Award

Safety Case Author Career Switcher Programme Pilot Scheme

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

12 Feb 2026 at 15:33

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Ministry of Defence has completed the contract award stage for the "Safety Case Author Career Switcher Programme Pilot Scheme," targeting the services industry category. This initiative aims to deliver a training programme that equips individuals with the necessary skills for safety case authoring within the UK nuclear sector. The course will be managed by Ayrshire College, combining in-person and virtual formats across Scotland. The pilot project encompasses a contract period from 16th March 2026 to 30th June 2026, with the anticipated contract signature due by 13th March 2026. This procurement process was conducted via direct award, in line with the Procurement Act 2023, to test and evaluate a prototype educational model before potentially engaging in wider competitive procurement.

This tender presents significant business growth opportunities, particularly for education providers looking to offer niche technical training services related to the nuclear sector. Businesses focusing on specialist training, especially those capable of delivering blended learning formats, will find this contract particularly advantageous. Due to its unique nature and direct award justification, the contracting process favours small and medium-sized enterprises like Ayrshire College, which specialise in scaling innovative training solutions. Providers with expertise in virtual classroom technologies and bespoke course design in technical or safety-oriented fields would be ideally positioned to leverage future opportunities emerging from this pioneering pilot scheme.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Safety Case Author Career Switcher Programme Pilot Scheme

Notice Description

The training provider will be responsible for the design and delivery of the Safety Case Author training pilot course. The programme will comprise ten modules, each structured to progressively build foundational knowledge, technical competence, and practical application skills relevant to safety case authoring in the UK nuclear sector. The pilot course will incorporate a blend of classroom-based instruction, formal knowledge testing, and hands-on practical exercises to ensure learners gain both theoretical understanding and applied capability. The course will be specifically tailored for individuals who are new to both the nuclear industry and safety case roles. To support accessibility across Scotland, the course will be delivered through a hybrid model, combining in-person and virtual learning. The programme should be condensed into a 1-2week format, with flexibility around scheduling to accommodate learner and organisational needs.

Procurement Information

This direct award is justified under Schedule 5, Paragraph 2 of the Procurement Act 2023 as the requirement is for a one-off pilot course undertaken for the purposes of testing, development and evaluation, rather than for routine operational delivery. The pilot will be used to assess the viability, suitability and effectiveness of the proposed course content and delivery model, and to inform the design of any future competitive procurement should the approach prove successful. Previous attempts to competitively source a suitable provider have not yielded an acceptable solution, which further supports the need for a prototype-stage trial before going to market. For these reasons, a direct award is proportionate and meets the criteria for the 'Prototypes and Development' justification under the Procurement Act 2023.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06530b
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/013054-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80510000 - Specialist training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£65,000 Under £100K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
12 Feb 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
12 Feb 20261 weeks ago
Contract Period
16 Mar 2026 - 30 Jun 2026 1-6 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
dne-supplychain@mod.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
BRISTOL
Postcode
BS34 8JH
Post Town
Bristol
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK5 West of England
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
South Gloucestershire
Electoral Ward
Stoke Park & Cheswick
Westminster Constituency
Filton and Bradley Stoke

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

AYRSHIRE COLLEGE

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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