--- title: "Invitation to Tender for Item Writing Service Framework for Standards and Testing Agency" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04dd9b" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04dd9b" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04dd9b.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04dd9b.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION" published: "2025-02-11" --- # Invitation to Tender for Item Writing Service Framework for Standards and Testing Agency Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04dd9b [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04dd9b) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04dd9b.json) ## Summary The Department for Education, represented by the Standards and Testing Agency (STA), has announced an invitation to tender for the Item Writing Services Framework for the period 2025-2029. This tender, classified under education and training services, seeks suppliers experienced in item writing to develop high-quality test items for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 National Curriculum tests. Key dates include the tender submission deadline on 30 April 2025, the award period starting on 4 August 2025, and the contract period from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2029, with a potential extension to August 2030. The procurement stage is currently active, involving a competitive procedure with negotiation, aiming to appoint up to six suppliers to this framework. This tender presents significant opportunities for firms specialising in educational content development to collaborate with a national agency. Businesses experienced in developing curriculum-aligned assessment items, mark schemes, and coding frames for primary education would be well-suited to compete. Participation in this framework allows suppliers to secure multiple contracts over four years (or potentially five with the extension), thereby driving business growth and establishing long-term relationships with the Department for Education. Tasks include item writing, informal trialling, and text sourcing, offering a comprehensive scope of work that can propel a firm's reputation and presence in the educational services market. ## Notice The Department of Education, the Standards and Testing Agency (STA), is inviting potential suppliers to submit their bids for the new 2025-2029 Item Writing Services Framework. ### Lot Information Lot 1 The Department of Education, the Standards and Testing Agency (STA), is inviting potential suppliers to submit their bids for the new 2025-2029 Item Writing Services Framework. As part of the test development process, the STA, on behalf of the Department for Education (DfE), is seeking to appoint suppliers experienced in item writing to support the development of Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 National Curriculum tests. We require a number of suppliers who are capable of understanding the relevant programmes of study, test frameworks, and curricula for particular tests, and developing high-quality test items with accompanying mark schemes and/or coding frames. Successful suppliers will be added to the Item Writing Framework 2025-2029 and will have the opportunity to bid for each call-off from the framework between 1 September 2025 and 31 August 2029. Once an organisation has been accepted onto the framework, they will bid for item writing services contracts. An Invitation to Tender (ITT) will be disseminated to all those on the framework for all work. Each call-off from this framework will provide detailed requirements, including the subject and content domain areas, item types, mark range, difficulty range, and other desired properties. The core requirements for the Item Writing Services Framework include the delivery of the following services in order to support the development of high-quality, accessible, and inclusive items suitable for DfE assessments: Key Stages 1 and 2 English grammar, punctuation, and spelling, English reading, and mathematics. * Item writing * Informal item trialling * Reviewing, refining and amending items * Item classification * Design (items and texts) * Text searching / sourcing (English reading) * Reviewing texts (English reading) * Text selection (English reading)/Context selection (science) * Text trialling (English reading) * Informal item and text trialling (English reading) * Printing to meet handover or trialling requirements * Developing mark schemes * Developing coding frames * Administration/ organisation of various elements The initial framework term will be four years (September 2025 - August 2029). There is an option to extend the framework term for up to 12 months, until August 2030. Options: One optional extension of up 12 months ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004513-2025 | | Notice type | Planning Notice | | Procurement type | Framework | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Selective | | Procurement method details | Competitive procedure with negotiation | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning, Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 11 Feb 2025 | | Submission deadline | 30 Apr 2025 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 Aug 2025 - 31 Aug 2029 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £2,500,000 | | Lots value | £2,500,000 | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Active | | Awards status | Not specified | | 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 | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 80 - Education and training services ### Codes - 80000000 - Education and training services ## Release History - 11 Feb 2025 at 11:49 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004513-2025 ## Notice URLs - https://education.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education ## 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-04dd9b. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04dd9b.json.