Tender

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

05 Jan 2026 at 16:41

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Cambridge City Council is initiating an open procurement process with the tender titled "English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)." The procurement falls under the education and training services industry category and is located in Cambridge, UK. The contract is currently at the tender stage, with key deadlines including an enquiry period ending on 26 January 2026 and a submission deadline on 2 February 2026. The aim of this procurement is to provide ESOL classes as part of a local initiative to support refugees and asylum seekers under various government schemes. The contract is valued at £40,000, with a gross amount of £48,000, and offers potential renewal for continued services.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in ESOL education, particularly those with experience working with refugees and displaced persons. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) are recognised as suitable candidates to compete. An accredited ESOL provider with a pool of qualified teachers would greatly benefit, as there is a need for flexibility in delivering tailored services that are sensitive to different cultures and capable of adapting to changing needs influenced by global events. The successful supplier will be expected to deliver impactful services that bridge language gaps and facilitate integration into UK society, enabling clients to pursue educational and employment opportunities efficiently.

Find more tenders on our Open Data Platform.
How relevant is this notice?

D3 Tenders Premium

Win More Public Sector Contracts

AI-powered tender discovery, pipeline management, and market intelligence — everything you need to grow your public sector business.

Start Free Trial Book a Demo
All Features Pricing

Notice Information

Notice Title

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

Notice Description

Cambridge is a proud city of sanctuary and as the local Council we want to ensure that all residents have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations. We know that many refugees are likely to have had their education or employment disrupted due to displacement caused by war and/or persecution. Refugees may face additional challenges to restarting education or employment due to having a low-level English and a lack of available English classes. This can lead to refugees relying on low-skilled or temporary employment. This contract aims to reduce this disadvantage by providing quick access to English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes. The successful supplier will: * Be an experienced and accredited ESOL provider with a pool of qualified teachers * Recognise the intrinsic link between English skills and being able to navigate life in the UK, such as finding employment * Provide all clients with access to an ESOL classes within 1-month of arriving in Cambridge for a minimum of 8-hours per week, including an initial assessment to gage individual ESOL levels across reading, writing, speaking and listening. * Enrol clients for ESOL exams when ready The service will be primarily aimed at those who have travelled on the following Government schemes: o Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP) o UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) o Homes for Ukraine (HfU) and Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) Regional and local authority data on some of these groups can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-regional-and-local-authority-data However, needs may change overtime and therefore it is important that the supplier is able to work with any refugee or asylum-seeking group. The supplier will recognise that world events can quickly influence what is required and who may need to access a service. The service must be flexible to needs and demonstrate a sound understanding of different customs and cultures and delivering a service to people who have experienced trauma.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05ffa1
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/000457-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

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

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80000000 - Education and training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£40,000 Under £100K
Lots Value
£40,000 Under £100K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
5 Jan 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
2 Feb 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 Mar 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 6-12 months
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
CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
procurement@cambridge.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
CAMBRIDGE
Postcode
CB2 1BY
Post Town
Cambridge
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH4 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH42 Cambridgeshire CC
Delivery Location
TLH12 Cambridgeshire CC
Local Authority
Cambridge
Electoral Ward
Market
Westminster Constituency
Cambridge

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

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. 

{
    "tag": [
        "compiled"
    ],
    "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-05ffa1-2026-01-05T16:41:12Z",
    "date": "2026-01-05T16:41:12Z",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-05ffa1",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PCBT-6819-NDPJ",
            "name": "Cambridge City Council",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PCBT-6819-NDPJ"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "The Guildhall",
                "locality": "Cambridge",
                "postalCode": "CB2 1BY",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKH12"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "email": "procurement@cambridge.gov.uk"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-PPON-PCBT-6819-NDPJ",
        "name": "Cambridge City Council"
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "DN801546",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "2023/54",
            "scheme": "UKPGA",
            "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
        },
        "title": "English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)",
        "description": "Cambridge is a proud city of sanctuary and as the local Council we want to ensure that all residents have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations. We know that many refugees are likely to have had their education or employment disrupted due to displacement caused by war and/or persecution. Refugees may face additional challenges to restarting education or employment due to having a low-level English and a lack of available English classes. This can lead to refugees relying on low-skilled or temporary employment. This contract aims to reduce this disadvantage by providing quick access to English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes. The successful supplier will: * Be an experienced and accredited ESOL provider with a pool of qualified teachers * Recognise the intrinsic link between English skills and being able to navigate life in the UK, such as finding employment * Provide all clients with access to an ESOL classes within 1-month of arriving in Cambridge for a minimum of 8-hours per week, including an initial assessment to gage individual ESOL levels across reading, writing, speaking and listening. * Enrol clients for ESOL exams when ready The service will be primarily aimed at those who have travelled on the following Government schemes: o Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP) o UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) o Homes for Ukraine (HfU) and Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) Regional and local authority data on some of these groups can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/immigration-system-statistics-regional-and-local-authority-data However, needs may change overtime and therefore it is important that the supplier is able to work with any refugee or asylum-seeking group. The supplier will recognise that world events can quickly influence what is required and who may need to access a service. The service must be flexible to needs and demonstrate a sound understanding of different customs and cultures and delivering a service to people who have experienced trauma.",
        "status": "active",
        "items": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "additionalClassifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "80000000",
                        "description": "Education and training services"
                    }
                ],
                "deliveryAddresses": [
                    {
                        "region": "UKH12",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    }
                ],
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ],
        "value": {
            "amountGross": 48000,
            "amount": 40000,
            "currency": "GBP"
        },
        "procurementMethod": "open",
        "procurementMethodDetails": "Below threshold - open competition",
        "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
        "aboveThreshold": false,
        "submissionMethodDetails": "https://procontract.due-north.com/Procurer/Advert/View?advertId=eddd5cbf-3bdf-f011-813c-005056b64545&fromAdvertEvent=True",
        "submissionTerms": {
            "electronicSubmissionPolicy": "allowed"
        },
        "tenderPeriod": {
            "endDate": "2026-02-02T12:00:00Z"
        },
        "enquiryPeriod": {
            "endDate": "2026-01-26T12:00:00Z"
        },
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "status": "active",
                "value": {
                    "amountGross": 48000,
                    "amount": 40000,
                    "currency": "GBP"
                },
                "suitability": {
                    "sme": true,
                    "vcse": true
                },
                "contractPeriod": {
                    "startDate": "2026-04-01T00:00:00+01:00",
                    "endDate": "2027-03-31T23:59:59+01:00",
                    "maxExtentDate": "2029-03-31T23:59:59+01:00"
                },
                "hasRenewal": true,
                "renewal": {
                    "description": "continuation of services"
                },
                "awardCriteria": {
                    "description": "Quality and Price"
                }
            }
        ],
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "L-1",
                "documentType": "biddingDocuments",
                "url": "https://procontract.due-north.com/RFx/RFxSummary?rfxId=9a1f6028-3cdf-f011-813c-005056b64545"
            },
            {
                "id": "000457-2026",
                "documentType": "tenderNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK4",
                "description": "Tender notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/000457-2026",
                "datePublished": "2026-01-05T16:41:12Z",
                "format": "text/html"
            }
        ]
    },
    "language": "en"
}