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project_9776 - SEN Longitudinal Study

Department for Education

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

AwardUpdate

24 Sep 2026 at 11:19

Award Notice
Award

23 Sep 2026 at 15:30

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Education commissioned a longitudinal research study of children and young people with special educational needs. The work follows three pupil cohorts through key educational stages: early years and Key Stage 1, the transition from primary to secondary school, and the transition after age 16. This is a research and development service, including related consultancy, intended to build evidence on the experiences and outcomes of learners with special educational needs. The study has broad geographical coverage, including the United Kingdom and other locations internationally. The buyer is based in London; delivery is not confined to a single named locality.

The procurement is complete and the contract has been awarded to the National Centre for Social Research. The award was made on 9 September 2026, for £14,499,024. The contract runs from 9 September 2026 to 31 March 2030. The procurement used a selective route as a call-off from a framework agreement. The submission deadline was 29 April 2026. The requirement was treated as a single service procurement, covering the three cohorts and educational transitions in the study. The opportunity was identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community and social enterprises. The award records an active contract and names the National Centre for Social Research as the selected supplier.

For future work of this kind, credible competitors will need to design and deliver a longitudinal cohort study involving children and young people with special educational needs across multiple stages of education. The requirement points to capability in research design, sustained participant follow-up and analysis across early years, primary-to-secondary transition and post-16 transition. Suppliers would also need the capacity to manage a broad study spanning the UK and other locations, and to provide research and related consultancy at substantial scale. The Department for Education’s use of a framework call-off shows that experience of competing for and delivering work through frameworks is relevant. The award to the National Centre for Social Research demonstrates that a specialist research organisation was selected for this study. SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises were considered suitable to participate.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

project_9776 - SEN Longitudinal Study

Notice Description

To provide a new longitudinal cohort study focusing on children and young people with special educational needs (SEN). The study will follow three cohorts of pupils with SEN across different educational stages - early years/KS1, primary to secondary transition, and post-16 transition.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-5abdfe56-1d26-48c5-a94b-208496ac2419
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/1e7977a0-3af0-4a29-97c4-ff1eb229be6e
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Call-off from a framework agreement
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£14,499,024 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£14,499,024 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
24 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
9 Sep 20264 weeks ago
Contract Period
9 Sep 2026 - 31 Mar 2030 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Department for Education
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON,
Postcode
SW1P 3BT
Postcode Area
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

National Centre for Social Research

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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