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Rail Industry Services

Gateshead College

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

TenderUpdate

16 Sep 2026 at 09:09

UK4 - Tender Notice
Tender

14 Sep 2026 at 14:33

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

24 Jul 2026 at 16:19

UK3 - Planned Procurement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Gateshead College is procuring specialist rail industry training and support services for learners on its Rail Engineering courses. The requirement covers safety-critical training and related support to help new entrants gain the qualifications needed for employment in the rail industry, providing a pathway from education into work. The supplier will work with the College to train and qualify learners who are pursuing nationally recognised NVQ qualifications. This is a services contract for education, vocational training and adult learning. The work is intended to support the College’s rail engineering provision and employment outcomes for its learners. Suppliers should be able to provide services through organisations accredited by the National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR).

The procurement has reached tender: Gateshead College invited offers through an open procedure. Potential suppliers could submit enquiries until 5 October 2026 at 4:00 pm, and bids are due by 14 October 2026 at 12:00 noon. The contract is scheduled to run from 13 January 2027 to 12 January 2028, with four optional 12-month extensions, potentially taking it to 12 January 2032. Its gross value is £2.1 million. The College expects to decide the award by 10 December 2026. Bids may be submitted electronically in English. Evaluation is split equally between price and quality, with each weighted at 50%. The opportunity is a single lot and is suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community or social enterprises.

This opportunity suits an NSAR-accredited organisation with specialist rail safety-critical training capability and relevant experience of delivering vocational education or industry support. Suppliers need to be able to work with a further education college, train and qualify new entrants to the rail industry, and support learners seeking employment. Experience of delivering training leading to nationally recognised NVQ qualifications would be directly relevant to the requirement. The contract is suitable for both small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises, so it may also suit organisations with a focused rail training offer or a specialist delivery model. The equal price-and-quality assessment gives service quality the same importance as cost.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Rail Industry Services

Notice Description

Gateshead College offers courses in Rail Engineering, leading to nationally recognised NVQ qualifications. For our learners to gain access to employment opportunities in the rail industry, we require specialist safety critical training and support services only offered by National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR) accredited organisations. The College is seeking to procure specialist training and services from a suitably accredited and experienced Supplier, who will work with the College to train and qualify new entrants to the rail industry and provide a pathway to employment.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: There will be options for the College to extend the contract for a further four periods of 12 months each. Any extensions offered will be subject to satisfactory contract performance and the College still having adequate funding and requirement for the contract.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d3a3
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/087571-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80000000 - Education and training services

80400000 - Adult and other education services

80530000 - Vocational training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£2,100,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£2,100,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
16 Sep 20266 days ago
Submission Deadline
14 Oct 20264 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
10 Sep 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
13 Jan 2027 - 12 Jan 2028 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Gateshead 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
GATESHEAD
Postcode
NE8 3BE
Postcode Area
Newcastle upon Tyne
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC43 Tyneside
Delivery Location
TLC2 Northumberland, and Tyne and Wear
Local Authority
Gateshead
Electoral Ward
Bridges
Westminster Constituency
Gateshead Central and Whickham

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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