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Pre Market Engagement Exercise for a Speech and Language Therapy Service for Nettlefield Primary School

Education Authority NI

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

12 Oct 2026 at 15:48

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Education Authority (Northern Ireland) is seeking supplier views on possible approaches to providing a speech and language therapy service for Nettlefield Primary School in Belfast. The intended service is health and therapy support for pupils at the school. This is a preliminary market engagement exercise to help the Authority shape its plans for a potential future contract; it is not the procurement of the service itself. Interested providers are being asked to respond to a questionnaire about how such a service could be delivered and structured. The exercise is relevant to speech and language therapy providers, including organisations experienced in delivering therapy services in primary-school settings and advising public-sector commissioners on service design.

The process has reached preliminary market engagement: the Authority invited supplier feedback through a questionnaire, rather than inviting bids for a contract. Responses were due by 3pm on 26 October 2026 via eTendersNI’s messaging function. The exercise stated an indicative contract period from 1 March 2027 to 28 February 2029, with an option to extend by up to 24 months, subject to funding and the scope of requirements. The stated estimated value is £258,000 excluding VAT (£309,600 including VAT). This is a single requirement, marked as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. There are no award criteria for the market engagement exercise; responses will inform planning and will not be evaluated as part of any later tender.

This is an opportunity for speech and language therapy providers to contribute to the design of a potential school-based service before a formal procurement. Suppliers with experience assessing and supporting children’s speech, language and communication needs in a primary-school environment are well placed to offer practical feedback on service models, staffing and delivery. The Authority is seeking views to help shape a robust, value-for-money contract, so providers able to explain workable approaches and the resources needed to deliver them should find the exercise relevant. Small and medium-sized enterprises are explicitly considered suitable. Taking part, or choosing not to take part, does not affect eligibility for any future procurement, and questionnaire responses will not give suppliers an advantage or disadvantage in a later competition.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Pre Market Engagement Exercise for a Speech and Language Therapy Service for Nettlefield Primary School

Notice Description

The primary purpose of this preliminary market engagement exercise ("Exercise") is for the Education Authority (EA) to outline and seek supplier views and feedback on potential approaches for the provision of a Speech and Language Therapy Service for Nettlefield Primary School. This is not a tender exercise by the Education Authority. The Education Authority Northern Ireland (EANI) wishes to engage with the market to gather views on the establishment of a robust, value for money Contract for the provision of a Speech and Language Therapy Service for Nettlefield Primary School. The anticipated contract period is from 1 March 2027 to 28th February 2029 (indicative), with options to extend for periods up to a further 24 months. Any information gathered through this market consultation exercise will be used solely to inform internal business planning and any potential future procurement process. It will not be evaluated as part of any subsequent tender exercise. Participation or non participation in this preliminary market consultation will not preclude any supplier from taking part in any future procurement process, nor will any information submitted provide any supplier with an advantage or disadvantage. For the avoidance of doubt, this is the scoping phase and not part of a formal procurement procedure. Suppliers who wish to participate in the market engagement exercise should complete the pre-market engagement questionnaire available on eTendersNI under the unique reference EANI 5464. Further information, including the questionnaire, can be downloaded from the CfT documents. Completed questionnaires must be submitted via the Messaging function of eTendersNI no later than 3:00pm on Monday 26th October 2026. No additional tender documents are required at this stage beyond the questionnaire.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: The contract may be extended for an optional period up to and including 24 months subject to funding and scope of requirements.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0785db
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/096204-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - open competition
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

98 - Other community, social and personal services

CPV Codes

85000000 - Health and social work services

85100000 - Health services

85110000 - Hospital and related services

85111000 - Hospital services

98300000 - Miscellaneous services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£258,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£258,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
12 Oct 2026Today
Submission Deadline
26 Oct 20262 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Mar 2027 - 28 Feb 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
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
Not specified
Local Authority
Belfast
Electoral Ward
Duncairn
Westminster Constituency
Belfast North

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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