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Published 6 Jan 2026, 13:46 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

Higher Specialist Scientist Training Programme (HSST)

Official notice

Authority: NHS England (Central government)

13 lotsServicesOpen procedureAbove thresholdLight touch regimeSME suitableVCSE suitable
Sectors: Education & Training (80) Delivery: UK
Published estimate£42,186,231total for 13 lots · £50,623,477 inc. VAT · 1 value update
Submissions closed 4 Sept 2026
Lots 13see the lot list below
Contract term 5 yrsends 31 Aug 2032 · up to 31 Aug 2034 with extensions · starts 1 Sept 2027

What is being bought13 lots · detail below

Published requirement description

NHS England Workforce, Training and Education is seeking to re-procure the Higher Specialist Scientist Training (HSST) academic delivery programme.

There are 13 lots within this procurement

Suppliers may bid for more than one lot

The initial contract term shall be five (5) years. The Contracting Authority may, at its discretion, extend the contract for a period of up to two (2) years in accordance with the Contract. Following expiry of the Initial Term or any Extension Term, the contract may continue solely for the purposes of any applicable Run-Off Period, exit and transition arrangements, and any other provisions which expressly or by implication survive expiry or termination, as set out in the Contract (Document 4 Terms & Conditions).

Total funding available is £42,186,230.80 . This will train up to 1277 learners across all lots. The maximum price per learner for the 5 years course is:

Life Sciences: £25,275.60 per learner (excluding VAT)

Non-Life Sciences: £37,915.00 per learner (excluding VAT)

The deadline for submission of completed ITT submissions is 4th September 2026 at 12:00pm (midday).

Late submissions will not be accepted therefore, please submit in good time prior to the deadline date and time. All communications should be made via the messaging function on the e-Tendering portal during the tender exercise.

The Contracting Authority requests that all communications are channelled through the e-portal system and not with the Contracting Authority itself other than as expressly permitted within this ITT.

Further information relating to this project can be found at NHSE e-tendering portal at the link below. All clarification questions and submission bids must be received via this portal only. Registration is free of charge.

health-family-contract-search.secure.force.com ↗

  • The authority expects to re-tender this requirement around 22 Oct 2026, 23:59 BST.

CPV: Education and training services · Health training services · Higher education services

Lots and requirements (13)Procurement structure

13 lots · all with a published value (£42,186,231 together) · same evaluation weights on every lot
Lot #1Clinical Bioinformatics (Genomics) Non LSRenewal 5 yrsSMEVCSEPublished value£4,157,950

Clinical Bioinformatics (Genomics) Non LS

Genetic counselling (to be written) LS

Genetics LS

129 places over the full 7 years

Up to two providers to be appointed

Contract period: 1 Sept 2027 – 31 Aug 2032 (5 yrs) · up to 31 Aug 2034 with extensionsValue: £4,157,950 exc. VAT · £4,989,540 inc. VAT
Delivery: UKEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible
Extensions: The Contracting Authority may, at its discretion, extend the contract for a period of up to two (2) yearsAuthority reference: 1a
80000000 Education and training services80300000 Higher education services80561000 Health training services
Lot #2Histopathology LSRenewal 5 yrsSMEVCSEPublished value£1,794,568

Histopathology LS

Molecular Pathology of Acquired Disease LS

71 places over the 7 year contract

One supplier will be appointed to this lot.

Contract period: 1 Sept 2027 – 31 Aug 2032 (5 yrs) · up to 31 Aug 2034 with extensionsValue: £1,794,568 exc. VAT · £2,153,481 inc. VAT
Delivery: UKEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible
Extensions: The Contracting Authority may, at its discretion, extend the contract for a period of up to two (2) years
80000000 Education and training services80300000 Higher education services80561000 Health training services
Lot #3Reproductive Science LSRenewal 5 yrsSMEVCSEPublished value£1,693,465

Reproductive Science LS

67 places over the 7 year contract

One supplier to be appointed ted to this lot

Contract period: 1 Sept 2027 – 31 Aug 2032 (5 yrs) · up to 31 Aug 2034 with extensionsValue: £1,693,465 exc. VAT · £2,032,158 inc. VAT
Delivery: UKEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible
Extensions: The Contracting Authority may, at its discretion, extend the contract for a period of up to two (2) years
80000000 Education and training services80300000 Higher education services80561000 Health training services
Lot #4Clinical Bioinformatics (Physical Sciences) Non LSRenewal 5 yrsSMEVCSEPublished value£3,450,265

Clinical Bioinformatics (Physical Sciences) Non LS

Clinical Bioinformatics (Health Informatics) Non LS

Clinical Biomedical Engineering Non LS

Reconstructive Science Non LS

91 places over the 7 year contract

One supplier to be appointed to this lot

Contract period: 1 Sept 2027 – 31 Aug 2032 (5 yrs) · up to 31 Aug 2034 with extensionsValue: £3,450,265 exc. VAT · £4,140,318 inc. VAT
Delivery: UKEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible
Extensions: The Contracting Authority may, at its discretion, extend the contract for a period of up to two (2) years
80000000 Education and training services80300000 Higher education services80561000 Health training services
Lot #5Imaging Physics Non LSRenewal 5 yrsSMEVCSEPublished value£4,284,395

Imaging Physics Non LS

113 places over the 7 year contract

Up to two providers will be appointed to this lot

Contract period: 1 Sept 2027 – 31 Aug 2032 (5 yrs) · up to 31 Aug 2034 with extensionsValue: £4,284,395 exc. VAT · £5,141,274 inc. VAT
Delivery: UKEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible
Extensions: The Contracting Authority may, at its discretion, extend the contract for a period of up to two (2) years
80000000 Education and training services80300000 Higher education services80561000 Health training services
Lot #6Radiotherapy Physics Non LSRenewal 5 yrsSMEVCSEPublished value£2,919,455

Radiotherapy Physics Non LS

77 places over the 7 year contract

Up to two providers may be appointed to this lot.

Contract period: 1 Sept 2027 – 31 Aug 2032 (5 yrs) · up to 31 Aug 2034 with extensionsValue: £2,919,455 exc. VAT · £3,503,346 inc. VAT
Delivery: UKEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible
Extensions: The Contracting Authority may, at its discretion, extend the contract for a period of up to two (2) years
80000000 Education and training services80300000 Higher education services80561000 Health training services
Lot #7Clinical Biochemistry LSRenewal 5 yrsSMEVCSEPublished value£1,794,568

Clinical Biochemistry LS

71 places over the 7 year contract

One provider will be appointed to this lot

Contract period: 1 Sept 2027 – 31 Aug 2032 (5 yrs) · up to 31 Aug 2034 with extensionsValue: £1,794,568 exc. VAT · £2,153,481 inc. VAT
Delivery: UKEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible
Extensions: The Contracting Authority may, at its discretion, extend the contract for a period of up to two (2) years
80000000 Education and training services80300000 Higher education services80561000 Health training services
Lot #8Clinical Immunology LSRenewal 5 yrsSMEVCSEPublished value£1,516,536

Clinical Immunology LS

Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics LS

60 places over the 7 year contract

One provider may be appointed to this lot

Contract period: 1 Sept 2027 – 31 Aug 2032 (5 yrs) · up to 31 Aug 2034 with extensionsValue: £1,516,536 exc. VAT · £1,819,843 inc. VAT
Delivery: UKEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible
Extensions: The Contracting Authority may, at its discretion, extend the contract for a period of up to two (2) years
80000000 Education and training services80300000 Higher education services80561000 Health training services
Lot #9Haematology Clinical Science & Transfusion Science (2 separate specialisms) LSRenewal 5 yrsSMEVCSEPublished value£1,592,363

Haematology Clinical Science & Transfusion Science (2 separate specialisms) LS

63 places over the 7 year contract

One provider will be appointed to this lot

Contract period: 1 Sept 2027 – 31 Aug 2032 (5 yrs) · up to 31 Aug 2034 with extensionsValue: £1,592,363 exc. VAT · £1,910,835 inc. VAT
Delivery: UKEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible
Extensions: The Contracting Authority may, at its discretion, extend the contract for a period of up to two (2) years
80000000 Education and training services80300000 Higher education services80561000 Health training services
Lot #10Microbiology and Virology( two separate HSST specialisms) LSRenewal 5 yrsSMEVCSEPublished value£2,603,387

Microbiology and Virology( two separate HSST specialisms) LS

103 places over the 7 year contract

Up to two providers may be appointed to this lot.

Contract period: 1 Sept 2027 – 31 Aug 2032 (5 yrs) · up to 31 Aug 2034 with extensionsValue: £2,603,387 exc. VAT · £3,124,064 inc. VAT
Delivery: UKEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible
Extensions: The Contracting Authority may, at its discretion, extend the contract for a period of up to two (2) years
80000000 Education and training services80300000 Higher education services80561000 Health training services
Lot #11Audiological Science Non LSRenewal 5 yrsSMEVCSEPublished value£7,090,105

Audiological Science Non LS

Neurophysiological Science Non LS

Ophthalmic & Vision Sciences Non LS

187 places over the 7 year contract

Up to two providers will be appointed to this lot.

Contract period: 1 Sept 2027 – 31 Aug 2032 (5 yrs) · up to 31 Aug 2034 with extensionsValue: £7,090,105 exc. VAT · £8,508,126 inc. VAT
Delivery: UKEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible
Extensions: The Contracting Authority may, at its discretion, extend the contract for a period of up to two (2) years
80000000 Education and training services80300000 Higher education services80561000 Health training services
Lot #12Gastrointestinal Physiology Non LSRenewal 5 yrsSMEVCSEPublished value£2,654,050

Gastrointestinal Physiology Non LS

Respiratory & Sleep Sciences Non LS

Urodynamic Sciences Non LS

70 places over the 7 year course

Up to two providers will be awarded to this lot

Contract period: 1 Sept 2027 – 31 Aug 2032 (5 yrs) · up to 31 Aug 2034 with extensionsValue: £2,654,050 exc. VAT · £3,184,860 inc. VAT
Delivery: UKEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible
Extensions: The Contracting Authority may, at its discretion, extend the contract for a period of up to two (2) years
80000000 Education and training services80300000 Higher education services80561000 Health training services
Lot #13Cardiac Science Non LSRenewal 5 yrsSMEVCSEPublished value£6,635,125

Cardiac Science Non LS

Vascular Science Non LS

175 places over the 7 year contract

Up to two providers will be appointed to this lot

Contract period: 1 Sept 2027 – 31 Aug 2032 (5 yrs) · up to 31 Aug 2034 with extensionsValue: £6,635,125 exc. VAT · £7,962,150 inc. VAT
Delivery: UKEligibility: SME eligibleVCSE eligible
Extensions: The Contracting Authority may, at its discretion, extend the contract for a period of up to two (2) years
80000000 Education and training services80300000 Higher education services80561000 Health training services

What it takes to win
i

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 more
How bids were scored · same split on all 13 lots
Quality: 80%Price: 10%Social value: 10%
Published sub-criteria (4)
  • Technical (General): 50%
  • Technical (lot Specific): 30%
  • Commercial: 10%
  • Social Value: 10%
Published award criteria (4)
  • Technical (General): 50%
  • Technical (lot Specific): 30%
  • Social Value: 10%
  • Commercial: 10%
Lot distribution rule: Suppliers may bid for more than one lot, and my be awarded multiple lots. If a supplier is awarded more than one lot they will be combined into one contract. Lots 1a,2b,2c,4a,5a,6a,6b may be awarded up to two suppliers. The remaining lots one supplier will be awarded.
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 10 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 1 point. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.

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
Closed
Procurement threshold
Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime
Light touch regime
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement
Yes · next expected 22 Oct 2026
First published
6 Jan 2026, 13:46 GMT
Last source update
6 Aug 2026, 12:40 BST
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 22 Oct 2026
Authority reference
C455947
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-067655
Latest notice
Tender notice (UK4)
Classification (CPV)
Education and training servicesHealth training servicesHigher education services
Delivery area
UK
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06001d Find a Tender
Review and risk notes
Risks

The estimated value of contracts awarded following this procurement process are based upon modelled student numbers and historic data. Student numbers may fluctuate over the life of the contracts and therefore the individual contract values may increase or decrease over the contracted period. The price per student is fixed for this requirement and an increase or decrease in student numbers will have no impact on the price per student cost.

Therefore, there is the possibility that a modification under the Materialisation of Known Risk ground may be required at some point during the life of the contract.

The estimated contract values awarded following this procurement process are based on the prices submitted at contract award. The contracts include provisions for indexation, which may be applied during the contract term in accordance with the agreed contractual mechanism. As the future impact of indexation cannot be determined at the point of award, the total contract values may increase over the life of the contracts.

Therefore, there is the possibility that a modification under the Materialisation of a Known Risk ground may be required during the life of the contract to reflect the application of the agreed indexation provisions.

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: Atamis legacy domain (health-family.force.com) · Who buys & how to bid on Atamis
Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowedLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Legacy Salesforce domain still used in notices — use the current Atamis portal · this portal address is a legacy domain; the operator has migrated
Submission deadline
4 Sept 2026, 12:00 BST
Clarification deadline
24 Aug 2026, 17:00 BST
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

To express interest and participate in the tender, please register and apply via Atamis e-sourcing portal health-family.force.com/s/Welcome ↗

Should Tenderers have any queries, or having problems using the portal, they should contact Helpdesk at:

Phone: 0800 9956035

E-mail: support-health@atamis.co.uk

Timeline

6 Jan 2026 → 1 Sept 2027 · 9 dates
  1. Planning notice published293 days ago
    6 Jan 2026, 13:46 GMT
  2. Market engagement286 days ago
    13 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT

    Closing deadline for submission of interest 5pm 13th January 2026

    NHS England reserves the right to amend the timeline without prior notice.

    To express interest and respond to the request for information, please register and apply via Atamis e-sourcing portal health-family.force.com/s/Welcome ↗

  3. Next notice expected238 days ago
    2 Mar 2026, 23:59 GMT
  4. Tender notice published101 days ago
    17 Jul 2026, 11:27 BST
  5. Latest notice published81 days ago
    6 Aug 2026, 12:40 BST
  6. Clarification questions by63 days ago
    24 Aug 2026, 17:00 BST
  7. Submission deadline52 days ago
    4 Sept 2026, 12:00 BST
  8. Award decision expected by4 days ago
    22 Oct 2026, 23:59 BST
  9. Today
    27 Oct 2026
  10. Contract startsin 308 days
    1 Sept 2027, 00:00 BST

Notice history

8 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 6 Jan 2026
  1. Preliminary market engagement notice published
    6 Jan 2026, 13:46 GMT
    UK2
  2. Tender notice published
    17 Jul 2026, 11:27 BST
    UK4
  3. Published value published: £42,186,231
    17 Jul 2026, 11:27 BST
  4. Status changed to active
    17 Jul 2026, 11:27 BST
  5. Procurement method changed
    17 Jul 2026, 11:27 BST
  6. Deadline published: 4 Sept 2026, 12:00 BST
    17 Jul 2026, 11:27 BST
  7. Tender notice published
    23 Jul 2026, 08:37 BST
    UK4
  8. Tender notice published
    6 Aug 2026, 12:40 BST
    UK4
Published amendments (2)

remove full stop on link

Description amended under lot 5a, the places available are 133 not 103

Routine re-releases (4)
  • 2026-01: 1 release · 6 Jan 2026

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

NHS England

Contracting authorityPublic authority - central government GB-PPON: PDPT-3135-BWWY Wellington House, 133-135 Waterloo Rd, London, London, SE1 8UGContact name, email

Official documents & specifications (4)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender
  • Preliminary market engagement notice planningPreliminary market engagement noticeUK2Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender