Schools Gigabit Broadband · UK public procurement notice

Purpose of the Market Engagement Event

The market engagement event aims to:

1. Provide an overview of the Schools Gigabit Broadband Programme Phase 2, including its objectives, scale, geographical demand profile, indicative procurement timetable, and potential technical and commercial requirements.
2. Gather supplier insights on current market conditions, delivery challenges, risks, and potential mitigation strategies.
3. Share and discuss data being developed jointly by DfE and BDUK and seek feedback to support its refinement before engagement with schools and Responsible Bodies.
4. Obtain supplier feedback on programme design, including lotting approaches, commercial models and pricing approaches that best support the intended outcomes.
5. Launch a questionnaire to seek further feedback from suppliers on the proposed programme.

Relevant links:

Material: Education Estates Strategy: a decade of national renewal

Link: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6989dec6d3f577… ↗

Material: DfE Digital Standards for Schools and Colleges

Link:

www.gov.uk/guidance/meeting-dig… ↗

Market engagement events:

To register for the events below, you will need to create a Jaggaer account via the following link:

Link: education.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html ↗

Once you have created an account, you will need to access our opportunity notice for Event SSQ_832 – School Gigabit Broadband Market Engagement. To do this, log in to Jaggaer and select the Published Opportunities tab, which can be found under the Sourcing drop-down menu. Our opportunity notice can be accessed via the following link:

Once you have accessed our opportunity notice, you will be able to register your intention to participate via Event SSQ_832 - School Gigabit Broadband, Market Engagement. Within this event, the DfE will broadcast invitations to our market engagement events. It is your responsibility to access these broadcasts and forward our invitations to the relevant colleagues within your organisation.

1. Meet the Buyer event and Q&A session

The Department will be hosting a Webinar and Question & Answer Session via Microsoft Teams on the dates below:

25 August 2026, 11:00 till 12:00 (deadline to register 21 August 17:00)

During this event, DfE personnel involved in the project will outline our requirements, the indicative timeline and our procurement approach. The session will provide interested organisations with an opportunity to learn more about the SGB programme and ask questions to inform future planning and potential procurement activity. The DfE will send out our final invitation message on the 24th of August. It is your responsibility to access these messages and forward the invitations to your relevant colleagues.

2. Market Engagement Questionnaire

Following our market engagement Webinar and Question & Answer Session, the DfE will share a market engagement pack and questionnaire to attendees. Responses will be used to inform the programme design and procurement approach.

Accordingly, the Department will not be liable for any bid costs, expenditure, work or effort incurred by any organisation acting on the basis of this Prior Information Notice.

All information included in this notice is indicative, subject to change, and is neither exhaustive nor binding. The Authority reserves the right to amend these details at its discretion at any time.

To ensure transparency and equal access to information, the Department intends to publish and share a summary of questions raised during the event, together with responses, with all potential suppliers.

All dates and times for this procurement will be in British Summer Time or Greenwich Mean Time, as applicable under the United Kingdom calendar.

About the buyer

Address

Department for Education

Sanctuary Buildings

Great Smith Street

LONDON

SW1P 3BT

England

Email

[email protected]