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Outsourced Qualifications Delivery Services

Sanctuary Housing Association

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

29 Sep 2026 at 14:32

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Sanctuary Housing Association is considering outsourcing the delivery of vocational, professional and apprenticeship qualifications across care, housing and business disciplines. The potential service covers learner enrolment, assessment and certification, learner support, progress and achievement tracking, internal quality assurance, awarding-body compliance, management information and performance reporting. Delivery may cover England, Scotland or both, with existing assessors potentially transferring to the provider under TUPE where applicable. The requirement is intended to support Sanctuary’s qualification delivery across these sectors. The scope is still being explored through market engagement, so the final mix of services and geographical coverage may change. This is a potential training and qualification delivery service, rather than a confirmed contract specification.

The process is at preliminary market engagement and no invitation to tender has been issued; Sanctuary has not committed to starting a procurement. It expects to use market feedback to shape its procurement strategy, contract structure, potential lots and mobilisation requirements. A supplier webinar is planned for 9 October 2026, 10:00–11:00 BST; participation is voluntary and will not affect the outcome of any later competition. Sanctuary expects a future procurement notice around 1 November 2026. The indicative contract period is 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2028, with a possible extension period reaching 1 April 2034. The estimated value is £500,000 including VAT. The eventual evaluation criteria and procedure have not yet been set out; suppliers will need to take part in a separately advertised process to be considered for award.

This may suit providers able to deliver vocational and professional qualifications and apprenticeship pathways across care, housing and business, with geographic reach in England, Scotland or both. Relevant strengths include managing learner journeys from enrolment through assessment and certification, supporting learners, monitoring progress and achievement, and producing reliable performance information. Providers should be prepared to demonstrate robust internal quality assurance and compliance with awarding-body and regulatory requirements. Sanctuary is also seeking to understand suppliers’ delivery models, capacity across multiple disciplines and regions, mobilisation plans, and experience with funding regimes and grants. Experience managing TUPE transfers and integrating an existing assessor workforce may be useful if that element remains in scope. The procurement is still being shaped, giving suppliers an opportunity to contribute market feedback before any future competition.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Outsourced Qualifications Delivery Services

Notice Description

Sanctuary Group is undertaking Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) with organisations that provide qualifications assessment and delivery services for vocational, professional and apprenticeship qualifications. This engagement will help inform the procurement strategy and future contracting approach for a potential outsourced qualifications delivery service. The requirement is expected to include the delivery of qualifications across care, housing and business disciplines throughout England and Scotland, together with quality assurance, learner support and management information services. The scope may also include the transfer and ongoing management of existing qualification assessors under TUPE regulations where applicable. Objectives of the Engagement Sanctuary wishes to engage with the market to: * Understand supplier capability, capacity and delivery models. * Explore approaches to delivering qualifications across multiple disciplines and geographical regions. * Understand experience of managing learner journeys, quality assurance and regulatory compliance. * Gather feedback on potential lotting, contract structure and mobilisation requirements. * Explore opportunities to maximise the use of available funding regimes and grant opportunities. * Understand supplier experience of TUPE transfers and workforce integration. * Obtain market feedback to support the development of any future procurement process. Potential Scope The future requirement may include: * Delivery of care, housing and business-related qualifications. * Support for vocational qualifications, professional qualifications and apprenticeship pathways where applicable. * Learner enrolment, , assessment and certification services. * Progress monitoring, achievement tracking and reporting. * Internal quality assurance and awarding body compliance. * Management information and performance reporting. * England and/or Scotland coverage. * Potential TUPE transfer of existing assessors. Market Engagement Webinar Interested organisations are invited to attend a market engagement webinar via Teams. Date: 9 October 2026 Time: 10:00am to 11:00am (BST) The webinar will provide an overview of the proposed requirement, expected outcomes, procurement considerations and an opportunity for suppliers to ask questions. Registration Organisations wishing to participate should register their interest by emailing: group.procurement@sanctuary.co.uk with the subject line "Outsourced Qualifications Delivery Services" Please include: * Organisation name * Main contact name * Email address * Job title * Areas of interest and expertise (for example Care, Housing, Business, England, Scotland) Joining instructions will be provided to registered organisations in advance of the webinar. Only one person per organisation needs to register, the main contact can then forward the Teams link where appropriate. Additional Information Participation in this market engagement exercise is voluntary and will not influence the outcome of any future procurement process. Any future procurement opportunity will be advertised separately and interested organisations will need to participate in that process should they wish to be considered for contract award. Sanctuary reserves the right to amend the scope described during this engagement and no commitment is made at this stage to commence a procurement process. The information gathered through this exercise will be used solely to inform Sanctuary's procurement strategy and requirements. The estimated contract value and contract duration are currently being assessed and will be advised as part of the tender process following pre- market engagement.

Planning Information

Market Engagement Webinar Interested organisations are invited to attend a market engagement webinar via Teams. Date: 9 October 2026 Time: 10:00am to 11:00am (BST) The webinar will provide an overview of the proposed requirement, expected outcomes, procurement considerations and an opportunity for suppliers to ask questions. Registration Organisations wishing to participate should register their interest by emailing: group.procurement@sanctuary.co.uk with the subject line "Outsourced Qualifications Delivery Services" Please include: • Organisation name • Main contact name • Email address • Job title • Areas of interest and expertise (for example Care, Housing, Business, England, Scotland) Joining instructions will be provided to registered organisations in advance of the webinar. Only one person per organisation needs to register, the main contact can then forward the Teams link where appropriate. Additional Information Participation in this market engagement exercise is voluntary and will not influence the outcome of any future procurement process. Any future procurement opportunity will be advertised separately and interested organisations will need to participate in that process should they wish to be considered for contract award. Sanctuary reserves the right to amend the scope described during this engagement and no commitment is made at this stage to commence a procurement process. The information gathered through this exercise will be used solely to inform Sanctuary's procurement strategy and requirements.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-077ca1
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/091939-2026
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
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80500000 - Training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£500,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
29 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
1 Nov 20264 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2027 - 1 Apr 2028 1-2 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
Sanctuary Housing Association
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
WORCESTER
Postcode
WR1 3ZQ
Postcode Area
Worcester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLG West Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLG1 Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLG12 Worcestershire CC
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England), TLM Scotland
Local Authority
Worcester
Electoral Ward
Cathedral
Westminster Constituency
Worcester

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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