--- title: "Delivering the Best Start in Life - Implementation Partner" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-060d7c" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-060d7c" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060d7c.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060d7c.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION" published: "2026-04-27" --- # Delivering the Best Start in Life - Implementation Partner Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-060d7c [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-060d7c) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060d7c.json) ## Summary The Department for Education is initiating a procurement process to secure an Implementation Partner to support the 'Best Start in Life' (BSiL) programme for local authorities. This process, currently in the planning stage, involves market engagement activities such as an online event scheduled for 16th March 2026, with registration available via Jaggaer. Intended to explore innovative models, the procurement invites SME's, VCSEs, and consortia to engage, with the programme running from 1st September 2026 to 31st August 2028, and potential renewal until August 2029. The contract, valued at £3.4 million, focuses on education and training services across various UK regions. This tender offers substantial growth opportunities for businesses specialising in strategic delivery and transformation services within early childhood development. Experienced organisations capable of driving system-wide reforms, providing high-quality, evidence-based family support services, and building long-term sector capabilities are encouraged to participate. This tender could particularly benefit SMEs, VCSEs, and consortia with expertise in data analytics, health systems integration, and innovative service delivery models, allowing them to establish themselves as leaders in a collaborative and high-impact national initiative. Suggestions on flexible and responsive procurement models are also welcomed, ensuring value for money and efficient support for local authorities. ## Notice The Department for Education (DfE) is issuing this Market Engagement Notice to invite interest from suitably qualified and experienced organisations in advance of a forthcoming procurement for an Implementation Partner(s) to support local authorities in the delivery of the Best Start in Life (BSiL) programme. This procurement seeks to engage strategic partner(s) with the vision and capability to supporting delivering transformation of family support services. The event will be a key opportunity to test emerging models and draw on the expertise of a diverse range of organisations, ensuring we harness the full breadth of innovation and experience available across the sector. The successful Implementation Partner(s) will play a pivotal role in supporting local authorities to: 1. Lead System Reform and Drive Ambitious Local Action Support local authorities to champion bold, innovative, and collaborative approaches across their 0-5 systems. This includes strengthening local leadership, commissioning and coordinating Partner(s)s effectively, harnessing community assets, and ensuring alignment with wider national and local reform programmes to maximise improvements in early childhood development and health outcomes. 2. Deliver Consistent, High Quality BSiL and Best Start Family Hub Services Provide expertise and practical guidance to ensure that local areas deliver integrated, evidence based services across core BSiL priority areas. These include Healthy Babies, Parenting Support and the Home Learning Environment, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and childcare access, sufficiency and entitlements. The Implementation Partner(s) will help local authorities ensure families can access the right support at the right time, through high quality, connected pathways. 3. Build Sustainable Capability, Learning and Innovation Across the Sector Promote a culture of continuous improvement by enabling local authorities to learn from one another, share best practice, and engage in test and learn activities. The Implementation Partner(s) will develop tools, resources, peer learning networks, and targeted 1-2-1 small group specialist support to build long term capability and strengthen the effective use of data and digital solutions in improving outcomes. 4. Provide Flexible, Responsive Support Aligned with a Changing Landscape Ensure that local authorities receive timely, relevant support that can adapt quickly to emerging needs, policy developments, and operational challenges. The Implementation Partner(s) must demonstrate the infrastructure, agility, and expertise to respond at pace, enabling local authorities to maintain momentum in delivering the ambitions of the Best Start in Life programme. We welcome suggestions on the most effective procurement approach to secure a flexible, responsive model that ensures value for money and supports local authorities to drive system transformation and continuous improvement. ### Planning Information The Department will be hosting an online event which will take place on Monday 16th March 2026. If you are interested in joining this event, please use the link below to register via Jaggaer (see View Opportunities) https://education.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html Please Note: • This notice is for market engagement and exploratory purposes and is not a call for competition. • The Department for Education reserves the right not to enter any formal processes or agreements. • Accordingly, the Department for Education will not be liable for any bid cost, expenditure, work, or effort incurred by a provider in acting based on this notice. We intend to share the questions and answers from the event with all potential suppliers. The opportunity is suitable for but not limited to SME's and VCSEs Consideration will also be given to consortia and collaborative bids from all forms of organisations. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/037913-2026 | | Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 27 Apr 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 1 May 2026 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 Aug 2026 - 31 Aug 2028 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £3,400,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Planning | | 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 | TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 80 - Education and training services ### Codes - 80000000 - Education and training services ## Release History - 27 Apr 2026 at 10:04 - PlanningUpdate - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/037913-2026 - 6 Mar 2026 at 15:11 - PlanningUpdate - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/020524-2026 - 26 Jan 2026 at 09:38 - PlanningUpdate - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006449-2026 - 23 Jan 2026 at 14:36 - PlanningUpdate - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006261-2026 - 23 Jan 2026 at 14:27 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006251-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/037913-2026 27th April 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/020524-2026 6th March 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006449-2026 26th January 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006261-2026 23rd January 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/006251-2026 23rd January 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://education.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html - 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-060d7c. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-060d7c.json.