--- title: "Market Testing for Home Office English Language Testing (HOELT) Services: Second Round Request for Information" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04b472" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04b472" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04b472.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04b472.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "HOME OFFICE" published: "2024-11-06" --- # Market Testing for Home Office English Language Testing (HOELT) Services: Second Round Request for Information Buyer: HOME OFFICE Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04b472 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04b472) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04b472.json) ## Summary The Home Office is initiating a second round of market engagement for the provision of English Language Testing services under the UK Visas and Immigration's HOELT programme. This procurement process, currently in the planning stage, aims to transition from a concession model to direct contracts with suppliers. The project is divided into two primary lots: the development and ongoing support of a branded test and the global facilitation of the tests, including a customer booking platform and test centre provisions. The second round Request for Information (RFI) will go live during the week of 11th November 2024, with responses due by 11th December 2024. The total estimated contract value is £1,130,000,000, subject to test volume adjustments, and services will be required across the UK and 141 international locations. This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in educational software, IT services, communications infrastructure, biometric sensors, and secure test delivery. Companies with expertise in these areas, particularly those capable of developing, evaluating, and supporting large-scale testing services, and managing secure identity-verification processes, will find this tender particularly well-suited. Engaging in this process could provide substantial business growth potential for firms that can deliver high-quality, reliable English Language Testing services on a global scale under stringent security and integrity protocols mandated by the Home Office. ## Notice SECOND ROUND RFI This notice is to introduce a second round of market engagement for the testing of a new delivery model for provision of English Language Testing services and gain an understanding of the products, services, and innovations available in the market. UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) is seeking a second round of input from the market to build a business case to inform future specifications, to ensure that the service is delivered with the highest current levels of security, integrity and customer satisfaction. This market data gathering will include but not be limited to testing the feasibility of potential procurement options and the market's capacity and capability for delivery. Secure English Language Testing is currently delivered by multiple concessionaires who are responsible for providing their version of the test, test facilities, and all associated services. The Home Office is planning to move away from a concession model and contract directly with suppliers. The service is also planned to be disaggregated into two service lines: 1) The development, evaluation and ongoing support of a Home Office branded test to be used globally for all HOELTs, and 2) The facilitation of tests globally, including a customer booking platform, test centre provision, invigilation, and ID-verification. The two services will be lotted as outlined below. The contract value is an estimate only, developed using estimated test volumes, and is therefore subject to change. The content of this PIN, including the nature of works, services and estimated value, may be subject to change. ### Lot Information The Development, Evaluation and Ongoing Support of the Home Office English Language Test (HOELT) The Secretary of State for the Home Department, acting through the Home Office's UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), is the Authority reviewing options for a potential future procurement of a Home Office English Language Test (HOELT) for the provision of the test in the UK and the rest of the world. Some immigration application routes require customers to evidence competency in the English language. As such, completing a HOELT to an agreed standard may be required from individuals before applying for entry clearance from outside the UK, extending settling in the UK or for applying for British Citizenship. The HOELT will assess a customer's competency in speaking and listening and dependent on the route, reading and writing English, between levels A1 to C1 of the Common Education Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Tests are currently provided by multiple suppliers, however UKVI is seeking to procure a dedicated test to be owned by the Home Office and used by all customers globally. The chosen test developer will also be responsible for: * Maintaining and updating the test * Provision of a test delivery system which will assess a Customer's English language ability * Securely receiving test data from test centres, marking of the test and sending test results back * Evaluating and moderating all tests taken * Performing anti-fraud checks * Gaining independent assurance of the test The content of this PIN, including the nature of works, services and estimated value, may be subject to change. Additional information: A second round Request for Information (RFI) will be published w/c 11th November 2024, with a deadline of 11th December 2024. Bidders who have expressed interest and returned a signed NDA via the Jaggaer portal will be granted access to the RFI once it is live. Details on how to register via the Jaggaer portal can be found at the bottom of this notice. Global Facilitation of HOELT and Associated Services There is a global requirement for the facilitation of HOELT. This includes design and maintenance of an online platform for customers to book tests and receive results, physical test centres, invigilators, and ID-verification services. The Home Office has a requirement for HOELT to be taken under UKVI-prescribed secure conditions where secure relates to: 1. Processes to verify the identity of the customer; 2. Ensuring that it is only the validated customer who takes the test and does so under exam conditions with an appropriately trained invigilator to eliminate the ability to cheat; 3. Ensuring results are not released until the provider has completed additional verification checks to ensure that collusion and fraud have not taken place; and 4. Ongoing audits, both internal and via external independent auditors, of the physical test points, processes and delivery systems in order to ensure that the security and integrity protocols are being strictly adhered to. Additional information on the current service can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prove-your-english-language-abilities-with-a-secure-english-language-test-selt The content of this PIN, including the nature of works, services and estimated value, may be subject to change. Additional information: A second round Request for Information (RFI) will be published w/c 11th November 2024, with a deadline of 11th December 2024. Bidders who have expressed interest and returned a signed NDA via the Jaggaer portal will be granted access to the RFI once it is live. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/035979-2024 | | Notice type | Planning Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 6 Nov 2024 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 6 Apr 2025 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £1,130,000,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planned | | Lots status | Planned | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | HOME OFFICE | | Locality | LONDON | | Post town | South West London | | Postcode | SW1P 4DF | | 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 | TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 32 - Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment - 35 - Security, fire-fighting, police and defence equipment - 48 - Software package and information systems - 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support - 75 - Administration, defence and social security services - 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security - 80 - Education and training services ### Codes - 32571000 - Communications infrastructure - 35125110 - Biometric sensors - 48190000 - Educational software package - 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support - 72212190 - Educational software development services - 75110000 - General public services - 75131100 - General personnel services for the government - 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security - 80490000 - Operation of an educational centre ## Release History - 6 Nov 2024 at 16:25 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/035979-2024 ## Notice URLs - http://www.gov.uk/home-office - https://homeoffice.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prove-your-english-language-abilities-with-a-secure-english-language-test-selt ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04b472. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04b472.json.