This public procurement record has 6 releases in its history.

AwardUpdate

06 Aug 2026 at 09:21

Award

22 Jul 2026 at 10:13

Award

18 May 2026 at 15:30

Tender

30 Jan 2026 at 14:19

Planning

14 Jan 2026 at 10:36

Planning

23 May 2025 at 14:50

Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Education commissioned a national technical and vocational subject-teaching professional development and organisational support programme for providers delivering technical and vocational qualifications, including T Levels, V Levels and Level 2 Pathways. The service covers evidence-based subject-specific and teaching-method training, industry-led upskilling, regional collaboration networks, and support for leaders and provider staff. Delivery combines recorded materials, live online sessions and in-person activity, with substantial development of new content as qualifications change. The programme must support further education workforce reform and help providers plan, implement and expand their technical and vocational offer. The work is delivered across England, covering the North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, South East and South West.

This procurement is complete and was awarded through an open procedure. The Association of Colleges was selected on 15 May 2026, and the contract was signed on 4 June 2026. The contract runs from 1 June 2026 to 31 August 2029, with an optional one-year extension to 31 August 2030. Its awarded value is £23,081,837 gross. There was one lot, assessed using quality at 75% and price at 25%; social value formed 10% of the quality assessment. Six valid bids were received, including three from SMEs. The tender was above threshold and uses the standard Mid Tier Contract. The procurement covered personal development training services (CPV 80570000).

This requirement indicates demand for providers able to design and deliver large-scale professional development for further education technical and vocational teaching. Strong competitors would combine subject expertise with evidence-based teaching practice, current industry knowledge and the ability to create training for changing qualification specifications. They would need to deliver through a blended national model of recorded content, live online learning and in-person activity, while running regional collaboration networks and supporting organisational leaders as well as teachers. Credibility would also depend on understanding T Levels, V Levels, Level 2 Pathways and wider post-16 qualification reform. The evaluation shows that quality, including measurable learning and skills-development social value, carried more weight than price.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

Technical & Vocational Subject Teaching Professional Development

Notice Description

The Department for Education (DfE) have procured a supplier to design and deliver a national Technical and Vocational subject teaching Professional Development (PD) and organisational support programme to support providers delivering technical and vocational qualifications, including T Levels, V Levels and Level 2 Pathways. The contract will begin on 1 June 2026 with delivery commencing from 1 September 2026. The contract will run for three years until 31 August 2029, with an option to extend for a further one year to 31 August 2030. The programme will provide evidence based subject specific and pedagogical training for teachers, industry led upskilling sessions to ensure teaching reflects current industry practice, and regional collaboration networks to support peer learning and sustainable processes. In addition, the supplier will deliver organisational support for leaders and other provider staff to help providers plan, implement, and scale their technical and vocational offer in line with qualification reform and wider 16-19 pathways. The contract will involve a blend of pre recorded materials, live online sessions and in person activity. Significant new content development is expected as specifications for new qualifications become available. Delivery must align with wider FE workforce reforms, including evidence led PD principles. The procurement included social value as part of the evaluation criteria weighted at 10% and will cover MAC2a: Learning and skills development opportunities relevant to the contract to address skills gaps, in relation to PPN002 "Taking account of social value in the award of central government contracts".

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-052361
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/074477-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services


CPV Codes

80000000 - Education and training services

80530000 - Vocational training services

80570000 - Personal development training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£19,416,666 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£19,416,666 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
£19,234,864 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
£23,081,837 £10M-£100M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
6 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
4 Mar 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
26 Jan 2026Expired
Award Date
15 May 20263 months ago
Contract Period
4 Jun 2026 - 31 Aug 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

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
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)

Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Association of Colleges

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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