Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Department for Education
Sanctuary Buildings, 20, Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT
CommercialDelivery.SKILLS@education.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education
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
Further Education Governor Recruitment Service 2025
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79600000 - Recruitment services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
A bespoke and targeted governor recruitment service for colleges in England which have been identified as being in particular need of support to strengthen governance. The Service will support the recruitment to key governor roles of a diverse range of candidates who have skills, knowledge and experience appropriate to those roles.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value excluding VAT: £879,000
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The FE Colleges Governor Recruitment Service ("the Service") will be an integral part of the Department for Education's (DfE's) help and active support offer for colleges. The Service is designed to strengthen governance in colleges by supporting the recruitment of a diverse range of appropriately skilled and knowledgeable governors to key roles on governing boards.
The Service will be free at the point of use. To ensure that the Service is targeted to those college boards which have the greatest need of help, access will be via a referral from the department, which will have the discretion to define "key" roles and will prioritise or limit referrals to ensure alignment with the terms of the contract with the Supplier.
The outputs will be:
A successful service model whereby the Supplier will need to: understand and communicate the benefits and responsibilities of being an FE governor to potential volunteers; work with college governing board chairs and governance professionals (clerks) to better understand the candidate requirements for the roles that are to be filled; and to ensure a diverse selection of appropriately qualified and well-briefed candidates for interview by the board.
A minimum of 140 appropriately skilled and diverse governors to be appointed to key governor roles over the Contract Period (210 should the optional extension period be utilised), with a minimum of 60 within in the first year. Support and advice for boards to put in place effective induction, support and development to help new governors understand their new responsibilities, and to continue in their roles for the longer term.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2025/S 000-004309
Section five. Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
28 April 2025
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 15
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 15
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Governors for Schools
Runcorn
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £879,000
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The Royal Courts of Justice
London
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
The Royal Courts of Justice
London
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
The Royal Courts of Justice
London
Country
United Kingdom