Official UK procurement notice
Delivery of Education and Training in England (Open Framework)
Authority: City of Sunderland College (Education)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe College wish to establish an Open Framework of suitable providers to deliver training and education on its behalf in England during academic years starting 2026/27.
CPV: Education and training services · Technical secondary education services · Vocational secondary education services
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Closed framework · open framework scheme (admission reopens)
- Call-offs
- call-offs may be awarded directly or by further competition
- Bids received
- 22 bids received · 21 suppliers appointed
- Framework period
- 8 yrs from 1 Aug 2026
- Scheme runs until
- 31 Jul 2034
Published description of the framework
FRAMEWORK AWARD
All tenderers will be ranked based on their final score, to ensure sufficient capacity, resilience, or competition.
Appointment to the Framework does not guarantee any volume of work or any future contractual commitment.
USE OF FRAMEWORK
When it becomes necessary to utilise the Framework, the College may use the options below at their discretion: -
- Direct Award
- A mini competition
The choice of method will depend on the nature of the requirement, the availability and complexity of the services.
DIRECT AWARD
Orders may be placed directly with the top ranked supplier in the first instance, any inability by the top rank supplier to fulfil for the following reasons then the College may approach the next ranked supplier(s) in order as per award of framework.
- accessibility to goods or services to fulfil requirements
- insufficient resources to fulfil requirements
- supply chain or delivery constraints
MINI COMPETITION
If a mini competition is carried out it will be evaluated to determine the most advantageous tender taking into consideration the following award criteria.
An organisation will be required to provide statements confirming:
- They will meet the requirements set out in the detailed specification
- Answer any further questions in the areas below which will be scored as detailed
Criteria %
Quality in terms of Partnership, Quality, and Compliance 70%
Added Value 10%
Social Value including
Social Value 10%
Armed Forces 5%
SHINE 5%
Additional criteria may be applied where appropriate and will be clearly set out in the mini-competition documentation.
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedWhat it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Published sub-criteria (5)
- Quality in terms of Partnership, Quality and Compliance: 70%
- Added Value: 10%
- Social Value: 10%
- Social Value: 5%
- Social Value: 5%
Published award criteria (5)
- Quality in terms of Partnership, Quality and Compliance
- Added Value
- Social Value
- Social Value: Armed Forces
- Social Value: SHINE
- “Delivery of Education and Training in England (Open Framework)” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract: call-offs may be direct or by further competition.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Open framework scheme
- Who may use this agreement
- Not stated in the notice; call-off rights may be limited to the establishing authority
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 18 Mar 2026, 10:28 GMT
- Last source update
- 27 Oct 2026, 13:29 GMT
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 23 Jun 2026
- Authority reference
T26/0105- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-024480- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-066d24Find a Tender
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 22 Apr 2026, 12:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 15 Apr 2026, 12:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Tender responses and all associated documentation must be submitted electronically via the EPNE e-tendering system located at in-tendhost.co.uk/nessp ↗
Tenders returned by any other means will be excluded.
Timeline
18 Mar 2026 → 27 Oct 2026 · 10 dates- Planning notice published224 days ago18 Mar 2026, 10:28 GMT
- Tender notice published224 days ago18 Mar 2026, 11:24 GMT
- Next notice expected222 days ago19 Mar 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Clarification questions by196 days ago15 Apr 2026, 12:00 BST
- Admission / appointment period ends189 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown22 Apr 2026, 12:00 BST
- Award decision expected by126 days ago23 Jun 2026, 23:59 BST
- Assessment summaries sent107 days ago13 Jul 2026, 00:00 BST
- Standstill ends88 days ago31 Jul 2026, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts88 days ago1 Aug 2026, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published23h ago27 Oct 2026, 13:29 GMT
Notice history
10 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 18 Mar 2026- Preliminary market engagement notice published18 Mar 2026, 10:28 GMTUK2
- Tender notice published18 Mar 2026, 11:24 GMTUK4
- Published value updated18 Mar 2026, 11:24 GMT
- Status changed to active18 Mar 2026, 11:24 GMT
- Procurement method changed18 Mar 2026, 11:24 GMT
- Deadline published: 22 Apr 2026, 12:00 BST18 Mar 2026, 11:24 GMT
- Contract award notice published22 Jul 2026, 10:50 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete22 Jul 2026, 10:50 BST
- Contract signature expected1 Aug 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published27 Oct 2026, 13:29 GMTUK7
Routine re-releases (4)
- 2026-03: 1 release · 18 Mar 2026
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltic Training Services LimitedSME, Eden Training Academy Limited, Employer Links Ltd, Learning Curve Group Limited, NC Group Ltd, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust +15 more1 Aug 2026 – 31 Jul 2034 | £8,000,000 inc. VAT | 13 Jul 2026 | Awarded |
Contracts
Contract 1 · Baltic Training Services LimitedSME, Eden Training Academy Limited, Employer Links Ltd, Learning Curve Group Limited, NC Group Ltd, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust +15 more
- Signed
- 1 Aug 2026
- Value
- £8,000,000 inc. VAT
- Period
- 1 Aug 2026 – 31 Jul 2034
- Status
- active
12 agreed KPIs: Submission of Enrolment Forms · Submission of Registers Fully Marked Register · Unknowns …
- Submission of Enrolment Forms
- Submission of Registers Fully Marked Register
- Unknowns
- Passed Planned End Dates
- Data Processing Queries
- Withdrawals
- Retention
- Achievement
- Attendance 16-19
- Attendance 19+
- Progression (16- 18)
- Progression into Employment (19+)
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22final-stage tenders | 0 | 0 | — |
Who bid
- did not winThe Construction Skills People LtdSME · East Midlands
- did not winArts North Studios Limited Lot 1.3 · North East England
- wonBaltic Training Services Limited T/A Baltic Apprenticeships Lot 2.0SME · North East England
- did not winDigital Telecoms Network Academy Limited Lot 2.0 · North East England
- wonEden Training Academy Limited Lot 2.0 · North East England
- wonEmployer Links Ltd Lot 2.0 · North East England
- did not winGEM Partnership Lot 2.0 · North East England
- did not winHartlepool United Lot 1.2 · North East England
- wonLearning Curve Group Limited Lot 1.1,2.00 · North East England
- did not winLogistics Skills & Consultancy Ltd Lot 2.0 · North East England
- did not winMorpeth Town Academy Lot 1.2 · North East England
- wonNC Group Ltd Lot 2.0 · North East England
- did not winNewcastle United Foundation Lot 1.1 · North East England
- wonNorthumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Lot 2.00 · North East England
- wonOrangebox Training Solutions UK Limited · East Midlands
- wonSora Services Ltd Lot 2.0 · North East England
- did not winSouth Shields Football Club Lot 1.2 · North East England
- did not winStemran Limited Lot 1.1, 2.0 · Yorkshire and the Humber
- did not winSunderland AFC Women Lot 1.2 · North East England
- did not winFoundation of Light Lot 1.1, 1.2 · North East England
- did not winUnipress UK Limited Lot 2.0 · North East England
- did not winZenith 2.0 · North East England
Bidders as named on the Procurement Act 2023 award notice. “Won” means the bidder holds an award on this notice.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Framework contractors & participating bidders
22 commercial parties on the notice · 21 awarded- Arts North Studios Limited Lot 1.3Framework contractor
- Baltic Training Services Limited T/A Baltic Apprenticeships Lot 2.0Framework contractor
- Digital Telecoms Network Academy Limited Lot 2.0Framework contractor
- Eden Training Academy Limited Lot 2.0Framework contractor
- Employer Links Ltd Lot 2.0Framework contractor
- Foundation of Light Lot 1.1, 1.2Framework contractor
- GEM Partnership Lot 2.0Framework contractor
- Hartlepool United Lot 1.2Framework contractor
- Learning Curve Group Limited Lot 1.1,2.00Framework contractor
- Logistics Skills & Consultancy Ltd Lot 2.0Framework contractor
Show 12 more suppliers
- Morpeth Town Academy Lot 1.2Framework contractor
- NC Group Ltd Lot 2.0Framework contractor
- Newcastle United Foundation Lot 1.1Framework contractor
- Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Lot 2.00Framework contractor
- Orangebox Training Solutions UK LimitedFramework contractor
- Sora Services Ltd Lot 2.0Framework contractor
- South Shields Football Club Lot 1.2Framework contractor
- Stemran Limited Lot 1.1, 2.0Framework contractor
- Sunderland AFC Women Lot 1.2Framework contractor
- The Construction Skills People LtdBidder / tenderer
- Unipress UK Limited Lot 2.0Framework contractor
- Zenith 2.0Framework contractor
Official documents & specifications (4)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender