Official UK procurement notice
Educational Supplies — UK public procurement notice
Authority: Department for Education (Central government)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionPlanned Procurement Notice.
Notice Reference (Unique ID):
PPN-DFE-SCT – LVHV - 2025-01
Title of the Procurement:
Standardisation and Supply of Tail-End Goods for Schools
Contracting Authority Name:
Department for Education (DfE)
Sanctuary Buildings, 20 Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 3BT
Email: [email protected]
Portal: https://education.app.jaggaer.com/
1. Subject-Matter of the Contract
DfE intends to procure or identify the best supply route for supply of low-value, high-variety-high volume- school consumables (tail-end goods), such as classroom stationery, hygiene supplies, and facilities consumables. The goal is to develop and supply a standardised core item list, rationalised for national use by state-funded schools in England.
1. This annual spend estimate across the school estate is between £500miliion and £1.5billion.
2. The budgets currently reside with schools who have decision authority over their procurement.
3. The DfE through this procurement is putting in place or finding a framework that will represent the best deal for schools.
4. As such award of this framework in part or all does not commit the DfE to award a contract but allows it to create or identify what it considers to be the best supply source.
Read the full description (2,955 more characters)
5. Once the DfE finds that solution, it will work to inform and engage schools of the framework with the aim of onboarding them to the deal. DfE will collaborate with other governmental and public sector organisations to do so.
2. Planned Procurement Procedure
Competitive Flexible Procedure
Dynamic Market Membership: No
Two-envelope system (Stage 1 - quality/technical Stage 2 - pricing)
3. Procurement Stages and estimated dates
Preliminary market engagement Aug 1 -Sept 10, 2025 (40 days)
Participation stage Sept 12 -Oct 7, 2025 (25 days)
Evaluation of participation Oct 8 – Oct 14, 2025 (7 days)
Tender Stage 1 (Quality/Core Basket) Oct 21st – Nov 1, 2025 (10 days)
Tender Stage 2 (Price Competition) Nov 7 – 17 2025 (10 days)
Standstill Period Nov 20 – Nov 28 (8 days)
Contract Award & Onboarding Dec 1 2025 and onward
The above schedule is a planned schedule. Market engagements will inform the need for compliance with this schedule or the use of other compliant and commercially viable route if evidence of best value can be identified during the engagement stage or later in the process.
4. Contract Value and Duration
Estimated total value: £500 million to £1.5billion annually.
Duration: 1 year + optional 1-year extension.
Is this subdivided into lots? No – single core list lot (with option to appoint multiple suppliers if advantageous)
Market engagements may indicate the need for multiple lots.
6. Access to Procurement Documents
This will be determined following market engagements.
7. Expression of Interest
Interested suppliers are encouraged to attend a pre-market engagement session.
Deadline for registration of interest: 21 August 2025
Registration link or email: suppliers should register their interest by sending a message via Jaggaer. This opportunity is listed as Educational Supplies (Low Value, High Volume) for schools. Project Code: 10082, Reference: DFE-SCT – LVHV - 2025-01. Guidance to register and access opportunities can be found here
8. Other Relevant Information
- Contract open to: All suppliers meeting the conditions of participation
- Eligibility: SMEs and large suppliers encouraged
- Award criteria:
Stage 1
- Technical quality – (Top 4 suppliers meeting threshold will be progressed)
- Service capability and substitution handling
- Sustainability and social value: will be considered in final evaluation
- Contract performance conditions: MI reporting, price controls, substitution rules
- Geography: England-wide distribution (state-funded schools)
Stage 2
- Price Competitiveness – Most competitive bid
Market engagement will inform the number of suppliers awarded and the terms of awards such as if offers/awards will be made at the price terms of winning bidder.
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.
- The authority expects to re-tender this requirement around 1 Jan 2026, 23:59 GMT.
CPV: Paper stationery and other items
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1Lot 1CancelledRenewalPublished value£500,000,000
- Value
- £500,000,000 exc. VAT · £600,000,000 inc. VAT
- Extensions
- Good performance
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).
Published sub-criteria (2)
- Ability to develop a standardised basket - agregation, standardisation, experience supplying low value high volume products to schools, ability to deliver user friendly tools to support school procurement and ability to determine and capture and evidence savings from interventions. — 50%
- Price of basket — 50%
Published award criteria (2)
- Ability to develop a standardised basket - agregation, standardisation, experience supplying low value high volume products to schools, ability to deliver user friendly tools to support school procurement and ability to determine and capture and evidence savings from interventions. — This is 100% for this stage
- Price of basket — 100% for this stage
- Technical & professional ability
1. Relevant Experience: The supplier must demonstrate experience in delivering both low-value and high-value procurement solutions across the education sector, including experience working with schools or similar institutions. 2. Understanding of School Buyer more…
Needs: The supplier must provide evidence of knowledge of school procurement behaviours, including common needs, pain points, and patterns in purchasing behaviour across a diverse school landscape. 3. Capability to Standardise and Aggregate: The supplier must demonstrate their capability to develop a standardised, aggregated portfolio of goods that meets the needs of a wide variety of schools, enabling consistency and economies of scale. 4. Savings Capture: The supplier must provide examples of where they have delivered measurable savings through aggregation, standardisation, or demand management strategies in similar settings. 5. Tools and Systems for Efficient Procurement: The supplier must describe the user-friendly digital tools or systems they offer to support efficient, transparent, and accessible procurement for end-users (e.g. school staff). - Condition of participationshortlisting
1. Relevant Experience: The supplier must demonstrate experience in delivering both low-value and high-value procurement solutions across the education sector, including experience working with schools or similar institutions. 2. Understanding of School Buyer more…
Needs: The supplier must provide evidence of knowledge of school procurement behaviours, including common needs, pain points, and patterns in purchasing behaviour across a diverse school landscape. 3. Capability to Standardise and Aggregate: The supplier must demonstrate their capability to develop a standardised, aggregated portfolio of goods that meets the needs of a wide variety of schools, enabling consistency and economies of scale. 4. Savings Capture: The supplier must provide examples of where they have delivered measurable savings through aggregation, standardisation, or demand management strategies in similar settings. 5. Tools and Systems for Efficient Procurement: The supplier must describe the user-friendly digital tools or systems they offer to support efficient, transparent, and accessible procurement for end-users (e.g. school staff).
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Goods
- Notice status
- Cancelled
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Yes · next expected 1 Jan 2026
- First published
- 11 Aug 2025, 13:40 BST
- Last source update
- 11 Aug 2025, 13:40 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end — 1 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT
- Accelerated
- Qualifying planned procurement notice
- Latest notice
- Procurement termination notice (UK12)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Not published
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-056b87
How it was run
- Expression of interest (EOI)
- 7 Oct 2025, 23:59 BST
- Submission deadline
- 7 Oct 2025, 23:59 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 1 Oct 2025, 23:59 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
9 published dates · Europe/London- Planning notice published1 Aug 2025, 15:14 BST
- Latest notice published11 Aug 2025, 13:40 BST
- Market engagement391 days ago10 Sept 2025, 23:59 BST
Interested suppliers are encouraged to attend a pre-market engagement session. Deadline for registration of interest: 21 August 2025 Registration link or email: suppliers should register their interest by sending a message via Jaggaer. This opportunity is listed as Educational Supplies (Low Value, more…
High Volume) for schools. Project Code: 10082, Reference: DFE-SCT – LVHV - 2025-01. Guidance to register and access opportunities can be found here. Register for SSQ _612 and you will be able to see messages posted by the DfE and also send messages to DfE if you have any questions. - Next notice expected389 days ago12 Sept 2025, 23:59 BST
- Clarification questions by370 days ago1 Oct 2025, 23:59 BST
- Expressions of interest by364 days ago7 Oct 2025, 23:59 BST
- Submission deadline364 days ago7 Oct 2025, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts310 days ago1 Dec 2025, 00:00 GMT
- Award decision expected by309 days ago1 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics — not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| supplier not published | — | 8 Aug 2025 | CancelledTermination Notice – Withdrawal of Planned Procurement Notice (PPN) Title: Standardisation and Supply of Tail-End Goods for Schools Reference: PPN-DFE-SCT–LVHV–2025-01 Contracting Authority: Department for Education Reason for Termination This Termination Notice serves to formally end all procurement activity initiated under the above Planned Procurement Notice (PPN). The Department will issue a new Preliminary Market Engagement notice . This will inform the strategy and approach prior to the potential re-issue of any tender documentation. Effect of Termination All activities associated with the withdrawn PPN, including the linked Preliminary Market Engagement Notice, are hereby cancelled. A new Preliminary Market Engagement Notice will be issued inviting supplier participation. Suppliers who registered under the withdrawn notice will be given the opportunity to re-register. Further Information Details of the new market engagement will be published separately, setting out the scope, timetable, and participation process. Issued by: Department for Education Date: 08 August 2025 |
Notice history
8 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 1 Aug 2025- Procurement termination notice published11 Aug 2025, 13:40 BSTUK12
- Published value updated11 Aug 2025, 13:40 BSTwas £500,000,000
- Status changed to withdrawn11 Aug 2025, 13:40 BST
- Buyer details updated11 Aug 2025, 13:40 BST
- Preliminary market engagement notice published5 Aug 2025, 16:51 BSTUK2
- Preliminary market engagement notice published1 Aug 2025, 15:36 BSTUK2
- Procurement method changed1 Aug 2025, 15:36 BST
- Planned procurement notice published1 Aug 2025, 15:14 BSTUK3
Routine re-releases (4)
- 2025-08: 1 release · 1 Aug 2025
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (5)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
Notices published for this procedure
- Procurement termination notice Procurement termination notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- Planned procurement notice Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender