Scope
Description
The Authority is launching a tender to procure the delivery of Community Justice Learning (CJL), which forms the academic component of the Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP) programme.
The PQiP is the mandatory training route for all Probation Officers employed by the Probation Service. It comprises a BA (Hons) Degree or Graduate Diploma in Community Justice, alongside a Level 5 Vocational Qualification in Probation Practice, which is delivered in-house by His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) staff.
Under Section 10 of the Offender Management Act 2007, the Secretary of State for Justice may determine the qualifications, experience and training required to practise as a Probation Officer. Since 1 April 2016, the PQiP has been the sole statutory route to qualification. HMPPS is the only employer of Probation Officers in England and Wales, and the PQiP programme is the only route to train and qualify for this profession.
The Authority holds a CJL Course Design Framework, which defines the academic structure, outcomes and learning standards that all suppliers will be required to adopt and implement during the Mobilisation Phase. Contractors will be required to design their academic course content in accordance with this framework and secure appropriate accreditation through the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) or Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ).
The academic elements of the PQiP to be delivered under this contract include:
• A Level 6 academic qualification forming the core programme which all learners must complete; and
• Level 4 and Level 5 components providing advanced standing onto the core programme where required, depending on each learner's prior learning and experience.
Learning will be delivered through biannual cohorts across four standard entry routes:
1. Probation Services Officer Progression (PSOP);
2. Standard PQiP (post-graduate) - full-time;
3. Standard PQiP (post-graduate) - part-time; and
4. PQiP non-graduate route - full-time.
Course duration will vary between 15 and 30 months, depending on the entry route and prior learning.
From time to time, the Authority may wish to commission 'optional services' from the Supplier / Contractor. Optional Services are services which are related and complementary to the contracted Services but incidental and discrete in nature and could for example include (without limitation) specific short term academic research projects and mapping of qualifications.
The estimated annual volume is approximately 1,200 learners (not guaranteed), divided across four regional Lots as follows:
• Lot 1: London - estimated 22% market share
• Lot 2: North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands and West Midlands- estimated 28% market share
• Lot 3: North West, Greater Manchester, Wales- estimated 22% market share
• Lot 4: East of England, Kent, Surrey and Sussex, South Central, South West- estimated 27% market share
The delivery model will be 100% virtual, with all learning conducted through live, synchronous online teaching (e.g. Microsoft Teams). Suppliers may offer face-to-face sessions at their own discretion and cost where beneficial to learners.
The contract term will be 10.5 years, anticipated to commence in September 2026, structured as follows:
• Mobilisation Phase (6 months): Development and finalisation of curriculum, securing accreditation, and readiness for delivery;
• Service Delivery Phase (8.5 years): Delivery of up to 13 learner cohorts, beginning in March 2027; and
• Teach-Out Phase (1.5 years): Completion period for learners who have taken breaks in learning before contract expiry.
If you are interested in this opportunity, suppliers are strongly encouraged to familiarise themselves with the guidance on registering for and using the Central Digital Platform (CDP), available via Information and guidance for suppliers - GOV.UK.
Full tender documentation and submission instructions will be available when the Invitation to Tender (ITT) is formally launched. The Authority will assess all Tenders in order to identify the Supplier which has submitted the Most Advantageous Tender. Most Advantageous Tender (MAT) means the Tender that offers the best value for money based on the evaluation assessment criteria. The assessment criteria chosen to determine the MAT is Price Per Quality Point ("PPQP").
The information set out in this notice, including the nature and scope of the requirement, estimated values, and CPV classifications, is provided for guidance and may be subject to change. The Authority reserves the right to amend the procurement approach or requirements at any stage and is not bound to enter into any contract as a result of this notice. All procurements remain subject to Cabinet Office and HM Treasury controls and approvals.
The Ministry of Justice is using the E-Sourcing Portal, Jaggaer, for this procurement which means the ITT is available only in electronic form. To access this procurement opportunity please log on to Jaggaer at https://ministryofjusticecommercial.bravosolution.co.uk/ and search for the ITT using reference ITT_9959 - Community Justice Learning, to be able to view the ITT documents and submit a response.
If you do not already have a Jaggaer account please register to create an account via the following link - https://ministryofjusticecommercial.bravosolution.co.uk/
If you have any issues registering, please contact 0845 0100 132 or e-mail esourcing@justice.gov.uk.
Any queries regarding Jaggaer should be sent to the Authority's Central Support Team (Mon - Fri 08:30 - 17:00) by calling 0845 0100 132 or by emailing: esourcing@justice.gov.uk
Total value (estimated)
- £80,520,000 excluding VAT
- £96,624,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 September 2026 to 28 February 2037
- 10 years, 6 months
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 80000000 - Education and training services
Not the same for all lots
Contract locations are shown in Lot sections, because they are not the same for all lots.
Lot 1. Lot 1 - London
Description
Community Justice Learning Lot 1 - London
Lot value (estimated)
- £17,952,500 excluding VAT
- £21,543,000 including VAT
Contract locations
- UKI - London
Same for all lots
CPV classifications and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 2. Lot 2 - North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands and West Midlands
Description
Community Justice Learning Lot 2 - North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands and West Midlands
Lot value (estimated)
- £22,772,500 excluding VAT
- £27,327,000 including VAT
Contract locations
- UKC - North East (England)
- UKE - Yorkshire and the Humber
- UKF - East Midlands (England)
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
Same for all lots
CPV classifications and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 3. Lot 3 - North West, Greater Manchester Wales
Description
Community Justice Learning Lot 3 - North West, Greater Manchester, Wales
Lot value (estimated)
- £17,782,500 excluding VAT
- £21,339,000 including VAT
Contract locations
- UKD3 - Greater Manchester
- UKD - North West (England)
- UKL - Wales
Same for all lots
CPV classifications and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 4. Lot 4 - East of England, Kent, Surrey and Sussex, South Central, South West
Description
Community Justice Learning Lot 4: East of England, Kent, Surrey and Sussex, South Central, South West
Lot value (estimated)
- £22,012,500 excluding VAT
- £26,415,000 including VAT
Contract locations
- UKH - East of England
- UKJ4 - Kent
- UKJ2 - Surrey, East and West Sussex
- UKK - South West (England)
- UKJ - South East (England)
Same for all lots
CPV classifications and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Participation
Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation
Lot 1. Lot 1 - London
Lot 2. Lot 2 - North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands and West Midlands
Lot 3. Lot 3 - North West, Greater Manchester Wales
Lot 4. Lot 4 - East of England, Kent, Surrey and Sussex, South Central, South West
FINANCIAL CAPACITY
PSQ 12. Please refer to the FVRA template, instructions/guidance and evaluation
criteria.
PSQ 13. Are you relying on another Supplier to act as a guarantor? The Supplier acting as a guarantor will be required to complete the FVRA
PSQ 13a. (If you answered Yes to PSQ 13), please provide this Supplier's name and evidence of their economic and financial standing.
INSURANCE
PSQ 14. Please confirm whether you already have, or can commit to obtain, prior to Contract signature, the levels of insurance cover indicated below:
a. Employer's (Compulsory) Liability Insurance* = £10,000,000 any one occurrence the number of occurrences being unlimited in any annual period if insurance.
b. Public and Products Liability Insurance = £10,000,000 in respect of any one occurrence, the number of occurrences being unlimited in any annual policy period, but £10,000,000 in the aggregate per annum in respect of products and pollution liability (to the extent insured by the policy]
c. Professional Indemnity Insurance = £5,000,000 in respect of any one claim, and in the annual aggregate during the period of insurance
d. Motor Third Party Liability Insurance ** = Unlimited each and every occurrence the number of occurrences being unlimited in any annual policy period for third party death / bodily injury claims and £1,000,000 any one occurrence the number of occurrences being unlimited in any annual policy period for third party property damage claim.
*There is a legal requirement in the United Kingdom for certain employers to hold Employer's Liability Insurance of £5 million as a minimum. See the Health and Safety Executive website for more information: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hse39.pdf
** There is a legal requirement in the United Kingdom for any user of a motor vehicle on the public highway to hold Motor Third Party Liability Insurance
PSQ14a If you have answered 'Yes' to PSQ 14 please refer to the Insurance Response Table attached, fill out and submit in response to this PSQ 14a.
COMPLIANCE WITH THE UK GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION
PSQ15. Please confirm that you have in place, or will have in place by Contract signature, the human and technical resources to perform and comply with the GDPR clauses within Appendix 2: Terms and Conditions by Contract signature.
Technical ability conditions of participation
Lot 1. Lot 1 - London
Lot 2. Lot 2 - North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands and West Midlands
Lot 3. Lot 3 - North West, Greater Manchester Wales
Lot 4. Lot 4 - East of England, Kent, Surrey and Sussex, South Central, South West
TECHNICAL ABILITY
PSQ 16. Please confirm and provide evidence of your experience in the development and delivery of criminal justice degree programmes.
Your response must demonstrate:
Previous delivery of a at least one criminal justice degree programme, covering levels 4, 5 and 6 on the Recognised Qualifications Framework
Please provide details of the scale of provision (e.g. number of students taught, duration of delivery), validation/accreditation details and levels taught (covering levels 4 - 6 inclusive on the Recognised Qualifications Framework).
• That your organisation has established processes for developing and maintaining criminal justice curricula that are evidence-based and regularly updated in line with:
• developments in the criminal justice sector (for example: policy and legislative changes, emerging research, advances in practice such as trauma-informed approaches, and new or evolving areas of criminal justice study such as cybercrime or counter-terrorism); and
• the quality and standards expected within the higher education sector
• That you have employed recognised teaching and learning approaches with reference to positive outcomes they have led to (e.g. retention, student feedback, external examiner comments)
Please note the definition of criminal justice degree programmes includes, but is not limited to:
• Criminology and Criminal Justice BSc/BA (Hons)
• Policing Studies BA (Hons)
• Criminal Investigation and Policing BA (Hons)
• Counter Terrorism, Intelligence and Cybercrime BSc (Hons)
• Applied Criminal Justice BSc (Hons)
• Criminology and Law BA (Hons)
• Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice BSc (Hons)
• Youth Justice BA (Hons)
Response format: two-page maximum limit for this question - Arial font, font size 12
TECHNICAL - DEGREE AWARDING POWERS
PSQ 17. Do you currently have UK degree awarding powers? As with any Condition of Participation, you may rely on an Associated Person to fulfil this requirement
PSQ 17a. If you have answered "No" to PSQ 17, please confirm if you (or an Associated Person) will be able to obtain UK degree awarding powers within 1 week of the date on which the Contract Award Notice is published by providing detail to demonstrate how you will achieve this.
CYBER ESSENTIALS
PSQ 18 - Do you currently have Cyber Essentials Certification? If not, please confirm you will have certification in place by the end of Mobilisation Milestone 1 (27th November 2026)
Particular suitability
Lot 1. Lot 1 - London
Lot 2. Lot 2 - North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands and West Midlands
Lot 3. Lot 3 - North West, Greater Manchester Wales
Lot 4. Lot 4 - East of England, Kent, Surrey and Sussex, South Central, South West
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
31 October 2025, 11:59pm
Tender submission deadline
19 November 2025, 2:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
14 July 2026
Recurring procurement
Publication date of next tender notice (estimated): 17 October 2036
Award criteria
| Name | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Section 1 - Delivery to Regions within Lots | Lot Specific Questions |
Quality |
| Section 2 - Course Mobilisation Services | Mobilisation Plan Academic and other Personal used during the Mobilisation Phase |
Quality |
| Section 3 - Course Delivery Requirements and Curriculum, Teaching & Assessment | Course Delivery Quality Assurance Academic Staff during course delivery Support services and Support Staff |
Quality |
| Section 4: Supporting Students | Learner Support |
Quality |
| Section 5 - Course Governance, Contract Management, Management Information and KPI's | Performance Monitoring Risk Management and Contingency Plans |
Quality |
| Section 6 - Social Value | Creating a pipeline of opportunities for the contract workforce, reducing barriers to entry for under-represented groups. Increasing productivity through physical and mental wellbeing: in the supply... |
Quality |
Weighting description
Please see 'Table 3: Technical Envelope - Question Headings and Weightings' in the CJL - ITT Appendix 1 Invitation to Tender' document for full details.
Section 1 - Delivery to Regions within Lots - Pass/Fail - Suppliers need to score 2 or more to pass.
Section 2 - Course Mobilisation Services - 15%
Section 3 - Course Delivery Requirements and Curriculum, Teaching & - 55%
Section 4: Supporting Students - 10%
Section 5 - Course Governance, Contract Management, Management Information and KPI's -...
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Special regime
Light touch
Contracting authority
Ministry of Justice
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PDNN-2773-HVYN
102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ
United Kingdom
Email: MojProcurementLearningAndDevelopment@justice.gov.uk
Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/procurement
Region: UKI32 - Westminster
Organisation type: Public authority - central government