Official UK procurement notice
Teaching and Learning Resources (including Assessment Materials)
Authority: the Education Authority (Central government)
What is being bought4 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionThe Education Authority (EA) invited tenders for the supply and delivery of Teaching and Learning Resources (including Assessment Materials) to individual schools and EA locations within Northern Ireland for a period of 4 years. This framework agreement is let by the Northern Ireland Education Authority ("EA") and is open to the EA, including NI educational bodies as follows and at some point, during the life of the framework
agreement these bodies may wish to utilize the agreement and should have access, at any point, with the permission of EA. This framework agreement is not intended to replace any current contracts/framework agreements that participating or non-participating institutions may already have in place. www.education-ni.gov.uk/services/schoolsplus ↗
Primary and Post Primary schools under the control of the EA, Catholic Maintained Schools, Independent Schools in NI, Irish Medium Schools in NI, both Controlled and Voluntary Grammar Schools, Nursery School for NI (both controlled and Catholic
Maintained), school meals kitchens on-site at all of these schools, and Controlled Youth Centre's. www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/further-edu… ↗ Further Education Colleges in NI, www.nicie.org/parents/school-finder/ ↗ Grant Controlled
Integrated Education Schools in NI, www.isc.co.uk/schools/northern-ire… ↗
Independent School in NI, Libraries NI: www.librariesni.org.uk/Libraries/ ↗, EA
Teachers' and Educational Centre's, Council for the Curriculum, Examination and Assessment NI (CCEA), Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, Middletown Centre for Autism, Controlled Schools Support Council (CSSC), Northern Ireland Council for
Integrated Education (NICIE), Pre-Schools and Nurseries included within the EA's Pre- School Education Programme (PSEP)
- No preliminary market engagement: PME was carried out under the previous procurement regulations (PCR 2015) Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-017924
CPV: Primary education services · Printed books · Printed books, brochures and leaflets · Printed matter and related products · Secondary education services
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Open framework
- Call-offs
- call-offs may be awarded directly or by further competition
- Bids received
- 16 bids on the busiest of 4 lots · 17 suppliers appointed
- Framework period
- 4 yrs from 1 Nov 2025
- Buyer regions
- UKN
Who may buy through it
Primary and Post Primary schools under the control of the EA, Catholic Maintained Schools, Independent Schools in NI, Irish Medium Schools in NI, both Controlled and Voluntary Grammar Schools, Nursery School for NI (both controlled and Catholic
Maintained), school meals kitchens on-site at all of these schools, and Controlled Youth Centre's. Further Education Colleges in NI, Grant Controlled Integrated Education Schools in NI,
Independent School in NI, Libraries NI
EA Teachers' and Educational Centre's, Council for the Curriculum, Examination and Assessment NI (CCEA), Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, Middletown Centre for Autism, Controlled Schools Support Council (CSSC), Northern Ireland Council for
Integrated Education (NICIE), Pre-Schools and Nurseries included within the EA's Pre- School Education Programme (PSEP)
Published description of the framework
Users of the Framework will select a Supplier associated with the relevant item on the Framework (appointed on the basis of the criteria set out in the original Call for Tender), who is considered to best meet their operational and technical requirements, considering some of all of the following criteria:
a) Compatibility
b) Continuity of Requirements
c) Product Characteristics
d) Assessment Availability (where required)
e) Delivery Lead Time
f) Price
The Buyer reserves the right to conduct mini competitions for any additional requirements over and above those listed under this Framework, but which fall within the scope of the Framework, or for any requirements over the value of £10k, during the period of the Framework between all awarded suppliers within the relevant lots.
Any mini competition will usually be based on 100% price, however there may be times when other criteria will be used. The Supplier will be advised if any criteria other than price (including the applicable percentage weightings) will be used at the time of any mini competition.
The Buyer reserves the right to add products to or remove products from the Framework schedule at any time during the period of the Framework. Suppliers are reminded that the extent of these additions/deletions is not limited.
Lots and requirements (4)Procurement structure
4 lots · all with a published value · same conditions of participation on every lotEvery one of these 3 lots carries the same published figure, £12,000,000: it is the framework's maximum for the whole notice, not each lot's own budget, and no share per lot is published. The cards below say ceiling above rather than repeat it.
