Tender

DE - Teacher Education and Professional Learning - Replacement for Professional Qualification for Headship for Northern Ireland

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

24 Feb 2026 at 15:24

Summary of the contracting process

The Department of Education in Northern Ireland is seeking to appoint an external supplier to develop and deliver a replacement programme for the Professional Qualification for Headship (PQH). The tender process is managed by CPD - Supplies & Services Division and follows an open procedure at the tender stage. This initiative falls under the education and training services category and is crucial for the TransformED Strategy. The contract will commence in April 2026, with a programme development phase until December 2026, pilot delivery from January to December 2027, and official programme launch in January 2028, spanning an 18-month period. Interested suppliers should submit their tenders by 23 March 2026, with official awards announced by 20 April 2026. The procurement method ensures electronic submission for tenders, with full details accessible on the eTendersNI website.

This tender presents a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in education and training services, especially those capable of handling extensive programme design and delivery for professional qualifications. Organisations proficient in developing comprehensive educational programmes tailored to aspiring and recently appointed principals will find this contract offers substantial potential for growth. The contract allows for an option to extend until 2031, offering sustained business prospects. With a contract valuation of £2,580,000, businesses focusing on high-quality content, implementation strategies, and social value integration will be well-poised to compete, given the award criteria's emphasis on quality alongside price considerations.

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Notice Title

DE - Teacher Education and Professional Learning - Replacement for Professional Qualification for Headship for Northern Ireland

Notice Description

The Department of Education, wishes to appoint an external supplier to develop and deliver a replacement programme for the Professional Qualification for Headship (PQH), in line with the stated commitment in the TransformED Strategy . This is a Ministerial priority with a defined timeline for the development, piloting and delivery of the replacement programme which has been crafted to deliver the Minister's stated objective and work within the confines of each academic year. The contract duration is anticipated to be from May 2026 until June 2029 with one optional extension until June 2031. The supplier will be required to develop the programme from Contract Award until December 2026, with delivery of the pilot to commence in January 2027 to the end of December 2027(excluding Northern Ireland school holidays), running over 12 months with a cohort of 40 participants(cohort split in two, to allow the two modules to run concurrently and the pilot to be completed within this timeframe. The programme will officially launch January 2028 which will run over an 18-month period. Delivery in subsequent years through agreement with DE, could be split into separate January and September entry points (combining to a total of 100 participants) each year which will provide practical preparation as a key component in the pathway to Principalship through a comprehensive and tailored programme for recently appointed and aspiring Principals. Suppliers should refer to the Specification Schedule for full detail on the deliverables of this Contract

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: 1 optional extension of 2 years to complete cohorts who start in January 2029 and January 2030

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-065b44
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/016563-2026
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
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
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
£2,150,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£2,150,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
24 Feb 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
23 Mar 20262 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
26 Apr 2026 - 30 Jun 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Additional Buyers

CPD - SUPPLIES & SERVICES DIVISION

Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BANGOR
Postcode
BT19 7PR
Post Town
Northern Ireland
Country
Northern Ireland

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLN Northern Ireland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLN0 Northern Ireland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLN06 Belfast
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Belfast
Electoral Ward
Sydenham
Westminster Constituency
Belfast East

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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