Tenders/UK2 Market Engagement Notice - Best Start Digital Parenting Offer

UK2 Market Engagement Notice - Best Start Digital Parenting Offer

Department for Education

Published: Nov 6, 2026

Updated: Nov 6, 2026

About This Opportunity

This is a services contract in the information and communication technology, health and medical services, education and training, finance and banking and governance and public administration sectors, with a focus on Investment. Located in United Kingdom, Europe, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums.

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 services in the information and communication technology sector. Service contracts are typically evaluated on both technical quality and price, and may require bidders to demonstrate relevant experience and qualified personnel. 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 seeking to procure a structured, evidence-based digital parenting programme to support parents and carers of children aged 0-5 through the Best Start Digital Parenting Offer pilot. This forms part of the Government's commitment in Giving every child the best start in life to introduce digital parenting support. DfE intends to pilot and evaluate a digital programme supporting parents at scale through regional partnerships before deciding on any future wider rollout. It will complement, not replace, existing local parenting provision, including face-to-face support through Best Start Family Hubs. The pilot aims to widen access to high-quality parenting support, strengthening parenting skills and confidence, and achieve measurable improvements in outcomes for parents and children. The programme must focus on supporting children's personal, social and emotional development (PSED) and/or speech, language and communication. Health-focused programmes are outside the scope of this proposed procurement. The provision should be entirely online. It should be accessible and inclusive, including for disadvantaged families and those facing barriers to accessing support. This pilot will help DfE understand: • Whether parents take up, use, value and benefit from digital parenting programmes • What is required to reach families, sustain participation and implement digital support for parenting successfully at regional scale. • How this digital programme complements existing family and parenting services. • Whether digital programmes designed to support parenting can be delivered equitably and at scale in England. • Whether digital support for parenting represents good value for public money and provide a case for future investment. Through the Best Start Family Hubs programme, the Department already funds local authorities to procure evidence-based parenting interventions delivered in person and digitally. The pilot will build an understanding of how a centrally procured digital programme can complement this local offer.

Data provenance

This notice is sourced from UK FTS - Find a Tender Service and was originally published on November 6, 2026. Last refreshed today. Reference: 105902-2026. BidsFactory mirrors official procurement notices and links back to the source for full legal text.

About Department for Education

Department for Education has issued 783 procurement notices on BidsFactory, including 14 currently open and 620 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: November 5, 2026.

Frequently asked questions about this tender

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 Services contract in the Information & Communication Technology sector. The classification helps bidders match the opportunity to their qualifications and registered scope of supply.

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 105902-2026 when communicating with the contracting authority.