Award

The Accreditation of Military Engineer Geographic (ME Geo) Soldier Training

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

12 Aug 2025 at 14:43

Summary of the contracting process

The Ministry of Defence, headquartered in London, has concluded a procurement process focused on accrediting Military Engineer Geographic (ME Geo) soldier training. The contract, titled "The Accreditation of Military Engineer Geographic (ME Geo) Soldier Training," was awarded to Sheffield Hallam University. This contract falls under the 'special education services' industry category and has been executed as a limited procurement method due to specific technical requirements that necessitate continuity with the current provider. The procurement process has reached the award stage, with an active contract value of £289,260. The contract period is set from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2027, with a potential one-year extension, indicating a possibility of extending the contract until June 2028.

This tender showcases a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in educational accreditation, particularly those with expertise in military-related curricula. As the project ensures the provision of a Bachelor of Science degree for ME Geo soldiers, institutions offering advanced training and accredited programmes that align with military operational demands could find growth opportunities within such a niche market. The completion of this contract not only strengthens military educational frameworks but also offers business opportunities for providers capable of fulfilling stringent academic and industry standards. Such businesses will benefit from aligning their offerings to meet the certification and accreditation needs of governmental defence education sectors.

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Notice Title

The Accreditation of Military Engineer Geographic (ME Geo) Soldier Training

Notice Description

Military Engineer Geographic (ME Geo) soldiers currently complete two courses at the Defence School of Geospatial Intelligence (DSGI), which are accredited as a Bachelor of Science Degree (BSc) under contract with a UK University. The accreditation process must align with established standards, including curriculum quality, faculty qualifications, student outcomes, and institutional resources. The contract duration is from 01 July 2025 to 30 June 2027 with an option for an additional one-year option, which could extend the total duration 30 June 2028.

Lot Information

Lot 1

The accreditation supports the Ministry of Defence strategic goal of ensuring a highly skilled workforce capable of meeting operational demands now and in the future. The accreditation also enables the DSGI to maintain quality training, professional development, and career opportunities for ME Geo soldiers, offering them valuable civilian-recognised qualifications. The contract with a UK University ensures these programs meet academic and industry standards, enhancing both the military profession and soldiers' career prospects.

Procurement Information

It is considered that single source procurement of a contract for the provision of an 11 month Military Engineer (ME Geo) Class 2 course with Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) can be undertaken for technical reasons in accordance with 32(2)(b)(ii) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 due to the absence of competition is absent for technical reasons. These technical reasons are based on specific interoperability requirements under the accreditation process, which must be fulfilled by SHU to ensure the continued operation of the services being provided. The contract will be for a length of 24 months at a value of PS203,551.14. In the case of the university level degree accreditation contract, it is not feasible to transition to a new provider for student cohorts who are already part way through their studies. The process for accreditation means that the students must remain with the original accreditor, as set out below. Soldiers must attend an 11-month Military Engineer Geographic (ME Geo) Class 2 course, successful completion of which results in soldiers being awarded 120 credits at Level 4 and 5, as they are considered qualified at that point to be assigned into their first military role. Following completion of their first military role in an operational unit, the soldiers subsequently return to complete an 11 month ME Geo Class 1 course, which must be undertaken with the original educational accreditor, gaining the requisite additional 100 credits at Level 5 and 6 to enable award of the Batchelor of Science (BSc). Both Class 1 and Class 2 courses were developed by the Authority in consultation with SHU. As a result of this, accreditation cannot be transferred between accrediting bodies. Moving to a new provider would require the full re-validation process for all student courses which have already been accredited by SHU and the existing student courses must therefore be completed and accredited by SHU. The Authority is currently developing a revised course structure in order to conduct a competitive procurement of the Military Engineer (ME Geo) course in the future. It is currently anticipated that this will be launched by 30/06/2027.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-058667
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/048129-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services


CPV Codes

80340000 - Special education services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£289,260 £100K-£500K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
12 Aug 20256 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
11 Aug 20256 months ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
ukstratcom-comrcl-di@mod.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1A 2HB
Post Town
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
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire

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

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

SHEFFIELD HALLAM UNIVERSITY

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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