Tender

Kent Test (11+) Examination Services

KENT COUNTY COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

10 Jun 2026 at 14:58

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The procurement process initiated by Kent County Council, a sub-central government public authority, seeks to appoint a provider for the "Kent Test (11+) Examination Services." This tender, located in Maidstone, falls under the industry category of primary education services (CPV 80100000). The procurement is currently in the tender stage, employing a competitive flexible procedure under the Procurement Act 2023. Key dates include the return date for the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) on 24th June 2026, followed by the estimated publication of the Tender stage on 8th July 2026, with the tender period ending on 4th August 2026. The contract, valued at £835,000 (excluding VAT), will commence on 1st November 2027 and extend until 31st October 2029, with potential extensions available.

This tender presents a valuable opportunity for businesses specialising in educational testing services, particularly those capable of producing bespoke test materials and digital marking solutions. The contract's focus on service quality, digital marking, and software requirements suggests that technology-driven firms could be well-suited to compete. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) are particularly encouraged to participate, aligning with the social value criteria. Engaging in this tender could facilitate business growth and establish a firm foothold in the educational sector, offering substantial potential for sustained contracts given the renewal options available.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Kent Test (11+) Examination Services

Notice Description

Kent County Council (The Council) wishes to appoint a suitable provider to deliver Kent wide 11+ Examination Services. The Council currently runs a process which aims, principally through testing, to identify candidates in the top 25% of the ability range as eligible for admission to Year 7 of any of the county's grammar schools at age 11. Entry to the process is voluntary, with approximately 67% of the local cohort opting to take part, plus a significant number of external candidates. Provision is currently made for approximately 19,000 candidates. Summary of key areas of service delivery (please reference Specification for full details) *Production of generic test familiarisation materials - for annual use by schools and parents *Bespoke confidential test papers and multiple-choice answer sheets (which can be read accurately and quickly by consumer grade scanners) *Administration instructions *Printable, bar-coded, double-sided scannable answer sheets with pupil data Software (and related) requirements to include: - *Marking software (alongside a small quantity of printed marking manuals) *Standardisation software and printable standardisation tables *Support for the Council's employees in the use of the materials and software through the cycle of the testing process. The opportunity is being tendered using competitive flexible procedure under Procurement Act 2023 and will follow a process that will include: - -Stage One - Conditions of Participation using the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) (Selection) -Stage Two - Tender Questionnaire Submissions (Quality) -Stage Three - Price Evaluation To minimise the risk of service failure and any consequent impact to secondary school placement allocations, a down select process is to be carried out at the PSQ stage. Providers that cannot demonstrate their ability to deliver the core competencies, will not be down selected to proceed to the tender stage. For transparency, and to make potential bidders aware of the nature, type and scope of the services, copies of draft Specification, ITT and Contract will be available for information at PSQ and Tender stages. Guidance to support Conditions of Participation, Award Criteria and submission requirements will be provided as part of the guidance materials published at PSQ and Tender stages. If you have any questions and/or queries please contact via the messaging function on the Kent Business Portal using the link to the event provided. For more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at: https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/tenders/UK-UK-Maidstone:-Primary-education-services./CT7XZS797H To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/respond/CT7XZS797H

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: 2 x 1 year extension options, subject to requirements and performance.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06b227
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/054875-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80100000 - Primary education services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£835,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
£835,000 £500K-£1M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
10 Jun 20262 days ago
Submission Deadline
4 Aug 20262 months to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Nov 2027 - 31 Oct 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
KENT COUNTY 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
MAIDSTONE
Postcode
ME14 1XQ
Post Town
Rochester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ4 Kent
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ45 Mid Kent
Delivery Location
TLJ4 Kent
Local Authority
Maidstone
Electoral Ward
Penenden Heath
Westminster Constituency
Maidstone and Malling

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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