---
title: "UK Sport - Associate pools to support the Coaching, Leadership, Talent and Culture Teams in their work with Olympic and Paralympic performance programmes"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05cdf5"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05cdf5"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05cdf5.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05cdf5.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "THE UNITED KINGDOM SPORTS COUNCIL"
published: "2026-02-27"
---

# UK Sport - Associate pools to support the Coaching, Leadership, Talent and Culture Teams in their work with Olympic and Paralympic performance programmes

Buyer: THE UNITED KINGDOM SPORTS COUNCIL  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05cdf5

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## Summary

The United Kingdom Sports Council has concluded a procurement process with the awarding of contracts for the "UK Sport - Associate pools to support the Coaching, Leadership, Talent and Culture Teams in their work with Olympic and Paralympic performance programmes" project. The procurement, conducted through an open procedure, is part of a framework agreement designed to support the high-performance sport sector across the United Kingdom. This initiative will last through the Olympic and Paralympic cycle, with specific contracts awarded directly within the designated framework pools. Key dates relevant to this process include the tender period ending on 15th November 2025 and the commencement of services on 2nd March 2026, continuing until 23rd January 2030.

This tender offers significant opportunities for specialist coaching and consultancy firms, particularly those geared towards high-performance environments. Companies with expertise in fields like executive coaching, leadership development, cultural transformation, and talent management are well-suited to apply. The framework covers four main lots, each requiring different specialties and offering annual spending between £100k and £150k per lot. Therefore, businesses demonstrating expertise in these areas can grow through multiple, potentially concurrent contracts within the system. SMEs, particularly those with substantial experience in elite sport settings, are encouraged to leverage this framework to enhance their visibility and commercial footing by participating in specialised programmes and development activities tailored to Olympic and Paralympic sport requirements.

## Notice

The mission for the Leadership, Talent, Culture and Coaching (LTCC) Teams is to understand the demands of each sport's performance plan and the challenges faced by those leading and delivering them - ensuring that athletes and staff are effectively supported in realising their ambitions. To meet the evolving needs of leaders and coaches within the high-performance system, the LTCC Teams will offer a blended approach of: Self-services resources, Peer learning and communities of practice within and across sports, Expert advice, Access to programmes to enhance role effectiveness, and Targeted deployment of skilled associates to support capability development in and through performance environments. To respond swiftly and effectively to the needs of sport, pools of high-quality, experienced associates will be procured and retained for the duration of the Olympic and Paralympic cycle. The scope of services covered by this procurement will be split into 4 lots: Associate - Support for Executive Leadership in High Performance Sport Provision of high-quality, confidential, and developmental executive coaching to leaders operating in high performance sport environments. Associate - Support for Culture & Senior Team Leadership in High Performance Sport Provision of support to shape and strengthen leadership team, performance programme, and organisational culture in high performance sport by designing and delivering impactful development that fosters trust, clarity, cohesion, and sustainable performance. Associate - Support for Coaching in High Performance Sport Provision of support to work alongside coaches and sports to plan, implement and evaluate bespoke programmes of learning that support coaches' personal and professional development. Associate - Support for Recruitment & Talent Management in High Performance Sport Provide expert advice, guidance, and support to organisations across high-performance sport system regarding on demand HR policy and procedures, Talent Management (attraction, identification, recruitment, and selection) of diverse and high-quality talent. It will also support development of optimal organisational design. Note: A single associate or organisation may tender for one, multiple, or all roles - provided they demonstrate the required capability and experience. Each individual put forward for an associate pool(s) will be assessed on their unique skills and experience. Any organisation applying for the associate pool(s) will be required to put forward a full body of evidence against the assessment criteria for each member of the team they are proposing. The yearly expected spend per lot is outlined in the below Annual Spend (Quadrennial Spend) Associate - Support for Executive Leadership in High Performance Sport PS120k (PS480k) Associate - Support for Culture & Senior Team Leadership in High Performance Sport PS100k (PS400k) Associate - Support for Coaching in High Performance Sport PS150k ( PS600k) Associate - Support for Recruitment & Talent Management in High Performance Sport PS100k ( PS400k) It is anticipated that the value of pieces of work will be less than PS30,000, with the majority of contracts below PS10,000. Work will be awarded directly, with the project or programme lead engaging with the appropriate pools and individuals. People can be awarded multiple contracts which run at the same time over the tender period. In the scenario that a call-off contract is expected to exceed PS30k (inc VAT) we will award the contract after a mini-competition period that is open to the suppliers within this lot. The assessment criteria will be consistent with the initial framework criteria with an additional nuanced criteria that is specific to the contract. All suppliers in the lot will be notified of these criteria in their invitation to bid. Being selected for the framework does not guarantee work Specification for each of the roles can be viewed in the assessment criteria section and in the attached documents at the bottom of the page

### Lot Information

Support for Executive Leadership in High Performance Sport

Role Purpose To provide high-quality, confidential, and developmental executive coaching to leaders operating in high performance sport environments. The role aims to enhance leadership effectiveness, personal growth, and system -wide impact through reflective practice, challenge, and support. Example Accountabilities (to be determined by needs of sports) Deliver impactful 1:1 coaching to senior leaders across performance sport (e.g., Chairs, CEOs, Performance Directors, Head Coaches, Head of Performance). Enable strategic leaders to improve self-awareness, human dynamics, decision-making, resilience, and influence in complex, high-pressure environments. Build psychologically safe and trusting relationships that support deep reflection and learning. Adapt coaching approaches to suit different leadership styles, disciplines, and stages of development. Contribute to communities of practice or learning networks, where appropriate. Maintain appropriate confidentiality, ethical practice, and supervision aligned to professional standards. Provide insight to support UKS to support organisational learning and leadership development strategies, identifying the recurring features of practice in performance programmes

Associate - Culture & Senior Team Leadership Support Role

To shape and strengthen leadership, team and organisational culture in high performance sport by designing and delivering impactful development that fosters trust, clarity, cohesion, and sustainable performance. The role works alongside senior leaders, coaches, and multidisciplinary teams to build environments where people can thrive under pressure and perform consistently at the highest level. Example Accountabilities (to be determined by needs of sports) Design and deliver tailored development interventions that enhance leadership capability, team effectiveness, and cultural alignment. Facilitate purposeful conversations around identity, values, behaviours, and performance expectations within teams and organisations. Support leaders to embed high performing team principles such as psychological safety, clarity of purpose, and inclusive leadership. Recognise and respond to culture flags, act as a thinking partner to performance leaders and coaches, offering insight, challenge, and support to shape environment and culture. Collaborate with performance and people teams to align leadership and culture work with wider performance objectives. Contribute to learning cycles by gathering feedback, reflecting on impact, and sharing insights across the system. Provide insight to support UKS to support organisational learning and leadership development strategies, identifying the recurring features of practice in performance programmes

Associate - Support for Coaching in High Performance Sport

Role Purpose UK Sport is seeking practitioners who have extensive experience of and with the relational, ethical, pedagogical and practical dimensions of working with coaches in high-performance environments. Associate practitioners will work alongside coaches and sports to plan, implement and evaluate bespoke programmes of learning that support coaches' personal and professional development. Example Accountabilities (to be determined by needs of sports): Provide targeted and embedded support for coaches and coaching teams working in Olympic and Paralympic programmes, acknowledging the interconnectedness of learning and practice. Work collaboratively with UK Sport's Coaching Team and Sport Facing Advisors to identify recurring features of practice across Olympic and Paralympic programmes and what this could mean for broader system-level support for coaching. Work collaboratively with UK Sport's Coaching Team and Sport Facing Advisors to support problem formulation, paying attention to the reasoning and strategising underpinning the work. Encourage and support sports to build internal capability, enhancing long-term capacity and sustainability to effectively support coaching across the high-performance community.

Associate - Recruitment & Talent Management Support

Role Purpose To provide expert advice, guidance, and support to organisations across high-performance sport system regarding on demand HR policy and procedures, Talent Management (attraction, identification, recruitment, and selection) of diverse and high-quality talent. The support ensures robust, inclusive, and future-focused recruitment practices are embedded across the system to strengthen leadership, coaching, and performance teams. It will also support development of optimal organisational design. Example Accountabilities (to be determined by needs of sports): Advise and support organisations on talent attraction, inclusive recruitment, and succession planning strategies tailored to the unique needs of high-performance environments. Facilitate and contribute to the design of recruitment processes that are fair, transparent, evidence-informed, and aligned with best practice and innovative in approach. Build hiring capability across the system by offering tools, guidance, and education to NGB leaders and hiring managers. Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to develop inclusive outreach and candidate engagement strategies. Monitor and evaluate recruitment activity and impact, identifying patterns, gaps, and opportunities to enhance equity and performance outcomes. Support NGBs talent management approaches to track, monitor and report on EDI data Promote a values-led, person-centred approach to recruitment that reflects the culture and ambition of the high-performance system. Maintain up-to-date knowledge of employment law, safeguarding, and inclusive hiring practices, sharing insight with system partners and provide guidance on demand to NGBs as needed Contribute to the development of a wider system talent strategy that includes retention, progression, and leadership pipeline considerations. Advise on optimal organisation design and operationalisation to deliver performance

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/018030-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | Large, SME |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 27 Feb 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 15 Nov 2025 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 27 Feb 2026 |
| Contract period | 2 Mar 2026 - 23 Jan 2030 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £1,566,666 |
| Lots value | £1,566,666 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £1,566,333 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | THE UNITED KINGDOM SPORTS COUNCIL |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | East London |
| Postcode | E14 4PU |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI4 Inner London - East |
| ITL 3 | TLI42 Tower Hamlets |
| Local authority | Tower Hamlets |
| Electoral ward | Canary Wharf |
| Westminster constituency | Poplar and Limehouse |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 90 |
| Supplier names | 2 DEVELOP; ADAPTIVEMIND CONSULTANCY; ADVISORY SEVEN; ALFANO CONSULTANCY; ANDREW MARK GILLOTT; ATHRU COACHING; BANKPOINT LEADERSHIP; BE MORE LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT; BERKSHIRE CONSULTANCY; BEYOND CONSULTANTS; BLENDED LEARNING STUDIO; BREAKTHROUGH THINKING; BRIGHTER THINKING; CALIN CROSS; CARDIFF MET; CHANGING MINDS; CHRIS BEAUMONT CONSULTING; CLEAR SPACE CONSULTANCY; COACH CRAFT; COACHING & PERFORMANCE DEVELOPMENT; CONVERSATIONS THAT COUNT; DEAN CLARK; DRIVETRAIN COACHING AND CONSULTING; E. T. HALL CONSULTING; EMMA SMITH COACHING; EP PARTNERS; EXPERIENCE PROJECT; FABRICSHIFT; FARLEIGH PERFORMANCE; FIRST ASCENT GROUP; FLYING IGUANA; GOOD THINGS COMING; GREY MATTERS PERFORMANCE; HANDYSIDE COACHING; HAWTHORN PEOPLE CONSULTING; HAYNES-SHARIFF BUSINESS CONSULTANTS; HEAD FOR A WIN; I-COACH ACADEMY; INEO LIFE; JULIAN NORTH; KARUNA PERFORMANCE; KIRSTIE MOORE; L&A PERFORMANCE; LACUNA LEARNING; LANCING CONSULTANCY; LEADERBEING; LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY; LESLEY MCKENNA; LIBERATING BRILLIANCE; LIKOS PEOPLE; LIMINAL SPACE CONSULTING; LIMITLESS PEAK; LINDSAY WITTENBERG; LIZZY YARNOLD; LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY; LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY ENTERPRISES; LSP LEADERSHIP; LUKE TYBURSKI; MADE FOR MORE; MARTIN DIGHTON; MDA COACHING SERVICES; MENTORIAL PERFORMANCE; MICHELLE VERNON-WAY; NEXT BRAVE MOVE; NIGEL DONOHUE PERFORMANCE CONSULTANT; NTX; ONE HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHING; OPUS 29 CONSULTANCY; PAUL KINNERK COACHING; PAUL RUSSELL; PAULSON PERFORMANCE CONSULTING; PEOPLE UP HR CONSULTING; PERFORMANCE FOCUS; PERFORMANCE VISION; PERSONNEL DYNAMICS LIMITED (TRADING AS POSITIVE DYNAMICS; PODIUM PERFORMANCE GROUP; PRAXIS COACHING; RACHEL ELLISON; SARA SYMINGTON; SG LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT; SHEFFIELD HALLAM UNIVERSITY ENTERPRISES; SHIFT MK; SPORT PERFORMANCE SERVICES; THE GOALGETTER ORGANISATION; THE X GROUP (TXG; TOP SEED CONSULTING; TRACY WHITTAKER-SMITH; TRANSFORMATIVE SPACE; WJ PERFORMANCE CONSULTANTS; YOU CUBED COACHING |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 80 - Education and training services

### Codes

- 80500000 - Training services

## Release History

- 27 Feb 2026 at 15:06 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/018030-2026
- 31 Oct 2025 at 15:45 - TenderUpdate - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/070200-2025
- 16 Oct 2025 at 12:52 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/065917-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/018030-2026
  27th February 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/070200-2025
  31st October 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/065917-2025
  16th October 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/A-6292
  FAQ for the framework
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/A-6293
  Criteria assessment
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/A-7003
  Document containing the clarifying questions that were submitted
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/A-7004
  UK Sport T&S policy to provide additional guidance per the clarifying questions

## Notice URLs

- http://liberating-brilliance.com
- http://risk-aesthetic.com
- http://www.berkshire.co.uk
- http://www.blendedlearningstudio.com
- http://www.brave-moves.co.uk
- http://www.cathbishop.com
- http://www.changingmindsuk.com
- http://www.clearspaceconsultancy.com
- http://www.conversationsthatcount.org.uk
- http://www.drivetrain.cc
- http://www.eppglobal.com
- http://www.fabricshift.com
- http://www.farleighperformance.com
- http://www.firstascentgroup.com
- http://www.flyingiguana.co.uk
- http://www.goalgetter.net
- http://www.ineo-life.co.uk
- http://www.lacunalearning.co.uk
- http://www.laurencehalsted.com
- http://www.lboro.ac.uk/enterprise/consultancy
- http://www.leaderbeing.com
- http://www.likos.co.uk
- http://www.lindsaywittenberg.co.uk
- http://www.lizzyyarnold.com
- http://www.opus29.co.uk
- http://www.performancefocusltd.com
- http://www.performancepsychologyclub.com
- http://www.performancevision.co.uk
- http://www.positivedynamics.co.uk
- http://www.shiftunlimited.com
- http://www.thesummitpartnership.com
- http://www.topseedconsulting.com
- http://www.txgltd.com
- http://www.we-are-beyond.com
- https://1hpc.com
- https://breakthrough-thinking.co.uk/
- https://emmasmithcoaching.com/
- https://hawthornpeopleconsulting.com/
- https://haynesshariff.com
- https://podium.group
- https://www.adaptivemind.co.uk/
- https://www.bemorelnd.co.uk
- https://www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/
- https://www.edward-t-hall.com/
- https://www.i-coach.co.uk/
- https://www.lboro.ac.uk/
- https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.lspleadership.com/
- https://www.mentorialperformance.com/
- https://www.rachelbamber.com/
- https://www.shu.ac.uk/
- https://www.xenonex.co.uk/our-coaches-trainers-assessors/jess-dooley-executive-coach

## Provenance

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