Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Nottinghamshire County Council
County Hall, Loughborough Road Westbridgford
Nottinghamshire
NG2 7QP
Contact
Mrs Katie Greenhalgh
katie.greenhalgh@nottscc.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 1159774761
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKF15 - North Nottinghamshire
Internet address(es)
Main address
http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk
Buyer's address
http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Specialist Education Framework Phase 1 – Independent Non-Maintained Special Schools Round 4
Reference number
DN784701
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 80340000 - Special education services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Nottinghamshire County Council (the Council) is seeking to add further Independent non-maintained Special Schools (INMSS) to the INMSS Framework under which the Council are looking to commission INMSS and Post-16 (where the provision is delivered in house by the school) provision of specialist school placements for pupils who are not attending mainstream or maintained special schools and who have an Education Health Care (EHC) Plan.
This process is the reopening of the framework for new providers to bid to join the INMSS framework and is the fourth tender round. This tender round is only open to bid to join the INMSS Approved Provider List which is Lot 2 of the Framework Agreement. The Council are not re-opening Lot 1 Block Contract in this tender round. Any providers who were unsuccessful in the previous tender rounds (1, 2 and 3) for Lot 2 can reapply in this tender round (4).
ANY PROVIDERS WHO HAVE ALREADY SUCCESSFULLY APPLIED IN PREVIOUS TENDER ROUNDS AND HAVE BEEN AWARDED A PLACE ON THE FRAMEWORK DO NOT NEED TO APPLY AGAIN IN THIS TENDER ROUND.
To register your interest in this tender and to view the tender documents, the tender is
published on https://www.eastmidstenders.org/
Reference DN784701
The closing date for all tenders is the 7th of November 2025 at 5.00pm.
Please note that a standstill period of 10 days will commence from the notification of the
contract award.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
Tenders may be submitted for one lot only
Maximum number of lots that may be awarded to one tenderer: 1
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 2 Approved INMSS Provider List
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 80000000 - Education and training services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKF15 - North Nottinghamshire
- UKF16 - South Nottinghamshire
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Council has a statutory duty to offer all children and young people a school place. The scope is to commission specialist education services with external providers (INMSS) where needs cannot be met, or it is not possible to offer places within a mainstream school or maintained special school.
Nottinghamshire County Council (the Council) is seeking to add further Independent non-maintained Special Schools (INMSS) to the INMSS Framework under which the Council are looking to commission INMSS and Post-16 (where the provision is delivered in house by the school) provision of specialist school placements for pupils who are not attending mainstream or maintained special schools and who have an Education Health Care (EHC) Plan.
This process is the reopening of the framework for new providers to bid to join the INMSS framework and is the fourth tender round. This tender round is only open to bid to join the INMSS Approved Provider List which is Lot 2 of the Framework Agreement. The Council are not re-opening Lot 1 Block Contract in this tender round. Any providers who were unsuccessful in the previous tender rounds (1, 2 and 3) for Lot 2 can reapply in this tender round (4).
ANY PROVIDERS WHO HAVE ALREADY SUCCESSFULLY APPLIED IN PREVIOUS TENDER ROUNDS AND HAVE BEEN AWARDED A PLACE ON THE FRAMEWORK DO NOT NEED TO APPLY AGAIN IN THIS TENDER ROUND.
The establishment of a framework for INMSS is the first phase of the recommissioning of the Specialist Education provision for the Council as set out in the Vision document (Part 3 – Vision document).
Further phases of the recommissioning will include Alternative Education Provision and Post-16 institutions (e.g., further education colleges that are not part of the INMSS). New procurement processes will be run at later dates which are yet to be decided.
A Framework Agreement is an agreement between the contracting authority and one or more Service Providers, the purpose of which is to establish the terms governing contracts to be awarded during a given period.
This is a multi-provider framework.
There is no guarantee of work under this Framework.
Bidders should note that a further opportunity/opportunity for organisations to bid for inclusion on this framework may be advertised. No date/s have been set for any such process; however, further rounds for both lots 1 and 2 may periodically open again subject to demand. Any Bidder who is unsuccessful in this tender may bid again in any future tender for admission to the framework.
The Framework Agreement is commissioned under the Light Touch Regime 74 -77 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 using an open procedure and advertised in the Find a Tender Service Find high value contracts in the public sector - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £134,500,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract or the framework agreement
Duration in months
60
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2.14) Additional information
There is potential to extend this Framework Agreement for up to a further 6 years in
increments of 24 months.
Please note that this is an indicative total value and the Council cannot guarantee the value
of business under the framework agreement as this is subject to demand for specialist school
places and the fees are also subject to an annual fee review
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Form of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
In the case of framework agreements, provide justification for any duration exceeding 4 years:
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement which is greater than 4 years. The initial term of the framework agreement is for five years and will end on the 31st December 2029. There is the potential to extend the framework agreement for up to a further six years in increments of 24 months. This process is a competitive procurement conducted in accordance with the Light Touch Regime Regulations 74-77 of the Public Procurement Regulations 2015, the subject matter is Specialist Education for Children and Young People with special education needs who have an Education Health Care Plan, and the extended duration of the framework agreement is justified due to the type of service being sourced and the nature of the market. This is to ensure continuity in the provision of specialist education school places for the children and young people and to minimise disruption to the children and young people.
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2024/S 000-040529
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
7 November 2025
Local time
5:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
Section six. Complementary information
six.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The Royal Courts of Justice
The Strand
London
Country
United Kingdom