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PROVISION OF UK BASED LANGUAGE TRAINING

Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

17 Sep 2026 at 11:02

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

10 Jun 2026 at 14:35

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Planning

17 Apr 2026 at 12:06

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) intends to procure UK-based professional language training services and management of the FCDO Language Centre. The requirement could cover training in up to 87 languages, with Centres of Excellence also being explored for languages including French, Arabic and Spanish. The model is intended to scale to changing volumes and language requirements across the FCDO and wider UK government. This is a language education and training services contract, including digital, face-to-face and blended delivery models. The work will be delivered in the UK, with the Language Centre managed as part of the service. The procurement is suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The procurement is at the planning stage and the buyer is conducting preliminary market engagement to test market capability and shape its future strategy; it is not a tender. A competitive flexible procedure under the Procurement Act 2023 is currently anticipated. The estimated value is £28.8 million excluding VAT, or £36 million including VAT. One planned lot is expected to run from 1 April 2028 to 31 March 2033, with a possible renewal extending the maximum contract period to 31 March 2036. The buyer expects the next notice to be published on 4 January 2027. Earlier engagement anticipated responses by 5 May 2026 and a supplier event during the week commencing 25 May 2026. Participation in engagement is voluntary and will not affect future tender evaluation.

This will suit language training providers, language schools, universities, specialist education companies and consortia able to deliver professional instruction at national scale. Relevant capability includes teaching multiple languages, particularly Arabic, French and Spanish, managing provision across as many as 87 languages, and operating a language centre. Suppliers should be prepared to demonstrate capacity for variable volumes and a scalable service model across the FCDO and wider UK government. The buyer is seeking views on digital, in-person and blended delivery, cost structures, timescales and service models, as well as effective ways to group students undertaking intensive training. Providers with strong learner assessment, programme management and quality assurance arrangements should prepare for the future competition.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

PROVISION OF UK BASED LANGUAGE TRAINING

Notice Description

FCDO intends to procure a supplier(s) for professional language services training in up to 87 languages and management of the FCDO Language Centre. FCDO are also exploring the feasibility for Centres of Excellence to deliver a range of language training including but not limited to French, Arabic and Spanish. The new language training model has been designed to be scalable to meet the future needs of FCDO and HMG in terms of both volumes and languages available. FCDO is conducting a preliminary market engagement (PME) to inform the future procurement strategy, understand market capability, and ensure the designed competitive procedure is fair, accessible, and effective.

Planning Information

1. Notice Title UK2 – Preliminary Market Engagement Notice for Languages Training 2. Contracting Authority Details Organisation Name: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Address: King Charles Street, London Postal Code: SW1A 2AH Contact Person: Salim Ahmed Email: salim.ahmed2@fcdo.gov.uk 3. Summary of Intended Procurement FCDO intends to procure a supplier(s) for professional language services training in up to 87 languages and management of the FCDO Language Centre. FCDO are also exploring the feasibility for Centre's of Excellence to deliver a range of language training including but not limited to French, Arabic and Spanish. The new language training model has been designed to be scalable to meet the future needs of FCDO and HMG in terms of both volumes and languages available. FCDO is conducting a preliminary market engagement to inform the future procurement strategy, understand market capability, and ensure the designed competitive procedure is fair, accessible, and effective. The Preliminary Market Engagement indicative timeline is as follows: Issue Pre Market Engagement Notice 17th April 2026 Deadline for Pre Market Engagement Notice Responses 5th May 2026 Pre Market Engagement Day w/c 25th May 2026 4. Purpose of Preliminary Market Engagement This engagement aims to: • Understand supplier expertise and capacity in delivering professional language services training including Arabic, Spanish, and French language services. • Explore innovative delivery models (digital, in-person, blended lessons i.e. a mix of online and in-person lessons). • Better understand cost structures, timescales, and languages service models. Participation is voluntary and will not influence future tender evaluation. All findings will be managed to ensure no supplier gains an unfair advantage. 5. Engagement Activity Details FCDO plans the following PME activities: • Face to Face or Teams Supplier Briefing – To be confirmed o Background, overview of requirement and indicative procurement timeline • Written Market Question - o What are the variables that you would consider important when forming groups of students undertaking intensive language training? Please list these as bullet points in decreasing order of importance.  o How would you take account of these when forming groups of students undertaking intensive language training?  Maximum 2 x A4 pages, Arial font size 11 1:1 Supplier Meetings (to be scheduled either face to face or via Teams) – o Review response on Written Market Question plus any further questions. 6. Proposed Engagement Event Details Face to Face or Teams Supplier Briefing – To be confirmed • Date: w/c 25th May 2025 • Time: 9-30 (arrival at venue or via Teams) • Session to run from 10-00 onwards to 17-00 (detailed agenda to follow) Suppliers wishing to participate should respond via Jaggaer confirming their attendance by noon 5th May 2026. Please include the following: • Organisation name • Contact person • Email and phone number • Written Market Question 7. Future Procurement This PME Notice does not constitute a tender. The full procurement process will begin with the publication of a Tender Notice under PA23 following the conclusion of this engagement. A Competitive Flexible Procedure is currently anticipated as the viable route to market under PA23. Participation in the PME is not a prerequisite for taking part in the future tender. Suppliers who do not participate will not be disadvantaged. 8. Publication Information Notice Date of publication and notice reference. 17th April 2026, notice reference SA/01

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-068530
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/088094-2026
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
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80580000 - Provision of language courses

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£28,800,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
17 Sep 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
4 Jan 20273 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2028 - 31 Mar 2033 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
Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office
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
SW1A 2AH
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
Not specified
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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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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