Awarded contract

003490 - Annual licence for Link Maker

Details

Buyer: Durham County Council
Supplier(s): Link Maker Systems Limited
Value: £29,721.68
Duration: 10 months
Topic: Industry specific software package
Published: 3 June 2026
Source: uk:find_a_tender

Tender description

Link Maker is a national database that allows adoption agencies to match children with approved prospective adopters across England. This is the only system available and used by all 34 Regional Adoption Agencies and the Voluntary Adoption Agencies. In addition is is utilised for linking and matching across the 2 spokes of Adopt Coast to Coast. It is essential to practice. The invoice will be paid by Durham and through a Purchase Order one-third of the cost will be reimbursed by Together for Children. ## Contract award

Timeline

Completed: Award published3 June 2026
Current notice
Completed: Award date3 June 2026
Next: Contract expiry date31 March 2027in 6 months

About the buyer

Durham County Council delivers local government services across County Durham, and buys as a local authority with its own corporate procurement team. Tenders and quotations are handled through the NEPO OPEN Portal, the council's online etendering system. Larger opportunities also appear on the government's Find a Tender Service under the Procurement Act 2023. Durham is one of twelve north-east councils sourcing goods and services through the North East Procurement Organisation. Specialist professional services can be sourced through the Bloom NEPRO framework across nineteen categories. The council also procures on behalf of additional public bodies beyond Durham itself.

UK local government drives £140bn in annual procurement, led by social protection (£66.6bn) and education (£57.1bn).

Over the past 5 years, most of Durham County Council's contract awards have been in health and social work, construction work and transport equipment.

Relevant CPV codes

48100000 · Industry specific software package

Decision makers

Connect with the people behind this procurement.

Job title	Phone number	Work email
Head of Procurement	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@durham-county-council.gov
Commercial Director	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@durham-county-council.gov
Procurement Manager	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@durham-county-council.gov
Category Lead	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@durham-county-council.gov
Senior Buyer	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@durham-county-council.gov
Contracts Manager	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@durham-county-council.gov