Published date: 1 August 2018

Last edited date: 1 August 2018

Awarded contract - This means that the contract has been awarded to a supplier.


Closing: 19 April 2017

Contract summary

Industry

  • Courier services - 64120000

Location of contract

Any region

Value of contract

£6,588,000

Procurement reference

RD1000590/1

Published date

1 August 2018

Closing date

19 April 2017

Contract start date

15 August 2017

Contract end date

31 July 2019

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Call-off from a framework agreement

A mini-competition or direct purchase from a pre-established framework agreement.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

Overview
1.1 The Standards and Testing Agency (STA), an executive agency of the Department for Education (DfE), manages the live administration of the annual National Curriculum Assessment (NCA) phonics screening check (PSC) and end-of-key stage 1 (KS1) and end-of-key stage 2 (KS2) tests (collectively known as the 'annual NCA Test Cycle'), a key aspect of which is the production, collation and distribution of NCA test materials to participating schools.
1.2 This contract covers all elements of producing the test materials (e.g. sourcing paper, production proofing, manufacture and delivery) and the collation services to prepare consignments for despatch (e.g. sourcing all packaging and peripherals, fulfilment processes, despatch planning, data processing, and helpdesk).


Phonics screening check (PSC)
1.3 The annual NCA PSC check has been designed to help teachers assess whether pupils have learnt phonic decoding to an appropriate standard. The check, which comprises a list of 40 words, will be administered to all pupils in Year 1 (aged 5-6), and those in Year 2 (aged 6-7) who did not meet the standard in Year 1.
1.4 In 2018 the check will be administered to c. 600,000 Year 1 pupils, plus a yet to be confirmed number of pupils resitting the check in Year, located in c.16,000 primary schools in the second week of June 2018. The check materials comprise of a set of 5 items, which are sufficient for 30 pupils, including a booklet of words for the pupils to read aloud. A small number of pupils will take a modified braille version of the check.

KS1
1.5 The annual NCA KS1 tests have been designed to test pupils' knowledge and understanding of English reading, mathematics and English grammar, punctuation and spelling (GPS) at the end of their KS1 education (i.e. at the end of Year 2, aged 6-7). The test will be administered to c. 600,000 pupils located in c. 16,000 schools in May 2018 .
1.6 A small number of pupils with visual impairments will require modified KS1 test materials, i.e., modified large print, and braille.

KS2
1.7 The annual NCA KS2 tests are designed to test pupils' knowledge and understanding of English reading, mathematics and English GPS at the end of their KS2 education (i.e. at the end of Year 6, aged 10-11). In 2018, the test will be administered to c. 590,000 pupils located in c. 15,500 schools on specific days between 14-18 May 2018.
1.8 As with KS1 a small number of pupils with visual impairments will require modified KS2 test materials, i.e., modified large print, and braille.

More information

Attachments

Additional text

An extension option to 31/07/2019.
Value of contract £3.2m for initial year, expected to be similar for second year for a total of approx. £6.5m

Award information

Awarded date

2 May 2017

Contract start date

15 August 2017

Contract end date

31 July 2019

Total value of contract

£6,588,000

This contract was awarded to 1 supplier.

ALLIED PUBLICITY SERVICES (MANCHESTER) LIMITED

Address

Bird Hall Lane, Cheadle
SK3 0RT
GB

Reference

Companies House number: 00681528

Supplier is SME?

No

Supplier is VCSE?

No

About the buyer

Address

53-55 Butts Road, Earlsdon Park,
Coventry
CV1 3BH
England

Email

jonathan.bryan@education.gov.uk