---
title: "Procurement for Education Technology Managed Services"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05f966"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05f966"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05f966.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05f966.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "THE EDUCATION AUTHORITY"
published: "2026-06-08"
---

# Procurement for Education Technology Managed Services

Buyer: THE EDUCATION AUTHORITY  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05f966

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05f966)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05f966.json)

## Summary

The Education Authority, located in Belfast, United Kingdom, has initiated a public procurement process titled "Procurement for Education Technology Managed Services" under the industry category of IT services, encompassing consulting, software development, Internet, and support. The procurement process is in the tender stage with a focus on education technology managed services to upgrade and transform the technical infrastructure supporting over 1,100 schools in Northern Ireland. The tender, conducted using a Competitive Flexible Procedure, commenced on 8th June 2026, with an expression of interest deadline on 10th July 2026. The initial contract term is planned from 30th September 2027, ending on 31st March 2035, with potential extensions up to 2042. The total estimated contract value is approximately £851 million, highlighting the substantial investment in the region's educational infrastructure.

This procurement presents significant business growth opportunities for firms specialising in comprehensive IT solutions, including infrastructure and network services, identity services, security operations, user experience services, and service management. Companies experienced in delivering large-scale IT projects and those capable of fulfilling social value objectives are well-suited to compete for this tender. The contract's extensive duration provides a stable partnership framework with the Education Authority, allowing businesses to secure long-term revenue while contributing to the technological advancement of educational institutions in Northern Ireland. Moreover, the requirement for a single integrated contract suggests that enterprises with a robust capacity for service integration and risk management will find competitive advantages in this procurement process.

## Notice

The Education Authority (EA) has a requirement to procure a Supplier to provide Education Technology Managed Services (ETMS). The EA is responsible for ensuring that efficient and effective primary and secondary education services are available to meet the needs of children and young people and support the provision of efficient and effective youth services. As part of this, EA manages an educational technology service for over 1,100 schools, 350,000 pupils, 22,000 teachers and 40,000 non-teaching staff. The ETMS will replace and transform the technical infrastructure and services for schools known as the Education Network for Northern Ireland (ENNI), providing digital services to schools to support teaching and learning. End users of the ETMS are from primary, post primary, special schools, Education Other than at School (EOTAS) centres and nursery schools (staff only) who all require access to secure and efficient technology infrastructure to support their teaching and learning needs. This includes Controlled Schools, Controlled Integrated Schools, Catholic Maintained Schools, Irish Medium Schools, Grant Maintained Integrated Schools, Controlled and Voluntary Grammar Schools and users from approved education and external stakeholder organisations as further described in the ETMS Technical Specification - PSQ Stage. The EA is procuring the ETMS as a single integrated ETMS Contract, comprising: * Infrastructure and Network Services (including Integration Services); * Identity Services; * Security Operations Centre Services; * User Experience Services; and * Service Management and Service Desk, including Schools Catalogue. The procurement is being conducted using the Competitive Flexible Procedure, as further described in this notice and in the procurement documents. The procurement strategy has been informed by preliminary market engagement, which commenced with EA publishing a UK2: Preliminary market engagement notice on 18th December 2025 in Find a Tender Service (FTS) (Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-084518/ Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-05f966. (Provision for Education Technology Managed Services - Find a Tender) Further details are provided in the procurement documents. The ETMS Contract will be for an initial term that commences on the Effective Date (as defined in the Contract) and ends on 31st March 2035, which is seven years from the planned transition completion date of 31st March 2028. The Contract will also include up to seven extension periods of one year each which may be awarded individually or as multiple years at the EA's sole discretion (resulting in a latest contract expiry date of 31st March 2042). The value of the ETMS Contract over its maximum term (i.e. initial term plus extensions) is currently estimated to be circa PS851m including allowances for changes / modifications, indexation (i.e. inflation) and VAT in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023. This comprises circa PS246m for core services paid for by EA over the initial term of the contract (including contingency/OB, inflation and VAT), and a further circa PS605m for contract extensions, schools catalogue and potential Optional Services or Additional Services (including contingency/OB, inflation and VAT). Under this procurement the successful Supplier will be required to support EA's social value objectives. Accordingly, contract performance conditions and award criteria will relate, in particular, to social value. Further details are provided below and in the procurement documents. Suppliers should note that this Competition has commenced whilst the business case process is ongoing. The EA is currently working with the Department of Education to secure business case approval prior to the commencement of the Tender Stage. Progression of the Competition to the Tender Stage and Award Stage will be subject to the necessary approvals being in place.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Options: EA intends to include Optional Services and Additional Services in the ETMS Contract, which can be explained as follows: * Optional Services are services directly related to the ETMS project for which EA's future requirements can be specified in reasonable detail and with reasonable certainty at the time of this procurement, enabling these services to be clearly specified in the ETMS Contract and allowing Suppliers to tender a price (i.e. an optional price) for the provision of such services at a future point in the ETMS Contract if called upon by the Authority at that time. Optional Services are provided for in the Cabinet Office Model Services Contract. * Additional Services are services which are reasonably foreseeable and can be described at a high level in the contract, however EA's future requirements cannot be specified in reasonable detail and with reasonable certainty at the time of this procurement, and accordingly at the time of this procurement Suppliers could not provide a price for the provision of such services at a future point in the ETMS Contract. Future provision of such Additional Services would be subject to a contract modification in accordance with the PA 2023. EA intends to include the following Optional Services and Additional Services in the ETMS Contract. Further details are provided in the procurement documents. Optional Services * Provision (if not otherwise provided by EA), implementation and management of LAN network switches. * Provision (if not otherwise provided by EA), implementation and management of end user devices. Additional Services * WAN router managed service for schools following the end of the current PSSN Contract. * Provision and installation of wireless access points across all school sites and EA corporate sites to meet agreed coverage and capacity targets. It will be for EA to decide, at is sole discretion, whether to proceed with any of the above Optional Services or Additional Services. Such decisions will be based on business case assessments of available options for addressing the requirement at the relevant time, taking account of value for money, risk and other business considerations. The EA will have the right at all times to procure the Optional Services and Additional Services separately including (without limitation) by way of a separate procurement exercise.

