Tender

UK Sport - Associate pools to support the Coaching, Leadership, Talent and Culture Teams in their work with Olympic and Paralympic performance programmes

• THE UNITED KINGDOM SPORTS COUNCIL

UK4: Tender notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-065917

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-05cdf5

Published 16 October 2025, 1:52pm

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Scope

Reference

FRA151025

Description

​​The mission for the Leadership, Talent, Culture and Coaching (LTCC) Teams is to understand the demands of each sport's performance plan and the challenges faced by those leading and delivering them - ensuring that athletes and staff are effectively supported in realising their ambitions.

​To meet the evolving needs of leaders and coaches within the high-performance system, the LTCC Teams will offer a blended approach of:

​Self-services resources,

​Peer learning and communities of practice within and across sports,

​Expert advice,

​Access to programmes to enhance role effectiveness, and

​Targeted deployment of skilled associates to support capability development in and through performance environments.

​To respond swiftly and effectively to the needs of sport, pools of high-quality, experienced associates will be procured and retained for the duration of the Olympic and Paralympic cycle.

​The scope of services covered by this procurement will be split into 4 lots:

​Associate - Support for Executive Leadership in High Performance Sport Provision of high-quality, confidential, and developmental executive coaching to leaders operating in high performance sport environments.

​Associate - Support for Culture & Senior Team Leadership in High Performance Sport Provision of support to shape and strengthen leadership team, performance programme, and organisational culture in high performance sport by designing and delivering impactful development that fosters trust, clarity, cohesion, and sustainable performance.

​Associate - Support for Coaching in High Performance Sport Provision of support to work alongside coaches and sports to plan, implement and evaluate bespoke programmes of learning that support coaches' personal and professional development.

​Associate - Support for Recruitment & Talent Management in High Performance Sport Provide expert advice, guidance, and support to organisations across high-performance sport system regarding on demand HR policy and procedures, Talent Management (attraction, identification, recruitment, and selection) of diverse and high-quality talent. It will also support development of optimal organisational design.

​Note: A single associate or organisation may tender for one, multiple, or all roles - provided they demonstrate the required capability and experience. Each individual put forward for an associate pool(s) will be assessed on their unique skills and experience. Any organisation applying for the associate pool(s) will be required to put forward a full body of evidence against the assessment criteria for each member of the team they are proposing.

​The yearly expected spend per lot is outlined in the below

​Annual Spend (Quadrennial Spend)

​Associate - Support for Executive Leadership in High Performance Sport

​£120k (£480k)

​Associate - Support for Culture & Senior Team Leadership in High Performance Sport

​£100k (£400k)

​Associate - Support for Coaching in High Performance Sport

​£150k (​£600k)

​Associate - Support for Recruitment & Talent Management in High Performance Sport

​£100k (​£400k)

​ ​It is anticipated that the value of pieces of work will be less than £30,000, with the majority of contracts below £10,000. Work will be awarded directly, with the project or programme lead engaging with the appropriate pools and individuals. People can be awarded multiple contracts which run at the same time over the tender period.

​In the scenario that a call-off contract is expected to exceed £30k (inc VAT) we will award the contract after a mini-competition period that is open to the suppliers within this lot. The assessment criteria will be consistent with the initial framework criteria with an additional nuanced criteria that is specific to the contract. All suppliers in the lot will be notified of these criteria in their invitation to bid.

​Being selected for the framework does not guarantee work

​Specification for each of the roles can be viewed in the assessment criteria section and in the attached documents at the bottom of the page.​

Commercial tool

Establishes an open framework

A series of frameworks with substantially the same terms. Awarded suppliers are carried over and new suppliers can bid.

Total value (estimated)

• £1,566,666 excluding VAT
• £1,880,000 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Contract dates (estimated)

• 12 December 2025 to 12 December 2029
• 4 years, 1 day

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

• 80500000 - Training services

Contract locations

• UK - United Kingdom

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Lot 1. Support for Executive Leadership in High Performance Sport

Description

Role Purpose

To provide high-quality, confidential, and developmental executive coaching to leaders operating in high performance sport environments. The role aims to enhance leadership effectiveness, personal growth, and system -wide impact through reflective practice, challenge, and support.

Example Accountabilities (to be determined by needs of sports)

Deliver impactful 1:1 coaching to senior leaders across performance sport (e.g., Chairs, CEOs, Performance Directors, Head Coaches, Head of Performance).

