Planning

Army Foundation College - Harrogate

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

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 (MOD) is in the planning stage of a procurement process for the continued operation of the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, following the expiration of an existing Private Finance Initiative (PFI) agreement. This process targets services within the educational and training facilities management sectors, including school catering, personnel training, and accommodation services. Located in Andover, United Kingdom, the preliminary market engagement activities are scheduled, with key dates such as the Industry Briefing Day on 5th March 2026 in Tidworth, Wiltshire, and registration deadlines by 2nd March 2026. The procurement is planned with a future notice due in January 2027, with the contract period expected from January 2029 to January 2036.

This procurement presents a valuable opportunity for businesses in the facilities management, catering, healthcare, IT, and clerical sectors to engage in a significant government contract valued at £170 million. It is particularly suited for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with expertise in delivering comprehensive support services to military educational establishments. Participation in the Preliminary Market Engagement encourages suppliers to provide insights into the potential risks and commercial strategies, enhancing their chances of shaping and succeeding in future tender stages. This initiative enables businesses to grow by expanding their reach into government contracts and strengthening their position in the public sector market.

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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

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: 09:00 (GMT) on 05 March 2026 • Location: Garrison Lecture Theatre, St Andrews Road, Tidworth, Wiltshire, SP9 7EP, England • Registration: Potential bidders interested in participating must notify the MOD point of contact, Faye McKernan, at army-comrcl-complex-proc-mailbox@mod.gov.uk by 17:00 (GMT) on 02 March 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/015117-2026
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

55524000 - School catering services

79632000 - Personnel-training 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
19 Feb 20263 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
13 Jan 202711 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
Not specified
Contact Email
army-comrcl-complex-proc-mailbox@mod.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

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

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. 

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