Renewal: The Contract will include up to seven extension periods of one year each which may be awarded individually or as multiple years at the EA's sole discretion (resulting in a latest contract expiry date of 31st March 2042).

### Planning Information

Suppliers who wish to participate in the PME exercise must return the completed questionnaire via the messaging function of the CfT on eTendersNI no later than 3pm on Friday 30th January 2026. EA reserves the right to seek additional clarification information in relation to any responses provided by suppliers as part of this exercise. Such clarifications would be limited to those questionnaire responses that require clarification. In addition, EA may invite all suppliers who have expressed an interest in the infrastructure managed services contract (i.e. in response to Question 2.1), to attend an individual PME meeting. The focus of such meetings will be to further clarify (where necessary) each supplier’s responses to the PME Questionnaire where such responses relate to the procurement strategy for the infrastructure managed services contract (as this would be the first procurement to follow the PME exercise if the Education Technology Managed Services were to be procured as separate contracts). Such meetings shall take place via MS Teams and are expected to take place between 2nd and 27th February 2026. Suppliers should note that EA is required by the Procurement Act 2023 to keep a record of the information it has shared and received as part of the preliminary market engagement, including information shared and received in such meetings. Accordingly, EA is required to keep a record of the meeting discussions and may be required to share details of such meetings with all suppliers at the commencement of any tender process. EA may be required by the Act to share such information on a non-attributable basis and in such circumstances would exclude any confidential information or commercially sensitive information of the supplier to the extent permitted by the Act.
For the avoidance of doubt, this is the scoping phase of the project and is not part of a formal procurement process.
Further information including the questionnaire can be downloaded from eTendersNI CfT Documents area of CfT 6316535.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/053968-2026 |
| Notice type | UK4 - Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Selective |
| Procurement method details | Competitive flexible procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning, Tender |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 8 Jun 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 1 Jul 2026 |
| Future notice date | 30 Jan 2026 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 29 Sep 2027 - 31 Mar 2035 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £709,000,000 |
| Lots value | £709,000,000 |
| 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 | THE EDUCATION AUTHORITY |
| Additional buyers | EDUCATION AUTHORITY |
| Locality | BELFAST |
| Post town | Northern Ireland |
| Postcode | BT1 2NQ |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| ITL 1 | TLN Northern Ireland |
| ITL 2 | TLN0 Northern Ireland |
| ITL 3 | TLN06 Belfast |
| Local authority | Belfast |
| Electoral ward | Duncairn |
| Westminster constituency | Belfast North |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 48 - Software package and information systems
- 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

