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Best Start in Life Match Fund

Department for Education

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Tender

01 Jul 2026 at 09:39

UK4 - Tender Notice
PlanningUpdate

18 Nov 2025 at 15:43

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

18 Nov 2025 at 15:35

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Education has initiated a tender process for procuring a Supplier to deliver the "Best Start in Life Match Fund" programme. This active procurement is under the category of services and utilises an open procedure. The programme supports early childhood development through system transformation and capacity building across Local Authorities, with a focus on establishing and sustaining Collective Impact partnerships. The tender submission deadline is 31st July 2026, with an initial contract period from 12th October 2026 to 11th October 2029, and possible extensions for up to two additional years. The procurement addresses various regions across the United Kingdom, including London, and involves sectors such as banking, investment services, and community programmes.

This tender presents significant growth opportunities for businesses capable of managing complex partnership and funding mechanisms. Companies with expertise in banking and investment services, financial management consultancy, community action programmes, and evaluation consultancy services are well-positioned to participate. The initiative emphasises building operational infrastructure and integrating services to improve outcomes for families, making it particularly suitable for SMEs and VCSEs specialising in collaboration with Local Authorities and philanthropic organisations. The contract offers substantial socio-economic benefits by fostering innovation and reducing inequalities within early years systems.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Best Start in Life Match Fund

Notice Description

Overview / requirement The Department for Education is procuring a Supplier to act as the Delivery Partner for the Best Start in Life Match Fund programme. The programme forms part of the Government's commitment to ensuring every child has the Best Start in Life by transforming early years systems and supports Local Authorities to achieve the ambitions for early child development including through the Best Start Family Hubs programme through match-funded investment, capacity building, and learning and evaluation. The Best Start in Life Match Fund programme enables Local Authorities to establish and sustain Collective Impact partnerships with Backbone Organisations or functions. These partnerships strengthen local delivery by providing dedicated coordination, aligning partners across the system, and building the operational infrastructure required for effective collaboration. This approach is designed to help integrate services into a coherent system, and improve outcomes, reduce inequalities, and enhance the experience of families. A single Supplier (the Lead Supplier if acting on behalf of a Consortium) will be appointed on the basis of an initial Contract Period of three years, with the option for the Department to extend the Contract by up to two additional years on a one plus one basis. In its capacity as Fund Manager, the Delivery Partner will administer the matched funds passed through to the Backbone Organisations, manage relationships with Local Authorities and philanthropic Funders, and ensure robust governance, financial control and reporting. The Delivery Partner will also be responsible for ensuring that Knowledge Mobilisation Management and Evaluation Partner functions are delivered, either through its own delivery model or via Consortium partners or Subcontractors.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: Potential Suppliers shall tender on the basis that they are able to perform these Services during the Contract Period running from September 2026 - September 2029. The Department has built in two optional extension periods for up to two years. The department will take a decision to extend within six months of the end of the initial term regarding exercising its right to seek an extension.

Planning Information

How to engage The Department for Education will hold two webinars via Microsoft Teams on Monday 15th and Thursday 18th December 2025. These will run for approximately 1 hour. A questionnaire will be issued following the Fund Managers webinar, via Microsoft Forms and will be sent out via Jaggaer (the Department’s e-sourcing system). Please note: The webinar on the 15th December at 11am will be for Funders only and the webinar on the 18th December at 2pm will be for potential Fund Managers/Delivery Partners. There are several ways to participate in this opportunity and register your organisation’s interest in attending the webinar: - 1. If you are already registered on Jaggaer, please link through to project_10075 or ssq_650 2. Please use Jaggaer's messaging portal to confirm which webinar you would like to attend (either the Fund Manager/Delivery Partner or Funders only webinar) along with full names, job titles and email addresses via Jaggaer for those who wish to attend 3. We aim to ensure all relevant organisations have the opportunity to participate and have contacted organisations we are currently aware of who are not registered on Jaggaer. If your organisation has not received an invitation, please email COMMERCIAL.ALTERNATIVEFINANCING@education.gov.uk, stating: - Your interest in the PME Notice for Best Start Family Hubs Match Fund partner - Your organisation name - Names of attendee(s) - Role(s) in your organisation - Which webinar represenatives in your organisaion would prefer to attend . We will send a Teams calendar invite directly to you with the joining instructions. 4. If you are not registered on Jaggaer and would like to set up an account for this engagement session, please view the “current opportunities” page at Jaggaer https://education.app.jaggaer.com and search for: project_10075 or ssq_650. This is not necessary for this engagement but please note that all future communications with DfE in respect of additional market engagement will be held via Jaggaer. Once you have located project_10075 / ssq_650, please confirm your interest by selecting “Intend to Respond” and “Submit” to receive full access to the opportunity. All relevant documentation will be made available in the Data Room. All organisations who have expressed an interest in this opportunity, including those who are unable to attend the webinar, will have access to relevant information and any supporting notes which will be made available via the Data Room within project_10075 /ssq_650 at https://education.app.jaggaer.com/. This will include any questions or clarifications sent via the mailbox referenced above, that would benefit all interested in the event. The deadline to sign up for either webinar is Friday 12 December 2025. Finally, a Funders Round Table event will be held on Tuesday 13th January 2026 at 9.30am -11.30am. Further details of this event and how to attend will be shared during the webinar.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05e38d
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/061537-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

66 - Financial and insurance services

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

85 - Health and social work services

98 - Other community, social and personal services

CPV Codes

66100000 - Banking and investment services

66120000 - Investment banking services and related services

79412000 - Financial management consultancy services

79419000 - Evaluation consultancy services

85311300 - Welfare services for children and young people

85322000 - Community action programme

98000000 - Other community, social and personal services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£2,625,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£2,625,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
1 Jul 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
31 Jul 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
12 Dec 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
12 Oct 2026 - 11 Oct 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
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
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Further Information

Notice Documents

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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