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24-T05 - Framework Agreement for Lot 1 - Supply of external tutor(s) for Driver Training Courses and Lot 2 - Outsourced Driver Training Courses (including the Tutor(s), vehicles and venues)

East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

13 Oct 2026 at 16:41

Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust is establishing a multi-supplier framework to supplement its in-house Driver Training Unit when demand exceeds its capacity. It covers emergency and non-emergency driving instruction for ambulance, patient transport and rapid response vehicles, for staff including ambulance care assistants, emergency care assistants, emergency medical technicians, paramedics and other clinical groups. Lot 1 is for external tutors to deliver courses at centres across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. Lot 2 is for outsourced courses, with the supplier providing tutors, vehicles and venues. The framework can also be used by ambulance services across England, Wales and Scotland, including the East of England, London, Yorkshire and the South West.

The buyer invited offers through an open procedure to establish a framework agreement with multiple suppliers. The submission deadline was 14 October 2026; the scheduled bid opening was 15 October 2026. The framework term is 1,440 days, with no renewal indicated. Its estimated value is £4 million: £600,000 for Lot 1, external tutors, and £3.5 million for Lot 2, outsourced courses. Suppliers may be awarded both lots. Bids must be in English, and variants are not permitted. The stated course durations are 20 days for emergency response ambulance driving and five days for non-emergency or patient care services ambulance driving; these may change during the framework. The procurement description identifies a light-touch regime, rather than a restricted procedure.

This opportunity suits driver-training providers able to support fluctuating demand for ambulance and patient transport instruction. Lot 1 is suited to qualified tutors who can deliver courses at centres across the Trust’s operating area; demand may require tutors for a full course or shorter periods. Lot 2 is suited to an accredited training company able to supply the tutor, suitable vehicles and venues, and deliver both emergency and non-emergency courses. It requires recognised qualifications to deliver FutureQual courses and delivery in line with FutureQual’s accredited learning. Relevant course capability includes the Level 3 Certificate in Emergency Response Ambulance Driving and the Level 3 Award in Patient Care Services: Ambulance Driving. Providers should be equipped to train different ambulance and clinical staff groups using ambulances, patient transport vehicles and rapid response vehicles.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

24-T05 - Framework Agreement for Lot 1 - Supply of external tutor(s) for Driver Training Courses and Lot 2 - Outsourced Driver Training Courses (including the Tutor(s), vehicles and venues)

Notice Description

The Authority has a specialist Driver Training Unit that provides ambulance driver training to primarily new starters and graduate paramedics requiring emergency blue light driver training and also non-emergency driver training to Patient Transport Services (PTS) staff. Driver Training includes the use of ambulances, patient transport vehicles and rapid response vehicles. Students needs depend on whether the students are, Emergency Care Assistants (ECA), Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) or Paramedics operating on A&E response vehicles or patient transport services or other clinical groups. This is a procurement to establish a Framework Agreement of multiple suppliers who can support the Authority when workloads fluctuate, and our own in-house Driver Training Unit does not have capacity to undertake all course requirements. Volumes of personnel requiring driver training fluctuate with changes to workforce requirements and additional newly recruited employees. The Framework Agreement is split into two (2) Lots: Lot 1 - Supply of External Tutors Lot 2 - Outsourced Driver Training Courses (including the supply of external tutor(s), vehicles and venues) The Following Trust can access this framework East of England Ambulance Service South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust North East Ambulance Services NHS Foundation Trust Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Trust East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust London Ambulance Service NHS Trust Welsh Ambulance NHS Trust Scottish Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Lot Information

Supply of external tutor(s) for Driver Training Courses

The Authority employs a specialist Driver Training Unit that is looking to supplement it with additional qualified trainers to operate from centres throughout the Authority's region (Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk). Volumes of personnel requiring training fluctuate with changes to workforce requirements and additional directly employed trainers are being recruited, but the outsourced supplementary trainers could account for approximately 25% of the total team. Driver Training includes the use of ambulances, patient transport vehicles and rapid response vehicles. Students needs depend on whether the students are Ambulance Care Assistants (ACA), Emergency Care Assistants (ECA), Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) or Paramedics operating on A&E response vehicles or Patient Transport Services or other clinical groups. The Authority delivers a range of both Emergency and Non-Emergency driving courses. The Emergency Response Ambulance Driving Course duration is currently 20 days and Non-Emergency Services Driving Course is currently 5 days. The course duration may be subject to change during the life of this Framework. In addition to requiring an approved tutor for the duration of a course, there may be occasions when tutors are required for shorter periods of time e.g. possibly for one week only. The courses are accredited by FutureQual. The awarding body may be subject to change during the life of this Framework.

Outsourced Driver Training Courses (including the supply of external tutor(s), vehicles and venues)

Volumes of personnel requiring training will fluctuate with changes to workforce requirements. Driver Training includes the use of ambulances, patient transport vehicles and rapid response vehicles. Students needs depend on whether the students are, Emergency Care Assistants (ECA), Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) or Paramedics operating on A&E response vehicles or other clinical groups. The Supplier will be required to deliver both Emergency and Non-Emergency Driving Courses. The Supplier must be an accredited company and hold the recognised qualification to deliver the FutureQual courses. The Supplier will be required to deliver the following courses: including but not limited to: FutureQual Level 3 Certificate in Emergency Response Ambulance Driving (L3CERAD) FutureQual Level 3 Award in Patient Care Services: Ambulance Driving The FutureQual Level 3 Certificate in Emergency Response Ambulance Driving (L3CERAD) course duration is currently twenty (20) days and conducted over four (4) weeks. The FutureQual Level 3 Award in Patient Care Services: Ambulance Driving is course duration is currently five (5) days and conducted over one (1) week. Course duration may be subject to change during the life of this contract. Suppliers must follow the Futurequals accredited course learning.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0786e9
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/096720-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80000000 - Education and training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£4,000,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£4,100,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
13 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
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
East of England Ambulance Service NHS 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
MELBOURN
Postcode
SG8 6EN
Postcode Area
Stevenage
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH4 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH42 Cambridgeshire CC
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
South Cambridgeshire
Electoral Ward
Melbourn
Westminster Constituency
South Cambridgeshire

Further Information

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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