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Working Collaboratively Opportunity - Supporting School Access to Adrenaline Auto-Injectors (AAIs)

Department for Education

This public procurement record has 5 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

26 Aug 2026 at 10:19

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

29 Jul 2026 at 15:49

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

28 Jul 2026 at 15:45

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

28 Jul 2026 at 14:29

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

28 Jul 2026 at 14:25

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Education is exploring how schools in England can access spare adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) quickly, reliably and affordably for emergency use in anaphylaxis. The work concerns the supply of AAIs, including manufacture, distribution, wholesaling and other authorised supply routes. It will examine how schools currently purchase AAIs, possible delivery models, operational considerations, regulatory factors and the risks or constraints of scaling supply nationally. The potential approach is a voluntary working sponsorship model, under which providers could make commercial offers directly to schools in return for a rights package, while schools retain independent purchasing decisions. Delivery would support schools across England, covering the North East, North West, Midlands, East, London, South East and South West.

This procurement is at the planning and early market-engagement stage, not a call for competition. The Department intended to hold a Microsoft Teams webinar on 11 August 2026 from 11:30 to 12:00, followed by one-to-one discussions with interested organisations. Organisations were asked to register interest by 10 August 2026 at 12:00; following strong market interest, participation was extended to 11 September 2026. The planned contract period is 2 November 2026 to 2 November 2028. One lot is recorded, with a planning status and an estimated value of £0 including gross value. The engagement will inform whether a formal process or agreement is pursued; the Department has not committed to one.

This will suit manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and other authorised AAI suppliers that understand medicines and medical-device regulation, school purchasing routes and national supply operations. Relevant organisations should be able to explain their current routes to market, delivery and fulfilment models, regulatory constraints, affordability considerations and the practical risks of increasing supply at national scale. The Department is seeking market insight rather than bids, so suppliers with evidence from existing school, healthcare or public-sector distribution arrangements may be well placed to contribute. Small and medium-sized enterprises, voluntary, community and social enterprises are identified as suitable for the planned lot. Suppliers should continue operating within the current legal framework, as any extension to further education and other post-16 institutions has not yet been implemented.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Working Collaboratively Opportunity - Supporting School Access to Adrenaline Auto-Injectors (AAIs)

Notice Description

Keeping children and young people with allergies safe while in school is a key priority for the Government. Section 34 of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 (www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2026/21/section/34/enacted) places new allergy safety duties on schools. We have published new statutory guidance on Allergy safety in schools (www.gov.uk/government/publications/allergy-safety-in-schools). Currently under the Human Medicines (Amendment) Regulations 2017, schools in England are permitted to purchase "spare" adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) without a prescription for emergency use in cases of anaphylaxis. The Government intends to require all schools to stock "spare" AAIs. Further education (FE) colleges and other post-16 institutions are not included in this exemption. Any extension would require regulatory change, which has not yet been implemented. Suppliers should therefore continue to operate in line with the current legal framework. This early engagement supports the Department for Education's (DfE) preparatory work ahead of new statutory guidance, with the aim of ensuring schools can access "spare" adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs) quickly, reliably and affordably to support pupil safety. The Department is therefore initiating early market engagement with organisations that supply AAIs, including manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and other authorised suppliers, to better understand the current market landscape and the options available to support schools in accessing "spare" AAIs. This engagement will inform consideration of a potential working sponsorship approach, through which the provider market may develop voluntary commercial offers directly to schools in return for a rights package. The intention is to support improved affordability, simplify access, and enhance reliability of supply, while maintaining schools' independence in purchasing decisions. To inform this approach, the Department is seeking insight into existing routes to market through which schools purchase AAIs, as well as the practical and operational considerations faced by suppliers, delivery models, and any relevant regulatory factors. This includes understanding potential risks or constraints associated with scaling supply at a national level. The Department intends to hold a market engagement webinar via Microsoft Teams on Tuesday 11 August at 11:30 - 12:00 to provide further context on this initiative. Following this webinar, the Department intends to hold 1-to-1 discussions with interested organisations, to support a more detailed exploration of market capability and gather more detailed insight. To register your interest in attending this event and/or the 121 discussions, please email Adrenalinedevices.PARTNERSHIP@education.gov.uk before 12:00 on Monday 10 August. Please note that this notice is for early market engagement and exploratory purposes and is not a call for competition. The Department reserves the right not to enter any formal processes or agreements. Accordingly, the Department will not be liable for any cost, expenditure, work, or effort incurred by a provider in acting based on this notice.

Planning Information

The Department intends to hold a market engagement webinar via Microsoft Teams on Tuesday 11 August at 11:30 – 12:00 to provide further context on this initiative. Following this webinar, the Department intends to hold 1-to-1 discussions with interested organisations, to support a more detailed exploration of market capability and gather more detailed insight. To register your interest in attending this event and/or the 121 discussions, please email Adrenalinedevices.PARTNERSHIP@education.gov.uk before 12:00 on Monday 10 August. Please note that this notice is for early market engagement and exploratory purposes and is not a call for competition. The Department reserves the right not to enter any formal processes or agreements. Accordingly, the Department will not be liable for any cost, expenditure, work, or effort incurred by a provider in acting based on this notice.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d560
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/081105-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

33 - Medical equipments, pharmaceuticals and personal care products

CPV Codes

33190000 - Miscellaneous medical devices and products

33600000 - Pharmaceutical products

33690000 - Various medicinal products

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
26 Aug 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
2 Nov 2026 - 2 Nov 2028 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Department for Education
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1P 3BT
Postcode Area
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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