What new partners are you looking for?

We’re looking for partners to deliver the following services across all of our three regions, which currently include more than 46,000 homes:

• Internal works: kitchens and bathrooms, doors electrics and heating
• External works: windows and doors, pitched and flat roofs and works in communal areas
• Cyclical decorations and estates groundworks
• Mechanical and electrical: lifts, security and fire systems
• Decarbonisation retrofit works and other net zero works
• Planned building works and reactive remedial works
• Safety Improvement Works
• Responsive repairs including, but not limited to, plumbing and heating; electrical; building fabric; internal and external fitment repair; windows and doors repairs; minor building works
• Responsive general maintenance works
• Empty property works and associated services
• Responsive urgent disrepair remedial works
• Damp, mould and condensation remedial works

Why are you acquiring new partners to provide these services?

Our 2030 strategy sets out our ambition to deliver among the best customer service of any housing association in the country. With current contracts ending early 2027, we now have an opportunity to ensure we’ve got the right contracts in place to achieve our ambition, with the right partners delivering the services that are important to you.

Can partners who are currently delivering these services be awarded the contracts?

Existing partners are welcome to submit an expression of interest.

What are the main stages in the procurement process?

We’ll initially invite ‘expressions of interest’ from suitably qualified and experienced contractors who want to work with us and we’ll be starting an official tender process in summer 2025. There will be two tenders for potential partners to submit a response to:

The first tender will cover all property improvement and regeneration works such as:

• Internal Works: Kitchens & bathrooms, doors electrics and heating
• External Works: Windows and doors, pitched and flat roof and works in communal areas
• Cyclical decorations and estates groundworks
• Mechanical and electrical: Lifts, security and fire system
• Decarbonisation retrofit works and other net zero works
• Planned building works and reactive remedial works

The second tender will cover day-to-day repairs and void works including:

• Responsive repairs including, but not limited to, plumbing and heating; electrical; building fabric; internal and external fitment repair; windows and doors repairs; minor building works
• Responsive general maintenance works
• Empty property works and associated services
• Responsive urgent disrepair remedial works
• Damp, mould and condensation remedial works

We expect new partners to be delivering these services from early 2027.

How are customers being involved in the procurement process?
We want to make sure customers are at the heart of this process and we will do this in the following ways:

• A survey prior to the official consultation. Find out more here.
• A formal consultation. Please look out for a letter about this later this year
• A dedicated customer engagement group
• Focus groups

Did you know we have a dedicated Facebook group for customer engagement activities? All are welcome. Click here to join in the discussion.

Look out for updates on the procurement process, including information on how you can have your say, on this page and in our Orbit Life customer magazine.

How will new contracts be awarded? Who decides who the new partners are?

We’ll award new contracts following a formal tender process that considers both quality and price. The evaluation of ‘bids’ and the selection of new partners will be carried out by the project team, which includes Orbit colleagues and external experts, with support from customer representatives.

How will you make sure the new partners will provide a good service?

We’ll ensure the new partners provide a high standard of service through several measures, including:

• Robust selection criteria: The tender process will assess both quality and price, ensuring only partners with a proven track record of delivering high-quality services are chosen.
• Detailed specifications: Contracts will include clearly defined specifications, outlining precise expectations for service delivery standards.
• Effective commercial models: We’ll be using innovative and fair commercial models to incentivise performance and ensure value for money.
• Performance Monitoring: Key performance indicators (KPIs) and service level agreements (SLAs) will be included in contracts so we can regularly monitor and measure the standard of services you receive.
• Collaborative engagement: Regular meetings between us and our partners will be put in place so there is open communication and we can address any issues proactively.
• Continuous improvement: Feedback mechanisms will be put in place to encourage ongoing improvement and innovation from the partners.
• Termination clauses: Contracts will include provisions to address poor performance, including the possibility of the contract being terminated if agreed standards are not met.