Funeral Services

The University of Nottingham is seeking an experienced and qualified supplier to provide funeral services supporting the School of Life Sciences within its Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.

The School uses donated human bodies in the teaching of anatomy to undergraduate and postgraduate students across a number of medical-related specialties, including trainee doctors and surgeons.

The commissioned funeral service will support the University in ensuring donor remains are handled and transported in a dignified, respectful and reverential manner throughout the process.

The contract has an estimated value of £250,000 excluding VAT and is expected to run for an initial three years, with the possibility of two further one-year extensions.

Service Requirements

The appointed supplier will be required to collect donor bodies and deliver them to the Medical School at the Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC).

Services will also include:

• Provision of suitably prepared coffins
• Transportation from QMC to a place of rest
• Management of associated arrangements
• Respecting the wishes of deceased donors and their families
• Working with the University to maintain high standards of care when handling donor remains

The University considers access to bequeathed bodies a privilege and requires the treatment of donors to reflect this throughout service delivery.

Contract Information

Buyer: UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM (THE)

Deadline: 21 September 2026, 12:00pm

Enquiry Deadline: 9 September 2026, 5:00pm

Contract Value: £250,000 excluding VAT (£300,000 including VAT)

Delivery Length: 5 January 2027 to 4 January 2030, with possible extensions for a further 1+1 years. The information provided gives a possible extension date to 5 January 2032.

Reference: 2752 ITTO ES

Negotiation Number: N0000203

Tender Link: University of Nottingham UniCore supplier portal

Suppliers should access the University’s supplier portal and search the active negotiations for Negotiation Number N0000203.

Evaluation Criteria

Tender submissions will be evaluated on:

• Quality: 60%
• Price: 40%

The stated procedure type is Open procedure.

The estimated award decision date is 30 October 2026.

Procurement Information

The University states that it is not a contracting authority for the purposes of the Procurement Act 2023, as amended, and that its procurement activities are not subject to the Act.

It also states that advertising contracts through Find a Tender or Contracts Finder is undertaken voluntarily and that it reserves the right to adapt or step outside procurement legislation procedures where it considers this necessary.

Significance for the Sector

This opportunity is relevant to funeral service providers with the experience and capability to handle donor remains with the standards of dignity, respect and care required within a medical education environment.

The successful supplier will support the University’s anatomy teaching programme while helping ensure that donors and their families are treated with appropriate care throughout the arrangements.

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