### Codes

- 48200000 - Networking, Internet and intranet software package
- 48600000 - Database and operating software package
- 48800000 - Information systems and servers
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
- 72200000 - Software programming and consultancy services
- 72500000 - Computer-related services
- 72700000 - Computer network services

## Release History

- 8 Jun 2026 at 15:41 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/053968-2026
- 18 Dec 2025 at 15:16 - PlanningUpdate - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084518-2025
- 18 Dec 2025 at 15:01 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084494-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/053968-2026
  8th June 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084518-2025
  18th December 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084494-2025
  18th December 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps/getHomeDashboard.do
- https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps/getHomeDashboard.doUndernocircumstanceswillEAoritsadvisorsbeliableforanycostsorexpensesincurredbyeconomicoperators,theirfundersand/ortheirrespectiveadvisorsarisingdirectlyorindirectlyfromtheprocurementprocess,theirparticipationinorterminationthereof,including,withoutlimitation,preparationandsubmissionofresponses,asaresultofanychangesoradjustmentsmadetotheprocurementdocumentsortheexclusion/disqualificationofaneconomicoperator.Onlytheexpresstermsofthecontractualdocuments,ifandwhenexecutedshallhaveanycontractualeffectinconnectionwiththematterstowhichthisprocurementprocessrelates.Neithertheissueoftheprocurementdocuments,noranyoftheinformationpresentedinthem,shouldberegardedasacommitmentorrepresentationonthepartofEA(oranyotherperson)toenterintoacontractualarrangement.NothingintheprocurementdocumentsshouldbeinterpretedasacommitmentbyEAtoawardacontracttoaneconomicoperatorasaresultofthisprocurementprocess,nortoacceptthelowestpriceoranytender.Nolegallybindingcontractshallarise(andatenderershallhavenolegitimateexpectationthatacontractwillbeenteredinto)untilsuchtimeasentryintothecontracthasbeenconfirmedbyEA.Assuch,EAreservestherightatanytimetocancel,withdraworamendtheprocurementprocessatanystage.Continuedfrom;Competitiveflexibleproceduredescription*[FRM03.N21]Inaccordancewithsection24ofthePA2023,theEAreservestheright,atitssolediscretion,tofurtherrefinetheaboveAwardCriteriaand/orweightingsintheITPDthatisissuedtotheshortlistedSuppliersatthePre-InitialTenderDialogueStageand/orintheInvitationtoSubmitInitialTender(ISIT)thatisissuedtotheshortlistedSuppliersattheInitialTenderStage.ExamplesofhowtheAuthoritymightwishtorefinetheAwardCriteriaand/orweightingsinclude;(a)addingnewsub-criteriatothosecriteriasetoutinthetendernotice/associatedprocurementdocuments,withaproportionatereallocationofsub-criteriaweightings;(b)addingmoredetailtoexistingcriteriasetoutintendernotice/associatedprocurementdocuments;(c)addingmoredetailtoexistingsub-criteriasetoutinthetendernotice/associatedprocurementdocuments;and/or(d)changingtheweightingsofexistingprimary,secondaryortertiarycriteriawithinarangeofnotmorethan+/-5%ofthecurrentweightingincircumstanceswheretherearenonewcriteriabeingadded(forexample,ifacurrentweightingis15%,thenewweightingcouldnotbelessthan10%andnotmorethan20%).SuppliersshouldnotethattheEAreservestherighttoamendoradjustthestagesofthisCompetitiveFlexibleProcedureatanytimeatitsdiscretion,includingbutnotlimitedtointheITPDthatisissuedtotheshortlistedSuppliersatthePre-InitialTenderDialogueStage,inaccordancewiththePA2023andthePR2024.SuppliersshouldnotethattheEAwishestoconductanefficient,effectiveandstreamlinedCompetitiveFlexibleProcedureanddoesnotwishtoengageinanyunnecessarydialoguewhichimposescostsonallpartiesandcausesdelay.Accordingly,itisenvisagedthatcertainlimitswillbeplacedontheextentofdialoguethatwillbepermitted.FurtherinformationonhowtheInitialTenderStageandFinalTenderStage(asapplicable)willbestructuredwillbesetoutintheInvitationtoParticipateinDialogue(ITPD)thatisissuedtotheshortlistedSuppliersatthePre-InitialTenderDialogueStage.
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-05f966. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05f966.json.