Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) For A Framework For Fitness Companies And/or Pool Based Fitness Companies To Deliver Exercise Classes And Other Sessions In Leisure Facilities And Community Settings Within County Durham
Framework Description
This is Durham County Council's preliminary market engagement for a framework of fitness companies and pool-based fitness companies to deliver exercise classes and other sessions in leisure facilities and community settings across County Durham. The council wants to replace informal arrangements with a formal, quality-assured framework. The engagement notice is on Find a Tender (049290-2025).
Context & Use Case
Durham's leisure service runs exercise classes in its leisure centres and in community venues, and wants consistent standards across them. Engagement allows providers to influence the framework's design before the formal tender. The planned framework is described as suitable for SMEs and larger operators offering flexible delivery models. That means small studios and independent instructors could compete alongside national operators.
Scope of Services
Exercise classes in council leisure facilities Pool-based fitness sessions Sessions in community settings across County Durham Qualified instructors and safe class delivery
Lots
See framework link
Who Can Apply
Suits fitness instructors' businesses, class providers, aquatic fitness specialists and larger operators. The framework is Coming soon and cannot be joined yet. Providers should engage now and prepare to bid when the tender is published.
Buyer Benefits
A formal framework gives the council consistent quality, clear contracts and accountability across many venues and providers. It also lets the council widen its timetable without managing many informal arrangements. Buyers will value qualified instructors, safeguarding and flexible session coverage.
Next Steps
Read Find a Tender notice 049290-2025 and contact the council through the route given there if engagement is still open. Watch Find a Tender and Durham's 'Do business with us' page for the formal tender. Prepare instructor qualifications, insurance, safeguarding policies and examples of classes you run across venues.
How Athena Can Help
Many fitness providers have never bid for council work, so preparing early pays. Athena's support for first-time bidders gives a clear view of whether and how to bid for Durham's framework, including the policies and insurance you will need. When the tender is published, our bid managers at Athena would write your response around instructor quality, safeguarding and session coverage, then compliance-check it. Our framework registration team would add it to a pipeline of similar leisure frameworks across other councils.