Enable strategic leaders to improve self-awareness, human dynamics, decision-making, resilience, and influence in complex, high-pressure environments.

Build psychologically safe and trusting relationships that support deep reflection and learning.

Adapt coaching approaches to suit different leadership styles, disciplines, and stages of development.

Contribute to communities of practice or learning networks, where appropriate.

Maintain appropriate confidentiality, ethical practice, and supervision aligned to professional standards.

Provide insight to support UKS to support organisational learning and leadership development strategies, identifying the recurring features of practice in performance programmes

Lot value (estimated)

• £400,000 excluding VAT
• £480,000 including VAT

Framework lot values may be shared with other lots

Same for all lots

CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.

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Lot 2. Associate - Culture & Senior Team Leadership Support Role

Description

To shape and strengthen leadership, team and organisational culture in high performance sport by designing and delivering impactful development that fosters trust, clarity, cohesion, and sustainable performance. The role works alongside senior leaders, coaches, and multidisciplinary teams to build environments where people can thrive under pressure and perform consistently at the highest level.

Example Accountabilities (to be determined by needs of sports)

Design and deliver tailored development interventions that enhance leadership capability, team effectiveness, and cultural alignment.

Facilitate purposeful conversations around identity, values, behaviours, and performance expectations within teams and organisations.

Support leaders to embed high performing team principles such as psychological safety, clarity of purpose, and inclusive leadership.

Recognise and respond to culture flags, act as a thinking partner to performance leaders and coaches, offering insight, challenge, and support to shape environment and culture.

Collaborate with performance and people teams to align leadership and culture work with wider performance objectives.

Contribute to learning cycles by gathering feedback, reflecting on impact, and sharing insights across the system.

Provide insight to support UKS to support organisational learning and leadership development strategies, identifying the recurring features of practice in performance programmes

Lot value (estimated)

• £333,333 excluding VAT
• £400,000 including VAT

Framework lot values may be shared with other lots

Same for all lots

CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.

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Lot 3. Associate - Support for Coaching in High Performance Sport

Description

Role Purpose

UK Sport is seeking practitioners who have extensive experience of and with the relational, ethical, pedagogical and practical dimensions of working with coaches in high-performance environments. Associate practitioners will work alongside coaches and sports to plan, implement and evaluate bespoke programmes of learning that support coaches' personal and professional development.

Example Accountabilities (to be determined by needs of sports):

Provide targeted and embedded support for coaches and coaching teams working in Olympic and Paralympic programmes, acknowledging the interconnectedness of learning and practice.

Work collaboratively with UK Sport's Coaching Team and Sport Facing Advisors to identify recurring features of practice across Olympic and Paralympic programmes and what this could mean for broader system-level support for coaching.

Work collaboratively with UK Sport's Coaching Team and Sport Facing Advisors to support problem formulation, paying attention to the reasoning and strategising underpinning the work.

Encourage and support sports to build internal capability, enhancing long-term capacity and sustainability to effectively support coaching across the high-performance community.

Lot value (estimated)

• £500,000 excluding VAT
• £600,000 including VAT

Framework lot values may be shared with other lots

Same for all lots

CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.

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Lot 4. Associate - Recruitment & Talent Management Support

Description

Role Purpose

To provide expert advice, guidance, and support to organisations across high-performance sport system regarding on demand HR policy and procedures, Talent Management (attraction, identification, recruitment, and selection) of diverse and high-quality talent. The support ensures robust, inclusive, and future-focused recruitment practices are embedded across the system to strengthen leadership, coaching, and performance teams. It will also support development of optimal organisational design.

Example Accountabilities (to be determined by needs of sports):

Advise and support organisations on talent attraction, inclusive recruitment, and succession planning strategies tailored to the unique needs of high-performance environments.

Facilitate and contribute to the design of recruitment processes that are fair, transparent, evidence-informed, and aligned with best practice and innovative in approach.

Build hiring capability across the system by offering tools, guidance, and education to NGB leaders and hiring managers.

Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to develop inclusive outreach and candidate engagement strategies.

Monitor and evaluate recruitment activity and impact, identifying patterns, gaps, and opportunities to enhance equity and performance outcomes.

Support NGBs talent management approaches to track, monitor and report on EDI data

Promote a values-led, person-centred approach to recruitment that reflects the culture and ambition of the high-performance system.

