--- title: "Notice for Strengthening Higher Education for Female Empowerment (SHEFE)" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-7cb90cf6-ee3e-4f58-af6a-8fb4f1531524" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-7cb90cf6-ee3e-4f58-af6a-8fb4f1531524" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-7cb90cf6-ee3e-4f58-af6a-8fb4f1531524.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-7cb90cf6-ee3e-4f58-af6a-8fb4f1531524.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "FOREIGN COMMONWEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE" published: "2025-02-12" --- # Notice for Strengthening Higher Education for Female Empowerment (SHEFE) Buyer: FOREIGN COMMONWEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-b5fd17-7cb90cf6-ee3e-4f58-af6a-8fb4f1531524 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-7cb90cf6-ee3e-4f58-af6a-8fb4f1531524) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-7cb90cf6-ee3e-4f58-af6a-8fb4f1531524.json) ## Summary The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has announced a public procurement tender titled "Notice for Strengthening Higher Education for Female Empowerment (SHEFE)." The tender, classified under "Foreign economic-aid-related services" (CPV 75211200), involves an inception period followed by a grant management programme. This programme will include a closed call to select 4 pilots from the SPHEIR programme and an open call to invite 8 new innovative proposals, focusing on improving access, safeguarding, and employment outcomes for women and girls. The procurement method is open, with a contract period from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2029. Key dates include a tender period ending on 18 March 2025, with the primary delivery locations spanning the British Oversea Territories, Channel Islands, Europe, Isle of Man, the United Kingdom, and Rest of the World. The contract is valued at £41 million. This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in higher education and gender empowerment. Companies capable of designing innovative and impactful educational interventions, especially those that address gender-based violence and promote STEM education for women, will find this tender particularly relevant. SMEs and VCSEs are encouraged to compete, as the procurement process actively supports these entities. Winning this contract would enable businesses to enhance their portfolio and demonstrate their capability to execute large-scale international projects, thereby expanding their market presence and contributing to global diplomatic and educational reforms. ## Notice Inception Period: The below work will be preceded by an inception period to fully resource the team as well as finalise design of the programme. Grant Management: In Phase 1 of the grant management activity the Supplier will design a closed call competitive grant process to invite and select 4 successful pilots from the SPHEIR programme up to a total of PS12.7 million with each grant receiving between (PS1-4 million). These have demonstrated 'proof of concept' and strong results in improving access, quality, and relevance to scale and replicate interventions in new states and geographies. SPHEIR pilots will be required to pivot their concepts to adopt a comprehensive gender transformative approach. In Phase 2 The Supplier will run an open call competitive process to invite 8 new, high potential and innovative proposals up to a total of PS25.6 million, in priority geographies with a focus on improving access, safeguarding and employment outcomes for women and girls. Interventions may include improving take up of STEM subjects and increasing female representation in academia and underrepresented fields such as the tech industry. The Supplier will also invite proposals that drive an evidence-based approach to reducing all forms of gender-based violence and harm, including tackling sexual violence, exploitation, abuse and harassment in the HE sector. Centre of Expertise - Higher Education: The Supplier will launch a new pilot offer under the Centre of Expertise for Education which will be delivered through SHEFE. The demand-led, draw down facility will ensure the FCDO's global network has access to high-quality technical expertise, best practice and tailored policy advice. This will not only expand our global reach to support HE reform, but it will also help to strengthen diplomatic engagement with policy makers. The new enhanced offer will also respond to new windows of opportunity when they arise, including short term requests for direct support from host governments to deliver HE reform, including short-term deployments of embedded experts. It will enhance the 'Best of British' brand by promoting UK expertise and showcase our ability to convene prominent international experts in a community of practice. To view and register for this opportunity please go to: https://fcdo.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/32ed3564-940e-46e3-ba7c-09717ae07eb2 | | Notice type | Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Open procedure (above threshold) | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 12 Feb 2025 | | Submission deadline | 18 Mar 2025 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 30 Jun 2025 - 30 Jun 2029 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £41,000,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | FOREIGN COMMONWEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE | | Locality | LONDON | | Post town | South West London | | Postcode | SW1A 2AH | | 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 | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 75 - Administration, defence and social security services ### Codes - 75211200 - Foreign economic-aid-related services ## Release History - 12 Feb 2025 at 14:19 - TenderAmendment - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/32ed3564-940e-46e3-ba7c-09717ae07eb2 - 3 Feb 2025 at 09:42 - TenderAmendment - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/32ed3564-940e-46e3-ba7c-09717ae07eb2 - 20 Jan 2025 at 16:26 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/32ed3564-940e-46e3-ba7c-09717ae07eb2 ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/32ed3564-940e-46e3-ba7c-09717ae07eb2 12th February 2025 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder ## Notice URLs - https://fcdo.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-development-office/about/procurement ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. 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