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Find a TenderAwarded without competitionContract details notice
Published 28 Jul 2025, 08:08 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Level 7 Qualification Bursaries 2025

Official notice

Authority: Department for Education (Central government)

Direct award
Sectors: Education & Training (80) Delivery: UK
Awarded value£163,296published award · exc. VAT
Awarded 12 Aug 2025no call for competition
Awarded to Institute of School Business Leadership

What is being bought

Published requirement description

This procurement proposal seeks to continue funding the CIPFA Level 7 Diploma, developed in partnership with the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL), aimed at supporting School Business Professionals (SBPs) through targeted bursaries. For the 2025/26 period, the number of bursaries will increase from 58 to 72, covering 75% of the course costs. This expansion responds to strong demand—evidenced by 105 expressions of interest—and consistently positive participant feedback. The bursaries are specifically directed at SBPs working in schools with budget deficits or limited CPD (Continuing Professional Development) resources, across all educational sectors.

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1Awarded
Delivery: UK
80500000 Training services

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Direct award
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Notice status
Awarded without competition
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Direct award (no call for competition)
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
28 Jul 2025, 08:08 BST
Last source update
28 Aug 2025, 11:31 BST
Authority reference
Project_10041
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-051868
Latest notice
Contract details notice (UK7)
Delivery area
UK
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05669e Find a Tender
Why no open competition
Single Suppliers Technical Reasons
Published justification

Justification for using a direct award under PA 2023:​

What is the legal framework that governs direct award?

  1. competitive tendering procedure is the default for most public procurements. A contracting authority may only directly award a public contract when section 41 (and one or more of the justifications in Schedule 5) A

Schedule 5: Direct award justifications-Single suppliers

  1. The final justification is where, due to an absence of competition for technical reasons and provided there are no reasonable alternatives, only a particular supplier can supply the goods, services or works require.

Justification: ISBL in partnership with CIPFA are the only supplier to offer this qualification ​

How it was run

Official notice
Submission deadline
—

Timeline

22 Aug 2025 → 28 Aug 2025 · 2 dates
  1. Standstill ends
    22 Aug 2025, 23:59 BST
  2. Notice published
    28 Aug 2025, 11:31 BST

Notice history

4 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 28 Jul 2025
  1. Transparency notice published
    28 Jul 2025, 08:08 BST
    UK5
  2. Contract award notice published
    13 Aug 2025, 12:18 BST
    UK6
  3. Contract details notice published
    28 Aug 2025, 11:31 BST
    UK7
  4. Contract signature expected
    28 Aug 2025, 23:59 BST
    scheduled

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £163,2961 award exc. VAT
Contracts signed 1latest 28 Aug 2025
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Institute of School Business LeadershipSME1 Sept 2025 – 25 Apr 2027 · up to 25 Apr 2028Extensions: The Buyer may extend the Contract for a period of up to 12 Months by giving not less than 30 Working Days’ notice in writing to the Supplier prior to the Expiry Date. The Conditions of the Contract shall apply throughout any such extended period£163,29612 Aug 2025Awarded

Contracts

  • Contract 1 · Institute of School Business LeadershipSME

    Signed
    28 Aug 2025
    Value
    £164,700
    Period
    1 Sept 2025 – 25 Apr 2027 · up to 25 Apr 2028 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    The Buyer may extend the Contract for a period of up to 12 Months by giving not less than 30 Working Days’ notice in writing to the Supplier prior to the Expiry Date. The Conditions of the Contract shall apply throughout any such extended period
    3 agreed KPIs: % of bursary recipients from LA maintained schools to support system levelling-up (Target: 10%) · % of participants reporting increased confidence in financial and operational leadership after completing training (Target: 80%) · % reduction in dropout rates due to flexible enrolment (Target: 10%)
    • % of bursary recipients from LA maintained schools to support system levelling-up (Target: 10%)
    • % of participants reporting increased confidence in financial and operational leadership after completing training (Target: 80%)
    • % reduction in dropout rates due to flexible enrolment (Target: 10%)

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Department for Education

Contracting authorityPublic authority - central government GB-PPON: PDZG-3487-DPVD Sanctuary Buildings, 20 Great Smith Street, London, London, SW1P3BTContact email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • ISBL Trading LtdAwarded supplierGB-COH: 03425492 Highdown House, 11 Highdown Road, Leamington Spa, West Midlands, CV31 1XTContact email, phone

Official documents & specifications (3)

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
  • Transparency notice awardTransparency noticeUK5Transparency notice on Find a Tender