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Developing a Digital and Data Skills Pathway

Department for Education

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

Award

22 Aug 2026 at 12:33

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

19 Jun 2026 at 14:05

UK4 - Tender Notice
PlanningUpdate

20 May 2026 at 08:36

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

15 May 2026 at 09:26

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Education commissioned a national digital and data skills pathway for schools, with implementation support. The service is intended to define minimum and aspirational standards for using technology, digital tools, data and artificial intelligence safely and effectively. It will support continuing professional development, align sector support and training, and help schools integrate digital practice into teaching and management, including engagement, inclusion, outcomes and workload reduction. The supplier must use co-design with the education sector and produce a future-proofed framework hosted on GOV.UK. The work covers education and training, e-learning, training software development and related IT and development consultancy services. Delivery is for schools nationally across England, led by the Department for Education.

The procurement is complete and was awarded through an open procedure. One lot was evaluated on 30% commercial and 70% quality and social value, with economic and technical selection requirements detailed in the tender documents. The tender received 17 bids, of which 16 reached the final stage; all 16 final-stage bidders were SMEs. The contract was awarded on 21 August 2026 to Educate Ventures Research Limited for £300,000 gross £360,000, including VAT, for the period 4 September 2026 to 31 March 2027. The procurement’s maximum value was £500,000 excluding VAT, or £600,000 including VAT. An extension may be authorised at the buyer’s discretion, subject to funding and governance approval, with the lot’s maximum extent date of 30 September 2027. A future signature milestone was scheduled for 4 September 2026.

This award demonstrates demand from the Department for Education for suppliers combining education-sector insight with digital, data and artificial intelligence capability. A credible future competitor would need to design a nationally usable professional framework, define practical minimum and aspirational skills standards, and provide implementation support rather than training content alone. Experience of schools, teaching and management practice, continuing professional development, e-learning or training software would be relevant, alongside the ability to translate technical issues into clear guidance for education professionals. The requirement also favours organisations able to co-design with the sector, address safe and effective technology use, and show how digital practice can improve engagement, inclusion, outcomes and workload. SMEs and voluntary, community or social enterprises were considered suitable for the work.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Developing a Digital and Data Skills Pathway

Notice Description

The Department for Education is procuring a supplier to develop a digital and data skills pathway for schools along with support to help implement it effectively. The pathway will set out the minimum and aspirational standards for the skills and expertise needed to use technology, digital, data and AI safely and effectively. It will drive an ongoing professional development journey, can be used to align sector support and new training to a consistent framework and support integration of safe and effective use of technology into pedagogical and management practices, including where it can support engagement, inclusivity, outcomes and workload reduction. The programme must be designed using a number of design principles including co-design with the sector. The contract runs to March 2027 with a budget of up to PS500,000 and will result in a GOV.UK-hosted, future-proofed national framework and support to help its implementation.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: Extension at authorties discretion following funding and governance approval

Planning Information

A market engagement session will take place on 2 June 2026 from 11:00-12:00. The link for this session is: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/377473666032143?p=Km3Vwrcc6wfbbXobP1 Meeting ID: 377 473 666 032 143 Passcode: WE3Ky3uq

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0699ae
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/080116-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

72212931 - Training software development services

73220000 - Development consultancy services

80000000 - Education and training services

80200000 - Secondary education services

80420000 - E-learning services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£500,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
£500,000 £500K-£1M
Awards Value
£300,000 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Aug 20263 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
31 Jul 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
15 Jun 2026Expired
Award Date
21 Aug 20263 weeks ago
Contract Period
4 Sep 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
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
Not specified
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

EDUCATE VENTURES RESEARCH LIMITED

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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