Maintain up-to-date knowledge of employment law, safeguarding, and inclusive hiring practices, sharing insight with system partners and provide guidance on demand to NGBs as needed

Contribute to the development of a wider system talent strategy that includes retention, progression, and leadership pipeline considerations.

Advise on optimal organisation design and operationalisation to deliver performance

Lot value (estimated)

• £333,333 excluding VAT
• £400,000 including VAT

Framework lot values may be shared with other lots

Same for all lots

CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.

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Framework

Open framework scheme end date (estimated)

12 December 2029

Maximum number of suppliers

Unlimited

Maximum percentage fee charged to suppliers

0%

Framework operation description

Prices are determined based on the costing tables that are laid out as an attachment to this tender. This is the estimated day or hourly rates that are around the price of the contract. The final costing will be based on your tender (but it will be a criteria in the tender assessment) and therefore scores will be marked in accordance.

Selection for the award of contracts is done on a call off contract basis and this will be communicated when they arise.

Award method when using the framework

Either with or without competition

Contracting authorities that may use the framework

Establishing party only

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Participation

Particular suitability

Lot 1. Support for Executive Leadership in High Performance Sport

Lot 2. Associate - Culture & Senior Team Leadership Support Role

Lot 3. Associate - Support for Coaching in High Performance Sport

Lot 4. Associate - Recruitment & Talent Management Support

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)

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Submission

Enquiry deadline

29 October 2025, 11:59pm

Tender submission deadline

15 November 2025, 11:59pm

Submission address and any special instructions

Please email to people@uksport.gov.uk

Tenders may be submitted electronically

No

Languages that may be used for submission

English

Award decision date (estimated)

1 December 2025

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Award criteria

Lot 1. Support for Executive Leadership in High Performance Sport

Name	Description	Type	Weighting
Experience and Essential Criteria	Experience - Please demonstrate the breadth & depth of professional expertise in relation to the associate role description for criteria outlined below Essential Criteria Qualifications &... Accreditation Accredited executive coach (EMCC, ICF, AoEC, or equivalent) at a senior practitioner level or above. Evidence of ongoing supervision and CPD in line with professional coaching standards. Experience Significant experience coaching senior leaders in complex, high-pressure environments. Proven track record of coaching for behavioural change, leadership effectiveness, and system impact. Experience working with strategic leaders on themes such as values-based leadership, self-awareness, performance under pressure, and managing change. Knowledge & Skills Deep understanding of executive coaching methodologies and adult learning principles. Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to listen actively, challenge constructively, and hold difficult conversations. Skilled in supporting leaders through complex, fast-moving, and often contradictory system challenges. Strong personal awareness, presence, and reflective capacity, and triangulation with UKS, sport and coachee. Values & Attributes High integrity and professionalism; models confidentiality, respect, and trust. Commitment to inclusive practice and cultural humility. Comfortable working with high challenge and high support. Strong alignment with the purpose and values of high-performance sport and its people. Desire to engage in a collaborative, reflective coaching network. Desirable Criteria Experience working within or coaching in elite or high-performance sport environments. Understanding of the performance landscape in Olympic/Paralympic, professional, or pathway sport systems. Experience of working with diverse leadership groups, including across gender, disability, ethnicity, and multidisciplinary teams. Background in leadership development, organisational psychology, or systems thinking. Ability to contribute to evaluation and learning processes within a broader leadership development offer. Part 2 Evidence of impact - Please demonstrate the impact of your professional practice in relevant contexts and domains for the Associate - Support for Executive Leadership in High Performance Sport role. You are invited to provide up to three case studies, each with a 500 word limit.	Quality	70%
Costing	Please outline the cost (day rate or hourly rate) in relation to the benchmark provided in the role descriptor for which you wish to be considered. You are also invited to offer a further 250... description of the added value which you can provide to the associate work through your portfolio and professional network.​ Session Rate (2hrs) £700 + VAT	Price	20%
EDI and sustainability	EDI & Sustainability - 1. EDI, Please outline your unique experiences and expertise in regard to inclusive practice, and describe the value of this the associate pool role descriptor for which you... wish to be considered. This response is a maximum of 500 words. 2. Sustainability, please outline the your aims to reduce negative environmental impact and drive net positive impact. Again, this response is a maximum of 500 words.	Quality	10%

Lot 2. Associate - Culture & Senior Team Leadership Support Role

Name	Description	Type	Weighting
Experience and Evidence	Part 1 Experience - Please demonstrate the breadth & depth of professional expertise in relation to the associate role description for criteria outlined below Essential Criteria Qualifications &... Accreditations Relevant degree or professional training in leadership development, coaching, psychology, or organisational development. Commitment to ongoing CPD and reflective practice. Experience Proven experience delivering leadership or team development in high performance or elite environments to enable cultural change (sport, military, business, etc.). Experience working directly with senior leaders, coaches, or technical staff in environments that demand results under pressure. Experience facilitating complex group dynamics and supporting teams through challenge, transition, or change. Knowledge & Skills Strong knowledge of high-performing team dynamics, leadership theory, and cultural development in performance contexts. Skilled in designing and delivering engaging development interventions, both face-to-face and virtually. High-level facilitation, communication, and relational skills - able to connect with a wide range of people quickly and meaningfully. Comfortable navigating ambiguity, pace, and the tensions that come with high performance environments. Values & Attributes Values-led and reflective, modelling integrity, humility, and discretion in all interactions. Committed to inclusive, person-centred practice that celebrates difference and builds belonging. Emotionally intelligent, with the ability to offer high support and high challenge. Collaborative, curious, and motivated by enabling others to be their best in service of collective performance. Desirable Criteria Accreditation or training in relevant tools or approaches (e.g., team diagnostics, facilitation, psychometrics). Experience working within high performance sport (e.g., NGBs, institutes, professional clubs, Olympic/Paralympic pathways). Understanding of the UK high performance system and its leadership and cultural priorities. Trained in relevant frameworks or tools (e.g., Lencioni, Strengths Profile, Insights Discovery, Team Coaching). Familiarity with systems thinking, adaptive leadership, and psychological approaches to team development. Ability to evaluate the impact of development work and contribute to organisational learning. Experience of working with Board to review effectiveness, and to explore and address culture challenges and opportunities. Part 2 Evidence of impact - Please demonstrate the impact of your professional practice in relevant contexts and domains for the Associate - Support for Culture & Senior Team Leadership in High Performance Sport. You are invited to provide up to three case studies, each with a 500 word limit.	Quality	70%
Costings	​Cost - Please outline the cost (day rate or hourly rate) in relation to the benchmark provided in the role descriptor for which you wish to be considered. You are also invited to offer a further... 250 description of the added value which you can provide to the associate work through your portfolio and professional network.​ Day Rate (8hrs) £1,200 + VAT	Price	20%
EDI and sustainability	EDI & Sustainability - 1. EDI, Please outline your unique experiences and expertise in regard to inclusive practice, and describe the value of this the associate pool role descriptor for which you... wish to be considered. This response is a maximum of 500 words. 2. Sustainability, please outline the your aims to reduce negative environmental impact and drive net positive impact. Again, this response is a maximum of 500 words.​	Quality	10%

Lot 3. Associate - Support for Coaching in High Performance Sport

Name	Description	Type	Weighting
Experience and evidence	Part 1 Experience - Please demonstrate the breadth & depth of professional expertise in relation to the associate role description for criteria outlined below Essential Criteria Knowledge, Skills and... Experience: Demonstrable experience of operating effectively and ethically within the unique demands of Olympic, Paralympic, Professional and/or other high-performance sport environments; Ability to plan, implement and evaluate bespoke programmes of learning that support coaches' personal and professional development; Capacity to adopt approaches that build organisational and system-level capability for sustained support of coaching in high-performance sport; Skills to support long-term behavioural change through contextually-situated and relational practice; Possess subject matter expertise in one or more domains relevant to coaching in high-performance sport. Values and Attributes: Ability to establish and maintain ethical, inclusive, and support-oriented relationships; Principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) embedded into all aspects of professional practice; Evidence of commitment to learning and professional development as a people development practitioner. Practice that demonstrably promotes coach well-being and wellness; Sustained engagement in supervisory practice to help understand and negotiate the ethical dimensions of practice. Desirable Criteria Relevant professional and/or postgraduate qualifications; Endorsement through a programme of learning aligned with CIMSPA's professional standards; Ability to critically engage with diverse perspectives on the practice of sport coaching; Experience working in interdisciplinary environments where subject matter expertise is used collaboratively to support coaches and performance support teams; Ability to use a variety of evaluative strategies to assess progress and growth in practice relationships. Part 2 Evidence of impact - Please demonstrate the impact of your professional practice in relevant contexts and domains for the Associate - Support for Coaching in High Performance Sport. You are invited to provide up to three case studies, each with a 500 word limit.	Quality	70%
Cost of services	​Cost - Please outline the cost (day rate or hourly rate) in relation to the benchmark provided in the role descriptor for which you wish to be considered. You are also invited to offer a further... 250 description of the added value which you can provide to the associate work through your portfolio and professional network. Day Rate (8hrs) £750 + VAT	Price	20%
EDI and sustainability	EDI & Sustainability - 1. EDI, Please outline your unique experiences and expertise in regard to inclusive practice, and describe the value of this the associate pool role descriptor for which you... wish to be considered. This response is a maximum of 500 words. 2. Sustainability, please outline the your aims to reduce negative environmental impact and drive net positive impact. Again, this response is a maximum of 500 words.	Quality	10%

