Engagement process description
1. Notice Title
UK2 – Preliminary Market Engagement Notice for Languages Training
2. Contracting Authority Details
Organisation Name: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)
Address: King Charles Street, London
Postal Code: SW1A 2AH
Contact Person: Salim Ahmed
Email: salim.ahmed2@fcdo.gov.uk
3. Summary of Intended Procurement
FCDO intends to procure a supplier(s) for professional language services training in up to 87 languages and management of the FCDO Language Centre. FCDO are also exploring the feasibility for Centre's of Excellence to deliver a range of language training including but not limited to French, Arabic and Spanish.
The new language training model has been designed to be scalable to meet the future needs of FCDO and HMG in terms of both volumes and languages available.
FCDO is conducting a preliminary market engagement to inform the future procurement strategy, understand market capability, and ensure the designed competitive procedure is fair, accessible, and effective.
The Preliminary Market Engagement indicative timeline is as follows:
Issue Pre Market Engagement Notice 17th April 2026
Deadline for Pre Market Engagement Notice Responses 5th May 2026
Pre Market Engagement Day w/c 25th May 2026
4. Purpose of Preliminary Market Engagement
This engagement aims to:
• Understand supplier expertise and capacity in delivering professional language services training including Arabic, Spanish, and French language services.
• Explore innovative delivery models (digital, in-person, blended lessons i.e. a mix of online and in-person lessons).
• Better understand cost structures, timescales, and languages service models.
Participation is voluntary and will not influence future tender evaluation. All findings will be managed to ensure no supplier gains an unfair advantage.
5. Engagement Activity Details
FCDO plans the following PME activities:
• Face to Face or Teams Supplier Briefing – To be confirmed
o Background, overview of requirement and indicative procurement timeline
• Written Market Question -
o What are the variables that you would consider important when forming groups of students undertaking intensive language training? Please list these as bullet points in decreasing order of importance.
o How would you take account of these when forming groups of students undertaking intensive language training?
Maximum 2 x A4 pages, Arial font size 11
1:1 Supplier Meetings (to be scheduled either face to face or via Teams) –
o Review response on Written Market Question plus any further questions.
6. Proposed Engagement Event Details
Face to Face or Teams Supplier Briefing – To be confirmed
• Date: w/c 25th May 2025
• Time: 9-30 (arrival at venue or via Teams)
• Session to run from 10-00 onwards to 17-00 (detailed agenda to follow)
Suppliers wishing to participate should respond via Jaggaer confirming their attendance by noon 5th May 2026. Please include the following:
• Organisation name
• Contact person
• Email and phone number
• Written Market Question
7. Future Procurement
This PME Notice does not constitute a tender. The full procurement process will begin with the publication of a Tender Notice under PA23 following the conclusion of this engagement.
A Competitive Flexible Procedure is currently anticipated as the viable route to market under PA23.
Participation in the PME is not a prerequisite for taking part in the future tender. Suppliers who do not participate will not be disadvantaged.
8. Publication Information Notice
Date of publication and notice reference.
17th April 2026, notice reference SA/01