Official UK procurement notice
Specialist Education - Alternative Provision
Authority: Nottinghamshire County Council (Local council)
What is being bought4 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionThe Council is seeking to establish an Open Framework of suitable Providers under which the Council intend to commission Specialist Education - Alternative Provision.
These services will cover the requirements for Alternative Provision placements of children & young people (Learners) made directly on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council with additional scope to include Local Council maintained Schools, or Free Schools and Academies (Contracting Council) within Nottinghamshire and surrounding areas if they wish to use it.
Providers that are successful in demonstrating that they are able to meet the Council's standards, as set out in the service specification, will be awarded onto the Framework under the appropriate Lot and will be subsequently invited to offer places that match the needs of the Learners.
Providers will be expected to evidence the quality of their provision by participating in regular Quality Assurance (QA) checks that will be carried out on behalf of the Contracting Authorities. Any Providers that fail to maintain the quality standards will be suspended from the Framework until they are able to provide evidence that they can meet the quality standards.
- The authority expects to re-tender this requirement around 13 May 2027, 23:59 BST.
- How the procedure runs: Suppliers are required to complete all three stages of the procurement during publication of the tender before the published deadline. This includes the Procurement Selection Questionnaire, quality submission and price submission. The evaluation process to appoint potential Providers to the Framework will involve three stages: • Stage 1 - Procurement Specific Questionnaire and Conditions of Participation • Stage 2 - Quality submission • Stage 3 - Price submission Suppliers who fail Stage 1 will not have their tender evaluated under Stage 2 (Quality); and Suppliers who fail Stage 2 (Quality) will not have their tender evaluated under Stage 3 (Price). Suppliers who pass all three stages of the evaluation process and meet all of the published minimum requirements set out in the tender pack, will be appointed on to the Framework.
- No preliminary market engagement: PME carried out: UK3: Planned procurement notice - 2026/S 000-041889
CPV: Higher education services · Primary education services · Secondary education services · Training services
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Open framework · open framework scheme (admission reopens)
- Call-offs
- call-offs may be awarded directly or by further competition
- Framework period
- 4 yrs · up to 8 yrs from 21 Jan 2027
- Scheme runs until
- 20 Jan 2035
- Buyer regions
- UKF15, UKF16
Who may buy through it
These services will cover the requirements for Alternative Provision placements of children & young people (Learners) made directly on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council with additional scope to include Local Council maintained Schools, or Free Schools and Academies (Contracting Council) within Nottinghamshire and surrounding areas if they wish to use it.
Published description of the framework
Lot 1,2 and 4 - Rather than use the more common relative price formula the Council has chosen to use the Optimum price method to evaluate the bids. The Optimum price has been determined by using the Commissioning teams combined market knowledge to calculate a reasonable market rate. This is shown on the Pricing Response sheet.
The Pricing Response will be scored out of a maximum of 105 marks for bids that ≤ the Optimum compliant bid (subject always to the provisions noted in relation to abnormally low tenders). Bids will be awarded marks in direct proportion to the relation between their bid and the Optimum Price.
Lot 3 - Providers will submit a pricing menu for information only and will be used to verify prices quoted at referral stage.
Lots and requirements (4)Procurement structure
4 lots · all with a published value · same conditions of participation on every lot · evaluation weights differ by lotLot #1Transitional Short Term time limited Placements - Block arrangementRenewal North East, North West +7Published value£3,159,000
The Council is seeking to commission transitional short-term time limited alternative provision placements designed to re-engage learners and support a successful return to mainstream education via a block booking arrangement for the following groups of young people:
- Students requiring short term intervention prior to reintegration into mainstream education or other provision.
- Students supported under Section 19 of the Education Act 1996 due to illness, exclusion, or otherwise.
- Section 61 learners with complex SEMH/SEND (Social, Emotional and Mental Health/Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) needs preventing mainstream attendance.
- Students under section 100 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 who have been permanently excluded and require provision within 6 days.
- Primary and secondary aged learners
Provision may be full or part time and delivered through DfE registered or unregistered settings (DfE registered preferred).
The Council is looking to put in place up to three block contracts in each of the following geographic areas: North Notts, Mid Notts and South Notts.
There will be a maximum of three providers per geographic area and in order for the block contracting arrangements to be viable the Council require at least one Provider per locality during Framework One.
Lot 1 may be re-opened as a successive Framework to increase capacity in response to need/demand and appoint additional Providers in accordance with Procurement Legislation and associated regulations.
- Economic & financial standing
Where applicable under the requirements of the Companies Act 2026 (or an overseas equivalent), the Bidder is required to self-certify that they are able to provide audited annual accounts.
Third party credit checks (if available) will also be undertaken as part of a financial assessment. A poor credit rating which scores 3 or more in a Dun & Bradstreet check will lead to a further request for supporting documentation, for example, accounts, profit & loss, cash flow forecast, or alternative evidence you will be required to provide if successful.
As part of the financial assessment the following factors will be considered but not limited to:
- turnover (sales)
- profit (loss) before interest & tax
- profit / turnover %
- liquidity ratio and gearing
The Council reserves the right to seek additional financial information.
Potential Framework Providers who fail the economic and financial standing assessment, will be excluded from the process and their tender shall be rejected and not evaluated further.
- Technical & professional ability
The Bidder must demonstrate recent experience of providing services similar to those required in this contract, ideally in the public sector. You may include previous contracts to other public sector contracts. If your organisation has not previously been awarded contracts to provide these services, please summarise your general experience in question 4.1.8.4. Pass / Fail
Lot #2Department for Education Accredited Online Provision (the Online Education Accreditation Scheme)Renewal East MidlandsPublished value£1,579,500
The Council is seeking to specifically commission Providers of online Alternative Provision who are successfully enrolled on the Online Education Accreditation Scheme (OEAS).
Placements under this Lot would be short term, remote learning programmes delivered in small groups or 1:1. The provision will be designed to support students to thrive outside of the traditional classroom. It should be accessible full or part-time from home or other agreed locations. The curriculum should be tailored to individual need and designed to ensure continuity of learning. Support should include tailored reintegration planning to either mainstream or in-person alternative provision.
- Economic & financial standing
Where applicable under the requirements of the Companies Act 2026 (or an overseas equivalent), the Bidder is required to self-certify that they are able to provide audited annual accounts.
Third party credit checks (if available) will also be undertaken as part of a financial assessment. A poor credit rating which scores 3 or more in a Dun & Bradstreet check will lead to a further request for supporting documentation, for example, accounts, profit & loss, cash flow forecast, or alternative evidence you will be required to provide if successful.
As part of the financial assessment the following factors will be considered but not limited to:
- turnover (sales)
- profit (loss) before interest & tax
- profit / turnover %
- liquidity ratio and gearing
The Council reserves the right to seek additional financial information.
Potential Framework Providers who fail the economic and financial standing assessment, will be excluded from the process and their tender shall be rejected and not evaluated further.
- Technical & professional ability
The Bidder must demonstrate recent experience of providing services similar to those required in this contract, ideally in the public sector. You may include previous contracts to other public sector contracts. If your organisation has not previously been awarded contracts to provide these services, please summarise your general experience in question 4.1.8.4. Pass / Fail
Lot #3Specialist Individual Tailored ProvisionRenewal East MidlandsPublished value£11,500,000
The Council is seeking a range of Alternative Provision Providers for which they can call off contracts for placements for individual children and young people as and when required.
Education placements will be commissioned on an individual basis as per the referral process detailed in Section 4. Placements will be bespoke, longer-term programmes combining academic learning, vocational pathways and wider personal development.
This Lot includes both 1-1 and small group work and is to include ongoing reintegration planning and can be full-time or part-time.
- Economic & financial standing
Where applicable under the requirements of the Companies Act 2026 (or an overseas equivalent), the Bidder is required to self-certify that they are able to provide audited annual accounts.
Third party credit checks (if available) will also be undertaken as part of a financial assessment. A poor credit rating which scores 3 or more in a Dun & Bradstreet check will lead to a further request for supporting documentation, for example, accounts, profit & loss, cash flow forecast, or alternative evidence you will be required to provide if successful.
As part of the financial assessment the following factors will be considered but not limited to:
- turnover (sales)
- profit (loss) before interest & tax
- profit / turnover %
- liquidity ratio and gearing
The Council reserves the right to seek additional financial information.
Potential Framework Providers who fail the economic and financial standing assessment, will be excluded from the process and their tender shall be rejected and not evaluated further.
- Technical & professional ability
The Bidder must demonstrate recent experience of providing services similar to those required in this contract, ideally in the public sector. You may include previous contracts to other public sector contracts. If your organisation has not previously been awarded contracts to provide these services, please summarise your general experience in question 4.1.8.4. Pass / Fail
Lot #4TutoringRenewal East MidlandsPublished value£9,500,000
The Council is seeking to commission arrangements with high quality external tuition services to provide tailored education plans and to ensure positive outcomes including progression and achievement, enable participation, increase wellbeing and increase independence. The Lot will be made up of tuition companies and 1-1 tutors.
Tuition should be delivered by qualified teachers (QTS) and can be offered face to face or through virtual sessions. Sessions will be 1-1 or small groups. Tuition must be tailored to meet identified developmental and educational needs of students.
- Economic & financial standing
Where applicable under the requirements of the Companies Act 2026 (or an overseas equivalent), the Bidder is required to self-certify that they are able to provide audited annual accounts.
Third party credit checks (if available) will also be undertaken as part of a financial assessment. A poor credit rating which scores 3 or more in a Dun & Bradstreet check will lead to a further request for supporting documentation, for example, accounts, profit & loss, cash flow forecast, or alternative evidence you will be required to provide if successful.
As part of the financial assessment the following factors will be considered but not limited to:
- turnover (sales)
- profit (loss) before interest & tax
- profit / turnover %
- liquidity ratio and gearing
The Council reserves the right to seek additional financial information.
Potential Framework Providers who fail the economic and financial standing assessment, will be excluded from the process and their tender shall be rejected and not evaluated further.
- Technical & professional ability
The Bidder must demonstrate recent experience of providing services similar to those required in this contract, ideally in the public sector. You may include previous contracts to other public sector contracts. If your organisation has not previously been awarded contracts to provide these services, please summarise your general experience in question 4.1.8.4. Pass / Fail
What 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).
Lots publish different evaluation splits; there is no single procedure weighting.
- Economic & financial standing
Where applicable under the requirements of the Companies Act 2026 (or an overseas equivalent), the Bidder is required to self-certify that they are able to provide audited annual accounts.
Third party credit checks (if available) will also be undertaken as part of a financial assessment. A poor credit rating which scores 3 or more in a Dun & Bradstreet check will lead to a further request for supporting documentation, for example, accounts, profit & loss, cash flow forecast, or alternative evidence you will be required to provide if successful.
As part of the financial assessment the following factors will be considered but not limited to:
- turnover (sales)
- profit (loss) before interest & tax
- profit / turnover %
- liquidity ratio and gearing
The Council reserves the right to seek additional financial information.
Potential Framework Providers who fail the economic and financial standing assessment, will be excluded from the process and their tender shall be rejected and not evaluated further.
- Technical & professional ability
The Bidder must demonstrate recent experience of providing services similar to those required in this contract, ideally in the public sector. You may include previous contracts to other public sector contracts. If your organisation has not previously been awarded contracts to provide these services, please summarise your general experience in question 4.1.8.4. Pass / Fail
- Price carries 40 points on every lot: a 10% discount moves about 4 points.
- “Specialist Education - Alternative Provision” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract: call-offs may be direct or by further competition.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible 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
- Open framework scheme
- Who may use this agreement
- These services will cover the requirements for Alternative Provision placements of children & young people (Learners) made directly on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council with additional scope to include Local Council maintained Schools, or Free Schools and Academies (Contracting Council) within Nottinghamshire and surrounding areas if they wish to use it. · open scheme: new suppliers can join during the term
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Yes · next expected 13 May 2027
- First published
- 14 May 2025, 14:42 BST
- Last source update
- 22 May 2026, 10:24 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 13 Nov 2026
- Authority reference
DN812426- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-047572- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-051347Find a Tender
- How it runs
Suppliers are required to complete all three stages of the procurement during publication of the tender before the published deadline. This includes the Procurement Selection Questionnaire, quality submission and price submission.
The evaluation process to appoint potential Providers to the Framework will involve three stages:
- Stage 1 - Procurement Specific Questionnaire and Conditions of Participation
- Stage 2 - Quality submission
- Stage 3 - Price submission
Suppliers who fail Stage 1 will not have their tender evaluated under Stage 2 (Quality); and Suppliers who fail Stage 2 (Quality) will not have their tender evaluated under Stage 3 (Price).
Suppliers who pass all three stages of the evaluation process and meet all of the published minimum requirements set out in the tender pack, will be appointed on to the Framework.
- Risks
'Known Unknown' risks have been identified in relation to this project, and these are provided for information below. Any changes required as a result of these risks will be made in accordance with the principles of transparency, proportionality, and equal treatment, and will ensure that alternative provision for children and young people continues without disruption throughout any reorganisation period.
Local Government Reorganisation
Bidders are advised that, following the UK Government's publication of the English Devolution White Paper in December 2024, a programme of Local Government Reorganisation ("LGR") is anticipated which may affect the governance, boundaries and/or legal status of the Council during the term of any Framework Agreement or Call Off awarded pursuant to this procurement.
As a consequence of LGR, any resulting Framework Agreement or Call Off may be required to be transferred, assigned or novated (in whole or in part) to one or more successor authorities or other public bodies established as part of LGR, in accordance with applicable legislation.
Bidders acknowledge and accept that the Council must comply with all statutory, regulatory and other legal requirements arising in connection with LGR and, to the extent necessary to do so, reserves the right to make such amendments to the procurement arrangements and/or any resulting Framework Agreement or Call Off as are required or permitted by law.
Bidders must submit their Tender on the basis that such transfer, assignment, novation or amendment may occur and that no additional charges, price adjustments or termination rights shall arise solely as a result of LGR. Any reasonable steps taken by the Council or a successor Council to notify Bidders of matters arising from LGR shall be sufficient for the purposes of this procurement.
SEND Reform
The SEND Reform as outlined in the 2025-2026 Schools White paper proposes changes to special educational needs provision to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
The current reform agenda originates from the SEND and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan: Right support, right place, right time and is now being taken forward through:
- The Schools White Paper (February 2026)
- The SEND reform consultation: "Putting children and young people first" (open Feb-May 2026)
Together, these establish a unified SEND - Alternative Provision system underpinned by new national standards, a three tier AP model, and stronger place based commissioning duties for local authorities.
The reforms aim to:
- Reduce reliance on long term or unplanned AP placements
- Strengthen early intervention and inclusion in mainstream schools
- Improve consistency, quality and value for money in AP at local level
Sections 2.4.6, 2.4.7 and 2.4.8 of Part 3 Service Specification details the proposed national SEND reforms. Any national policy changes resulting from the reforms will need to be considered in the context of the delivery of Alternative Provision and the impact on this framework will be assessed.
Internal Factors
Nottinghamshire Local Area Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Strategy Plan outlines to Council's commitment to improving and transforming education, health and care services for children and young people with SEND, ensuring they receive the best possible start in life. The current SEND strategy covers the period 2024-2027. This strategy will be reviewed and updated during the life of this framework and the impact of any changes to the strategy in light of the operation of the framework will be assessed.
Sections 2.4.2 to 2.4.5 of Part 3 Service Specification set out all the local drivers. Any future change to local factors will be assessed in regard to the impact on this framework.
Should there be any change required as a result of the above factors occurring, the Council would consider if the change would be a permitted modification 'Materialisation of a known risk' or another permitted modification under Schedule 8 'Permitted Contract Modifications' of the Procurement Act 2023 (Procurement Act 2023).
Contract Value
The anticipated value of the Framework is subject to demand and is based on current spend, projected requirements, and governance approval. The Council anticipates that the value of the Framework will be in the region of £25 million per annum (exclusive VAT), in accordance with governance approval. The total anticipated value over the full duration of the Framework, including any extension periods, may be increased to an estimated £600 million, subject to governance approval.
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 3 Jul 2026, 23:59 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 26 Jun 2026, 23:59 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Tenders must be submitted electronically via www.eastmidstenders.org ↗
Timeline
14 May 2025 → 21 Jan 2027 · 7 dates- Planning notice published14 May 2025, 14:42 BST
- Next notice expected168 days ago11 May 2026, 23:59 BST
- Tender notice published158 days ago22 May 2026, 10:24 BST
- Clarification questions by122 days ago26 Jun 2026, 23:59 BST
- Admission / appointment period ends115 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown3 Jul 2026, 23:59 BST
- Today27 Oct 2026
- Award decision expected byin 17 days13 Nov 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract startsin 85 days21 Jan 2027
Notice history
8 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 14 May 2025- Pipeline notice published14 May 2025, 14:42 BSTUK1
- Planned procurement notice published7 May 2026, 12:54 BSTUK3
- Procurement method changed7 May 2026, 12:54 BST
- Deadline published: 19 Jun 2026, 23:59 BST7 May 2026, 12:54 BST
- Tender notice published22 May 2026, 10:24 BSTUK4
- Published value published: £200,000,00022 May 2026, 10:24 BST
- Status changed to active22 May 2026, 10:24 BST
- Deadline moved to 3 Jul 2026, 23:59 BST22 May 2026, 10:24 BST+14 days · was 19 Jun 2026, 23:59 BST
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (5)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Bidding documents and specifications Nottinghamshire County Council are in the process of preparing a tender to procure a multi provider, multi lot framework for specialist education alternative provision. The attached slides provide information to Bidders to prepare for the upcoming tender publication.
- Bidding documents and specifications
Notices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Planned procurement notice Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender