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Development and Delivery of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council Labour Market Partnership Classroom Assistant Academy 2026/2027

Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

14 Oct 2026 at 16:09

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Tender

26 Jun 2026 at 14:45

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council commissioned the development and delivery of a Classroom Assistant Academy through its Labour Market Partnership. The service is intended to support skills development and workforce opportunities in the borough. The procurement falls within education and training services, including vocational training, adult education, personal development and coaching. The Council is the buyer, and the programme relates to Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon in Northern Ireland. Its wider Labour Market Partnership aims to address barriers to inclusion and help build a responsive skills system for employers and residents. The contract title refers to the 2026/2027 academy, while the wider requirement is the delivery of training for prospective classroom assistants.

The procurement is complete and the contract was awarded to DFPF Ltd, trading as People 1st, which is based in Belfast. The Council used an open competition below the public procurement threshold. There was one lot, evaluated on quality weighted at 90% and price at 10%. Bids were due by 17 July 2026, and questions by 10 July 2026. The award value is not separately reported; the signed contract is valued at £55,470 gross. It was signed on 23 September 2026 and runs from 25 September 2026 to 31 March 2027, with a possible nine-month extension and a maximum end date of 31 December 2027. The tender's estimated lot value was £60,000 gross, and its stated contract period ran from 3 August 2026 to 31 March 2031.

For training providers, this award demonstrates demand from Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council for a focused programme that prepares people for classroom assistant roles. A credible competitor would need to design and deliver relevant vocational or adult learning, support participants' personal development, and connect training to employment opportunities in schools. The strong weighting given to quality indicates that the Council placed substantially more emphasis on the quality of the proposed service than on price. Providers should be able to evidence a clear training approach and the capacity to deliver the academy for learners in the borough. The selected supplier is an SME, showing that a smaller provider was able to secure the work; the requirement may suit specialist training organisations with local delivery capability and experience supporting workforce skills.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Development and Delivery of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council Labour Market Partnership Classroom Assistant Academy 2026/2027

Notice Description

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council (ABC or "the Council") is the largest local authority outside Belfast, serving a population of over 217,000 residents. The Borough benefits from a strong and diverse economy, with 9,255 VAT and/or PAYEregistered businesses--an increase of 3.6 percent since 2021, representing the highest growth among all Local Government Districts (LGDs) and accounting for 11.7 percent of all such businesses in Northern Ireland. This thriving economic landscape includes a broad range of enterprises, from innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to globally recognised brands. The Council recognises that a skilled, adaptable, and resilient workforce is essential for driving economic recovery, future growth, and long-term prosperity. Our vision is for the Borough to be a place where every individual can access opportunities and realise their full potential, regardless of background or circumstance. This vision reflects the Council's ongoing commitment to supporting people, families, businesses, and communities to succeed and thrive. To achieve this, ABC Council is actively addressing social and economic barriers to equality and inclusion. We are working collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders to promote productivity and inclusive growth through targeted investment in skills development, business support, and people-focused initiatives. Our aim is to ensure the Borough is underpinned by a dynamic, responsive skills system--one that meets the evolving needs of both employers and the workforce, and supports sustainable, inclusive economic development.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06be64
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/097174-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - open competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

79414000 - Human resources management consultancy services

79600000 - Recruitment services

79998000 - Coaching services

80000000 - Education and training services

80400000 - Adult and other education services

80500000 - Training services

80530000 - Vocational training services

80570000 - Personal development training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£60,000 Under £100K
Lots Value
£60,000 Under £100K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£55,470 Under £100K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
14 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
17 Jul 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
25 Sep 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Armagh City Banbridge and Craigavon Borough 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
CRAIGAVON
Postcode
BT64 1AL
Postcode Area
Northern Ireland
Country
Northern Ireland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLN Northern Ireland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLN0 Northern Ireland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLN07 Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
Electoral Ward
Craigavon Centre
Westminster Constituency
Upper Bann

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

D.F.P.F. LTD

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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