Lot #1TextbooksAwardedceiling above
Textbooks - Suitable for All Key Stage: Early Years, Primary & Secondary. To include but not limited to.
a) Fiction books e.g. Reading books, Picture books
b) Non-Fiction books
c) Curriculum books e.g. textbooks, revision guides, assessment books, workbooks
d) Teaching Resources e.g. Audio-Visual Aids, e-learning / technology CD’s, DVD’s
e) Reference books e.g. maps, dictionaries, atlases, manuals
f) Textbooks available in other languages e.g. Ulster Scots, Irish, Polish etc.
g) Irish Medium Titles
h) Digital Learning Resources
The value detailed in this lot is estimated. There is no commitment as to the usage, volume or value of products required under this lot. The EA reserves the right to reallocate any values. between all lots under this Framework where required throughout the Framework. Agreement Period, within the limit of the overall awarded Framework Value.
- Technical & professional ability
Suppliers must provide 2 detailed example[s] of having provided goods on a similar scale and scope as outlined in the Specification and the Lot(s) which they are bidding for within the last 3 years.
Lot #2Pupil Workbooks and ResourcesAwardedceiling above
Pupil Workbooks and Resources: Suitable for All Key Stage: Early Years, Primary & Secondary. To include but not limited to;
a) Pupils Aged Up To 11 Years including those for use in Early Childhood; Special
Education and General Education.
b) Pupils Aged Above 11 Years including those for use in Special Education and General
Education
The value detailed in this lot is estimated. There is no commitment as to the usage, volume or value of products required under this lot. The EA reserves the right to reallocate any values. between all lots under this Framework where required throughout the Framework. Agreement Period, within the limit of the overall awarded Framework Value.
- Technical & professional ability
Suppliers must provide 2 detailed example[s] of having provided goods on a similar scale and scope as outlined in the Specification and the Lot(s) which they are bidding for within the last 3 years.
Lot #3Assessment ResourcesAwardedceiling above
Assessment Resources: Suitable for All Key Stage: Early Years, Primary & Secondary. To include but not limited to;
a) Educational Assessment Resources for Pre-School (early years)
b) Educational Assessment Resources for Primary and Post Primary Pupils
c) Assessment Resources for the Transfer of Pupils from Primary to Post Primary
Education
d) Assessment Resources for Health and Wellbeing
e) Assessment Resources for Mental Health
f) Assessments for Clinical Psychology
g) Assessments for Speech and Language
h) Assessments for Early Childhood
i) Assessments for General Education
The value detailed in this lot is estimated. There is no commitment as to the usage, volume or value of products required under this lot. The EA reserves the right to reallocate any values. between all lots under this Framework where required throughout the Framework. Agreement Period, within the limit of the overall awarded Framework Value.
- Technical & professional ability
Suppliers must provide 2 detailed example[s] of having provided goods on a similar scale and scope as outlined in the Specification and the Lot(s) which they are bidding for within the last 3 years.
Lot #4Music MaterialsAwardedPublished value£4,000,000
Music Materials: Suitable for All Key Stage: early Years, Primary & Secondary. To include but not limited to;
a) Sheet music
b) Scores
c) Vocal Orchestra Parts
d) Music Literature
The value detailed in this lot is estimated. There is no commitment as to the usage, volume or value of products required under this lot. The EA reserves the right to reallocate any values. between all lots under this Framework where required throughout the Framework. Agreement Period, within the limit of the overall awarded Framework Value.
- Technical & professional ability
Suppliers must provide 2 detailed example[s] of having provided goods on a similar scale and scope as outlined in the Specification and the Lot(s) which they are bidding for within the last 3 years.
What it takes to wini
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 morei
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).
- Technical & professional ability
Suppliers must provide 2 detailed example[s] of having provided goods on a similar scale and scope as outlined in the Specification and the Lot(s) which they are bidding for within the last 3 years.
- “Teaching and Learning Resources (including Assessment Materials)” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract: call-offs may be direct or by further competition.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Goods
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Framework agreement
- Who may use this agreement
- Primary and Post Primary schools under the control of the EA, Catholic Maintained Schools, Independent Schools in NI, Irish Medium Schools in NI, both Controlled and Voluntary Grammar Schools, Nursery School for NI (both controlled and Catholic Maintained), school meals kitchens on-site at all of these schools, and Controlled Youth Centre's. Further Education Colleges in NI, Grant Controlled Integrated Education Schools in NI, Independent School in NI, Libraries NI EA Teachers' and Educational Centre's, Council for the Curriculum, Examination and Assessment NI (CCEA), Armagh Observatory and Planetarium, Middletown Centre for Autism, Controlled Schools Support Council (CSSC), Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE), Pre-Schools and Nurseries included within the EA's Pre- School Education Programme (PSEP)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 15 Oct 2025, 12:22 BST
- Last source update
- 2 Dec 2025, 13:58 GMT
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 12 Sept 2025
- Authority reference
EDR-24-010- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-033486- Latest notice
- Contract details notice (UK7)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-054f6bFind a Tender
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 25 Jul 2025, 15:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 18 Jul 2025, 15:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
18 Jun 2025 → 2 Dec 2025 · 8 dates- Tender notice published18 Jun 2025, 17:16 BST
- Clarification questions by18 Jul 2025, 15:00 BST
- Admission / appointment period endsperiod end, not a bid countdown25 Jul 2025, 15:00 BST
- Award decision expected by12 Sept 2025, 23:59 BST
- Assessment summaries sent371 days ago15 Oct 2025, 00:00 BST
- Standstill ends361 days ago24 Oct 2025, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts354 days ago1 Nov 2025
- Latest notice published323 days ago2 Dec 2025, 13:58 GMT
Notice history
4 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 18 Jun 2025- Tender notice published18 Jun 2025, 17:16 BSTUK4
- Contract award notice published15 Oct 2025, 12:22 BSTUK6
- Contract signature expected27 Oct 2025, 23:59 GMTscheduled
- Contract details notice published2 Dec 2025, 13:58 GMTUK7
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast£12,000,000 is the framework's published maximum, restated by the publisher on 3 award rows. It is one ceiling, not 3 separate sums, and no share per lot is published; those rows read “ceiling above”.
Contracts
All 3 of these contracts carry the same published figure, £12,000,000, the framework's maximum for the whole notice, not each contract's own value. They are not eleven separate sums.
Lot 1 Textbooks · HarperCollins PublishersSME, RED BOX BOOKS LIMITEDSME, SHULPH LIMITEDSME
- Signed
- 31 Oct 2025
- Value
- £4,000,000
- Period
- 1 Nov 2025 – 31 Oct 2029
- Status
- active
1 agreed KPI: Social Value Delivery Plan
- Social Value Delivery Plan, As part of the ongoing Contract Management for this Contract, a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of 100% compliance is required demonstrating full adherence to the Suppliers Social Value Delivery Plan and its established commitments and objectives. The Supplier is therefore required to submit a Social Value Delivery Plan when the spend from the contract reaches minimum £100,000. The Supplier shall deliver the services in accordance with this Annex and their submitted Social Value Delivery Plan unless otherwise agreed with the Authority, at the Authority's discretion. The Authority may request an updated Social Value Delivery Plan at interims throughout the contract, to take into account any increases in the contract value, the Supplier's delivery of social value initiatives during a specific period and the Supplier's forecasted delivery of social value initiatives.
Lot 3. Assessment Resources · HEALTH BOOKS UK LTDSME, HODDER & STOUGHTON LIMITED, HarperCollins PublishersSME, Heath BooksSME, PRIMED PUBLISHING LTDSME, Renaissance Learning UK Limited +7 more
- Signed
- 31 Oct 2025
- Value
- ceiling above
- Period
- 1 Nov 2025 – 31 Oct 2029
- Status
- active
1 agreed KPI: Social Value Delivery Plan
- Social Value Delivery Plan, As part of the ongoing Contract Management for this Contract, a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of 100% compliance is required demonstrating full adherence to the Suppliers Social Value Delivery Plan and its established commitments and objectives. The Supplier is therefore required to submit a Social Value Delivery Plan when the spend from the contract reaches minimum £100,000. The Supplier shall deliver the services in accordance with this Annex and their submitted Social Value Delivery Plan unless otherwise agreed with the Authority, at the Authority's discretion. The Authority may request an updated Social Value Delivery Plan at interims throughout the contract, to take into account any increases in the contract value, the Supplier's delivery of social value initiatives during a specific period and the Supplier's forecasted delivery of social value initiatives.
Lot 2. Pupil Workbooks and Resources · Classoos UK LtdSME, Colourpoint Creative LtdSME, HODDER & STOUGHTON LIMITED, HarperCollins PublishersSME, Heath BooksSME, PRIMED PUBLISHING LTDSME +6 more
- Signed
- 31 Oct 2025
- Value
- ceiling above
- Period
- 1 Nov 2025 – 31 Oct 2029
- Status
- active
1 agreed KPI: Social Value Delivery Plan
- Social Value Delivery Plan, As part of the ongoing Contract Management for this Contract, a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of 100% compliance is required demonstrating full adherence to the Suppliers Social Value Delivery Plan and its established commitments and objectives. The Supplier is therefore required to submit a Social Value Delivery Plan when the spend from the contract reaches minimum £100,000. The Supplier shall deliver the services in accordance with this Annex and their submitted Social Value Delivery Plan unless otherwise agreed with the Authority, at the Authority's discretion. The Authority may request an updated Social Value Delivery Plan at interims throughout the contract, to take into account any increases in the contract value, the Supplier's delivery of social value initiatives during a specific period and the Supplier's forecasted delivery of social value initiatives.
Lot 1. Textbooks · Classoos UK LtdSME, HODDER & STOUGHTON LIMITED, HarperCollins PublishersSME, Heath BooksSME, PRIMED PUBLISHING LTDSME, Renaissance Learning UK Limited +9 more
- Signed
- 31 Oct 2025
- Value
- ceiling above
- Period
- 1 Nov 2025 – 31 Oct 2029
- Status
- active
1 agreed KPI: Social Value Delivery Plan
- Social Value Delivery Plan, As part of the ongoing Contract Management for this Contract, a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of 100% compliance is required demonstrating full adherence to the Suppliers Social Value Delivery Plan and its established commitments and objectives. The Supplier is therefore required to submit a Social Value Delivery Plan when the spend from the contract reaches minimum £100,000. The Supplier shall deliver the services in accordance with this Annex and their submitted Social Value Delivery Plan unless otherwise agreed with the Authority, at the Authority's discretion. The Authority may request an updated Social Value Delivery Plan at interims throughout the contract, to take into account any increases in the contract value, the Supplier's delivery of social value initiatives during a specific period and the Supplier's forecasted delivery of social value initiatives.
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Textbooks | 16final-stage tenders | 9 | 0 | — |
| 2 · Pupil Workbooks and Resources | 13final-stage tenders | 8 | 0 | — |
| 3 · Assessment Resources | 12final-stage tenders | 6 | 0 | — |
| 4 · Music Materials | 3final-stage tenders | 3 | 0 | — |
Who bid
- wonHEALTH BOOKS UK LTDSME · Wales (Cymru) · 3
- wonSHULPH LIMITEDSME · Greater London · 3, 2, 1
- wonHARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS LIMITEDSME · Scotland · 3, 2, 1
- did not winCJ FallonSME · 3, 2, 1
- did not winSCHOLASTIC LIMITED · West Midlands · 3, 2, 1
- wonHODDER & STOUGHTON LIMITED · Greater London · 3, 2, 1
- wonPRIMED PUBLISHING LTDSME · 3, 2, 1
- wonRENAISSANCE LEARNING UK LIMITED · Greater London · 3, 1
- did not winPEARSON EDUCATION LIMITED · Greater London · 3, 2, 1
- wonRED BOX BOOKS LIMITEDSME · North West England · 3, 2, 1
- did not winOxford University Press · South East England · 3, 2, 1
- wonSpeech Link Multimedia LtdSME · South East England · 3
- wonHEATH BOOKS LTDSME · Greater London · 2, 1
- wonCLASSOOS UK LIMITEDSME · Greater London · 2, 1
- wonCOLOURPOINT CREATIVE LIMITEDSME · Northern Ireland · 2, 1
- did not winFINDEL EDUCATION LIMITED · North West England · 1
- wonTHE WEATHERBIES LIMITEDSME · Northern Ireland · 1
- did not winSCHOFIELD & SIMS LIMITEDSME · Yorkshire and the Humber · 2, 1
Bidders as named on the Procurement Act 2023 award notice. “Won” means the bidder holds an award on this notice.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Framework contractors & participating bidders
18 commercial parties on the notice · 17 awarded- CJ FallonFramework contractor
- CLASSOOS UK LIMITEDFramework contractor
- COLOURPOINT CREATIVE LIMITEDFramework contractor
- FINDEL EDUCATION LIMITEDFramework contractor
- HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS LIMITEDFramework contractor
- HEALTH BOOKS UK LTDFramework contractor
- HEATH BOOKS LTDFramework contractor
- HODDER & STOUGHTON LIMITEDFramework contractor
- Oxford University PressFramework contractor
- PEARSON EDUCATION LIMITEDFramework contractor
Show 8 more suppliers
- PRIMED PUBLISHING LTDFramework contractor
- RED BOX BOOKS LIMITEDFramework contractor
- RENAISSANCE LEARNING UK LIMITEDFramework contractor
- SCHOFIELD & SIMS LIMITEDBidder / tenderer
- SCHOLASTIC LIMITEDFramework contractor
- SHULPH LIMITEDFramework contractor
- Speech Link Multimedia LtdFramework contractor
- THE WEATHERBIES LIMITEDFramework contractor
Official documents & specifications (9)
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 award notice Contract award 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
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender