This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

TenderUpdate

19 Jun 2026 at 10:23

TenderUpdate

19 Jun 2026 at 09:36

Tender

10 Jun 2026 at 14:58

Summary of the contracting process

Kent County Council is currently in the tender stage of a procurement process to select a provider for the Kent Test (11+) Examination Services, with the objective of identifying candidates in the top 25% of the ability range for secondary school admission. The procurement will be conducted via a competitive flexible procedure as per the Procurement Act 2023. Key procurement stages include the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) for initial selection, followed by assessments of quality and price. The process involves a down-select mechanism at the PSQ stage to ensure only capable providers proceed, with transparency throughout the draft Specification and ITT stages. The tender relates to primary education services within the UKJ4 region, focusing on locations around Maidstone, United Kingdom. Interested parties must note that the expression of interest deadline is on the 24th of June 2026, with enquiries closing on the 19th of June 2026, and an estimated contract period commencing on the 2nd of November 2026.

This tender provides a valuable opportunity for businesses specialising in educational services, specifically those with expertise in developing and delivering examination materials and processes. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs), as well as voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs), are encouraged to compete, particularly those with capabilities in producing confidential test papers, marking software, and support for administrative operations. The contract represents an opportunity to enhance market presence, innovate in examination services provision, and create durable partnerships with a leading UK local authority. Prospective providers should be prepared to deliver high-quality, innovative solutions that meet the council's requirements, marking excellent potential for business growth through successful contract acquisition. The total estimated contract value is £835,000, with possibilities for extensions based on performance.

How relevant is this notice?

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 Kent Business Portal portal at: https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/tenders/UK-Maidstone:-Primary-education-services./CT7XZS797H To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/respond/CT7XZS797H If you experience any technical difficulties from accessing the above url, then please contact the Delta eSourcing Helpdesk on call 0800 923 9236 or email helpdesk@delta-esourcing.com

Lot Information

Lot 1

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

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06b227
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/057961-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
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
19 Jun 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
4 Aug 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
2 Nov 2026 - 31 Oct 2028 1-2 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

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

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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