Planning

Army Foundation College - Harrogate

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

24 Apr 2026 at 11:30

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

16 Mar 2026 at 13:45

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

19 Feb 2026 at 10:48

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

13 Feb 2026 at 14:40

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Ministry of Defence is overseeing a procurement process concerning the future arrangements for the Army Foundation College at Harrogate, a facility responsible for Phase 1 military training for junior soldiers aged 16 to 18. The procurement is currently in the planning stage, with preliminary market engagement underway. Key milestones include an Industry Briefing Day held on 16 April 2026 at the Army Training Centre in Pirbright, Surrey, aimed at understanding market conditions and shaping procurement strategies. Suppliers interested in participating must register by 10 April 2026, with the final date for response submissions being 8 May 2026. The College requires diverse services including facilities management, clerical support, healthcare, and IT, with the potential for expanding infrastructure at the site.

This tender presents significant growth opportunities for businesses, particularly those specialising in facilities management, education services, and military training support. With a gross value estimated at £204 million, and a contract period spanning from 2029 to 2036, it’s ideally suited for SMEs and larger entities with expertise in catering, healthcare, and accommodation management. Companies that can provide comprehensive solutions to manage and operate educational centres stand to benefit greatly. Engaging in the initial market engagement activities is crucial, offering businesses the chance to influence the procurement process and understand the Ministry of Defence's requirements thoroughly.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Army Foundation College - Harrogate

Notice Description

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is considering future arrangements for the continued operation of the Army Foundation College (Harrogate) following the expiry of the existing Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contract. The Army Foundation College (Harrogate) delivers Phase 1 military training for Junior Soldiers aged 16-18. Scope includes Hard FM, Soft FM, Healthcare, Learning, Clerical, & IT. The Army is also considering whether additional capacity (and therefore additional Infrastructure) may be required at the site. The MOD plans to procure these services in the future. This notice is issued for information and market awareness purposes only.

Planning Information

Request for Information (RFI) Details Interested suppliers are invited to provide a response to the Request for Information (RFI) in the link provided: https://contracts.mod.uk/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=61016 The Authority is seeking feedback from Industry to better understand the current market position for the requirement outlined above and attached. For full details and question set please see the attachment 20260424-715777470 – Army Foundation College – Harrogate – RFI-O. Clarification questions can be submitted to army-comrcl-complex-proc-mailbox@mod.gov.uk until 23:59 (GMT) on 30 April 2026 The final date for the Authority to respond to clarification questions is 23:59 (GMT) 05 May 2026. Responses must be submitted to: army-comrcl-complex-proc-mailbox@mod.gov.uk by 23.59 (GMT) on 08 May 2026 ************************************************************************************************************************************************* The Authority is conducting Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) to inform Suppliers of an upcoming requirement and to gather information, ascertain the level of interest, gain insight into risks and issues, and inform the commercial and procurement strategies for the provision of services required in the running of the Army Foundation College at Harrogate. Interested suppliers are invited to participate in the following activities: • Industry Briefing Day with potential tenderers • Request for Information (RFI) Questionnaire How to Participate: Industry Briefing Day • Date/Time: 10:00 (GMT) on 16 April 2026 • Location: Army Instructor School (AIS) Lecture Theatre, Army Training Centre Pirbright, Surrey, GU24 0QQ • Registration: Potential bidders interested in participating must notify the MOD point of contact, Chris Thompson at Chris.Thompson218@mod.gov.uk by 17:00 (GMT) on 10 April 2026. Please include the following details in your registration email: o Company name o Names, positions, and email addresses of attendees (attendees are limited to 3 per company) • Presentation Materials: Slides from the Industry Briefing Day will be uploaded to the Defence Sourcing Portal following the event. This is an excellent opportunity for suppliers to engage with the Authority, gain a better understanding of the requirements, and provide valuable input to shape the procurement process. We look forward to your participation. ,

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-065418
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/037562-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services

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

80 - Education and training services

90 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services

98 - Other community, social and personal services

CPV Codes

55500000 - Canteen and catering services

55520000 - Catering services

55524000 - School catering services

79632000 - Personnel-training services

79993000 - Building and facilities management services

79993100 - Facilities management services

80490000 - Operation of an educational centre

90911100 - Accommodation cleaning services

98341100 - Accommodation management services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£170,000,000 £100M-£1B
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
24 Apr 2026Today
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
13 Jan 20279 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Jan 2029 - 1 Jan 2036 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
ANDOVER
Postcode
SP11 8HT
Post Town
Salisbury
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ3 Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ36 Central Hampshire
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Test Valley
Electoral Ward
Andover Millway
Westminster Constituency
North West Hampshire

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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