Official UK procurement notice
PROVISION OF UK BASED LANGUAGE TRAINING
Authority: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Central government)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionFCDO intends to procure a supplier(s) for professional language services training in up to 87 languages and management of the FCDO Language Centre. FCDO are also exploring the feasibility for Centres of Excellence to deliver a range of language training including but not limited to French, Arabic and Spanish.
The new language training model has been designed to be scalable to meet the future needs of FCDO and HMG in terms of both volumes and languages available.
FCDO is conducting a preliminary market engagement (PME) to inform the future procurement strategy, understand market capability, and ensure the designed competitive procedure is fair, accessible, and effective.
CPV: Provision of language courses
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1PlannedRenewal
Pipeline intelligence · planning stage: how this market runs before the tender is published
How Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office buys Provision of language courses (CPV 8058), and who usually turns up
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s own published record, next to the published market for the same work. Frameworks and DPS are kept out: they attract a different number of bids. Whole-market view: Provision of language courses (CPV 8058) →
How the contest usually goes
Winner shares use published awards; bid and price charts use contested lots.
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How often small and medium firms win.
Share of awards where the winner’s size is known.
The counts under this question show how many awards have a known supplier size.
Small firms have won here. Neither number says whether you qualify; it describes who has been winning.
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How often local firms win similar work.
Winners with a registered address in the delivery region, out of awards with a known address.
Here, local means registered in Greater London (authority’s region).
A local branch does not count if the registered address is elsewhere.
No winner locations published for this authority. Local means a registered address in Greater London.
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How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.
Middle value in days from the deadline to the first award notice, on competitions that published both dates.
Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.
Half of these awards were announced within 82 days of the bid deadline.
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How often work is awarded with no recorded rival.
Direct awards and tenders where every published lot count shows one bid.
Both shares are minimums: some awards have no bid count.
Thin markets produce this too; it is not proof of a tailored specification.
Direct awards or one recorded bid are common here. Check the route before spending time on a bid.
How many bids did past lots attract?
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How many bids past lots received.
Each colour is a bid-count range. Only competed lots with a published count are included.
Past bids do not predict this tender.
1 bid15% / 14%
2–354% / 37%
4–625% / 28%
7+7% / 21%
How did awards compare with estimates?
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Where winning prices landed against estimates.
Each colour shows awards below, close to or above the published estimate, one lot at a time.
Past prices are a guide, not a bid price.
Below estimate31% / 40%
Within ±2%36% / 37%
Above estimate33% / 23%
Assess each lot i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
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What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
Open a lot for its forecast, this buyer’s previous supplier and possible competitors, from published award history, not a bid list
Lot #1CPV 8058Published estimate£29m
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How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative. The bar shows 71 past lots.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid14%
2–337%
4–628%
7+21%
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Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
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Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
| Supplier | This buyer’s earlier contract | Lot | Award value | Why listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Language Services Direct LimitedEarlier contract | THE PROVISION OF UK BASED LANGUAGE TRAINING & EXAMINATIONSnotice published May 2022 | PROVISION OF LOT 1: PRIME PROVIDER – UK BASED LANGUAGE TRAINING SERVICES. | £13m | Matched as the earlier contract |
| Language Services DiretEarlier contract | THE PROVISION OF UK BASED LANGUAGE TRAINING & EXAMINATIONSnotice published May 2022 | PROVISION OF CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR ARABIC | £3.8m | Matched as the earlier contract |
| Langauge Services DirectEarlier contract | THE PROVISION OF UK BASED LANGUAGE TRAINING & EXAMINATIONSnotice published May 2022 | PROVISION OF CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR SPANISH | £2.3m | Matched as the earlier contract |
| The Language Shop LimitedEarlier contract | THE PROVISION OF UK BASED LANGUAGE TRAINING & EXAMINATIONSnotice published May 2022 | EXAMINATIONS PROVIDER | £1.9m | Matched as the earlier contract |
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
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Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
Candidate suppliers for this notice have not been worked out yet, so this is not a verdict that nobody fits.
About this data
- Source. Official UK public procurement notices (Find a Tender), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. New notices arrive through the day; the figures are rebuilt nightly.
- Two views, kept apart. The authority’s own track record and the wider market for the same kind of work sit side by side and are never mixed. Where the local picture is too thin, a figure widens to a broader market and says which one it used.
- Forecasts are labelled. The price forecast and its range, possible competitors and the earlier-work matches are our estimates from past awards: not published facts, not win chances and not price advice. Official notices do not say who is bidding.
- Every figure shows what it rests on. Not every notice publishes a bid count, a value or a delivery region, so each figure carries the number of records behind it, and one built on few records is marked as such. The on a figure explains it; the counting rules are in the methodology. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
What this replaces i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
73% title match.
A past supplier may not bid again.
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Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
73% title match.
A past supplier may not bid again.
The prior contract this notice most likely re-tenders · matched by title and category (73% title match), the holder is not guaranteed to re-bid
THE PROVISION OF UK BASED LANGUAGE TRAINING & EXAMINATIONS — held by Language Services Direct Limited and Language Services Diret (+1 more); no contract end date published.
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
- Planned procurement
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 17 Apr 2026, 12:06 BST
- Last source update
- 17 Sept 2026, 11:02 BST
- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-088094- Latest notice
- Preliminary market engagement notice (UK2)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Not published
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-068530Find a Tender
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- —
Timeline
17 Apr 2026 → 1 Apr 2028 · 5 dates- Planning notice published186 days ago17 Apr 2026, 12:06 BST
- Market engagement168 days ago5 May 2026, 23:59 BST
- Notice Title
UK2 – Preliminary Market Engagement Notice for Languages Training
- Contracting Authority Details
Organisation Name: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)
Address: King Charles Street, London
Postal Code: SW1A 2AH
Contact Person: Salim Ahmed
Email: [email protected]
- Summary of Intended Procurement
FCDO intends to procure a supplier(s) for professional language services training in up to 87 languages and management of the FCDO Language Centre. FCDO are also exploring the feasibility for Centre's of Excellence to deliver a range of language training including but not limited to French, Arabic and Spanish.
The new language training model has been designed to be scalable to meet the future needs of FCDO and HMG in terms of both volumes and languages available.
FCDO is conducting a preliminary market engagement to inform the future procurement strategy, understand market capability, and ensure the designed competitive procedure is fair, accessible, and effective.
The Preliminary Market Engagement indicative timeline is as follows:
Issue Pre Market Engagement Notice 17th April 2026
Deadline for Pre Market Engagement Notice Responses 5th May 2026
Pre Market Engagement Day w/c 25th May 2026
- Purpose of Preliminary Market Engagement
This engagement aims to:
- Understand supplier expertise and capacity in delivering professional language services training including Arabic, Spanish, and French language services.
- Explore innovative delivery models (digital, in-person, blended lessons i.e. a mix of online and in-person lessons).
- Better understand cost structures, timescales, and languages service models.
Participation is voluntary and will not influence future tender evaluation. All findings will be managed to ensure no supplier gains an unfair advantage.
- Engagement Activity Details
FCDO plans the following PME activities:
- Face to Face or Teams Supplier Briefing – To be confirmed
o Background, overview of requirement and indicative procurement timeline
- Written Market Question -
o What are the variables that you would consider important when forming groups of students undertaking intensive language training? Please list these as bullet points in decreasing order of importance.
o How would you take account of these when forming groups of students undertaking intensive language training?
Maximum 2 x A4 pages, Arial font size 11
1:1 Supplier Meetings (to be scheduled either face to face or via Teams) –
o Review response on Written Market Question plus any further questions.
- Proposed Engagement Event Details
Face to Face or Teams Supplier Briefing – To be confirmed
- Date: w/c 25th May 2025
- Time: 9-30 (arrival at venue or via Teams)
- Session to run from 10-00 onwards to 17-00 (detailed agenda to follow)
Suppliers wishing to participate should respond via Jaggaer confirming their attendance by noon 5th May 2026. Please include the following:
- Organisation name
- Contact person
- Email and phone number
- Written Market Question
- Future Procurement
This PME Notice does not constitute a tender. The full procurement process will begin with the publication of a Tender Notice under PA23 following the conclusion of this engagement.
A Competitive Flexible Procedure is currently anticipated as the viable route to market under PA23.
Participation in the PME is not a prerequisite for taking part in the future tender. Suppliers who do not participate will not be disadvantaged.
- Publication Information Notice
Date of publication and notice reference.
17th April 2026, notice reference SA/01
- Latest notice published34 days ago17 Sept 2026, 11:02 BST
- Today20 Oct 2026
- Tender notice expectedin 76 days4 Jan 2027, 23:59 GMT
- Contract starts1 Apr 2028, 00:00 BST
Notice history
4 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 17 Apr 2026- Preliminary market engagement notice published17 Apr 2026, 12:06 BSTUK2
- Pipeline notice published10 Jun 2026, 14:35 BSTUK1
- Status changed to planned10 Jun 2026, 14:35 BST
- Preliminary market engagement notice published17 Sept 2026, 11:02 BSTUK2
Published amendments (1)
The estimated publishing date of the tender was indicated as 28th August 2026. However, due to the Business Case being delayed the indicative date to issue tender documents and planned procurement notice will now be now be January 2027. If there are any other comms, I will advise on this notice.
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Pipeline notice- Awards (0)
- No award published
- Contracts (0)
- No contract published
- Bid statistics
- No aggregate bid statistics published
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (3)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender