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The Provision of Independent Careers Advice and Guidance

Outwood Grange Academies Trust

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

22 Sep 2026 at 15:11

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Outwood Grange Academies Trust intends to appoint one provider to deliver independent, impartial careers education, information, advice and guidance across its primary and secondary academies. The service will include one-to-one careers interviews, group sessions and drop-ins for mainly Years 9, 11 and 12; targeted support for vulnerable pupils; September Guarantee and destination tracking; results-day and summer transition support; employer encounters, careers fairs and employability workshops; support for Careers Quality Mark achievement; primary careers frameworks; student tracking systems; and reporting to academy and Trust leadership. This is a careers guidance service (CPV 79634000), delivered across academies in the North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, and the East Midlands of England.

This procurement is at the planning and preliminary market engagement stage; it is not yet an invitation to tender. The Trust expects suppliers to express interest as part of its engagement by 23 October 2026, with the next notice currently expected on 9 November 2026. The anticipated arrangement is a single lot and a light-touch services procurement. The indicative contract period is 1 September 2027 to 31 August 2029, with renewal potentially extending delivery to 31 August 2031. The estimated value is £2,000,000 excluding VAT, or £2,400,000 including VAT. The requirement is above the relevant threshold. The service is intended to support Trust growth, with scalable provision and pricing.

The work will suit an established careers guidance provider able to resource a multi-academy service with dedicated, qualified Careers Advisers, core delivery days matched to cohort sizes, planning capacity and results-day support. Strong candidates will be able to provide impartial guidance for secondary pupils, targeted support for vulnerable young people, destination tracking and transition services, employer and community networks, employability activity, and age-appropriate primary careers development. Providers should be prepared to support the eight Gatsby Benchmarks, statutory requirements including the Baker Clause, and Careers Quality Mark development. Delivery will require a single named Account Manager, reliable data systems and KPI reporting, scalable capacity, safer recruitment, Enhanced DBS checks, safeguarding and GDPR compliance, mandatory safety training, and local social value outcomes.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

The Provision of Independent Careers Advice and Guidance

Notice Description

Outwood Grange Academies Trust (Outwood) is inviting expressions of interest for an upcoming procurement for a single Provider to deliver independent, impartial Careers Education, Information, Advice, and Guidance (CEIAG) across its primary and secondary academies. The requirement aligns with statutory obligations (including the Baker Clause) and covers the full range of the eight Gatsby Benchmarks. Core Service Requirements Personal Guidance & Targeted Support: Direct 1-to-1 careers interviews, group sessions, and drop-ins for Key Stage 4 and 5 cohorts (primarily Years 9, 11, and 12), with targeted support for vulnerable students (Raising the Participation Age). Transitions & Destination Tracking: Leading the September Guarantee process, tracking leaver destinations (KS3/4/Post-16), and providing results day and summer transition support. Employer & Community Engagement: Facilitating employer encounters, careers fairs, and employability workshops using local business and education networks. Quality & Primary Development: Assisting academies with achieving the Careers Quality Mark and supporting primary academies with age-appropriate careers frameworks. Data Management: Supplying student tracking systems and regular reporting to Academy and Trust leadership. Key Delivery Standards Resourcing: Dedicated, qualified Careers Advisors providing core delivery days based on cohort sizes, plus dedicated planning and results-day support. Account Management: A single named Account Manager for overall contract management and KPI review. Scalability: Capacity to support any Trust growth, with pricing models allowing for expansion. Compliance & Safeguarding: Full compliance with safer recruitment, Enhanced DBS checks, Trust codes of conduct, mandatory safety training, and GDPR. Social Value: Delivery of local economic and social value outputs within academy communities.

Planning Information

In the first instance, please contact the procurement team at procurement@outwood.com for further details and to submit an expression of interest.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0777c1
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089739-2026
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
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

CPV Codes

79634000 - Career guidance services

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Sep 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
9 Nov 20262 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Sep 2027 - 1 Sep 2029 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
Outwood Grange Academies Trust
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
WAKEFIELD
Postcode
WF1 2PF
Postcode Area
Wakefield
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLE Yorkshire and The Humber
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLE4 West Yorkshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLE45 Wakefield
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England)
Local Authority
Wakefield
Electoral Ward
Wrenthorpe and Outwood West
Westminster Constituency
Wakefield and Rothwell

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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