---
title: "Content Management System"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-055d31"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-055d31"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-055d31.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-055d31.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "SCOTTISH QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY"
published: "2025-08-05"
---

# Content Management System

Buyer: SCOTTISH QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-055d31

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-055d31)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-055d31.json)

## Summary

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has completed a procurement process for a Content Management System under extreme urgency conditions. The procurement, classified under the software package and information systems category (CPV code 48000000), was conducted using a limited methodology allowing a direct award without prior publication due to unforeseeable events, specifically a supply chain failure. The contract is intended to support the launch of Qualifications Scotland by 1 December 2025, as mandated by the Education Scotland Act 2025. The contract was awarded to Contentful (UK) Limited on 10 July 2025, with the services set to be delivered in Glasgow at the Optima Building, making this a significant procurement within the UKM73 region.

This tender represents a critical opportunity for businesses experienced in offering enterprise-level headless Content Management Systems, particularly those capable of adhering to tight implementation timelines. While the direct award limits competitive bidding in this instance, it underscores the potential for technology firms with robust supply chain capabilities to secure significant contracts in scenarios involving government-driven timelines. Large-scale suppliers, such as Contentful, will particularly find themselves well-suited to meet the technical and logistical demands associated with such urgent and vital public sector projects.

## Notice

Direct Award of Headless Content Management System on urgency grounds

### Lot Information

Lot 1

This is a VEAT notice to notify the market that SQA intends to enter into a contract following a negotiated procedure without prior publication on the grounds that for reasons of extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable by the contracting authority, the time limits for open procedure, restricted procedure or competitive procedure with negotiation cannot be complied with (regulation 33(1)(c)). SQA requires to receive the contract services in time for a 1 December 2025 launch date for Qualifications Scotland which is set by government following the passage of the Education Scotland Act 2025. Implementation time requirements mean that even with immediate contract award, the development timeline is at the minimum of industry standards for enterprise-level headless CMS implementations. There is accordingly no time available for a procedure following even minimum timescales under procurement regulations. The urgency arises following a failure of established procurement procedures. Specifically SQA attempted to use an established Scottish Government framework to procure the required products but this process was vitiated by supply chain failure. That failure was unforeseeable by and unattributable to SQA.

### Procurement Information

SQA is applying regulation 33(1)(c)

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/046214-2025 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 5 Aug 2025 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 9 Jul 2025 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £340,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Cancelled |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | SCOTTISH QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY |
| Locality | MIDLOTHIAN |
| Post town | Edinburgh |
| Postcode | EH22 1FD |
| Country | Scotland |
| ITL 1 | TLM Scotland |
| ITL 2 | TLM1 East Central Scotland |
| ITL 3 | TLM11 East Lothian and Midlothian |
| Local authority | Midlothian |
| Electoral ward | Dalkeith |
| Westminster constituency | Midlothian |
| Delivery location | TLM73 East Lothian and Midlothian |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | CONTENTFUL (UK |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 48 - Software package and information systems

### Codes

- 48000000 - Software package and information systems

## Release History

- 5 Aug 2025 at 14:24 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/046214-2025
- 10 Jul 2025 at 15:54 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/039078-2025

## Notice URLs

- http://www.sqa.org.uk
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000804056
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00386

## 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-055d31. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-055d31.json.