Official UK procurement notice
Project_9906 AI Tools for Education Phase 2
Authority: Department for Education (Central government)·On behalf of: KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER NETWORK LIMITED
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThis is a Contracts for Innovation competition funded by Innovate UK and delivered by the Department for Education.
The aim of this phase is to develop tools which use generative AI to support teachers with assessing progress and providing feedback, known as formative assessment. These tools must support high quality education through evidence based teaching and learning approaches. These must align with relevant standards such as the National Curriculum or Early Years Foundation Stages (EYFS).
The Department will be procuring contracts to support Phase 2 for AI Tools for Education which will include piloting, testing and demonstration or validation of prototype genAI tools for use in operating conditions in education up to Technical Readiness Levels 7 and 8 and this will build upon the work completed in Phase 1.
The suppliers will be required to develop tools which use generative AI to support teachers with assessing progress and providing feedback, known as formative assessment.
This competition does not include the adoption, implementation, or commercial production or supply of any tools. This competition does not cover the purchase of any solution.
A total of up to £1 million inclusive of VAT is allocated to Phase 2 with up to 10 contracts awarded to successful organisations which will be selected following a mini competition.
Contracts will commence in October 2025 and must end by 30th June 2026.
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedProcedure 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, 12:53 BST
- Last source update
- 13 Oct 2025, 14:09 BST
- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-064795- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-056707Find a Tender
- Why no open competition
- Prototypes Development
- Published justification
The Department has procured contracts to support Phase 2 for AI Tools for Education which will include piloting, testing and demonstration or validation of prototype genAI tools for use in operating conditions in education up to Technical Readiness Levels 7 and 8 and this will build upon the work completed in Phase 1.
The suppliers will be required to develop tools which use generative AI to support teachers with assessing progress and providing feedback, known as formative assessment.
This competition does not include the adoption, implementation, or commercial production or supply of any tools. This competition does not cover the purchase of any solution
The DfE relies on the justification at para. 2 (Prototypes & Development) of Schedule 5 to the Procurement Act 2023 for the direct award of these contracts. This mini competition is being undertaken in accordance with section 41(3) of the Procurement Act 2023 which permits contracting authorities to carry out a selection process before awarding one or more contracts in a range of special cases including contracts for prototypes and other novel goods or services.
A total of up to £1 million inclusive of VAT was allocated to Phase 2 with 6 contracts awarded to successful organisations which have been selected following a mini competition. Contracts will commence 9th October 2025 and must end by 30th June 2026.
This is a Contracts for Innovation competition funded by Innovate UK and delivered by the Department for Education.
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- —
Timeline
7 Oct 2025 → 13 Oct 2025 · 2 dates- Standstill ends379 days ago7 Oct 2025, 23:59 BST
- Notice published373 days ago13 Oct 2025, 14:09 BST
Notice history
6 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 28 Jul 2025- Transparency notice published28 Jul 2025, 12:53 BSTUK5
- Transparency notice published25 Sept 2025, 13:22 BSTUK5
- Contract award notice published26 Sept 2025, 11:12 BSTUK6
- Contract signature expected7 Oct 2025, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract signature expected8 Oct 2025, 23:59 BSTscheduled
- Contract details notice published13 Oct 2025, 14:09 BSTUK7
Routine re-releases (4)
- 2025-07: 1 release · 28 Jul 2025
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learncycle LtdAI Tools for Education: Phase 29 Oct 2025 – 30 Jun 2026Amended: As per original description up to 10 suppliers could be awarded, notice updated to include 10 contracts to enable a Contract Award notice to be issued | £191,487 | 24 Sept 2025 | Awarded |
| Kings College LondonAI Tools for Education: Phase 29 Oct 2025 – 30 Jun 2026Amended: As per original description up to 10 suppliers could be awarded, notice updated to include 10 contracts to enable a Contract Award notice to be issued | £122,092 | 24 Sept 2025standstill to 7 Oct 2025 | Standstill |
| Openkit LtdAI Tools for Education: Phase 29 Oct 2025 – 30 Jun 2026Amended: As per original description up to 10 suppliers could be awarded, notice updated to include 10 contracts to enable a Contract Award notice to be issued | £110,377 | 24 Sept 2025 | Awarded |
| Lettingsowl LtdAI Tools for Education: Phase 29 Oct 2025 – 30 Jun 2026Amended: As per original description up to 10 suppliers could be awarded, notice updated to include 10 contracts to enable a Contract Award notice to be issued | £131,213 | 24 Sept 2025 | Awarded |
| Kita Education LtdAI Tools for Education: Phase 29 Oct 2025 – 30 Jun 2026Amended: As per original description up to 10 suppliers could be awarded, notice updated to include 10 contracts to enable a Contract Award notice to be issued | £128,448 | 24 Sept 2025 | Awarded |
| Corduroy Dinosaur LtdAI Tools for Education: Phase 29 Oct 2025 – 30 Jun 2026Amended: As per original description up to 10 suppliers could be awarded, notice updated to include 10 contracts to enable a Contract Award notice to be issued | £112,320 | 24 Sept 2025 | Awarded |
| supplier not publishedAI Tools for Education: Phase 28 Oct 2025 – 25 Jun 2026Amended: As per original description up to 10 suppliers could be awarded, notice updated to include 10 contracts to enable a Contract Award notice to be issued | £200,000 | — | Standstill |
| supplier not publishedAI Tools for Education: Phase 28 Oct 2025 – 30 Jun 2026Amended: As per original description up to 10 suppliers could be awarded, notice updated to include 10 contracts to enable a Contract Award notice to be issued | £200,000 | — | Standstill |
| supplier not publishedAI Tools for Education: Phase 28 Oct 2025 – 30 Jun 2026Amended: As per original description up to 10 suppliers could be awarded, notice updated to include 10 contracts to enable a Contract Award notice to be issued | £200,000 | — | Standstill |
| supplier not publishedAI Tools for Education: Phase 28 Oct 2025 – 30 Jun 2026Amended: As per original description up to 10 suppliers could be awarded, notice updated to include 10 contracts to enable a Contract Award notice to be issued | £200,000 | — | Standstill |
Contracts
AI Tools for Education - Phase 2 · Kita Education Ltd
- Signed
- 13 Oct 2025
- Value
- £128,448
- Period
- 13 Oct 2025 – 30 Jun 2026
- Status
- active
No agreed KPIs: Contract is less than £5 million
AI Tools for Education - Phase 2 · Learncycle Ltd
- Signed
- 11 Oct 2025
- Value
- £191,487
- Period
- 13 Oct 2025 – 30 Jun 2026
- Status
- active
No agreed KPIs: Contract value is less than £5 million
AI Tools for Education - Phase 2 · Openkit Ltd
- Signed
- 10 Oct 2025
- Value
- £110,262
- Period
- 13 Oct 2025 – 30 Jun 2026
- Status
- active
No agreed KPIs: Contract is less than £5 million
AI Tools for Education - Phase 2 · Lettingsowl Ltd
- Signed
- 10 Oct 2025
- Value
- £131,213
- Period
- 13 Oct 2025 – 30 Jun 2026
- Status
- active
No agreed KPIs: Contract is less than £5 million
AI Tools for Education - Phase 2 · Corduroy Dinosaur Ltd
- Signed
- 10 Oct 2025
- Value
- £112,320
- Period
- 13 Oct 2025 – 30 Jun 2026
- Status
- active
No agreed KPIs: Contract is less than £5 million
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
3 public bodies on the noticeOther public bodies
- KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER NETWORK LIMITEDBeneficiary authority
- Innovate UK part of UK Research and Innovation UKRIProcuring entityIUK are acting in advisory capacity on the procurement of innovation and running the competition up to collection of applications.
Bidders & participating suppliers
6 commercial parties on the notice- Corduroy Dinosaur LtdAwarded supplier
- Kings College LondonAwarded supplier
- Kita Education LtdAwarded supplier
- Learncycle LtdAwarded supplier
- Lettingsowl LtdAwarded supplier
- Openkit LtdAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (22)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract details notice Contract details notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
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