Notice Information
Notice Title
UK2 - Preliminary market engagement notice
Notice Description
In 2025, the department appointed Social Finance, the lead organisation of a consortium which included Data to Insight, Coram, ICT Revolutions and the Local Government Association to scope and design a Centre of Excellence for Children's Social Care (CSC) Data and Digital; this was known as Phase 1. The Centre will help local authorities (LAs) improve their data and digital maturity with respect to CSC services. The consortium engaged with LAs and wider sector stakeholders to identify opportunities, challenges and risks related to CSC data and digital work. It produced recommendations and a delivery plan to support delivery and scale-up in Phase 2. We are seeking a supplier (or consortium) who can deliver the action/delivery plan (from Phase 1) for the Centre of Excellence for CSC Data and Digital (Phase 2). They will need to demonstrate the following: * Deep understanding of LA CSC delivery, and the data and digital functions that support it. * An established, active and wide-reaching network into LA children's services (CSC specifically), built through ongoing participation in sector networks, particularly data and/or digital. * Strong technical knowledge of current and future systems capabilities for: o children's services data storage, movement, and processing, and o user experience for social work/practitioner recording and case management. * Ability to provide specialist data and digital skills support to specific projects within LAs, with a clear "exit" approach--i.e. leaving the LA in a more sustainable position post-delivery. * Have the capacity and capability to mobilise and deliver the action plan from in Phase 1. This will include maintaining and improving shared sector resources, strengthening technology markets, enabling safe and effective information sharing, developing the workforce and organisational capability, connecting partners across the sector, and supporting delivery of proven change. We will conduct early market engagement to present our requirements for the proposed procurement. This session will allow us to understand the interest in the market for delivery. After the event, suppliers will be invited to complete a survey to provide feedback that will support our proposals for this work. *Please be aware that registration is for the Market Engagement Event only. This event does not signify the commencement of any procurement process and does not constitute any commitment by the Department for Education. This is NOT an invitation to tender for a contract opportunity and any suppliers invited to the event will not have a privileged position in relation to any future contract opportunity. Any subsequent procurement(s) that DfE conducts will be based on the fair and objective outcome of a procurement process.* The DfE is keen to maximise opportunities to participate in procurement for Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSEs). Consideration will also be given to consortia and collaborative bids from all forms of organisations.
Planning Information
This will consist of an online event held on Microsoft Teams which will take place on 20 May 2026 between 10:00 – 11:00. If you are interested in attending this event, please contact the mailbox - CSC.DATASTRATEGY@EDUCATION.GOV.UK and an online invitation will be issued in due course. We intend to share the questions and answers from the events with all potential suppliers. Organisations interested in attending must register for an account on Jaggaer before expressing an interest in this opportunity. Access to the system is available via the Department’s e tendering portal – Jaggaer - https://education.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html. Once registered, please navigate to the “Current Opportunities” section and search for: • Project_ 10396 or • SSQ_ 763 Once you have located the opportunity, please confirm your interest within Jaggaer. The next step is to reserve a place at the event using the Jaggaer message facility. When doing so, please include: • Confirmation that you wish to join the event • Your organisation’s name • The name(s) of attendee(s) • Email address(es) of attendee(s) • Each attendee’s role within your organisation A Teams calendar invitation with joining instructions will then be issued via Jaggaer. Please ensure the invitation is shared with all nominated attendees.
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-068a78
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/037461-2026
- 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
85 - Health and social work services
-
- CPV Codes
85300000 - Social work and related services
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- £5,400,000 £1M-£10M
- Lots Value
- Not specified
- Awards Value
- Not specified
- Contracts Value
- Not specified
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 24 Apr 2026Today
- Submission Deadline
- Not specified
- Future Notice Date
- 1 Jul 20263 months to go
- Award Date
- Not specified
- Contract Period
- 30 Sep 2026 - 31 Mar 2028 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
- 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
- Post Town
- 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
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/037461-2026
24th April 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
View full OCDS Record for this contracting process
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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