Earlier this year Cumberland Council undertook a procurement process for two separate contracts within the Cumbria Substance Use Service on behalf of both Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council. These contracts comprised the Engagement and Recovery Support Service (ERS) and the Treatment Service. The ERS Service contract has been awarded to The Well Communities. The councils are now returning to the market to procure the Treatment Service and would like to invite providers interested in bidding for this service to attend a virtual Supplier Engagement Session. The session will provide an opportunity to hear about the service model, procurement process and indicative timelines, and to ask any questions ahead of the procurement commencing. The virtual Supplier Engagement Session is scheduled for: Date: Thursday 20th August 2026 Location: Microsoft Teams Time: 10:00 - 10:45 Please refer to the attached Provider Information Pack for further details about the contract opportunity. You are encouraged to review this information and use it to help shape any questions you may wish to raise. If you have received this notice directly from the Council, your organisation is welcome to attend using the embedded Teams link. If you received this notice via the Chest or other communication, please contact john.salisbury@cumbria.gov.uk to request access. Questions are encouraged in advance and may be submitted to the same email address by 5.00pm on Monday 17 August. All questions received by this deadline will be addressed during the session. Any questions raised during the session itself will be responded to as part of the tender pack. Please note: The session will be recorded. A link to the recording will be included in the tender documents to ensure transparency and equal access to information for all interested parties. The Engagement Session will not include a full presentation of the Provider Information Pack, participants are encouraged to review it in advance. We look forward to your participation and engagement in shaping the future of Substance Use Services across Cumbria.