Scope
Reference
T280022999, T280023000, T280023001, T280023002
Description
The Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), an executive agency of the Department for Transport (DfT), will be completing some Early Market Engagement (EME) for the Theory Test Services reprocurement.
The UK Theory Test is a statutory service owned by the DVSA that is the prerequisite in the driving learner journey to taking the practical test. The Test is made up of two test elements, the Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQ) and Hazard Perception Test (HPT). It is the largest e-assessment in the UK, undertaking at present approximately 3.6 million tests per annum.
The service contains 16 different types of Theory Test, including: Car, Motorcycle, Large Goods Vehicles, Passenger Carrying Vehicles, Certificate of Professional Competence, Approved Driving Instructor (ADI), Enhance Rider Scheme, Examiner Car. Encompassed further within this are the additional testing types within the Northern Ireland Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) service, which are Taxi, ADI and Approved Motorcycle Instructor tests.
Total value (estimated)
- £700,000,000 excluding VAT
- £840,000,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 5 September 2028 to 4 September 2035
- Possible extension to 4 September 2037
- 9 years
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 80420000 - E-learning services
- 80490000 - Operation of an educational centre
- 72260000 - Software-related services
- 48517000 - IT software package
- 79342300 - Customer services
- 79710000 - Security services
- 72820000 - Computer testing services
Contract locations
- UK - United Kingdom
Engagement
Engagement deadline
23 March 2026
Engagement process description
DVSA will conduct market engagement activities for both the Test Centre Network (TCN) and Theory Test Assessment Platform (TTAP) procurements in February and March 2026. This engagement will enable DVSA to test refined assumptions, share updates informed by recent activity, and confirm commercial, operational and technical expectations ahead of the start of procurement activity, which is currently planned to begin from April 2026 (subject to approvals). An overview and key outcomes from previous rounds of market engagement can be found on the Department for Transport's (DfT) portal here:
https://dft.app.jaggaer.com/go/467321710195D762A51D
To view the documents, please navigate to the attachments section of the PQQ when logged in.
As part of this engagement, DVSA are planning to make draft procurement documentation or summaries of procurement documentation available through the Jaggaer eSourcing platform. If DVSA are to share this documentation through this process, the documentation is to be considered will be shared in draft and is being shared for information illustrative purposes only to aid engagement activities with the market. By providing certain content in draft in this way, DVSA make no commitment regarding the content of the final procurement documents, which may depart from the draft documentation to any extent, including by revising, replacing, adding to or removing any of the content.
Suppliers must not upload any Authority material, including but not limited to, Authority data or material provided for the purpose of the market engagement event, into AI software or tools which are not private and secure. The Authority does not want any data or material related to this Procurement being used to “train” public AI software or tools.
This market engagement will consist of two activities:
1. Online Webinar – Wednesday 25 February 2026 @ 15:00 – 16:00
The webinar is aimed at suppliers who are interested in the TCN Service and/or TTAP Service procurement. This virtual session, hosted on Microsoft Teams, will provide suppliers with an update on the programme’s direction and the planned procurement approach and timelines alongside an overview of the DVSA’s implementation and Service requirements and the interaction between DVSA, the TCN Service and the TTAP Service. The aim of the webinar is to provide suppliers with an updated view of the Service requirements and planned procurement activity to set the context for more detailed face-to-face discussions at an in-person engagement event in March (see below). After the webinar the DVSA plans to make draft material available to the market to consider ahead of the in-person engagement event. Any suppliers who wish to access the material must sign and return the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that will be made available immediately after the webinar.The materials and NDA form will be available via the Jaggaer e-sourcing platform, and the NDA must be returned via the messages function in the platform. Please note that suppliers who are unable to attend the webinar and/or the in-person engagement event will still be given the opportunity to access the documentation provided that they agree to the NDA.
Suppliers wishing to attend the online webinar, should use the following link to register for the event and join the discussion: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/b168a252-5093-4bb6-9f35-04c2cd41b7eb@a455b827-244f-4c97-b5b4-ce5d13b4d00c
Attendance at the session is voluntary and will not affect a supplier’s ability to bid for the opportunities once the formal procurement process begins. There are no limits on the number of attendees from each supplier.
2. In‑Person Engagement Event – Monday 9th March 2026 (Nottingham)
The in-person engagement event is aimed at suppliers who are interested in the TCN Service and/or TTAP Service procurement. DVSA will host an all-day in-person engagement event in Nottingham to enable more detailed discussion and market feedback on the DVSA’s requirements prior to procurement launch. After an introductory discussion around key cross-service themes, the morning session will be split into two separate workshops:
TCN workshop: covering the Test Centre Network procurement and Service requirements in greater detail.
TTAP workshop: covering the assessment platform procurement and Service requirements in greater detail.
These workshops will be facilitated by DVSA personnel involved in the specific procurement and they provide an opportunity for the market to clarify DVSA requirements and provide feedback ahead of the formal procurement activity.
In the afternoon, suppliers from both workshops will reconvene for a joint plenary session to discuss the cross‑cutting theme of Service implementation.
Given the focused nature of the workshop discussions, suppliers are encouraged to send delegates to the in-person engagement event who have the relevant knowledge, experience and understanding to contribute to the discussions. DVSA plan to limit the number of delegates attending the in-person engagement event to two delegates per supplier for each procurement, totaling a maximum number of delegates to 4 per supplier.
The exact location of the event in Nottingham is to be confirmed, and suppliers must register their interest and delegates for the event with DVSA through the Jaggaer eSourcing platform stating which delegates will be involved in which procurement specific workshop. Registered suppliers will receive confirmation of the event location.
Any clarifications relating to the engagement events should be sent through the eSourcing platform.
Attendance at the event is voluntary and will not affect a supplier’s ability to bid for the opportunities once the formal procurement process begins.
From the start of the webinar, suppliers will be able to engage with the DVSA regarding the DVSA’s requirements using a Microsoft form to share comments and identify areas requiring further discussion during the in‑person engagement event. Any questions raised through the form will not be answered on an individual supplier basis but will be covered more generically on a topic-by-topic basis during the in-person engagement event. The form will remain open until 5pm on Tuesday 17th March to enable suppliers to provide thoughts and feedback to the DVSA. Any thoughts shared with the DVSA will be on a confidential basis, but the DVSA may use non-identifiable, supplier agnostic themes to respond to topic areas during the in-person event. DVSA responses in the in-person engagement event, alongside key areas of discussion in the event, will be made available to the wider market through the Jaggaer eSourcing platform to enable continued transparency.
Participation
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Submission
Publication date of tender notice (estimated)
7 April 2026
Contracting authority
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PTMM-2614-YJDV
Berkeley House, Croydon Street
Bristol
BS5 0DA
United Kingdom
Region: UKK11 - Bristol, City of
Organisation type: Public authority - central government