Scope
Reference
C403162
Description
NHS England seeks to commission accreditation services for the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism.
The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training is the standardised and preferred training for health and social care staff. It has been specifically developed for this purpose and is co-produced and co-delivered by approved trainers with lived experience of learning disability and autism, who are fairly compensated for their contributions. The accreditation scheme will provide quality assurance for the delivery of this training.
The Oliver McGowan mandatory training is the Government's preferred training to support autism and learning disabilities within healthcare, resulting from lessons learnt from a series of systemic failing. The training is unique focusing on co-production and co-delivery with people with lived experience of learning disability and autism, reducing health inequalities, and improving patient experiences. The accreditation scheme will also ensure quality assurance around the training delivery.
This procurement aims to establish an accreditation scheme in response to statutory obligations under the Health and Care Act 2022. It represents a key priority aligned with legislative requirements introduced by the Act and the newly published Oliver McGowan Code of Practice.
The maximum contractual value funded by NHS England is £560,000 for the initial term and £240,000 contingency for the optional extended term, subject to need, budget availability and an agreed statement of work. Potential wider system benefits range from £0 to £4,800,000 for the initial term and between £0 and £2,960,000 for the optional extension. Bidders should note that there is no minimum commitment guaranteed through the contract.
NHS England does not expect to allocate the maximum budget.
Further details and tender documents can be downloaded from the following link:
Total value (estimated)
- £800,000 excluding VAT
- £960,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 11 February 2026 to 31 March 2028
- Possible extension to 31 March 2030
- 4 years, 1 month, 18 days
Description of possible extension:
There is an optional extension to 31/03/2030 subject to need, available budget and an agreed statement of work.
2 year optional extension.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 80000000 - Education and training services
Contract locations
- UK - United Kingdom
Participation
Technical ability conditions of participation
Bidders must score a minimum score of 2 in technical evaluations.
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
19 December 2025, 5:00pm
Tender submission deadline
16 January 2026, 1:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
To express interest and participate in the tender, please register and apply via Atamis e-sourcing portal https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome.
Should Tenderers have any queries, or having problems using the portal, they should contact Helpdesk at:
Phone: 0800 9956035
E-mail: support-health@atamis.co.uk
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
11 February 2026
Award criteria
| Name | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Technical | Quality | 60.00% |
| Price | Price | 30.00% |
| Social Value | Quality | 10.00% |
Other information
Payment terms
30 days in arrears against a valid purchase order.
Description of risks to contract performance
There may be variation in the accreditation numbers and there is no guaranteed income through the contract. There may also be additional variation in the published number of accreditation providers.
Applicable trade agreements
- Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Justification for not publishing a preliminary market engagement notice
N/A
Contracting authority
NHS England
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PDPT-3135-BWWY
Wellington House, 133-135 Waterloo Rd
London
SE1 8UG
United Kingdom
Contact name: Mark Gilbert
Email: england.commercialqueries@nhs.net
Website: https://www.england.nhs.uk/
Region: UKI45 - Lambeth
Organisation type: Public authority - central government