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Overseas Educational Travel Services

The City of Edinburgh Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

21 Jul 2026 at 16:27

Planning Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The City of Edinburgh Council intends to procure overseas educational travel services for curriculum-linked trips and educational visits by pupils from Edinburgh primary and secondary schools. The service is expected to cover end-to-end itinerary design, coordination and management; booking air, rail and coach transport; sourcing and quality-assuring accommodation; organising excursions, cultural visits and curriculum-linked activities; preparing destination-specific risk assessments and travel safety documentation; arranging travel insurance; and providing 24-hour emergency and crisis support during trips. Travel will principally be within Europe, with occasional longer-haul visits possible. Delivery is for schools across Edinburgh, including the council’s estate of more than 100 primary and secondary schools. The procurement is for services, including travel agency, package tour organisation, hotel accommodation and air transport.

This is a planned procurement at the prior-information and market-engagement stage. The council has stated its intention to run a formal tender and invites organisations to register interest for follow-up engagement before that exercise. The expected procurement is one lot. The council expects a further notice around 1 October 2026; this is an indicative publication date, not a bid deadline. The service is expected to be covered by the Government Procurement Agreement. The council has set out the proposed scope and minimum supplier requirements, including travel-sector consumer protection, safeguarding, experience and insurance requirements, but has not yet published a tender timetable, contract value or contract duration. Any formal procurement will require tenderers to demonstrate the capability and protections described in the notice.

This will suit established educational travel operators, tour organisers and travel agencies able to manage complex overseas group travel for school-age children on behalf of councils or comparable public-sector clients. Providers should be prepared to demonstrate valid ATOL protection and ABTA membership, or equivalent bonding and consumer-protection arrangements, and compliance with the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018. Relevant strengths include robust safeguarding, child protection and group-supervision procedures; PVG scheme membership for staff in regulated roles with children; proportionate public, employers’ and professional indemnity insurance; and reliable 24/7 overseas emergency escalation. The council also expects STF Assured Membership, or equivalent independently audited safety management, financial protection and educational travel competence against the STF Code of Practice. Experience across Europe, with capacity for occasional longer-haul travel, will be relevant.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Overseas Educational Travel Services

Notice Description

The City of Edinburgh Council is publishing this Prior Information Notice to advise the market of its intention to tender a contract for the provision of Overseas Educational Travel Services and to invite engagement from suitably qualified and experienced providers ahead of a formal procurement exercise.

Lot Information

Lot 1

The services will support overseas curriculum-linked trips and educational visits undertaken by pupils attending Edinburgh primary and secondary schools. The scope is expected to include: End-to-end itinerary design, coordination, and management for overseas school trips Booking and management of transport (air, rail, and coach as appropriate) Sourcing and quality assurance of accommodation suitable for school groups Organisation of excursions, cultural visits, and curriculum-linked activities Preparation of destination-specific risk assessments and travel safety documentation Arrangement of appropriate travel insurance covering pupils, accompanying staff, and supervisors 24-hour in-trip emergency support and crisis management capability Compliance with all relevant child protection, safeguarding, and health and safety requirements applicable in Scotland Trips will be principally within Europe, though the contract may also accommodate occasional longer-haul visits. The City of Edinburgh Council operates a sizeable school estate of over 100 primary and secondary schools across the city.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d032
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/068852-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Planning Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services

60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

63 - Supporting and auxiliary transport services; travel agencies services

CPV Codes

55110000 - Hotel accommodation services

60400000 - Air transport services

63510000 - Travel agency and similar services

63511000 - Organisation of package tours

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
21 Jul 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
1 Oct 20262 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
The City of Edinburgh 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
EDINBURGH
Postcode
EH8 8BG
Postcode Area
Edinburgh
Country
Scotland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM1 East Central Scotland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM13 City of Edinburgh
Delivery Location
TLM75 City of Edinburgh
Local Authority
City of Edinburgh
Electoral Ward
City Centre
Westminster Constituency
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh

Further Information

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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