Early Years Foundation Stage Reforms: Information events for Local Authorities

UPDATE: In light of Government health guidelines, this procurement was withdrawn in March 2020. Please note that a new revised opportunity has now been advertised and can be found via the link below: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/96cd3154-7162-4f6b-9d05-d11b9d7fd22d

The purpose of this opportunity notice is to notify the market that the Department for Education's (DfE) is undertaking a procurement exercise to appoint a suitably experienced body to support delivery of the Early Years Foundation Stage reforms. This will involve delivering a series of events to support local authorities in preparing for the reforms. These events will form part of a wider package of support around the reforms which will be advertised separately.

The Department intends to reform the learning and development and assessment requirements stipulated by the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework, with national implementation anticipated in September 2021 and an early adopter year expected from September 2020.

Contractors will be responsible for delivering a series of events, during the summer term, that will support Early Years representatives from all local authorities in preparing for the reforms. This will ensure that LAs are prepared to start offering advice and implementation support to early adopter schools from September 2020 and to all other schools as they prepare for national implementation in the lead up to September 2021.

We expect ten events across the eight regions, offering free places for up to two representatives from each Local Authority.

We expect the supplier to plan and deliver ten events for Local Authority representatives in summer 2020, including:

In order to maximise impact of the events we are seeking a delivery organisation with experience of working with the Early Years sector.

Additional information:

A market engagement webinar was hosted by the DfE on 20 February 2020.

The market engagement information pack, including webinar slides and Q&A pack are embedded in to this notice.

For information: Attendance at the market engagement webinar is not a pre-requisite for being able to submit a tender against this opportunity.

The DfE will be administering the procurement processes electronically via the DfE e-Tendering Portal; Jaggaer. No hard copy documents will be issued and all communications with DfE (including final submission of tenders) will be conducted via the Jaggaer Portal.

Bidders who are not already registered on the portal can register here: https://education.app.jaggaer.com

When registered and signed in to Jaggaer you will need to express an interest in the opportunity to be able to access all procurement documentation.

For any assistance required in registering bidders should contact the Jaggaer helpdesk: help_UK@jaggaer.com

This notice is to advertise an opportunity. The Department reserves the right not to enter a formal procurement process and not award contract(s). Accordingly, the Authority will not be liable for any bid cost, expenditure, work or effort incurred by a supplier in acting on the basis of this notice.