Published date: 4 July 2018

Last edited date: 4 July 2018

This notice was replaced on 4 July 2018

This notice does not contain the most up-to-date information about this procurement. The most recent notice is:

Opportunity (published 18 July 2018, last edited 18 July 2018)

Closed future opportunity - This means that a potential contract has passed its approach to market date. A buyer can choose to consider any supplier interest or convert this notice into an opportunity ready for live procurement.


Contract summary

Industry

  • Research and development services and related consultancy services - 73000000

Location of contract

Any region

Value of contract

£0

Procurement reference

DFERPPU 2018/027

Published date

4 July 2018

Approach to market date

25 June 2018

Contract start date

1 August 2018

Contract end date

31 August 2022

Procedure type

Open procedure (below threshold)

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

This procedure can be used for procurements below the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

Yes

Description

Evaluation of the English, computing and MFL curriculum Hub programmes

The Department for Education (DfE) is implementing a number of new curriculum programmes in English, computing and modern foreign language (MFL). A key element of this is the national centre and 'Hub' model where lead schools deliver support to other schools. Links to published information on the programmes including prior information notices and invitations to tender for the national centres and hub schools are available below:

• English - the Department will be seeking to establish a Centre of Excellence for Literacy Teaching which will train literacy specialists, manage a network of 35 English Hubs to provide direct support to primary schools, and facilitate good practice in early language and literacy teaching.


• Computing - the Department is undertaking a package of programmes for computing including training and support programmes. A key part of this is a National Centre of Computing Education which will establish a network of at least 40 computing Hubs to provide support for teachers in primary and secondary schools, and facilitate links with industry. A new CPD programme for computing teachers and an A level support programme also fall under this package.

• MFL - the Department is seeking to establish a Centre of Excellence for MFL pedagogy to manage a network of 7 MFL Hubs with 5 secondary schools in each Hub. The Centre of Excellence will train specialist teachers in each hub and facilitate good practice in foreign language teaching.

Recognising that there are commonalities in the way the national centre and Hubs models will operate and in the implementation timescales, the DfE proposes to tender for bids to deliver a cost-effective evaluation across the new English, computing and MFL programmes.

The key aims of the evaluation are to:
• Understand how the hub models are working and being implemented and identify best practice for effectively delivering school-led improvements at scale including how Hubs are recruited and networks developed, to gather evidence that can be applied across programmes; and
• Monitor how contractors deliver effective strategies for strengthening English, computing or MFL and how teaching practice and attitudes are changing as a result.

In addition to evaluating the Hub approach and fidelity to each programme's aims, we expect the evaluator to gather evidence on the other (non-hub) elements of the programmes where relevant, e.g. CPD/training and A-level support for computing.

More information

Spend profile

This table displays the spend profile of the notice
Financial year Budget
2018/2019 £0

Links

Additional text

We would expect suppliers to demonstrate their experience of delivery in this area with particular reference to:

• Expertise in programme evaluation including successful project management of complex research projects;
• Relevant research experience, particularly working with schools and delivery partners; and
• Technical/professional ability and expertise to deliver the work and in the curriculum to be delivered by each programme.

We would expect suppliers to conduct the following activities to gather strong, independent and timely evidence and insight into the programmes:

• Collaborate with DfE Officials, the national centres and Hubs to develop research tools including survey schedules and topic guides and MI, select representative samples and arrange successful data collection in cooperation with the national centres;
• Fieldwork - including surveys and interviews with a sample of schools and teachers benefitting from the programmes
• Analysis of survey and interview data, and where relevant MI and sample test data
• Reporting - interim reporting would be expected over regular periods during the contract (including end of programme reports if necessary) as well as a final report anticipated in autumn 2022.

These requirements are not exhaustive and further detail will be provided as part of the invitation for expressions of interest. Due to the range of expertise and capacity required for this contract the Department is publishing this prior information notice to allow organisations and individuals extended time to consider how to best meet DfE's requirements including the possibility of forming consortia or collaborating with specialist organisations.

For any queries at the prior information stage please contact curriculumprogramme.evaluation@education.gov.uk. Please note that responses to all questions received will be published alongside the call for expressions of interest.

We intend to issue a call for expressions of interest later in June.

About the buyer

Contact name

Kim Williams, Laura Pearce and Morgan Draper

Address

Sanctuary Buildings
20 Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 0BT
England

Email

CurriculumProgramme.Evaluation@education.gov.uk