This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

24 Jul 2026 at 13:24

Summary of the contracting process

The City of Liverpool College, a public authority under sub-central government, has completed a direct award procurement process for exam boards exceeding the Light Touch limit over the past four years. The contract, titled "Exam Boards Awarding Body," involves education and training services provided by City & Guilds and Pearson Education Limited. The contract period is set from 1st August 2026 to 31st July 2027, with services to be delivered in the Liverpool area (UKD72). The procurement utilised a special 'lightTouch' regime, acknowledging the unique non-tendering nature of exam boards, and was finalised through a direct award method due to the proprietary intellectual properties involved.

This contract offers substantial growth opportunities for businesses specialising in educational services, specifically exam boards well-versed in delivering high-value certification programs. Large-scale organisations like City & Guilds and Pearson Education Limited, already awarded the contract, demonstrate the suitability of experienced service providers in this sector. The procurement process highlights opportunities for businesses with an established reputation in education and training services that can meet high demand and specific service delivery requirements over a multi-year period.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

Exam Boards Awarding Body

Notice Description

This notice relates to the exam boards the College utilises whose turnover exceeds the Light Touch limit over the previous 4 years. This notice relates to both City & Guilds and Pearson Education Ltd

Procurement Information

Exam boards do not engage in tendering processes, both companies, City & Guilds plus Pearson Education have spends that exceed the Light Touch thresholds for spends over the previous 4 x years.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d35d
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/070341-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Large

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
£2,654,699 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
24 Jul 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
24 Jul 20261 weeks ago
Contract Period
31 Jul 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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
THE CITY OF LIVERPOOL COLLEGE
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
THE LEARNING EXCHANGE, LIVERPOOL
Postcode
L1 9DW
Post Town
Liverpool
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD7 Merseyside
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD72 Liverpool
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Liverpool
Electoral Ward
Canning
Westminster Constituency
Liverpool Riverside

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
2
Supplier Names

CITY & GUILDS

PEARSON EDUCATION

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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