Official UK procurement notice
FE content platform · UK public procurement notice
Authority: Jisc Services Limited (Public body)
What is being bought
Published requirement description***Update: 11/06/2026 - JSL reserve the right to run Stage 1 to a reduced timetable of not less than 10 days. Stage 2 is not anticipated to be reduced in duration but may consequently commence earlier than indicated. Indicative timetable will be kept in this notice as is, but altered in a forthcoming Tender (UK4) Notice.
*** Update: 09/06/2026 - Please note that since initial publication, a decision has been made to review some of the requirements with a view that changes may occur. This will have a delay on the initial anticipated timetable with a tender more likely to be published early autumn. Any further updates will be communicated ahead of tender publication ***
This opportunity Jisc seeks to establish a single-supplier framework agreement with a supplier to deliver a future-ready digital content platform for that supports Further Education (FE) institutions. The solution must empower learners and educators with engaging, adaptive, and sustainable content aligned to sector needs.
The objectives for Jisc are to:
- Provide cost-effective access to high-quality digital learning resources
- Support personalised and adaptive learning through AI-driven tools
- Enable flexible delivery models (hybrid, modular, micro-learning)
- Align content with curriculum, qualifications, and future skills (including employability and digital literacy)
- Ensure financial sustainability and ethical AI integration
** Please note that a PME Notice (UK2) was previously issued - see www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/071018-2025 ↗ **
- How the procedure runs: Stage one - Procurement-Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) - interested parties will be assessed against conditions of participation, to shortlist three capable bidders. Stage two - ITT: shortlisted bidders will be invited to respond to Technical and Pricing questionnaires. Bidders invited to Stage 2 will need to provide access to a test environment which will be used to support written bid evaluations. A live (and recorded) demonstration to aid evaluators will be permitted, following submission of written bids, and before access to the test environment is granted. Refinement of award criteria is permitted, but not anticipated. Multiple tendering rounds beyond what is described above are not anticipated.
CPV: Adult and other education services · Higher education services · Secondary education services · Software package and information systems
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Open framework
- Call-offs
- call-offs are awarded directly to appointed suppliers, without further competition
- Places
- up to 1 suppliers
- Framework period
- 2 yrs from 1 Nov 2027
- Buyer regions
- UK
Who may buy through it
Jisc purchases the e-book content on behalf of its FE members; www.jisc.ac.uk/membership/further-e… ↗
Published description of the framework
It is anticipated the single chosen supplier will receive an order(s) in advance of the academic year, although they may also be required to provide ad-hoc content as required throughout the contract.
While Jisc purchases the e-book content on behalf of its members, there is a collaborative approach to choosing new titles every year: four Focus Groups representing the four UK nations is given the responsibility of assessing and scoring the new titles on offer each year during the annual purchasing round.
Jisc is provided with a fixed budget which will be used to cover costs for the platform and all required digital content. The budget and required content is subject to variation, and precise commitments for orders can not be guaranteed at the outset of the contract.
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1CancelledRenewal
- Condition of participationshortlisting
Jisc will rank all suppliers and invite only the three (3) highest scoring Participants to proceed to Stage 2 - ITT (though Jisc reserves the right to adjust the number of Participants invited where two or more submissions achieve tied scores.)
Subject to amendment, a number of Pass/Fail criteria will be used, including Financials, Data Protection, Information Security, Business Continuity and Accessibility, plus scored selection criteria including sector relevance, solution maturity and readiness, and experience (each will receive a weighting but TBC).
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)
- Technical: 80%
- Price: 20%
Published award criteria (2)
- Technical: - Technical weighting 80% (estimated) - Content - Platform - Learner engagement - Teaching staff interaction - Access and inclusion - Ethical AI - Support - Social value - Contract management *sub-criteria and sub-criteria weightings TBC
- Price: Pricing weighting 20% (estimated) - Platform access - Indicative pricing *sub-criteria and sub-criteria weightings TBC
- Condition of participationshortlisting
Jisc will rank all suppliers and invite only the three (3) highest scoring Participants to proceed to Stage 2 - ITT (though Jisc reserves the right to adjust the number of Participants invited where two or more submissions achieve tied scores.)
