery approaches, suggested commercial models and key cost drivers that may influence value for money during the contract lifecycle.

Responses will be used solely to support the procurement strategy development. This engagement does not constitute a request for pricing, quotations and/or tenders and participation will not place any advantage or disadvantage in any subsequent procurement process. All information provided will be treated as indicative and non-contractual.

A questionnaire shall be sent to prospective suppliers following the execution of a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). Supplier will have until the 23rd June 2026 to complete the questionnaire and upload their response to the Home Office's Jaggaer e-sourcing portal.

Please note:

To express your interest in the Market Engagement process, your organisation must be registered on the Home Office eSourcing Portal. If you have not yet registered, this can be done online at https://homeoffice.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html

To register, you must have a valid DUNS number for the organisations which you are registering and who will be entering into a contract if invited to do so.

Once registered, please search for the following project information:

project_19029 - Escorting and Related Services

pqq_763 - NDA - Preliminary Market Engagement: Delivery and Commercial Models for Escorting and Related Services

Due date

23 June 2026, 23:59PM

Has the engagement period already ended?

No

Publication date of tender notice (estimated)

09 November 2026