Planning

UKRI -5498 TechFirst Preliminary Market Engagement for Contracts 2 (Recruitment) and 3 (Cohort Management)

UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION (UKRI)

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

20 Mar 2026 at 09:35

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) is engaging businesses for an upcoming public procurement process titled "UKRI –5498 TechFirst Preliminary Market Engagement for Contracts 2 (Recruitment) and 3 (Cohort Management)" under the planning stage. The procurement targets services in business and management consultancy, recruitment, software programming, and marketing, located in Swindon, Wiltshire, United Kingdom. UKRI aims to hold a market engagement webinar on 1 April 2026 for prospective suppliers, followed by the commencement of contracts from 1 July 2026 to 30 September 2027. This tender, valued at approximately £5,054,437.50 excluding VAT, is crucial for supporting UKRI's TechFirst programme, advancing skills across sectors like artificial intelligence and semiconductors.

This tender offers significant opportunities for business growth, particularly for SMEs and VCSEs (Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprises) in the recruitment and cohort management industries. Suppliers can bid for one or both contracts, focusing on delivering high-quality recruitment campaigns and managing student engagement and cohort needs after recruitment. Key priorities include designing inclusive recruitment strategies, onboarding processes, and accurate data management, potentially creating pathways for innovative businesses in advertising, administration, and software consultancy services to expand their market reach and establish new collaborations with UKRI and other partners.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

UKRI -5498 TechFirst Preliminary Market Engagement for Contracts 2 (Recruitment) and 3 (Cohort Management)

Notice Description

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is seeking supplier engagement in advance of procuring services to support the delivery of the TechGrad, Semiconductors and Sparck AI scholarship programmes, which form part of the wider TechFirst programme. The TechFirst programme is a coordinated portfolio of interventions designed to develop advanced technical skills and talent pipelines across priority sectors, including artificial intelligence and semiconductors. UKRI intends to procure two interdependent contracts, which will operate together to deliver end-to-end programme outcomes: Contract 2: Recruitment Services Contract 3: Cohort Management Services Suppliers may bid for one or both contracts (subject to final procurement strategy). Contract 2: Recruitment Services Overview: This contract will focus on the design and delivery of national recruitment campaigns to attract and select students for the scholarship programmes. Key priorities: * Deliver high-quality, inclusive recruitment campaigns * Attract diverse and high-calibre candidates * Ensure fair, transparent and efficient selection processes * Generate insights to improve future recruitment activity Scope of services: * Campaign design, marketing and outreach * Application management and candidate assessment * Engagement with universities and partner organisations * Issuing provisional offers to successful candidates * Data collection and transfer to the cohort management supplier * Reporting and evaluation of campaign performance Duration: Initial term of 1 year Estimated value (indicative): PS2,552,550 ex VAT Contract 3: Cohort Management Services Overview: This contract will focus on the end-to-end management of student cohorts once recruited, including onboarding, engagement, administration and ongoing support. Key priorities: * Deliver a seamless onboarding and student experience * Ensure secure and accurate data management * Enable effective coordination across multiple delivery partners * Support programme performance through reporting and insights Scope of services: * Establishment and operation of a student engagement platform * MVP required by 1st September 2026 * Enhanced functionality (e.g. mentoring and placement matching tools) by 1st November 2026 * Receipt and secure management of student data from recruitment providers * Verification of eligibility (grades, offers, ID) and issuing of final offers * Development and delivery of onboarding materials and communications * Issuing programme documentation (T&Cs, guidance, contracts) * Ongoing student engagement and communications * Programme reporting, KPI tracking and stakeholder coordination * Collection and analysis of feedback from applicants and participants Mobilisation milestones (indicative): * August 2026: Eligibility confirmation and final offers * 1st September 2026: Platform live, onboarding complete, data received * March 2027: Recruitment feedback survey completed Duration : Initial term of 1 year Estimated value (indicative): PS2,501,887.50 ex VAT Interdependencies The two contracts are closely interdependent. In particular: Contract 1 will hand over candidate data to Contract 2 (July-August each year) Contract 2 will validate and onboard students and manage them through the programme Both suppliers will be required to establish data sharing agreements and collaborate closely with UKRI, DSIT, universities and other delivery partner. Market Engagement Webinar: UKRI will hold a single market engagement webinar covering both Contract 2 and Contract 3, reflecting their interdependent nature within the wider TechFirst programme. The webinar will: * Provide an overview of both requirements and the overall programme * Explain how the contracts will interact * Outline the proposed procurement approach * Offer an opportunity for questions and early market feedback Please note that not registering an interest will not prevent any organisation from participating in any future procurement, nor will any information shared during preliminary market engagement provide an advantage in any subsequent process. To find out more information about this webinar and register your interest https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/b5f07b10-e17a-44ab-8c2c-34cd02d1b574@8bb7e08e-daa4-4a8e-927e-fca38db04b7e

Planning Information

Market engagement Webinar

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-066fdc
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/025562-2026
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, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

75 - Administration, defence and social security services

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

CPV Codes

72200000 - Software programming and consultancy services

75100000 - Administration services

79340000 - Advertising and marketing services

79341400 - Advertising campaign services

79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services

79600000 - Recruitment services

79635000 - Assessment centre services for recruitment

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£5,054,437 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
20 Mar 20262 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
1 Apr 20262 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
30 Jun 2026 - 30 Sep 2027 1-2 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
UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION (UKRI)
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
SWINDON, WILTSHIRE
Postcode
SN2 1FL
Post Town
Swindon
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK71 Swindon
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Swindon
Electoral Ward
Rodbourne Cheney
Westminster Constituency
Swindon North

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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