Brighton and Hove City Council has awarded a £319m contract to Evans Care Limited for care home provision within the city, with placements made on a spot purchase basis as individual needs arise.

The council sought bidders for in-city care home beds through a qualifying criteria process; those who passed were awarded contracts. The authority explicitly guarantees no set volume of placements and reserves the right to source comparable provision through other routes, including reopening the tender at a later date.

Placement decisions will be made through a brokerage process where the council and supplier agree individual outcomes and costs case by case. The council notes that the £319m figure is an estimate based on referral projections and will vary in practice throughout the contract life.

Out-of-city care homes remain contracted via an alternative procurement route. Suppliers on similar frameworks should watch for future call-offs or tender reopenings as the council's placement demand evolves.