---
title: "PPA - National Recruitment: Situational Judgment Testing 26/27"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06e619"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06e619"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e619.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e619.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "NHS England"
published: "2026-08-18"
---

# PPA - National Recruitment: Situational Judgment Testing 26/27

Buyer: NHS England  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06e619

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06e619)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e619.json)

## Summary

NHS England procured national recruitment assessment services from Pearson Professional Assessments Limited. The requirement covers continued delivery of the Multi-Specialty Recruitment Assessment (MSRA) and associated assessment services used in national recruitment. This is an education and training services requirement, focused on the design, delivery and operation of situational judgement testing and related assessment activity. The buying organisation is NHS England, a central government public authority based in London. The service supports recruitment assessment at national scale rather than a local NHS or individual organisational level. Suppliers relevant to this requirement are assessment providers, education and training specialists, and organisations able to operate reliable, high-volume recruitment testing services for the NHS.

The procurement is complete and the contract was awarded to Pearson Professional Assessments Limited on 11 August 2026. NHS England used a direct award under Section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023 and Schedule 5, paragraph 7, for additional or repeat services. The stated rationale was that changing supplier would make the services incompatible with existing services and create disproportionate technical difficulties; the award also maintains continuity while NHS England completes a national review and starts a new procurement. The award value is £4,374,320 excluding VAT, or £5,249,184 including VAT. The contract runs from 1 September 2026 to 1 September 2027, with a permitted 12-month extension subject to further funding approval. There was one completed lot.

Although this contract has already been awarded, it indicates sustained NHS demand for national recruitment assessment and situational judgement testing. A credible competitor for a future requirement would need to demonstrate the ability to deliver the MSRA or comparable assessments at national scale, maintain continuity with established assessment services, and manage high-volume candidate testing reliably. Relevant capability includes education and training provision, assessment design and delivery, secure operational processes, dependable technology and the capacity to support NHS recruitment activity across the country. The procurement was identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community and social enterprises, so organisations of those types may be well placed to compete, individually or through suitable delivery partnerships, when a comparable requirement is next procured.

## Notice

An agreement with Pearson Professional Assessments for the continued delivery of the Multi-Specialty Recruitment Assessment (MSRA) and associated assessment services. The initial term of this agreement will run for a period of 12 months, with an optional 12 month extension.

### Procurement Information

NHS England is currently contracted with Pearson Professional Assessments for delivery of the Multi-Specialty Recruitment Assessment (MRSA) and associated assessment services. This direct award is made in accordance with Section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023 and Schedule 5 paragraph 7 Additional or repeat goods, services or works A change in supplier at this time would result in NHS England receiving services that are incompatible with the existing services, and that incompatibility would result in disproportionate technical difficulties. This award is required to ensure continuity of service whilst NHS England completes the National review work and undertakes a new procurement process.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078373-2026 |
| Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 18 Aug 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 11 Aug 2026 |
| Contract period | 1 Sep 2026 - 1 Sep 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £4,374,320 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | NHS England |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Postcode area | South East London |
| Postcode | SE1 8UG |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI4 Inner London - East |
| ITL 3 | TLI45 Lambeth |
| Local authority | Lambeth |
| Electoral ward | Waterloo & South Bank |
| Westminster constituency | Vauxhall and Camberwell Green |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | Pearson Professional Assessments Limited |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 80 - Education and training services

### Codes

- 80000000 - Education and training services

## Release History

- 18 Aug 2026 at 09:28 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078373-2026
- 18 Aug 2026 at 07:59 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078331-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078373-2026
  18th August 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078331-2026
  18th August 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.pearson.com
- https://www.england.nhs.uk/
- 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-06e619. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06e619.json.