Scope
Reference
FAE-25-008
Description
***This is not a tender exercise*** The Education Authority Northern Ireland (EANI) would
like to invite participation in a Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) exercise to seek the
views of the market for the provision of Outdoor Learning Equipment for EA Outdoor Learning Centres and other educational establishments in NI. The primary purpose of this preliminary market engagement exercise is for the Education Authority (EA) to explain, and seek supplier views and feedback on, potential approaches for the supply and delivery of Outdoor Learning Equipment.
This Exercise will be used to assist EA in gaining a better understanding of the market/feasibility of the requirements, the most appropriate procurement and operational approach, the capacity of the market to deliver the requirements and an opportunity for the market to highlight any possible risks or issues that may not have previously been considered.
Suppliers who wish to participate in the PME exercise must return the completed questionnaire via the messaging dunction of the CfT on eTendersNI no later than 3pm on Tuesday 9th December - further information including the questionnaire can be found under the CfT CA Unique ID EANI-5015 on eTendersNI.
At this stage, any information gathered through this Exercise will inform internal business planning and the development of the procurement strategy for any possible subsequent procurement process and will NOT be appraised in any future tender evaluation exercise.
The EA reserves the right to require additional clarification information in relation to any responses provided by suppliers as part of this Exercise and, may, should it deem it necessary or appropriate, request a conversation/meet with one or more suppliers where such conversation/meeting is necessary to clarify the supplier's questionnaire responses. Such conversation/meeting would be limited to those questionnaire responses that require clarification.
For the avoidance of doubt, this is the scoping phase of the Programme and is not part of a formal procurement process.
Commercial tool
Establishes a framework
Total value (estimated)
- £500,000 excluding VAT
- £600,000 including VAT
Below the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 June 2026 to 31 May 2030
- 4 years
Main procurement category
Goods
CPV classifications
- 18000000 - Clothing, footwear, luggage articles and accessories
- 18200000 - Outerwear
- 18220000 - Weatherproof clothing
- 18230000 - Miscellaneous outerwear
- 18400000 - Special clothing and accessories
- 18444112 - Bicycle helmets
- 32000000 - Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment
- 32570000 - Communications equipment
- 34430000 - Bicycles
- 34431000 - Non-motorised bicycles
- 34432000 - Parts and accessories for bicycles
- 34522000 - Pleasure and sporting boats
- 34522450 - Inflatable craft
- 34522550 - Canoes
- 37400000 - Sports goods and equipment
- 37410000 - Outdoor sports equipment
- 37412000 - Water-sports equipment
- 37412210 - Buoyancy compensators
- 37412260 - Wetsuits
- 37412300 - Surf and swim equipment and accessories
- 37414000 - Camping goods
- 37414600 - Camping or outdoor stoves
- 37423000 - Gymnastic ropes or rings or climbing accessories
- 39522500 - Textile camping goods
- 39525300 - Life jackets
- 18800000 - Footwear
- 18811000 - Waterproof footwear
- 18815000 - Boots
- 18823000 - Climbing boots
Contract locations
- UKN - Northern Ireland
Engagement
Engagement deadline
12 December 2025
Engagement process description
Suppliers who wish to participate in the PME exercise must return the completed questionnaire via the messaging function of the CfT (CA Unique ID EANI-5015) on eTendersNI no later than 3pm on Friday 12th December 2025.
Participation
Particular suitability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Publication date of tender notice (estimated)
5 January 2026
Contracting authority
Education Authority
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PPHJ-6982-JPXY
40 Academy Street
Belfast
BT1 2NQ
United Kingdom
Region: UKN06 - Belfast
Organisation type: Public authority - central government
Devolved regulations that apply: Northern Ireland