Official UK procurement notice
P12819 - National School of Government and Public Services
Authority: Cabinet Office (Central government)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThis notice is not an official launch of our procurement(s), it is to alert the market to future opportunities and allow us to begin conversations that will shape plans for multiple future requirements.
The Cabinet Office (Government Skills Group) is transforming the way learning and development (L&D) is designed, procured, and delivered across the Civil Service. Following the announcement by the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, the government is establishing the new National School of Government and Public Services (hereon The National School).
The National School is tasked with delivering high-quality, targeted training to approximately 558,000 civil servants, developing executive leadership in the wider public sector, and to partner with public sector training bodies.
The strategic goal of the National School is to shift away from the historically outsourced prime-supplier managed-service model. In its place, the Cabinet Office is building an insourced, hybrid capability. Under this new Future Operating Model (FOM), the Cabinet Office will directly manage core operations, standard curricula, and stakeholder engagement. However, expert external provision will remain a critical element of the programme.
The National School transformation programme relies on three core, interdependent pillars to transition Civil Service training away from fully outsourced prime-supplier models toward an in-house, hybrid operating model by April 2028.
Together, these pillars work to build direct relationships with suppliers, provide a modern digital learning infrastructure, and establish robust in-house operational workflows.
Pillar 1: Future Supplier Partnerships (FSP)
The FSP project serves as the commercial enabler of the new operating model, building the in-house capability required to buy learning services and manage supply chains directly. We aim to establish direct, value-driven contractual relationships with UK-based SMEs, universities, business schools, and niche providers.
The project team have identified an indicative Three-Stage Roadmap to enable this delivery:
Stage 1 (Immediate - April 2027): Procuring urgent digital and specialist training needs that cannot be fulfilled through existing frameworks.
Stage 2 (April 2027-March 2028): Phased procurement for core, National School-sponsored curriculum, coaching, and talent programmes.
Stage 3 (March 2028 onwards): On-going phased procurements falling out of Stages 1 and 2, depending on the length of contracts identified.
The scope of the requirements will cover several key procurement categories, including, but not limited to, specialised coaching pools (including for neuro-diverse leaders), blended training delivery, learning design (retaining Crown Intellectual Property), access to subject matter experts including within academia, independent research and evaluation, helpdesk/admin surge, and off-the-shelf qualifications.
Pillar 2: Future Technologies (FT)
The Future Technologies project focuses on designing and implementing the digital architecture required to run a personalised training operation for approximately 558,000 civil servants. The core objective here is the setting up and integration of platforms to manage the access, booking, payments, and evaluation of learning materials. This involves transitioning away from heavy manual processes to maximise technological efficiencies.
At this stage the project team has identified the central deliverable as a unified online portal allowing learners to access the full National School offering. Key technologies in scope for procurement include, but are not limited to, a new Learning Management System (LMS)/ Learning Experience Platform (LXP), Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems to centralise stakeholder engagement, and design/delivery tools.
Pillar 3: Future Learning Operations (FLO)
The Learning Operations project is responsible for building the actual systems, processes, and internal capabilities required to run the day-to-day training operations in-house. Their core objective is establishing an integrated operational function by April 2028 that supports over 558,000 civil servants in completing their learning journeys. It is highly dependent on the digital and commercial pillars to develop the underlying platforms that support operations.
Market Involvement
As part of the initial phases of the programme, the project teams are keen to connect with the market and gain insight into current trends, operations and barriers. With this in mind, Cabinet Office and the project team have planned the following Sector Connector events. To register your interest in attending, please follow the links provided:
COACHING - London - 15th September 2026 - 3:30pm - 6:30pm
The Restaurant Town Hall, 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf Estate, E14 4PU
Book your place here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1999022609437 ↗
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COACHING - MS Teams - 16th September 2026 - 3pm - 5pm
Book your place here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1999294630058 ↗
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SENIOR LEADERSHIP - London - 21st September 2026, 3:30pm - 6:30pm
The Restaurant Town Hall, 10 SC, Canary Wharf Estate, E14 4PU
Book your place here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1999023733800 ↗
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LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT - London - 23rd September 2026 - 3:30pm - 6:30pm
The Restaurant Town Hall, 10 SC, Canary Wharf Estate, E14 4PU
Book your place here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1999024350645 ↗
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LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT - Manchester - 25th September 2026 - 10am - 1pm
The Studio, 51 Level St, Manchester, M1 1FN
Book your place here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1999024763881 ↗
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ACADEMIA - Manchester - Friday 25th September 2026 - 2pm - 5pm
The Studio, 51 Level St, Manchester, M1 1FN
Book your place here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1999025378720 ↗
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OFF THE SHELF LEARNING - London - 28 September 2026 - 3:30pm - 6:30pm
The Restaurant Town Hall, 10 SC, Canary Wharf Estate, E14 4PU
Book your place here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1999026628458 ↗
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OFF THE SHELF LEARNING - MS Teams - 2nd October 2026 - 10am - 12pm
Book your place here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1999295572878 ↗
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ACADEMIA - London - 06 October 2026 - 3:30pm - 6:30pm
The Restaurant Town Hall, 10 SC, Canary Wharf Estate, E14 4PU
Book your place here:www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1999026827052 ↗
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ACADEMIA - Edinburgh - Friday 9th October 2026, 10am - 1pm
The Scotsman Hotel, 20 North Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1TR
Book your place here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1999027324540 ↗
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LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT- Edinburgh - Friday 9th October 2026, 2pm - 5pm
The Scotsman Hotel, 20 North Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1TR
Book your space here: www.eventbrite.com/e/government-skills-… ↗
ACADEMIA VIRTUAL - MSTeams - Thursday 15th October 2026, 10am - 12pm
Book your space here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/2001389167877 ↗
DigiGov Expo at London Excel on 23rd & 24th September 2026 - Representatives from the Future Learning Technology Team will be at the DigiGov Expo at London Excel on 23 and 24 September.
Book your place here: www.digital-government.co.uk/registration/ ↗
Current Thinking for Programme Delivery
The National School Programme are in the early stages of exploring routes to market and have listed below some of the models reviewed for potential use:
RM6219 Learning and Training Services DPS.
A Dynamic Purchasing System allows for suppliers to register throughout the life cycle. If you would like to apply to become a registered supplier on this DPS, please follow this link:
supplierregistration.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/dps/RM6219 ↗
NEPO514 - External Training
Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for the provision of External Training
www.nepo.org/solutions/profession… ↗
RM6126 - Research & Insights DPS
This dynamic purchasing system (DPS) is available to all UK central government departments, to procure social, economic and market research, and behavioural insights services for projects of all sizes and values.
supplierregistration.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/dps/RM6126 ↗
RM6419 Innovation Marketplace - Dynamic Marketplace
It will provide a place for buyers to access suppliers who specialise in innovation. The Innovation Marketplace will cover a wide range of services
Innovation Marketplace UK1: Pipeline Notice
This list is not exhaustive and does not cover all of the routes to market we are exploring. The above routes are those where suppliers can review and register to become part of any potential future opportunities and we would encourage suppliers to follow the registration processes if it is of interest.
The CPV codes selected within this notice have been selected to reflect the current understanding of services and capabilities that are envisaged to fall within scope. These codes are indicative only and may be refined.
Funding estimates Included in this notice are based on historic student volumes and spending. Actual contract values will be determined by actual student volumes.
CPV: Adult-education services at university level · Computer support and consultancy services · Computer-related management services · E-learning services · Office and computing machinery, equipment and supplies except furniture and software packages · Programming services of application software · Software package and information systems · Training services · Training services in defence and security materials · World wide web (www) site operation host services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1Planned
Pipeline intelligence · planning stage: how this market runs before the tender is published
How Cabinet Office buys Programming services of packaged software products (CPV 7221), and who usually turns up
Cabinet Office’s published record next to the market for the same work. Frameworks and DPS are left out: they draw different bid counts. Whole-market view: Programming services of packaged software products (CPV 7221) →
How the contest usually goes
Winner shares use published awards; bid and price charts use contested lots.
i
How often small and medium firms win.
Share of awards where the winner’s size is known.
The counts under this question show how many awards have a known supplier size.
Small firms have won here. Neither number says whether you qualify; it describes who has been winning.
i
How often local firms win similar work.
Winners with a registered address in the delivery region, out of awards with a known address.
Local means the winner is registered in the region where that award was delivered. The market figure counts awards delivered in Greater London (authority’s region).
A local branch does not count if the registered address is elsewhere.
No winner locations published for this authority. Local means a registered address in the region where that award was delivered.
i
How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.
Middle value in days from the bid deadline to the award date, on competitions that published both.
Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.
Half of these awards have an award date within 101 days of the bid deadline.
i
How often work is awarded with no recorded rival.
Direct awards and tenders where every published lot count shows one bid.
Both shares are minimums: some awards have no bid count.
Thin markets produce this too; it is not proof of a tailored specification.
Direct awards or one recorded bid are common here. Check the route before spending time on a bid.
How many bids did past lots attract?
i
How many bids past lots received.
Each colour is a bid-count range. Only competed lots with a published count are included.
Past bids do not predict this tender.
1 bid0%
2–325%
4–625%
7+50%
How did awards compare with estimates?
i
Where winning prices landed against estimates.
Each colour shows awards below, close to or above the published estimate, one lot at a time.
Past prices are a guide, not a bid price.
Below estimate50%
Within ±2%50%
Above estimate0%
Assess each lot i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
Open a lot for its forecast, this buyer’s previous supplier and possible competitors, from published award history, not a bid list
Lot #1CPV 7221Estimate not published
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative. The bar shows 111 past lots.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid11%
2–333%
4–629%
7+27%
i
Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
No earlier contract of this buyer matches this lot on the published record.
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
Candidate suppliers for this notice have not been worked out yet, so this is not a verdict that nobody fits.
About this data
- Source. Official UK public procurement notices (Find a Tender), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. New notices arrive through the day; the figures are rebuilt nightly.
- Two views, kept apart. The authority’s own track record and the wider market for the same kind of work sit side by side and are never mixed. Where the local picture is too thin, a figure widens to a broader market and says which one it used.
- Forecasts are labelled. The price forecast and its range, possible competitors and the earlier-work matches are our estimates from past awards: not published facts, not win chances and not price advice. Official notices do not say who is bidding.
- Every figure shows what it rests on. Not every notice publishes a bid count, a value or a delivery region, so each figure carries the number of records behind it, and one built on few records is marked as such. The on a figure explains it; the counting rules are in the methodology. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Planned procurement
- Procurement threshold
- Below threshold
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 8 Sept 2026, 09:52 BST
- Last source update
- 17 Sept 2026, 16:53 BST
- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-088414- Latest notice
- Pipeline notice (UK1)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Not published
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f2deFind a Tender
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- —
Timeline
4 Sept 2026 → 1 Mar 2027 · 4 dates- Planning notice published54 days ago4 Sept 2026, 17:59 BST
- Latest notice published41 days ago17 Sept 2026, 16:53 BST
- Tender notice expected28 days ago30 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
- Today29 Oct 2026
- Contract startsin 122 days1 Mar 2027
Notice history
5 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 4 Sept 2026- Pipeline notice published4 Sept 2026, 17:59 BSTUK1
- Pipeline notice published8 Sept 2026, 09:52 BSTUK1
- Pipeline notice published15 Sept 2026, 11:24 BSTUK1
- Pipeline notice published16 Sept 2026, 12:08 BSTUK1
- Pipeline notice published17 Sept 2026, 16:53 BSTUK1
Published amendments (4)
Updated virtual booking links to include links to meetings
We have updated the times on the London in person meetings.
Updated times for Sector Connector meetings
Changes to times and links Virtual Academia event added.
Routine re-releases (4)
- 2026-09: 1 release · 8 Sept 2026
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Pipeline notice- Awards (0)
- No award published
- Contracts (0)
- No contract published
- Bid statistics
- No aggregate bid statistics published
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (5)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender