General Qualifications Logistics Service

Department for Education

Published: Aug 10, 2026

Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Source: uk_fts

About This Opportunity

This is a consulting contract in the general supplies and transport and logistics sectors, with a focus on Logistics, Freight and Warehousing. Located in United Kingdom, Europe, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums, with an estimated budget of GBP 49.0 million.

Published through UK FTS - Find a Tender Service, a national government procurement portal. Public procurement tenders follow the country's national bidding regulations and may have specific eligibility and documentation requirements for consulting in the general supplies sector. Consulting assignments are typically evaluated with a strong emphasis on the technical proposal, including the methodology and qualifications of key experts. Shortlisted firms may be invited to submit financial proposals in a second stage. This is an advance notice — the formal tender is expected to be published shortly. Interested parties can use this time to prepare documentation and identify potential partners.

Description

The Department for Education (DfE) is preparing to re-procure its General Qualifications Logistics Service. The Standards and Testing Agency (The Authority) is an executive agency of the Department for Education (DfE). The Authority is responsible for primary assessments and the General Qualifications Logistics Service (GQLS). The GQLS covers all secondary and further education establishments in England and provides a single means for Examination Officers to despatch packages of completed exam scripts for marking. There is activity in all months, but the major peak is the annual summer examination series which runs across May and June. We intend to utilise the Crown Commercial Service Courier, Distribution, Storage and Specialist Solutions Framework (RM6354), Lot 3c - Secure Collection and Delivery of Examination Test Papers and Materials. You are receiving this email because you are a registered supplier on this framework lot. Before launching the Invitation to Tender (ITT), we would like to engage with the market to gather supplier feedback and insights that will help us shape the procurement approach and ensure our requirements reflect current market capability and best practice. To support this activity, we are inviting suppliers to attend a one-to-one market engagement session with the DfE project team. These sessions will provide an opportunity to: • Understand DfE's high-level requirements and objectives • Provide feedback on the proposed service requirements. • Share views on market developments, innovation and opportunities. • Identify potential risks, challenges and dependencies. The engagement sessions are intended solely for information gathering and market research purposes. Participation in these sessions will not form part of any future procurement evaluation process and will not provide any supplier with an advantage in any subsequent competition. The estimated value of the contract for the initial 5 years is currently being determined and is anticipated to fall within the range of £40 million to £49 million.

Data provenance

This notice is sourced from UK FTS - Find a Tender Service and was originally published on August 10, 2026. Last refreshed today. Reference: 075872-2026. BidsFactory mirrors official procurement notices and links back to the source for full legal text.

About Department for Education

Department for Education has issued 624 procurement notices on BidsFactory, including 21 currently open and 489 awarded contracts. Activity concentrates in Education & Training, Construction & Civil Works, and Information & Communication Technology. All notices are published for United Kingdom. Notices are distributed via UK Contracts Finder and UK FTS - Find a Tender Service. Most recent publication: August 7, 2026.

Frequently asked questions about this tender

What is the estimated budget?

The estimated contract value is £49,000,000 - £49,000,000. Bidders should ensure their proposals are consistent with this range and account for any local taxes and contract execution costs.

Where will the contract be performed?

The contract is for delivery in United Kingdom. Foreign bidders should review local registration, taxation, and any in-country presence requirements before submitting.

How can I submit a bid?

Visit UK FTS - Find a Tender Service to access the full notice, required documents, and submission instructions. Quote reference 075872-2026 when communicating with the contracting authority.

Who is the contracting authority?

This notice was issued by Department for Education in United Kingdom. The authority is responsible for evaluating bids, awarding the contract, and managing performance.

What type of contract is this?

This is a Consulting contract in the General Supplies & Services sector. The classification helps bidders match the opportunity to their qualifications and registered scope of supply.