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Mediation training, mediation services, culture diagnostics tool, culture review services

General Medical Council (GMC)

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

08 Sep 2026 at 11:44

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The General Medical Council (GMC) intends to procure a package of people, mediation and organisational culture services across the United Kingdom. The scope covers accredited training for internal workplace mediators, with ongoing supervision and continuing professional development; external mediation when internal mediators are unsuitable or unavailable; training and accreditation for learning, organisation and development staff in organisational development and culture diagnostic tools, including tool or survey licensing; and culture review consultancy where internal resources are insufficient. The work is principally human resources management consultancy. Mediation and culture services may be awarded separately, although the GMC considers them closely linked. The intended users are GMC staff, internal mediators and organisational development colleagues.

This procurement is at the planning stage: the GMC is reviewing the market and has not issued an invitation to tender. It expects the next notice to be published on 6 October 2026. The expected contract period is 21 December 2026 to 20 December 2029, with a possible renewal or extension to 20 December 2030. The estimated value is £333,333 excluding VAT, or £400,000 including VAT. The procurement is for services, above the relevant threshold, and is planned as a single lot. The lot is intended to be suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises. Market engagement was completed on 4 September 2026 through eight supplier meetings.

This will suit suppliers with established expertise in workplace mediation, mediator training and accreditation, external mediation, organisational development, culture diagnostics and culture review consultancy. The GMC is likely to value accredited trainers and mediators with relevant delivery experience, strong supervision and continuing professional development arrangements, rapid triage, flexible delivery and careful mediator matching. Suppliers should be able to demonstrate confidentiality, neutrality, safeguarding and clear governance, referral and mobilisation arrangements. For diagnostic tools, relevant strengths include evidence-based methodologies, training and accreditation, transparent licensing and ongoing support, robust data handling, and the ability to manage sensitive findings. Culture review providers should show how they connect findings to organisational strategy, communicate safely with staff and turn recommendations into measurable practical action. The engagement indicates that both internal capability-building and external support for complex work will matter.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Mediation training, mediation services, culture diagnostics tool, culture review services

Notice Description

To review the market for the following service provisions: * Mediation training and accreditation for internal mediators, plus ongoing supervision and CPD * External mediation, where use of internal mediators is not appropriate or possible * Training and accreditation for L&OD colleagues on OD/culture review diagnostic tools, plus ongoing tool/survey licensing costs * Culture review consultancy, where internal resource is not appropriate or sufficient

Planning Information

we held 8 MS Teams meetings with suppliers in the mediation and culture space. For mediation training and external mediation the four supplier discussions supported the proposed focus and confirmed an established market for both accredited workplace mediation training and external mediation. Suppliers generally viewed the two services as closely linked, while accepting that they can be awarded separately. The strongest messages were that the GMC should select the right internal mediators, protect their time, establish clear governance and referral routes, and invest in supervision, CPD and awareness after training. External mediation should provide rapid triage, flexible delivery, careful mediator matching and clear confidentiality arrangements. The procurement should therefore evaluate practical training quality, trainer and mediator experience, accreditation, ongoing support, mobilisation, capacity, safeguarding of neutrality and the ability to tailor services to the GMC. For the culture diagnostic tool and culture review services the four supplier discussions showed that training, accreditation and consultancy are closely connected in practice. Suppliers encouraged the GMC to build internal capability and retain external support for complex, sensitive or high-risk work. The strongest success factors were visible leadership sponsorship, a clear link to organisational strategy, safe handling of sensitive findings, effective staff communication and practical follow-through. The procurement should therefore assess the evidence behind each tool, full ongoing costs, data arrangements, post-accreditation support and the supplier’s ability to turn findings into measurable action.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f45e
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084809-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

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

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

CPV Codes

79414000 - Human resources management consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£333,333 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
8 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
6 Oct 20263 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
21 Dec 2026 - 20 Dec 2029 3-4 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
General Medical Council (GMC)
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
MANCHESTER
Postcode
M3 3AW
Postcode Area
Manchester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD3 Greater Manchester
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD33 Manchester
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Manchester
Electoral Ward
Deansgate
Westminster Constituency
Manchester Central

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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