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General Qualifications Logistics Service
AI Summary
The Department for Education is re‑procurring its General Qualifications Logistics Service (GQLS), the contract that supports the delivery and secure handling of exam scripts for all secondary and further education establishments across England. The GQLS facilitates a single, streamlined route for Examination Officers to dispatch completed test papers to marking centres, with activity occurring year‑round but peaking during the May‑June summer examination series. The procurement will be carried out under the Crown Commercial Service Courier, Distribution, Storage and Specialist Solutions Framework (RM6354), Lot 3c, a framework that specifies secure collection and delivery of examination materials.
The tender will seek a supplier capable of managing the end‑to‑end logistics of examination test papers for a five‑year term with a projected contract value between £40 million and £49 million. The Department intends to engage with potential suppliers through one‑to‑one market sessions to refine the technical specification, identify risk factors, and capture emerging industry capabilities. These engagement meetings are purely informational and will not influence any future procurement evaluation. The service will be required to operate across the full UK, submit responses in English and follow the contractual framework’s procedures for renewal and performance assessment.
The successful supplier must adhere to the secure collection and delivery standards stipulated in Framework RM6354, Lot 3c, ensuring the confidential handling, timely dispatch, and safe storage of examination test papers and related materials.
Description
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.
Estimated date of publication of contract notice: 2026-09-28T23:59:59+01:00
Contract location: UK
Engagement process description
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.
Further information will be shared via Jaggaer to all the framework suppliers.
Lot: 1
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: En