---
title: "Contract for the Delivery of the Letters and Sounds Programme Update"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-2e439908-cf6d-45af-87b3-df246bc74164"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-2e439908-cf6d-45af-87b3-df246bc74164"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-2e439908-cf6d-45af-87b3-df246bc74164.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-2e439908-cf6d-45af-87b3-df246bc74164.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION"
published: "2021-03-31"
---

# Contract for the Delivery of the Letters and Sounds Programme Update

Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-2e439908-cf6d-45af-87b3-df246bc74164

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## Summary

The Department for Education has awarded a contract titled "Contract for the Delivery of the Letters and Sounds Programme Update," which falls under the education and training services sector. This procurement process, initiated as a tender, is currently in the award stage. The contract was signed on 7 October 2020, with a total value of £13,750 (excluding VAT) covering a period from 11 August 2020 to 31 March 2021. An extension of 2.5 days was granted on 25 March 2021 to accommodate additional requirements based on stakeholder feedback.

This contract presents an excellent opportunity for businesses focused on educational services, especially those with expertise in phonics teaching and curriculum development. Companies with a small to medium enterprise (SME) structure or those classified as voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSE) are well-suited to compete for similar contracts, as the buying organisation seeks innovative solutions to enhance the existing phonics programme within schools. Engaging in this project could allow businesses to leverage their expertise and contribute to educational improvements, thereby fostering growth within the education sector.

## Notice

The Contracting Authority identified a need to improve the quality of Letters and Sounds, a Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP) programme published by the Department for Education in 2007. Many schools utilise this resource alongside validated commercial SSP programmes, however research suggests that the teaching of phonics can be inconsistent across England. Therefore, there was a call for the Department to review the provision of Letters and Sounds to ensure that this best meets the needs of those schools who use it. A contract for 25 days (not concurrent days) valued at PS12,500 (exc VAT) was awarded to Gordon Askew for subject matter expert services to provide quality assurance and delivery oversight of the Letters and Sounds project update,. The original contract for PS12,500 (exc VAT) stipulated 25 days (not concurrent days) of subject matter expert resource to be allocated across a six month contract period. This is assumed to be effective from 11 August 2020 until 31 March 2021 and was signed on the 7 October 2020. This award notice is also intended to reflect that the contract was subsequently extended by 2.5 days (not concurrent days) with an increase in value of PS1,250 (exc VAT) on 25 March 2021. The contract variation was issued in response to additional work required to address stakeholder feedback received on the programme. This led to a review of the original scope of the project from a full SSP programme based on the 2007 Letters and Sounds, to a limited update in the form of non-statutory guidance. Additional days were required to reflect changes as a result of a subsequent internal quality assurance process, ahead of publication. The revised deliverables are as follows: - Provide guidance on subsequent revisions to the Letters and Sounds programme (2007). These revisions address any necessary alterations to the ordering of the phases and the progression contained therein. The revisions should be based on the generic fundamental practices expected of Systematic Synthetic Phonics programmes as evidenced by the successful, current implementation by schools. - Offer guidance for schools on how Letters and Sounds is to be implemented effectively and appropriately. This guidance will include effective practice relating to the use of decodable books. - The introduction of phonics guidance including supporting reading at home, developing language and vocabulary and developing reading for pleasure.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/a69c489c-4129-4756-9076-0637106e9063 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Single tender action (below threshold) |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 31 Mar 2021 |
| Submission deadline | 4 Aug 2020 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 10 Aug 2020 |
| Contract period | 10 Aug 2020 - 31 Mar 2021 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £13,750 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £13,750 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | South West London |
| Postcode | SW1P 3BT |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West |
| ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London |
| Local authority | Westminster |
| Electoral ward | St James's |
| Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | FRANCIS GORDON ASKEW |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 80 - Education and training services

### Codes

- 80000000 - Education and training services

## Release History

- 31 Mar 2021 at 09:35 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/a69c489c-4129-4756-9076-0637106e9063

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/a69c489c-4129-4756-9076-0637106e9063
  31st March 2021 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/6d1a10cd-9840-4b80-b3b1-6daa42d960e8
  n/a
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/664c23d3-d1c9-4953-903c-46e66e0ea0ae
  n/a

## Provenance

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