Find a TenderAwarded
Published 7 Apr 2021, 11:56 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Professional Learning Services Framework

Official notice

Authority: Stirling Council (Local council)

Framework agreement4 lotsServicesOpen procedureSME suitable
Framework ceiling (notional)Value not publishedframework ceiling, not attributable revenue
Submissions closed 18 Dec 2025awarded 26 Jun 2026
Lots 4see the lot list below

What is being bought4 lots · detail below

Published requirement description

Stirling Council is seeking to award a framework for the provision of high quality professional learning, including formal qualifications, certificated courses and other evidence based learning.

  • Recurrence: If the framework will be required in future, it is anticipated that the procurement of the new framework will occur 6 months prior to framework expiry date.

CPV: Education and training services · Training services

How this framework works

From the published notice
Places
up to 26 suppliers · 12 bids on the busiest of 4 lots (0.5 per place) · 23 appointed

Lots and requirements (4)Procurement structure

4 lots · no lot values published · evaluation weights differ by lot
Lot #1Delivery of required qualifications to meet SSSC registrationCancelledRenewal

Stirling Council are seeking providers who can deliver SCQF Childhood Practice qualifications, which meet SSSC registration requirements for support workers, practitioners and managers.

The following requirements are deemed mandatory. N.B. Tenderers may be deemed as non-compliant if your company cannot provide the requirements as stated below.

The provider must be able deliver courses which meet the SSSC registration requirement for Support Workers, Practitioners and Managers working in Day Care of Children Services;

Suppliers must be able to provide at least 2 of the following courses in order to tender for this lot of the framework, however if suppliers are unable to a price for any of these courses then the highest price submitted by the other tenderers will be used for evaluation purposes.

Courses should include 2 or more of the following courses;

SVQ II Social Services Children and Young People

SVQ III Social Services Children and Young People

PDA Level 8 Childhood Practice

PDA Level 9 Childhood Practice

HND Childhood Practice

The provider may in addition provide any other relevant qualification accepted by the SSSC;

The provider shall also provide part qualifications, for example, individual modules required on a request and / or top-up basis;

The provider shall deliver these courses on a part-time and evening basis, within Stirling locality, or via online platform or blended learning;

The provider shall be Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) approved.

The provider shall be registered with the Students Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS);

The provider shall provide training which meets requirements of the Blueprint for 2020: The Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare in Scotland: National Standards (Scottish Government, 2018);

Providers offering training for Managers / Lead Practitioners must be approved by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and fully comply with the Standard for Childhood Practice.

Deliver part/all courses online if required (e.g. COVID-19)

Delivery: Scotland · Stirling
Extensions: It is anticipated that the procurement of the new framework will occur 6 months prior to framework expiry date.Variant bids: not allowed
Lot #2Delivery of relevant early learning and childcare trainingCancelledRenewal

We are seeking providers of high quality, face to face and / or online, training to support early learning and childcare (ELC) practitioners to:

Increase knowledge of child development theory and early brain development;

Develop practical ideas on developing learning through play;

Inspire creativity and develop innovative practice;

Engage parents in play and learning;

Provide high quality outdoor play and learning opportunities;

Support children’s health and wellbeing, including mental health and growth mindset;

Provide effective early maths and literacy experiences;

Support children to develop transferable skills;

Effectively lead an ELC service.

The following requirements are deemed mandatory. N.B. Tenderers may be deemed as non-compliant if your company cannot provide the requirements as stated below.

The provider shall deliver flexible and creative professional learning delivered by recognised and qualified providers; who can deliver high quality, innovative professional learning;

The provider shall deliver training which is linked to Curriculum for Excellence and Realising the Ambition principles, local and national priorities and reflects SSSC professional standards;

The provider shall deliver training linked to at least one of the following; Child development theory and early brain development; Learning through play; Creativity; Parental Engagement; Outdoor Play; Health and wellbeing; Maths; Literacy; Leadership.

All courses must be suitable for staff working with children under the age of 5 years

The provider shall deliver courses in or within travelling distance to Stirling Schools and Nurseries where required;

The provider shall deliver training that reflects relevant parts of Education Scotland’s national model of professional learning and the key principles and features of effective learning;

Deliver part/all courses online if required (e.g. COVID-19)

Delivery: Scotland · Stirling
Extensions: It is anticipated that the procurement of the new framework will occur 6 months prior to framework expiry date.Variant bids: not allowed
Lot #3Delivery of certificated First Aid TrainingCancelledRenewal

This service specification is for the provision of First Aid Training that has been commissioned by the Schools, Learning and Education Team to meet essential learning requirements for a diverse workforce.

The provider shall deliver certificated First Aid training; course titles are:

Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW)

First Aid at Work (FAW) 18 hours

First Aid at Work (FAW) requalification 12 hours

Paediatric First Aid (or First Aid at Work (FAW) Babies and Children 0-8 years) 12 hours

Emergency Paediatric First Aid - 6 hours

The following requirements are deemed mandatory. N.B. Tenderers may be deemed as non-compliant if your company cannot provide the requirements as stated below.

The provider shall deliver certificated First Aid training, including First Aid at Work and/or Emergency First Aid and/or Paediatric First Aid and/or Emergency Paediatric First Aid. It is preferred that suppliers can provide all courses detailed above if not then suppliers must be able to provide prices for at least 3 courses detailed above. If suppliers are unable to price for any of these courses then the highest price submitted by the other tenderers will be used for evaluation purposes.

The Provider must deliver courses in or within travelling distance to Stirling Schools or Nurseries where required. Blended learning opportunities would also be welcomed;

The Provider must ensure that the training meets the statutory requirements laid out in the following pieces of legislation:

  • Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981
  • Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR)

The Provider must comply with HSE advice and work in compliance with the Assessment Principles for First Aid Qualifications.

If suppliers are providing First Aid at Work (FAW) and First Aid at Work (FAW)requalification these courses must be SQA accredited. This does not apply for Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) or Emergency Paediatric First Aid.

The Provider must use training materials, and teach first aid management of injuries and illness in accordance with current guidelines published by the Resuscitation Council (UK); and

  • The current edition of the first-aid manual of the Voluntary Aid Societies (St John Ambulance, British Red Cross, St Andrew’s First Aid); or
  • other equivalent published guidelines, provided they are in line with the above or supported by a responsible body of medical opinion.

The Provider must ensure that trainer to delegate ratios are in accordance with current guidelines published by the Resuscitation Council (UK); and the current edition of the first-aid manual of the Voluntary Aid Societies (St John Ambulance, British Red Cross, St Andrew’s First Aid).

Delivery: Scotland · Stirling
Extensions: It is anticipated that the procurement of the new framework will occur 6 months prior to framework expiry date.Variant bids: not allowed
Lot #4Delivery of certificated Food Hygiene training and Level 2 Food SafetyCancelledRenewal

This service specification is for the provision of Food Hygiene / Safety Training that has been commissioned by the Schools, Learning and Education Team to meet essential learning requirements for a diverse workforce.

We are seeking providers who can provide certificated Elementary Food Hygiene(Face to Face or blended); Basic/Introductory Food Hygiene; Intermediate Food Hygiene.

Lot 4A - Level 2 Food Safety (Online)

The following requirements are deemed mandatory. N.B. Tenderers may be deemed as non-compliant if your company cannot provide the requirements as stated below.

Lot 4 - Provide certificated Elementary Food Hygiene, Introductory Food Hygiene and Intermediate Food Hygiene, which enables practitioners to carry out required food handling duties.

Lot 4 A– Provide certificated Level 2 Food Safety (online) which enables practitioners to carry out required food handling duties.

Elementary Food Hygiene providers should be approved by the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS), in line with the REHIS Regulations.

Level 2 Food Safety providers should have relevant accreditation / approval, for example, CPD Certified, ROSPA approved, Institute of Hospitality endorsed, EHO approved or equivalent.

Deliver courses in or within travelling distance to Stirling Schools or Nurseries where required or online in relation to Lot 4A;

Deliver courses at a variety of times suitable to catering, care and schools, learning and education, e.g. morning, afternoon, twilight, evening, full day / half day.

Deliver part/all courses online if required (e.g. COVID-19)

Delivery: Scotland · Stirling
Extensions: It is anticipated that the procurement of the new framework will occur 6 months prior to framework expiry date.Variant bids: not allowed

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
Conditions of participation1
  • Suitability

    In order to tender for each of the following lots suppliers must ensure they meet the mandatory criteria set out above specific to each lot - Please see description of each lot.

What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 60 points on every lot: a 10% discount moves about 6 points.
  • “Professional Learning Services Framework” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, up to 26 suppliers, not a single contract.

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record · publisher note attached
Procedure method
Open procedure
Legal basis
CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Awarded
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Framework agreement
Who may use the vehicle
Not stated in the notice; call-off rights may be limited to the establishing authority
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement

Yes · If the framework will be required in future, it is anticipated that the procurement of the new framework will occur 6 months prior to framework expiry date.

