{ "tag": [ "compiled" ], "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-06e519-2026-08-14T19:08:00+01:00", "date": "2026-08-14T19:08:00+01:00", "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-06e519", "initiationType": "tender", "parties": [ { "id": "GB-PPON-PDZG-3487-DPVD", "name": "Department for Education", "identifier": { "scheme": "GB-PPON", "id": "PDZG-3487-DPVD" }, "address": { "streetAddress": "Sanctuary Buildings, 20 Great Smith Street", "locality": "London", "postalCode": "SW1P3BT", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom", "region": "UKI32" }, "contactPoint": { "email": "EducationEstates.COMMERCIAL@education.gov.uk" }, "roles": [ "buyer" ], "details": { "classifications": [ { "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE", "id": "publicAuthorityCentralGovernment", "description": "Public authority - central government" } ] } } ], "buyer": { "id": "GB-PPON-PDZG-3487-DPVD", "name": "Department for Education" }, "planning": { "milestones": [ { "id": "engagement", "type": "engagement", "description": "Purpose of the Market Engagement Event The market engagement event aims to: 1. Provide an overview of the Schools Gigabit Broadband Programme Phase 2, including its objectives, scale, geographical demand profile, indicative procurement timetable, and potential technical and commercial requirements. 2. Gather supplier insights on current market conditions, delivery challenges, risks, and potential mitigation strategies. 3. Share and discuss data being developed jointly by DfE and BDUK and seek feedback to support its refinement before engagement with schools and Responsible Bodies. 4. Obtain supplier feedback on programme design, including lotting approaches, commercial models and pricing approaches that best support the intended outcomes. 5. Launch a questionnaire to seek further feedback from suppliers on the proposed programme. Relevant links: Material: Education Estates Strategy: a decade of national renewal Link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6989dec6d3f57710b50a9bd9/Education_estates_strategy_accessible_version.pdf Material: DfE Digital Standards for Schools and Colleges Link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/meeting-digital-and-technology-standards-in-schools-and-colleges/broadband-internet-core-standard Market engagement events: To register for the events below, you will need to create a Jaggaer account via the following link: Link: https://education.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html Once you have created an account, you will need to access our opportunity notice for Event SSQ_832 - School Gigabit Broadband Market Engagement. To do this, log in to Jaggaer and select the Published Opportunities tab, which can be found under the Sourcing drop-down menu. Our opportunity notice can be accessed via the following link: Once you have accessed our opportunity notice, you will be able to register your intention to participate via Event SSQ_832 - School Gigabit Broadband, Market Engagement. Within this event, the DfE will broadcast invitations to our market engagement events. It is your responsibility to access these broadcasts and forward our invitations to the relevant colleagues within your organisation. 1. Meet the Buyer event and Q&A session The Department will be hosting a Webinar and Question & Answer Session via Microsoft Teams on the dates below: 25 August 2026, 11:00 till 12:00 (deadline to register 21 August 17:00) During this event, DfE personnel involved in the project will outline our requirements, the indicative timeline and our procurement approach. The session will provide interested organisations with an opportunity to learn more about the SGB programme and ask questions to inform future planning and potential procurement activity. The DfE will send out our final invitation message on the 24th of August. It is your responsibility to access these messages and forward the invitations to your relevant colleagues. 2. Market Engagement Questionnaire Following our market engagement Webinar and Question & Answer Session, the DfE will share a market engagement pack and questionnaire to attendees. Responses will be used to inform the programme design and procurement approach. Accordingly, the Department will not be liable for any bid costs, expenditure, work or effort incurred by any organisation acting on the basis of this Prior Information Notice. All information included in this notice is indicative, subject to change, and is neither exhaustive nor binding. The Authority reserves the right to amend these details at its discretion at any time. To ensure transparency and equal access to information, the Department intends to publish and share a summary of questions raised during the event, together with responses, with all potential suppliers. All dates and times for this procurement will be in British Summer Time or Greenwich Mean Time, as applicable under the United Kingdom calendar. About the buyer Address Department for Education Sanctuary Buildings Great Smith Street LONDON SW1P 3BT England Email EducationEstates.COMMERCIAL@education.gov.uk", "dueDate": "2027-01-04T23:59:59+00:00", "status": "scheduled" } ], "documents": [ { "id": "077881-2026", "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice", "noticeType": "UK2", "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender", "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077881-2026", "datePublished": "2026-08-14T18:02:03+01:00", "format": "text/html" }, { "id": "077882-2026", "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice", "noticeType": "UK2", "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender", "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077882-2026", "datePublished": "2026-08-14T18:05:15+01:00", "format": "text/html" }, { "id": "077884-2026", "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice", "noticeType": "UK2", "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender", "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077884-2026", "datePublished": "2026-08-14T18:06:57+01:00", "format": "text/html" }, { "id": "077889-2026", "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice", "noticeType": "UK2", "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender", "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/077889-2026", "datePublished": "2026-08-14T19:08:00+01:00", "format": "text/html" } ] }, "tender": { "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-06e519", "legalBasis": { "id": "2023/54", "scheme": "UKPGA", "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents" }, "title": "Schools Gigabit Broadband", "description": "Introduction: School Gigabit Broadband Phase 2 The Department for Education (DfE) is seeking early engagement from interested organisations in relation to the Schools Gigabit Broadband Programme Phase 2. Please note that this notice is issued solely for the purposes of preliminary market engagement and information gathering. It does not constitute a call for competition, procurement, or invitation to tender. The Department reserves the right not to commence any formal procurement process or enter any contractual arrangements arising from this engagement. Accordingly, the Department will not be liable for any costs, expenditure, work, or effort incurred by any organisation in responding to or participating in activities associated with this notice. Background: Schools Gigabit Broadband Programme Phase 2 The Schools Gigabit Broadband Programme Phase 2 is a key DfE initiative that supports the Government's ambition to ensure that all schools in England can meet the required digital standards for broadband connectivity. The programme focuses on schools where suitable gigabit-capable connectivity is not currently available and where no commercial or publicly funded solution is expected to be delivered by the end of 2030. Between 2019 and 2022, the Department facilitated the delivery of gigabit connectivity to approximately 800 rural schools through the Rural Local Full Fibre Networks (LFFN) and Rural Gigabit Connectivity programmes, funded by Building Digital UK (BDUK) through a grant-based approach. Between 2023 and 2026, the Schools Gigabit Broadband Programme (Phase 1) connected a further 800 schools through a DfE-led procurement, partially funded by BDUK. Building on the programme's success to date, the Department plans to launch a further phase to connect approximately 800 schools across England that still require gigabit-capable broadband. This will help ensure that all schools have access to reliable, high-speed digital infrastructure that meets DfE standard.", "items": [ { "id": "1", "additionalClassifications": [ { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "32000000", "description": "Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment" }, { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "72720000", "description": "Wide area network services" }, { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "32430000", "description": "Wide area network" }, { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "32400000", "description": "Networks" }, { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "32420000", "description": "Network equipment" }, { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "50334400", "description": "Communications system maintenance services" }, { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "64200000", "description": "Telecommunications services" }, { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "64210000", "description": "Telephone and data transmission services" }, { "scheme": "CPV", "id": "45000000", "description": "Construction work" } ], "deliveryAddresses": [ { "region": "UK", "country": "GB", "countryName": "United Kingdom" } ], "relatedLot": "1" } ], "value": { "amountGross": 24000000, "amount": 20000000, "currency": "GBP" }, "mainProcurementCategory": "works", "aboveThreshold": true, "lots": [ { "id": "1", "suitability": { "sme": true }, "contractPeriod": { "startDate": "2027-03-01T00:00:00+00:00", "endDate": "2030-02-28T23:59:59+00:00" }, "status": "planning" } ], "communication": { "futureNoticeDate": "2027-01-04T23:59:59+00:00" }, "status": "planning" }, "language": "en" }