This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

03 Jun 2026 at 15:19

Tender

23 Apr 2026 at 15:22

Summary of the contracting process

The British Council, a public authority within the sub-central government of the United Kingdom, has completed the award stage of a public procurement process titled "Mystery Shopping Services". This tender focuses on providing compliance audits for the British Council's IELTS exams, specifically aimed at enhancing security and user experience across its global network for UK Visas and Immigration. Taking place in London, the procurement was conducted using an open, competitive flexible procedure, allowing for widespread participation. The contract is valued at £220,000 gross and involves market research services, specifically tailored to the community of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The standstill period concludes on 15th June 2026, with the contract expected to commence on 1st July 2026 and extend through to 30th June 2028, with potential optional extensions reaching up to 2030.

This procurement presents significant opportunities for SMEs specializing in mystery shopping and market research services, particularly those with the capacity to deliver high-quality compliance audits on a global scale. Potential suppliers need to demonstrate expertise in ensuring security and efficiency in testing environments, providing a competitive edge in the field of international educational assessments. The opportunity is ideal for businesses looking to expand their service portfolio into educational compliance and testing sectors, leveraging the procurement to establish long-term relationships and enhanced credibility within the public sector.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

Mystery Shopping Services

Notice Description

The Governance & Compliance function seeks to obtain the most effective and efficient Mystery Shopper services provider to delivery Mystery Shopping Services (compliance audits) of all British Council IELTS for United Kingdom Visas and Immigration (UKVI) global network of exam centres. The programme is intended to measure the experience and security when applying for, registering, and attending an IELTS written and speaking test.

Lot Information

Region 1

Renewal: optional 2x12 months extensions

Region 2

Mystery Shopping Services for countries under Region 2

Renewal: optional 2x12 months extensions

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0689fe
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/052484-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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


CPV Codes

79310000 - Market research services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£440,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£440,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
£220,000 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
3 Jun 20263 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
18 May 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
3 Jun 20263 weeks ago
Contract Period
1 Jul 2026 - 30 Jun 2028 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Active, Complete
Awards Status
Pending
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
BRITISH 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
E20 1JQ
Post Town
East London
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI4 Inner London - East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI41 Hackney and Newham
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Newham
Electoral Ward
Stratford Olympic Park
Westminster Constituency
Stratford and Bow

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
2
Supplier Names

LC INVESTIGATION

SERVE LEGAL

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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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