First published
7 Apr 2021, 11:56 BST
Last source update
10 Jul 2026, 10:27 BST
Award evaluation window
18 Dec 2025 – …
Authority reference
SC2425-0223
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-065018
Classification (CPV)
Education and training servicesTraining services
Delivery area
Scotland (UKM77)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-02a31d Find a Tender

Publisher note: Lot 4 is for the delivery of certificated Food Hygiene training and Lot 4A is for Level 2 Food Safety (Online). Suppliers awarded onto Lot 4: Catersafe Food Hygiene Dumfries & Galloway College Forth Valley College MARVEL TRAINING LTD. Next Generation Training Limited Tickety Boo Training Suppliers awarded on to Lot 4A: Forth Valley College Lighthouse Business Consultants Limited Marvel Training LTD (SC Ref:836991)

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: Public Contracts Scotland · Who buys & how to bid on PCS
Supplier login requiredLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free single registration for Scotland; PCS-Tender (Jaggaer) for full bidding
Appointment period ends
18 Dec 2025, 12:00 GMT
Submission channel
{"electronicSubmission"}
Accepted languages
en
Supplier levy on call-offs (max %)
document
Bids opened
18 Dec 2025, 12:00 GMT
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Timeline

18 Dec 2025 → 10 Jul 2026 · 3 dates
  1. Admission / appointment period ends306 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown
    18 Dec 2025, 12:00 GMT
  2. Bids opened306 days ago
    18 Dec 2025, 12:00 GMT
  3. Notice published102 days ago
    10 Jul 2026, 10:27 BST

Notice history

4 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 9 Dec 2021
  1. Status changed to complete
    9 Dec 2021, 12:45 GMT
  2. Status changed to active
    14 Nov 2025, 11:34 GMT
  3. Deadline moved to 18 Dec 2025, 12:00 GMT
    14 Nov 2025, 11:34 GMT
    +1681 days · was 12 May 2021, 12:00 BST
  4. Status changed to complete
    10 Jul 2026, 10:27 BST
Routine re-releases (4)
  • 2021-04: 1 release · 7 Apr 2021

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Suppliers appointed 23admitted to the panel · see the list ↓
Bids received 129 from SMEs · busiest of 4 lots
Contracts signed 8latest 26 Jun 2026

8 suppliers are admitted to this framework without individual award values or dates, see the supplier list below.

Contracts

All 2 of these contracts carry the same published figure, £320,000, the framework's maximum for the whole notice, not each contract's own value. They are not eleven separate sums.

  • Delivery of required qualifications to meet SSSC registration

    Signed
    26 Jun 2026
    Value
    ceiling above
    Status
    active
  • Delivery of certificated First Aid Training

    Signed
    26 Jun 2026
    Value
    £81,400
    Status
    active
  • Delivery of relevant early learning and childcare training

    Signed
    26 Jun 2026
    Value
    £80,000
    Status
    active
  • Delivery of certificated Food Hygiene training and Level 2 Food Safety

    Signed
    26 Jun 2026
    Value
    £46,152
    Status
    active
  • Delivery of required qualifications to meet SSSC registration

    Signed
    21 Sept 2021
    Value
    ceiling above
    Status
    active
  • Delivery of relevant early learning and childcare training

    Signed
    21 Sept 2021
    Value
    £80,000
    Status
    active
  • Delivery of certificated First Aid Training

    Signed
    21 Sept 2021
    Value
    £101,290
    Status
    active
  • Delivery of certificated Food Hygiene training and Level 2 Food Safety

    Signed
    21 Sept 2021
    Value
    £32,760
    Status
    active

Bid statistics published by the authority

LotBidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
1 · Delivery of required qualifications to meet SSSC registration7bids · 7 electronic · 13 from abroad6——
2 · Delivery of relevant early learning and childcare training8bids · 8 electronic · 15 from abroad7——
3 · Delivery of certificated First Aid Training9bids · 9 electronic · 15 from abroad7——
4 · Delivery of certificated Food Hygiene training and Level 2 Food Safety12bids · 12 electronic · 14 from abroad9——

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Stirling Council

Contracting authorityLocal CouncilRegional or local authorityGeneral public services Strategic Commissioning, Old Viewforth, Stirling, Scotland, FK8 2ETContact email, phone Published organisation website ↗

Dispute resolution & review bodies

  • Stirling Sheriff CourtReview body Stirling

Framework contractors & participating bidders

28 commercial parties on the notice
Show 18 more suppliers

Official documents & specifications (4)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

  • Economic and financial selection criteriatenderEconomic and financial selection criteria
  • Technical selection criteriatenderTechnical selection criteria
  • Economic and financial selection criteriatenderEconomic and financial selection criteria
  • Technical selection criteriatenderTechnical selection criteria