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Published 17 Oct 2025, 14:57 BST

Official UK procurement notice

ID 5967233 - DE - Statistics and Research - The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2027

Official notice

Authority: Department of Education (Central government)·On behalf of: CPD

ServicesOpen procedureAbove thresholdSME suitable
Sectors: Research & Development (R&D) (73) Delivery: Northern Ireland (UKN)
Published estimate£796,000≈ £258k / year · £955,200 inc. VAT3.7% below published estimate
Submissions closed 19 Nov 2025awarded 1 Dec 2025
Awarded to Pearson Education Limited
Contract term 3 yrs 1 moends 31 Dec 2028 · up to 30 Sept 2029 with extensions · starts 15 Dec 2025

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The Department of Education is responsible, under statute, for the provision of education for the children and young people of Northern Ireland and to promote the education system of Northern Ireland needs. The Department commissions evidence-based research including a number of international large-scale assessments of education systems. One such assessment is the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). TIMSS is a world-wide comparative study of the attainment in mathematics and science of pupils aged 9/10 years; primary year six in Northern Ireland.

TIMSS is managed internationally by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). To deliver the study in participating countries the IEA, under the conditions of their agreement, require each country to employ the services of a National Study Centre (NSC), this centre is to be led by a National Research Coordinator (NRC). The NSC will be responsible for the delivery of the TIMSS 2027 nationally. The Department therefore wishes to appoint a contractor for the provision of a NSC as well as a NRC to deliver TIMSS 2027 in Northern Ireland.

CPV: Research and development services and related consultancy services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1AwardedRenewal 3 yrs 1 moSMEPublished value£796,000
Contract period: 15 Dec 2025 – 31 Dec 2028 (3 yrs 1 mo) · up to 30 Sept 2029 with extensionsValue: £796,000 exc. VAT · £955,200 inc. VAT
Delivery: Northern IrelandEligibility: SME eligible
Extensions: Following the initial contract period, there is 1 optional extension for a period of up to 9 months. Optional extension periods will be subject to review and satisfactory performance assessment by the Contracting Authority.
73000000 Research and development services and related consultancy services
Pre-qualification & selection criteria (PQQ)2
  • Economic & financial standing

    N/A

  • Technical & professional ability

    As per Tender documentation.

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
  • AC1 - Proposed Methodology: As per Tender documentation.
  • AC2 - Key Personnel Experience: As per Tender documentation.
  • AC3 - Contract Management and Contingency: As per Tender documentation.
  • AC4 - Social Value: As per Tender documentation.
  • AC5 - Total Contract Price: As per Tender documentation.
Conditions of participation2
  • Economic & financial standing

    N/A

  • Technical & professional ability

    As per Tender documentation.

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
Awarded
Procurement threshold
Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
17 Oct 2025, 14:57 BST
Last source update
23 Dec 2025, 08:29 GMT
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 3 Dec 2025
Authority reference
ID 5967233
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-066380
Latest notice
Contract details notice (UK7)
Classification (CPV)
Research and development services and related consultancy services
Delivery area
Northern Ireland (UKN)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05cefe Find a Tender
Contract terms summary

For further details on invoicing procedures please see : www.finance-ni.gov.uk/articles/account-ni-… ↗

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: eTendersNI · Who buys & how to bid on eTendersNI
Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowedLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free Northern Ireland registration
Submission deadline
19 Nov 2025, 14:00 GMT
Clarification deadline
10 Nov 2025, 14:00 GMT
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Tenders must be submitted electronically via the relevant Call for Tender (CfT) opportunity on eTendersNI, website details immediately below.

Paper submissions will not be accepted or considered and will be rejected by the Contracting Authority / Buyer.

The tender documents are available with unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: URL etendersni.gov.uk/epps ↗

Timeline

17 Oct 2025 → 23 Dec 2025 · 8 dates
  1. Tender notice published370 days ago
    17 Oct 2025, 14:57 BST
  2. Clarification questions by346 days ago
    10 Nov 2025, 14:00 GMT
  3. Submission deadline337 days ago
    19 Nov 2025, 14:00 GMT
  4. Assessment summaries sent325 days ago
    1 Dec 2025
  5. Award decision expected by322 days ago
    3 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT
  6. Standstill ends314 days ago
    11 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT
  7. Contract starts311 days ago
    15 Dec 2025
  8. Latest notice published303 days ago
    23 Dec 2025, 08:29 GMT

Notice history

6 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 17 Oct 2025
  1. Tender notice published
    17 Oct 2025, 14:57 BST
    UK4
  2. Tender notice published
    7 Nov 2025, 13:30 GMT
    UK4
  3. Contract award notice published
    1 Dec 2025, 14:45 GMT
    UK6
  4. Status changed to complete
    1 Dec 2025, 14:45 GMT
  5. Contract signature expected
    12 Dec 2025, 23:59 GMT
    scheduled
  6. Contract details notice published
    23 Dec 2025, 08:29 GMT
    UK7
Published amendments (1)

The Contract Dates have been updated as they were previously inputted incorrectly. The contract will therefore run from the date of award (estimated to be in December 2025) until 31 December 2028. There will be one optional extension of any period up to 9 months.

Routine re-releases (4)
  • 2025-10: 1 release · 17 Oct 2025

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £766,3001 award exc. VAT
Bids received 21 from SMEs
Contracts signed 1latest 12 Dec 2025
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Pearson Education Limited15 Dec 2025 – 28 Feb 2029 · up to 30 Sept 2029Extensions: There will be one optional extension of any period up to 7 months.£766,3001 Dec 2025Awarded

Contracts

  • ID 5967233 - DE - Statistics and Research - The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2027 · Pearson Education Limited

    Signed
    12 Dec 2025
    Value
    £766,300
    Period
    15 Dec 2025 – 28 Feb 2029 · up to 28 Sept 2029 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    There will be one optional extension of any period up to 7 months.

    No agreed KPIs: The value of this contract is below the relevant threshold of £5 million including VAT and as such the reporting and publication of KPIs is not mandated.

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
2final-stage tenders10—

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

3 public bodies on the notice

The Department of Education (DE)

Contracting authorityPublic authority - central governmentNorthern Irish devolved regulations apply GB-PPON: PTYH-9512-JWZZ Rathgael House, Balloo Road, Rathgill, Northern Ireland, BT19 7PRContact email

Other public bodies

  • CPDBeneficiary authority
  • CPD - Supplies and Services DivisionProcess contact pointProcuring entityConstruction and Procurement Delivery - Supplies and Services Division, is a Centre of Procurement Expertise and provides a central procurement function for central government in Northern Ireland.GB-PPON: PVWG-8426-YWXV Belfast, Northern IrelandContact email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • PEARSON PLCAwarded supplierGB-PPON: PBHP-6465-TLVW 80 Strand, London, London, WC2R 0RLContact email

Official documents & specifications (4)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Contract details notice contractContract details noticeUK7Contract details notice on Find a Tender
  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender