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Regenerative Schools Pilot - Innovation Lead

Department for Education

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

Tender

12 Jun 2026 at 20:18

UK4 - Tender Notice
PlanningUpdate

13 Mar 2026 at 10:51

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

12 Mar 2026 at 18:38

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

12 Mar 2026 at 18:33

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Education (DfE) has initiated an active tender process for the "Regenerative Schools Pilot - Innovation Lead" project. This procurement, tagged under architectural, construction, engineering, and environmental services, aims to appoint an Innovation Lead by August 2026, followed by a contractor in March 2027 to deliver ultra-low-carbon school buildings across various regions in the United Kingdom, including UKC, UKD, UKF, UKG, UKE, UKJ, and UKK. Key dates include the tender period ending on 7th July 2026 and the enquiry period closing on 23rd June 2026. The procurement follows an open procedure, ensuring inclusion and compliance to high-quality standards, with a total gross value pegged at £4,715,000 (including VAT). The project is steered by the DfE's commitment to sustainability as part of its 10-year Education Estates Strategy aimed at national renewal.

This opportunity presents substantial business growth potential for firms specialising in innovative construction techniques, green building materials, and environmental consultancy. SMEs and other potential suppliers experienced in delivering nature-based retrofits and ultra-low-carbon designs could find this tender particularly suited to their capacity and expertise. Aside from advancing sustainability objectives, the Innovation Lead will offer technical leadership and project management, contributing to long-term skills and expertise extension within the sector. Additionally, collaboration with the Academic Adviser will ensure balanced progress that aligns technical feasibility with the educational and community needs, providing a holistic approach to school building sustainability that could influence future national projects.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Regenerative Schools Pilot - Innovation Lead

Notice Description

The Department for Education and the Education Estates Strategy The Department for Education (DfE) is the UK government's Department responsible for the schools in England. As part of this role, we oversee the safety, condition, and long-term sustainability of the education estate. This includes ensuring that current and future school buildings are provided with safe, high-quality environments where children can learn and thrive. On 11th February 2026 the Department published its 10-year plan for the Education Estate, the Education Estates Strategy, A decade of national renewal. The Regenerative Schools Pilot was outlined within the strategy: "Testing new solutions, technologies and construction methods - we will continue to look at how we can go further for our future design specifications as part of a research and development programme supported by PS33 million to 2029-30. This will prioritise regenerative approaches looking at a wide range of outcomes from energy storage to bio-based construction materials, such as timber and working closely with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) on the Timber in Construction Road Map." This is your opportunity to shape this cutting-edge project, which will guide the Department's work over the next ten years and beyond. Regenerative Schools Pilot, Introduction The Department for Education intends to research, develop, and deliver a series of single and dual classroom, ultra-low-carbon school buildings under the Regenerative Schools Programme. This will be accompanied by a package of landscaping and retrofit interventions which will support biodiversity, passive heat-reduction (such as tree shading), fabric upgrades to existing buildings (cladding and windows), sustainable drainage systems and the creation of outdoor learning spaces. This programme will also produce case studies, guidance and resources for schools. As part of the Regenerative Schools Programme, the Department intends to appoint two parties in August 2026: an Innovation Lead and an Academic Adviser. These organisations will produce feasibility studies, research the building materials and techniques required to produce ultra-low-carbon school buildings and develop 6 standard designs. Then, in March 2027, the Department plans to appoint a contractor to deliver the works, using the materials and methods specified by the Innovation Lead and Academic Advisers. Separate market engagement and tender events will be held for the construction contractor's appointment. The Innovation Lead The Innovation Lead will serve as the Department's primary technical partner, guiding the programme from its earliest feasibility work through to the delivery of completed buildings. Your work will include developing an understanding of each school site, identifying opportunities for nature-led retrofit, and delivering 6 standardised concept designs for new single and dual external classroom pods, ultra-low-carbon buildings that meet demanding embodied carbon targets. You will explore and develop a range of regenerative material strategies, produce clear and accessible design material, and provide the technical direction needed to ensure that the Department's ambitions for low embodied carbon, buildability and replicability are embedded from the outset. As the programme moves from concept into development, the Innovation Lead will take on a client-side assurance role, overseeing the Contractor's design under the Pre-Contract Services Agreement and ensuring alignment with carbon targets, safety standards, and the Department's technical requirements. During the delivery phase you will provide project management and technical assurance, monitor the quality of off-site manufacture and on-site installation, support statutory compliance, and ensure that handover, commissioning, and early operation run smoothly. You will also be responsible for producing technical guidance, case studies, and updated documentation so that learning from the programme can be scaled across the wider education estate. Working with the Academic Adviser The Innovation Lead and Academic Adviser are intended to operate in parallel, each with a distinct focus but with close coordination throughout. The Innovation Lead will ensure technical feasibility, safety, and low-carbon performance, while the Academic Adviser will ensure that the programme responds to the needs and experiences of the schools and communities involved. Together you will provide the Department with the combined academic, social, and technical expertise required to develop a set of replicable, ultra-low-carbon solutions that are grounded in real-world school environments and capable of informing future national delivery. Please refer to the engagement section of this notice to register for our market engagement events.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: The Department reserves the right to extend this Contract for a period or periods of up to a maximum of 13 months in total. Any extension may be exercised in whole or in part, at the Department's discretion. The original contract value, excluding the extension provision, is PS3,333,333 excluding VAT (PS4,000,000 including VAT). The extension provision may utilise up to an additional PS595,833.33 excluding VAT (PS715,000 including VAT) for additional services.

Planning Information

1. Meet the Buyer event and questions session The Department will be hosting a presentation via Microsoft Teams on the dates below: 20th March 2026, 11:00-12:00 (deadline to register: 19th March 2026 at 15.00) 25th March 2026, 13:00-14:00 (deadline to register: 24th March 2026 at 15.00) During this event, relevant DfE stakeholders will outline our requirements, explain the needs of each role, and set out the indicative timeline and procurement approach. There will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the session. To register for this event, you will need to create a Jaggaer account and then access our opportunity notices to register on Event 3901 - Regenerative Schools Pilot - Innovation lead. You will then be sent a link to the event. The deadline to register for this event via Jaggaer is listed above. 2. Market Engagement Questionnaire After the Meet the Buyer event, the Department will publish a Market Engagement Questionnaire. This Questionnaire will allow you to ask the DfE any questions that you may not wish to raise in a public forum. These questions will be anonymised and included within our tender clarification log, and answers will be circulated prior to tender publication if timelines allow. You will also be able to share any insight you feel would support the development of the requirement. This questionnaire will be sent to all supplier who have registered on Event 3901 - Regenerative Schools Pilot - Innovation lead on 20th March. It will be open until the afternoon of 1st April. The Market Engagement Questionnaire will be hosted via Microsoft forms. 3. Accessing Jaggaer Jaggaer Registration – All of the Department’s tenders are run via Jaggaer, our E-tendering platform. If you are not registered to this platform, you will need to sign up in order to access our market engagement events and take part in tenders. If you are not yet registered, we advise that you register as soon as possible. The registration process takes between 5 to10 minutes. Link to Jaggaer: https://education.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html Accessing the opportunity notice – When within Jaggaer, you will be able to access our Event 3901 - Regenerative Schools Pilot - Innovation lead, via the opportunities panel. Link: https://education.app.jaggaer.com/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=60875

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-066907
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/055940-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

90 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services

CPV Codes

71000000 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

71313000 - Environmental engineering consultancy services

71500000 - Construction-related services

71540000 - Construction management services

71621000 - Technical analysis or consultancy services

73100000 - Research and experimental development services

73300000 - Design and execution of research and development

90700000 - Environmental services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£3,929,166 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£3,929,166 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
12 Jun 20263 months ago
Submission Deadline
7 Jul 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
17 Apr 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
14 Sep 2026 - 31 Mar 2030 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Department for Education
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
SW1P 3BT
Postcode Area
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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