Planning

AT1468 Alternative Education Provision - Primary, Secondary, 16+

LUTON COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

27 Jan 2026 at 16:19

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Luton Council, a sub-central government public authority, is currently in the planning stage of a procurement process to secure alternative education providers under the tender titled "AT1468 Alternative Education Provision - Primary, Secondary, 16+." This initiative, categorised under education and training services, aims to support learners needing alternative provisions due to various circumstances, including exclusion or medical conditions. The tender will be divided into distinct lots targeting various educational needs, and potential suppliers are invited to attend "Meet the Buyer" sessions. Scheduled events include a face-to-face session on 10th February 2026 in Luton and an online session on 13th February 2026. Interested parties must register with Caroline Sturman at Luton Council to participate. The expected contract period will run from 1st September 2026 to 31st August 2034.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in educational services, particularly those offering face-to-face and online tuition or capable of catering to complex educational needs like SEND and severe learning disabilities. The procurement process involves framework agreements, making it ideal for SMEs and VCSE organisations, given its light touch regime and above-threshold status. The total contract value, comprising a potential gross amount of £13.2 million, marks this as a major opportunity for educational service providers looking to expand their reach within the UKH21 region. Providers focusing on vocational, therapeutic, and core subject education, or capable of supporting pupils in hospital settings, may find this tender especially well-suited to their operations.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

AT1468 Alternative Education Provision - Primary, Secondary, 16+

Notice Description

Luton Council is looking to procure approved alternative education providers to meet the needs of learners who require educational provision to compliment, extend or replace their existing curriculum provision. Alternative provision may be in place for students who are at the point of permanent exclusion, have been excluded from school or unable to access educational provision in a school or further education provision on medical grounds, or due to mental health and anxiety conditions or complex learning disabilities. Providers must be able to provide either face-to-face provision or online tutorial. The tender will be divided into Lots to meet various needs across the primary, secondary and 16+ age years to cover vocational, therapeutic, core GCSE subjects, one-to-one in person, online one-to-one and group learning and complex SEND, severe learning disabilities. The tender will also include a Lot for provision of face-to-face tuition to pupils of compulsory school age who are in-patients on the paediatric ward at the Luton and Dunstable hospital. We will be hosting two Meet the Buyer sessions, one in person for the face-to-face provision and another online which will be for the online tuition providers. The in person event will take place at 2pm on the 10 February 2026 at the Luton Central Library, St George's Square, Luton LU1 2NG, the online event will take on Friday 13 February 2026 @ 2pm - you must register to attend either event by emailing Caroline.sturman@luton.gov.uk. You will not be admitted to the Library if you haven't registered and you will be sent the meeting invite for the online event upon registration.

Planning Information

We will be hosting two Meet the Buyer sessions, one in person for the face-to-face provision and another online which will be for the online tuition providers. The in person event will take place at 2pm on the 10 February 2026 at the Luton Central Library, St George's Square, Luton LU1 2NG, the online event will take on Friday 13 February 2026 @ 2pm - you must register to attend either event by emailing Caroline.sturman@luton.gov.uk. You will not be admitted to the Library if you haven't registered and you will be sent the meeting invite for the online event upon registration

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-061011
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007265-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
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
£11,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
27 Jan 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
23 Feb 20262 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 Aug 2026 - 31 Aug 2034 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
LUTON COUNCIL
Contact Name
Caroline Sturman
Contact Email
caroline.sturman@luton.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
LUTON
Postcode
LU1 2BQ
Post Town
Luton
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH2 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH21 Luton
Delivery Location
TLH21 Luton
Local Authority
Luton
Electoral Ward
Central
Westminster Constituency
Luton South and South Bedfordshire

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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