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Building Equal Access to Chess in Schools - Contract Details

Department for Education

This public procurement record has 6 releases in its history.

Award

11 Aug 2026 at 13:50

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

08 Jul 2026 at 10:46

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

22 May 2026 at 12:31

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
TenderUpdate

23 Mar 2026 at 11:40

UK4 - Tender Notice
Tender

23 Mar 2026 at 10:02

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

09 Dec 2025 at 16:16

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Education procured a national education and training service to increase access to chess in state-funded primary and secondary schools across England. The appointed provider is expected to deliver an end-to-end programme covering chess equipment, teaching resources, structured chess sessions, school chess clubs and training for teaching and non-teaching staff. It also includes support for schools to continue chess provision after their active programme year. Delivery is intended to reach approximately 350 to 450 schools across all nine English regions, with emphasis on areas of higher disadvantage and pupils eligible for Free School Meals, pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, and girls. The work includes direct engagement with schools and coordination with relevant partners.

The procurement is complete following an open procedure. It comprised one lot, evaluated on quality weighted at 80% and price at 20%, and was suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises. One bid was received. Chess in Schools and Communities was awarded the contract on 22 May 2026. The recorded contract value is £750,000 excluding VAT and £900,000 including VAT. The contract was signed on 4 June 2026 and runs from 4 June 2026 to 10 June 2029, with one possible extension of up to 12 months to 10 June 2030. The contract is active and includes delivery measures covering school recruitment, inclusion, regular chess, competitions, resources, staff training and sustainability.

This requirement demonstrates demand for a national, multi-year school enrichment service rather than isolated classroom delivery. A credible future competitor would need to recruit and support hundreds of primary and secondary schools across England, while maintaining coverage across all nine regions. Relevant capability includes supplying and tailoring chess equipment and learning resources, delivering regular term-time sessions and competitive play, establishing school clubs, and training school staff so provision can continue independently. Experience of inclusive education delivery is important, including engagement with disadvantaged communities, pupils eligible for Free School Meals, pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, girls, Alternative Provision settings and special schools. Providers should also be able to track participation, implement inclusion plans and adaptations, coordinate partners, and report against measurable access, quality and sustainability outcomes.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Building Equal Access to Chess in Schools - Contract Details

Notice Description

Market Notice: This contract covers the delivery of a national programme to increase access to chess in state-funded schools across England, with a focus on expanding participation among pupils who may otherwise have limited access to structured enrichment activity. The supplier will deliver an end-to-end package of support to schools, including the provision of chess equipment, teaching resources, and training for school staff to enable sustainable, school-led delivery. This will include the rollout of structured chess sessions, support for establishing and maintaining chess clubs, and the development of resources to ensure continuation beyond the life of the contract. The programme will operate across approximately 350 to 450 eligible primary and secondary schools and is intended to reach a significant number of pupils nationally. Delivery will target areas of higher disadvantage and prioritise engagement with pupils eligible for Free School Meals (FSM), pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and girls. The supplier will engage directly with schools and coordinate with relevant partners to support effective delivery. The contract will run for an initial period of three (3) years, with an option to extend for a further one (1) year. It is intended to support educational enrichment, improve pupil engagement, and contribute to outcomes such as enhanced problem-solving skills, concentration, and confidence.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: 1 extension of a maximum of 12 months

Planning Information

The Department is hosting an engagement event on Friday 19 December 2025 starting at 11am and ending 12 nooon. The event will be hosted virtually on MS Teams. Interested organisations must register for an account on Jaggaer before expressing an interest in this opportunity. Access and further information are available via the Departments e-Tendering portal - Jaggaer https://education.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html. Once registered on Jaggaer please view the “current opportunities” page at Jaggaer https://education.app.jaggaer.com and search for: Project_10185 or SSQ_659 Once you have located Project_10185 of SSQ_659 please confirm your interest in the Jaggaer system. The next step is to reserve a place using the message facility in Jaggaer. Please state Your interest in joining the event - Your organisation name - Names of attendee(s) -Email address of attendees - Role(s) in your organisation We will send a Teams calendar invite with the joining instructions via Jaggaer. Please share the invite with your nominated attendees.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05f218
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/076233-2026
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
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80000000 - Education and training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£750,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
£750,000 £500K-£1M
Awards Value
£750,000 £500K-£1M
Contracts Value
£750,000 £500K-£1M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
11 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
20 Apr 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
19 Dec 2025Expired
Award Date
22 May 20263 months ago
Contract Period
22 Jun 2026 - 17 Jun 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

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

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Chess in Schools and Communities

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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