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UK2

Market Engagement Event - Delivery partner for partnerships supporting early years-school transitions

  • First published: 06 March 2026
  • Last modified: 06 March 2026
  • Version: N/A
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The buyer is not using this website to administer the notice.

To record your interest or obtain additional information or documents please find instructions within the Full Notice Text. (NOTE: Contract Award Notices and Prior Information Notices do not normally require a response)

Contents

Summary

OCID:
ocds-h6vhtk-066333
Published by:
Department for Education
Authority ID:
AA20011
Publication date:
06 March 2026
Deadline date:
11 May 2026
Notice type:
UK2
Has documents:
No
Has SPD:
No
Has Carbon Reduction Plan:
N/A

Abstract

This is a notice seeking early engagement from interested parties in relation to the Department for Education procurement of a Delivery Partner to support effective delivery of partnerships that strengthen children’s transitions from pre-reception early years settings into school. The partnerships will focus particularly on support for those children with SEND and from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Delivery Partner will play a central role in helping partnerships plan and implement their approaches, promote collaboration and good practice, and support continuous improvement across the programme. The Delivery Partner will also help ensure delivery aligns with priorities, maintains strong governance standards and contributes to sustainable outcomes for children beyond the funding period. Please note that all references to procedure, value and term length are purely illustrative and subject to change.Please note that this notice is for early market engagement and exploratory purposes and is not a call for competition. The Department reserves the right not to enter any formal processes or agreements. Accordingly, the authority will not be liable for any bid cost, expenditure, work, or effort incurred by a provider in acting based on this notice.The DfE is keen to maximise opportunities to participate in procurement for Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSEs). Consideration will also be given to consortia and collaborative bids from all forms of organisations.

Full notice text

Scope

Procurement reference

project_10387

Procurement description

This is a notice seeking early engagement from interested parties in relation to the Department for Education procurement of a Delivery Partner to support effective delivery of partnerships that strengthen children’s transitions from pre-reception early years settings into school.

The partnerships will focus particularly on support for those children with SEND and from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The Delivery Partner will play a central role in helping partnerships plan and implement their approaches, promote collaboration and good practice, and support continuous improvement across the programme.

The Delivery Partner will also help ensure delivery aligns with priorities, maintains strong governance standards and contributes to sustainable outcomes for children beyond the funding period.

Please note that all references to procedure, value and term length are purely illustrative and subject to change.

Please note that this notice is for early market engagement and exploratory purposes and is not a call for competition.

The Department reserves the right not to enter any formal processes or agreements.

Accordingly, the authority will not be liable for any bid cost, expenditure, work, or effort incurred by a provider in acting based on this notice.

The DfE is keen to maximise opportunities to participate in procurement for Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSEs).

Consideration will also be given to consortia and collaborative bids from all forms of organisations.

Main category

Services

Delivery regions

  • UK - United Kingdom

Total value (estimated)

0 GBP Excluding VAT

0 GBP Including VAT

Contract dates (estimated)

01 October 2026, 00:00AM to 31 March 2028, 23:59PM

Contracting authority

Department for Education

Identification register:

  • GB-PPON

Address 1: Sanctuary Buildings, 20 Great Smith Street

Town/City: London

Postcode: SW1P3BT

Country: United Kingdom

Public Procurement Organisation Number: PDZG-3487-DPVD

NUTS code: UKI32

Email: PolicyAssurance.COMMERCIALQUERIES@education.gov.uk

Organisation type: Public authority - central government

Procedure

Is the total value above threshold?

Above threshold

Lots

Divided into 1 lots

Lot number: 1

CPV classifications

  • 80511000 - Staff training services
  • 80000000 - Education and training services

Delivery regions

  • UK - United Kingdom

Sustainability

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)

Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)

Contract start date (estimated)

01 October 2026, 00:00AM

Contract end date (estimated)

31 March 2028, 23:59PM

Engagement

Engagement process description

The Department will be hosting an online event which will take place on 17 March 2026.

We may host a further market engagement event following this feedback.

We will share a follow-up questionnaire shortly after (18 – 26 March 2026), and we will also be hosting 1:1 discussions w/c 30 March 2026 with interested suppliers, subject to completing the questionnaire.

To register and receive an invitation to attend the event on 17th March

- Please visit https://education.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html

- Scroll down to view opportunities and look for ssq_735

Once registered for ssq_735 please provide contact details for attendees using the messaging system within the ssq.

Due date

11 May 2026, 23:59PM

Has the engagement period already ended?

No

Submission

Publication date of tender notice (estimated)

11 May 2026

Coding

Commodity categories

ID Title Parent category
80000000 Education and training services Education
80511000 Staff training services Specialist training services

Delivery locations

ID Description
100 UK - All

Alert region restrictions

The buyer has restricted the alert for this notice to suppliers based in the following regions.

ID Description
There are no alert restrictions for this notice.

About the buyer

Main contact:
N/a
Admin contact:
N/a
Technical contact:
N/a
Other contact:
N/a

Further information

Date Details
No further information has been uploaded.

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