---
title: "Software VAR for Schools"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0696c8"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0696c8"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0696c8.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0696c8.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION"
published: "2026-07-07"
---

# Software VAR for Schools

Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0696c8

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[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0696c8.json)

## Summary

The Department for Education (DfE) is engaged in a planning stage for two procurement processes, focusing on software value-added reseller (VAR) services and IT hardware for schools. The software VAR initiative, titled "Software VAR for Schools," is part of the Maximising Value for Pupils programme and is intended to address significant challenges in software procurement by improving pricing transparency and simplifying routes. Key engagement milestones are scheduled with a due date of 31 July 2026. In parallel, a separate procurement titled "IT Hardware for Schools" seeks to develop a procurement route for classroom IT hardware that enhances affordability and transparency. Market engagement for this hardware procurement is scheduled, with expressions of interest due by 5 June 2026. Both initiatives are classified within the services and goods categories, respectively, and are planned to be implemented across various regions within the United Kingdom, with anticipated contract periods starting in 2027 and 2026, depending on the programme.

These procurement opportunities provide significant business prospects for suppliers capable of delivering end-to-end services and innovative solutions within the education sector. The software VAR model aims to foster better value and efficiency, presenting opportunities for companies experienced in software support and reselling to partner with the DfE and support educational institutions. Meanwhile, the IT hardware procurement invites diverse businesses, including SMEs and VCSEs, to contribute innovative solutions for the provision of computers and related hardware for schools. These initiatives are particularly suited for businesses with robust pricing models, sustainability practices, and the ability to manage large-scale supply chains across varied regions. Engaging in these procurements can enable suppliers to strengthen their market presence and support the education sector in meeting its evolving technology needs.

## Notice

The Maximising Value for Pupils (MaxVP) programme (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/maximising-value-for-pupils/maximising-value-for-pupils), launched in December 2025, aims to support schools and trusts in achieving better value across their spending, ensuring that resources are used as effectively as possible to improve outcomes for pupils. Software and digital services are a key area of focus within this programme, given their growing importance in the day-to-day operation of schools. Through a combination of recent engagement with the education sector and established market insight, the Department for Education (DfE) recognises that software procurement and management present a number of significant challenges. These range from increasing and often opaque costs, to complexities in licensing models, and, in some cases, practices that do not consistently deliver fair value to schools and trusts. In response, the DfE has identified an opportunity to explore the implementation of a Value Added Reseller (VAR) model. Such a model has the potential to simplify procurement routes, improve pricing transparency, and provide more consistent support to schools in managing their software requirements. It could also enable the aggregation of demand, leading to stronger commercial outcomes and reduced burden on individual institutions. In parallel, the DfE has been considering the application of a VAR model to support its own internal software requirements for a number of years. Aligning these ambitions presents an opportunity to create a unified commercial approach that delivers benefits at both departmental and sector levels. The overarching objective is therefore to establish a VAR model that effectively meets the needs of both the education sector and the DfE, driving improved value, greater efficiency, and more sustainable software procurement practices.

### Planning Information

The exact scope of the market engagement is being developed, and will be communicated in due course.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/063653-2026 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| 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 | 7 Jul 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 1 Dec 2026 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 31 Mar 2027 - 31 Mar 2030 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £300,000,000 |
| 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), TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England) |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 48100000 - Industry specific software package
- 48190000 - Educational software package
- 72261000 - Software support services

## Release History

- 7 Jul 2026 at 12:41 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/063653-2026
- 12 May 2026 at 13:29 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/043509-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/063653-2026
  7th July 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/043509-2026
  12th May 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/maximising-value-for-pupils/maximising-value-for-pupils
- 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-0696c8. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0696c8.json.