Lot 4. Associate - Recruitment & Talent Management Support

Name	Description	Type	Weighting
Experience and evidence	Part 1 Experience - Please demonstrate the breadth & depth of professional expertise in relation to the associate role description for criteria outlined below Essential Criteria Qualifications &... Accreditations Relevant professional qualifications in Human Resources, Recruitment, or Organisational Development (e.g., CIPD Level 5 or equivalent). Evidence of ongoing professional development in EDI, recruitment strategy and approaches, or employment law. Experience Demonstrable experience in providing talent or recruitment advisory services in complex, high-performance, or elite-level environments. Proven experience supporting or leading end-to-end recruitment processes, from attraction through to onboarding. Experience supporting organisations to embed inclusive, innovative, recruitment practices and challenge bias in decision-making. Experience building strong, consultative relationships with hiring managers, leaders, and performance SLTs & NGB Executive. Knowledge & Skills Strong understanding of recruitment and selection best practice, including role evaluation, role design, assessment, and onboarding. Skilled in advising on inclusive attraction strategies, talent pipeline development, and equitable selection processes. Working knowledge of relevant employment law, GDPR, and safeguarding considerations in recruitment. Excellent communication, facilitation, and relationship-building skills. Ability to balance strategic thinking with practical delivery, adapting advice to diverse organisational needs. Values & Attributes Operates with integrity, fairness, and confidentiality in all interactions. Committed to creating environments where diverse talent can be attracted, seen, and supported. Values collaboration, learning, and partnership in delivering sustainable impact. Curious, proactive, and solutions-focused, with a strong sense of service and accountability. Reflective and responsive to feedback, trends, and emerging challenges in the talent space. Desirable Criteria Experience advising or working within high-performance sport, NGBs, or elite teams. Familiarity with the talent demands of performance roles (e.g., coaching, technical leadership, medical/science). Knowledge of UK-wide equality legislation and its application in high-performance or sport recruitment contexts. Experience contributing to leadership or succession planning strategies. Accreditation in relevant tools or methods (e.g., psychometric assessments, inclusive recruitment training). CIPD Level 7 or equivalent Part 2 Evidence of impact - Please demonstrate the impact of your professional practice in relevant contexts and domains for the Associate - Support for Recruitment & Talent Management in High Performance Sport. You are invited to provide up to three case studies, each with a 500 word limit.	Quality	70%
Cost of service	Cost - Please outline the cost (day rate or hourly rate) in relation to the benchmark provided in the role descriptor for which you wish to be considered. You are also invited to offer a further 250... description of the added value which you can provide to the associate work through your portfolio and professional network.​ Day Rate (8hrs) £ 650 + VAT	Price	20%
EDI and sustainability	EDI & Sustainability - 1. EDI, Please outline your unique experiences and expertise in regard to inclusive practice, and describe the value of this the associate pool role descriptor for which you... wish to be considered. This response is a maximum of 500 words. 2. Sustainability, please outline the your aims to reduce negative environmental impact and drive net positive impact. Again, this response is a maximum of 500 words.​	Quality	10%

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Other information

Conflicts assessment prepared/revised

Yes

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Procedure

Procedure type

Open procedure

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Documents

Associated tender documents

UK Sport Associate Pools FAQs.docx

FAQ for the framework

Tender criteria.docx

Criteria assessment

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Contracting authority

THE UNITED KINGDOM SPORTS COUNCIL

• Companies House: RC000765
• Public Procurement Organisation Number: PDHV-6143-RRMX

10 South Colonnade

LONDON

E14 4PU

United Kingdom

Email: procurement@uksport.gov.uk

Region: UKI42 - Tower Hamlets

Organisation type: Public authority - central government