Subject to amendment, a number of Pass/Fail criteria will be used, including Financials, Data Protection, Information Security, Business Continuity and Accessibility, plus scored selection criteria including sector relevance, solution maturity and readiness, and experience (each will receive a weighting but TBC).
- Price carries 20 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 2 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
- “FE content platform” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, up to 1 suppliers, not a single contract, and call-offs are awarded directly: getting appointed is the whole game.
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
- Cancelled
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Framework agreement
- Who may use this agreement
- Jisc purchases the e-book content on behalf of its FE members; https://www.jisc.ac.uk/membership/further-education-membership
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 8 May 2026, 16:33 BST
- Last source update
- 16 Oct 2026, 12:09 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 2 Nov 2026
- Authority reference
Proc2898- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-097890- Accelerated
- Qualifying planned procurement notice
- Latest notice
- Procurement termination notice (UK12)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06951bFind a Tender
- How it runs
Stage one - Procurement-Specific Questionnaire (PSQ)
- interested parties will be assessed against conditions of participation, to shortlist three capable bidders.
Stage two - ITT: shortlisted bidders will be invited to respond to Technical and Pricing questionnaires.
Bidders invited to Stage 2 will need to provide access to a test environment which will be used to support written bid evaluations. A live (and recorded) demonstration to aid evaluators will be permitted, following submission of written bids, and before access to the test environment is granted.
Refinement of award criteria is permitted, but not anticipated. Multiple tendering rounds beyond what is described above are not anticipated.
How it was run
Official notice- Requests to participate (first stage)
- 29 Sept 2026, 12:00 BST
- Appointment period ends
- 29 Sept 2026, 12:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
In due course, suppliers will need to register on Jisc's eTendering portal; uk.eu-supply.com/login.asp ↗
This is free of charge and takes around two minutes. It is recommended that a generic email address is used. E,g, [email protected]
Timeline
8 May 2026 → 1 Nov 2027 · 6 dates- Planning notice published166 days ago8 May 2026, 16:33 BST
- Next notice expected49 days ago1 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
- Admission / appointment period ends22 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown29 Sept 2026, 12:00 BST
- Latest notice published5 days ago16 Oct 2026, 12:09 BST
- Today21 Oct 2026
- Award decision expected byin 13 days2 Nov 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract startsin 376 days1 Nov 2027
Notice history
6 events · 5 releases on Find a Tender · since 8 May 2026- Planned procurement notice published8 May 2026, 16:33 BSTUK3
- Planned procurement notice published11 May 2026, 12:09 BSTUK3
- Planned procurement notice published9 Jun 2026, 13:13 BSTUK3
- Planned procurement notice published11 Jun 2026, 16:59 BSTUK3
- Procurement termination notice published16 Oct 2026, 12:09 BSTUK12
- Status changed to withdrawn16 Oct 2026, 12:09 BST
Published amendments (2)
The timetable for this proposed tender opportunity has been delayed, and is anticipated to commence in early autumn 2026. A note has been added to this effect in the Scope section, and estimated times for the tender window and contract period have been revised accordingly.
See notations (dated 09/06/2026 and 11/06/2026) in Scope section.
Routine re-releases (5)
- 2026-05: 2 releases · 8 May 2026, 11 May 2026
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| supplier not published | — | 9 Oct 2026 | CancelledFollowing a thorough review of responses, Jisc has decided not to proceed with a procurement for a single FE content and learning platform at this time and will instead continue to explore alternative approaches to meeting future FE content requirements. At this stage, Jisc has not defined a single future delivery model and there are currently no plans for a procurement exercise associated with this activity. Should future requirements emerge that require further market engagement, these will be communicated through the appropriate procurement and engagement channels. |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (5)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Procurement termination notice Procurement termination notice on Find a Tender
- Planned procurement notice Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender
- Planned procurement notice Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender
- Planned procurement notice Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender
- Planned procurement notice Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender