Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Department for Education
Sanctuary Buildings, 20, Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT
FAS.Procurement@education.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 3700002288
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKE32 - Sheffield
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education
one.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority
one.5) Main activity
Education
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Test Operations Service - Market Engagement 2
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 80000000 - Education and training services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
• The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) is an executive agency of the Department for Education which is required to deliver statutory National Curriculum Assessments (NCAs), including Reception Baseline, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 assessments. The Test Operations Service project has been launched to seek a Supplier to deliver NCA test operations on behalf of STA in England only from the 2025-26 test cycle onwards when the current contract expires.
• The purpose of this notice is to notify the market of STA’s intention to undertake a second round of market engagement prior to commencing procurement activity, to appoint a suitably qualified Supplier to deliver the Test Operations Service.
• This second round of Market Engagement will provide an opportunity for Suppliers to gain advanced sight of STA’s draft specification, payment mechanism, and performance management structure, and have the opportunity to provide feedback to STA, ahead of commencement of any competition.
• STA will provide the ability for Suppliers to provide written feedback and questions via Jaggaer. We are also planning to set aside time to meet with interested organisations on a one-to-one basis, for an opportunity to discuss the draft documentation in more depth. These sessions will be available for Suppliers to request via the Jaggaer e-sourcing platform, and requests must be submitted by 12:00 on 24th June 2022.
• In order to access draft documentation and the slide pack provided by STA, you will need to register on the DfE’s Jaggaer e-sourcing platform at https://education.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html and follow the “View Opportunities” link. Suppliers will then need to access the Test Operations Services Market Engagement Event (ssq_282 – Test Operations Service Market Engagement Event 2).
• The primary purpose of STA is to provide an effective and robust testing, assessment and moderation system to measure and monitor pupils’ progress and attainment between reception and the end of key stage 2 (KS2). STA is responsible for the development and delivery of national curriculum tests and assessments in England, under statutory instruments, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education. We are regulated by Ofqual for our work on National Curriculum Assessments (NCAs). In a typical school year NCA outcomes are published annually at an individual school level in the School Performance Tables and are an important factor in the parental choice of schools.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £140,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 22000000 - Printed matter and related products
- 80100000 - Primary education services
- 80200000 - Secondary education services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKE32 - Sheffield
Main site or place of performance
Nationally
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
• The final test cycle in STA’s existing contract to deliver NCA test operations will be in 2024-25, therefore a new contract must be in place to begin delivering from the 2025-26 test cycle onwards. It is anticipated that the contract will be awarded in early 2024, to allow sufficient time for set-up.
• Service Requirements: The current assessments in scope for the Test Operations Service are the Phonics Screening Check (PSC), end of KS1 NCAs and teacher assessment, end of KS2 NCAs and teacher assessment in English Writing and Science. Other assessments which are not in scope of this service are Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) and Multiplication Tables Check (MTC). The tests are sat by the full cohort of pupils, currently up to 650,000 in 16,500 schools.
• For successful delivery of the service, we expect that the Supplier will undertake the following activities (not exhaustive):
1. General
o Overarching management of test operations
o Systems Integration
o Security of test materials
o Provision of data
o Project and Risk management
o Collection of KS2 pupil test information
o Collection of KS2 Teacher Assessment data
o Development and dissemination of guidance, communications and support to schools, markers and other stakeholders throughout the test cycle
2. Print
o Manufacture test materials to schools
o Manufacture KS2 marker materials to KS2 markers, where applicable
3. Logistics and Scanning
o Collate and distribute test materials to up to 16,500 schools
o Distribute KS2 marker materials to KS2 markers
o KS2 post-test logistics (collect test scripts from schools, scan and distribute to markers: test scripts/scanned images returned to schools)
o KS2 scanning of pupil scripts and matching services
o 4. MarkingKS2 marker recruitment and management
o KS2 marker training (develop materials and deliver training)
o KS2 on screen marking provision
o KS2 script marking management and mark capture
o Support KS2 test standard setting
o Support maladministration processes
5. Helpdesk
o Helpdesk for markers, schools and other stakeholders
o Activity peaks between April to July each Test Cycle.
o The full scope of services to be delivered will be detailed in the Statement of Requirements which will form part of the tender documents.
o Indicative volumes will be contained within a Data Room available to tenderers subject to the signing of a Non-Disclosure Agreement.
Proposed commercial model: STA intends to contract with either a Supplier who proposes to offer the whole service (with or without subcontractors) or a consortium of Suppliers who have joined together to offer the whole service. To this end, the Market Engagement period will also act as a forum for identifying potential consortium partners or potential subcontractors. At the tendering stage a consortium must be either a legal entity or have a lead organisation which is authorised to act on behalf of its members with which STA can contract.
two.2.14) Additional information
The publication of this notice does not signify the commencement of any procurement process and does not constitute any commitment by STA to undertake any procurement exercise. In the event that STA might decide to commence any procurement process as contemplated by this notice, a separate notice will be published at the relevant time.
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
3 October 2022
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
The publication of this notice does not signify the commencement of any procurement process and does not constitute any commitment by STA to undertake any procurement exercise.
In the event that STA might decide to commence any procurement process as contemplated by this notice, a separate notice will be published at the relevant time.
STA is keen to ensure that potential suppliers have as much notice as is possible about the services we wish to procure and this supports our agenda about encouraging engagement with Small and Medium Suppliers.
Disclaimers and conditions: STA retains the right to not procure and this market engagement period is not binding. Any communication made between DfE and any party in connection with this requirement, shall not be relied upon as constituting a contract, agreement or representation that any contract will necessarily be offered.
STA reserves the right to change without notice any documents and communications, in whole or in part. Under no circumstances shall STA incur any liability in respect of this supporting documentation and STA will not reimburse any costs incurred by any parties in connection with their use of these communications nor in connection with participation during the Market Engagement period.
Participation in this Market Engagement period is suitable for suppliers that have knowledge, capacity and capability and track record to meet the requirements when the competition is published.
The Authority administers all procurements electronically via the Department for Education e-procurement Solution portal (Jaggaer).
No hard copy documents will be issued and all communications with the Authority (including final submission of Tender responses) must be conducted via Jaggaer.
To ensure all communications relating to this procurement are received, potential suppliers must ensure that the point of contact they nominate in the Jaggaer portal is accurate at all times. Access to the Jaggaer portal is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year anywhere in the world via the internet unless notified otherwise by the Jaggaer portal.