Award

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Provision of Suffolk Adult Learning Service

Suffolk County Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

24 Jun 2026 at 11:36

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

24 Jun 2026 at 11:26

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Suffolk County Council has awarded a contract for the Provision of Suffolk Adult Learning Service to Realise Futures CIC. The procurement falls under the education and training services category and is situated within the region of Ipswich, UK. The contract, following a direct award process, is part of a completed procurement stage. The contract is valued at £4,970,778 and spans from 1st August 2026 to 31st July 2027, with a potential extension of one additional year. This procurement aligns with the strategic intentions of the Norfolk and Suffolk Mayoral Combined County Authority, aimed at ensuring continuity of service amidst planned government reorganisation and devolution initiatives.

This tender presents substantial opportunities for businesses specialising in adult education and training services, particularly those that can offer robust service continuation during periods of administrative change. Realise Futures CIC, an SME and a social enterprise, is well-suited for this contract due to its established presence in the region and its capacity as a sheltered workshop. Companies with a focus on social impact and local community development may find this type of opportunity particularly rewarding, as the focus is on maintaining service delivery throughout the anticipated devolution and local government restructuring.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Provision of Suffolk Adult Learning Service

Notice Description

Suffolk County Council wishes to Direct award a contract to Realise Futures for the provision of the Suffolk Adult Learning Service Adult Skills Fund.

Procurement Information

Suffolk County Council is part of the Devolution Priority Programme. A Mayoral Combined County Authority for Norfolk and Suffolk, with strategic powers and led by an elected Mayor, is intended to be established. The Government announced on 4 December 2025 that the inaugural mayoral election would be delayed until 2028. However, Adult Skills Funding has been devolved in other areas without a Mayor, and it is therefore expected that Adult Skills Funding will be devolved from academic year 2027/28, from August 2027. At that point, delivery and procurement responsibilities are expected to transfer from Suffolk County Council to the Norfolk and Suffolk Mayoral Combined County Authority. To ensure continuity of service during this transition period, Suffolk County Council proposes to make a direct award to the incumbent provider, Realise Futures, for a period of one year, with an option to extend for a further year. This will maintain service continuity and align the contractual arrangement with the anticipated devolution timetable.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06bbed
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/059324-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80000000 - Education and training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£4,970,778 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
24 Jun 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
25 May 20263 months ago
Contract Period
1 Aug 2026 - 31 Jul 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Suffolk 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
IPSWICH
Postcode
IP1 2BX
Postcode Area
Ipswich
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH6 Suffolk
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH62 Ipswich
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Ipswich
Electoral Ward
Gipping
Westminster Constituency
Ipswich

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

REALISE FUTURES CIC

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.

Loading OCDS record...