Planning

Step Up to Social Work Cohort 10 +

ISLINGTON COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

12 Mar 2026 at 11:37

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Islington Council, a sub-central government authority, is planning a procurement process for the "Step Up to Social Work Cohort 10 +" initiative. This project is aimed at delivering a programme across six London boroughs, focusing on adult and other education services. The procurement is in the Planning stage, with the next milestone being the preliminary engagement phase scheduled to conclude on 24th March 2026. The council plans to appoint a Higher Education Institution to partner in this initiative, which is categorised under services with a special light-touch regime. The contract period is slated to begin in April 2027, potentially extending until 2033, showcasing long-term developmental opportunities. Relevant parties can anticipate further procurement details by 12th October 2026.

This tender offers significant growth opportunities for academic institutions specialising in education and social work training. Establishing a collaborative relationship with Islington Council and associated London boroughs provides unique prospects for enhancing educational service delivery and expanding regional influence. Considering the procurement method of initiating a grant from the Department for Education, institutions with a robust track record in adult education and government collaborations are best suited to take advantage of this opportunity, promising to cultivate valuable partnerships and strategic expansion in educational sectors within the UK. Interested parties are encouraged to register their interest via the Proactis eSourcing Portal to remain informed on development stages and potential adaptations to the tender process.

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How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Step Up to Social Work Cohort 10 +

Notice Description

Islington Council is acting as the lead authority in a regional partnership of six London boroughs across North, Central and East London who will be seeking a grant from the Department for Education (DfE) to deliver Step Up to Social Work - Cohort 10. The NCEL RP has already delivered Cohorts 5 - 9 of the Step Up Programme. We are seeking to appoint a Higher Education Institution (HEI) to be the delivery partner of the academic learning with the option to extend this contract as per DfE funding for Cohorts 11 and 12.

Planning Information

The Authority has carried out preliminary market engagement for this requirement. This Notice is for informational purposes only and is not a formal invitation to tender. Its aim is to ensure transparency ahead of the upcoming Tender Notice. All details provided here may be updated or changed in the final tender notice. The Authority reserves the right to cancel, postpone, suspend or abort the procurement at any stage. The issue of this notice in no way commits the Authority to commence a procurement process. For more information please register your interest by logging into the Proactis eSourcing Portal at: https://procontract.due-north.com/Supplier/Advert/View?advertId=207fcb97-f71d-f111-813c-005056b64545

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06682d
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/022238-2026
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
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80400000 - Adult and other education services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1,112,400 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
12 Mar 20262 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
12 Oct 20268 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 Mar 2027 - 31 Mar 2029 2-3 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
ISLINGTON COUNCIL
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
N1 2UD
Post Town
North London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI4 Inner London - East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI43 Haringey and Islington
Delivery Location
TLI London
Local Authority
Islington
Electoral Ward
St Mary's & St James'
Westminster Constituency
Islington South and Finsbury

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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