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The Provision of a Part-Time NSETS/JNC Endorsed Professional Formation Programme in Youth Work

Education Authority NI

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

06 Oct 2026 at 11:49

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Education Authority intends to commission a part-time professional formation programme in youth work, supporting its Pathways to Employment scheme and the development of a qualified youth work workforce. Provision is expected to include an undergraduate pathway aligned with Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) requirements, postgraduate study and a master’s programme meeting JNC qualification standards. Courses must include content relevant to Northern Ireland, and the work will be delivered in Northern Ireland, with at least half of programme teaching at Education Authority premises. This is a planned procurement preceded by market engagement: the Authority is seeking supplier views on delivery approaches, capacity and commercial arrangements, rather than inviting bids.

The process is at planning and there is no invitation to tender. The Authority expects to publish a further notice on 27 November 2026. It plans a supplier presentation via MS Teams on 22 October 2026, with the time to be confirmed; suppliers wishing to attend were asked to email nominated attendee details by 3pm on 19 October. The anticipated contract period is 1 February 2027 to 31 January 2031. The estimated value is £1 million excluding VAT (£1.2 million including VAT). The procurement is described as one lot. No procurement procedure or evaluation criteria are set out at this stage; the engagement is intended to inform the approach and commercial arrangements.

This work is suited to universities and other education providers with the capacity to deliver JNC-aligned youth work qualifications and support part-time learners. The Authority is exploring providers able to offer cohort-based provision, flexible blocks of teaching and residential teaching as an option. Suppliers should be prepared to deliver undergraduate, postgraduate and master’s-level study, meet the relevant entry requirements set by the Authority’s Youth Service and designated university, and provide course content grounded in the Northern Ireland context. Delivery planning also needs to cover student placements and agree course modules and funding requirements before programmes begin. The procurement is marked as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises, and suppliers can use the market engagement to outline their delivery capacity, models and commercial arrangements.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

The Provision of a Part-Time NSETS/JNC Endorsed Professional Formation Programme in Youth Work

Notice Description

The primary purpose of this preliminary market engagement exercise ("Exercise") is for the Education Authority (EA) to seek supplier views and feedback on potential approaches for the provision of a learning provider for Part-time Pathways to Employment Programme in line with the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC). Further information on the project is detailed within Background Information Section of this document. The EA is seeking to appoint suppliers to provide professional formation programmes in youth work for an undergraduate programme for an initial 20-30 students, for a period of study of up to 4-years. Within the contract period, further cohorts may be added, and we would anticipate that any contract would be extended until participants have completed their studies though the EA give no guarantees of numbers of participants. Secondly, a Postgraduate programme is required for 15 students, a master's programme for 5-10 students which meet the JNC Qualification standards for a professional career in youth work. As part of this procurement exercise the Education Authority is seeking to understand the market capacity to provide a range of education opportunities to support the development of a suitably qualified and highly skilled workforce. This pre-market engagement exercise is intended to establish capacity, delivery models and commercial arrangements that may be available. The EA Pathways to Employment Programme will require the supplier to address and provide their approach to the below requirements. * Education Authority requirements in relation to our Pathways Scheme * Capacity to offer university places for an initial cohort of between 20-30 undergraduate places over the next 4 years. * Availability to provide up to 15 Postgraduate study places * Capacity to facilitate 5-10 Masters places * Cohort-based provision with greater flexibility and value for money than individual enrolment * Flexibility to offer a block period of teaching to support part-time study towards the successful completion of modules * Course tuition to be facilitated at EA premises for a minimum of 50% of programme delivery * Residential teaching as an option to support academic progress * Entry requirements in relation to EA Youth Service and the designated university stipulated * Specific course content relating to the Northern Ireland context included * Content of course modules, student placements and required finance agreed for each programme in advance of programme start date

Planning Information

Suppliers are invited to attend a PME Presentation to be delivered via MS Teams on Wednesday 22 October 2026, time to be confirmed. If your organisation would like to attend, please provide contract details of your nominated attendees to via email to business.procure@eani.org.uk by 3pm on Monday 19 October to allow us to issue invites.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078184
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/094188-2026
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

80000000 - Education and training services

80200000 - Secondary education services

80300000 - Higher education services

80310000 - Youth education services

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
6 Oct 2026Today
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
27 Nov 20262 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Feb 2027 - 31 Jan 2031 4-5 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
Education Authority NI
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BELFAST
Postcode
BT1 2NQ
Postcode Area
Northern Ireland
Country
Northern Ireland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLN Northern Ireland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLN0 Northern Ireland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLN06 Belfast
Delivery Location
TLN Northern Ireland
Local Authority
Belfast
Electoral Ward
Duncairn
Westminster Constituency
Belfast North

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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