The Department for Education (DfE) has launched its Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Inclusion Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Framework, creating opportunities for organisations involved in training, professional development and education workforce support.
The procurement has an estimated value of £781 million including VAT over its maximum six-year term. It covers the development and delivery of SEND and inclusion training for teachers, teaching assistants, further education staff and education leaders across England.
The framework is now open for applications, with a tender submission deadline of 29 October 2026 at midday. Training providers, SEND specialists and organisations offering digital learning or programme development services should review the requirements promptly. If you need bid writing support, speak to Thornton & Lowe today.
DfE SEND and Inclusion CPD Framework: key details
The framework is designed to support the government's investment in SEND workforce development and education reform. It will provide the DfE with access to suppliers capable of developing and delivering professional development programmes for different groups of education professionals.
The key procurement details are:
- Contracting authority: Department for Education
- Procurement reference: ITT_4068
- Estimated value: £624.8 million excluding VAT (£781 million including VAT)
- Framework period: 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2031
- Potential extensions: Two further one-year periods, to 31 March 2033
- Delivery coverage: England
- Procurement procedure: Competitive flexible procedure under the Light Touch Regime
- Enquiry deadline: 19 October 2026, 11:59pm
- Tender deadline: 29 October 2026, midday
- Estimated award decision: 31 March 2027
The £781 million estimate includes initial requirements and potential future opportunities over the framework's maximum term. Suppliers can review the official SEND and Inclusion CPD tender notice for the published procurement information.
What services will the framework cover?
The framework will support a range of activities associated with designing, developing and delivering SEND and inclusion professional development. Its scope includes research, training content development, quality assurance, stakeholder engagement, digital learning solutions, participant recruitment and training delivery.
For suppliers, this creates opportunities beyond conventional classroom-based training. Organisations specialising in learning design, accessible digital resources, professional development programmes or SEND-related research may also find relevant requirements. The framework is divided into five sub-lots based on the intended audience.
Sub-lot | Audience | Estimated value including VAT |
|---|---|---|
1.1 | School teachers and leaders | £40m |
1.2 | Further education teachers and leaders | £23m |
1.3 | School teaching assistants | £35m |
1.4 | Further education support staff | £17m |
1.5 | Combined audiences | £235m |
Sub-lot 1.5 is intended for requirements spanning multiple audience groups. Suppliers appointed to sub-lots 1.1–1.4 will also be appointed to the combined audiences sub-lot. Providers should therefore focus on the audience groups where they can demonstrate the strongest experience and delivery capability. For example, an organisation specialising in CPD for teaching assistants may be better placed to concentrate on sub-lot 1.3 than to pursue every available category.
Initial SEND CPD contracts under the framework
Alongside establishing the framework, the DfE intends to award up to seven initial contracts through a second stage of the procurement. These are separate from future competitions that may take place under the framework.
- Lot 2: School and Further Education Teachers and Leaders
Up to five contracts are expected to be awarded, with an estimated initial two-year value of £165.5 million. The maximum value, including potential extensions, is £346 million. - Lot 3: Teaching Assistants
One contract is expected to be awarded, with an estimated initial value of £35 million and a maximum extension value of £70 million. - Lot 4: Further Education Support Staff
One contract is expected to be awarded, with an estimated initial value of £6.95 million and a maximum extension value of £14.54 million.
These contracts will have an initial two-year duration, with options to extend for up to two further years. Importantly, suppliers must first qualify for the relevant framework sub-lot before they can compete for the corresponding initial contract. This makes understanding the two-stage procurement process particularly important.
How will suppliers be appointed to the framework?
The DfE is using a competitive flexible procedure comprising two stages.
Stage 1: Framework and sub-lot appointment
The first stage establishes the framework and determines which suppliers qualify for the relevant sub-lots. To be appointed, applicants must satisfy several requirements, including:
- Passing the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) and Conditions of Participation.
- Meeting the applicable economic and financial standing requirements.
- Achieving the minimum thresholds for all mandatory framework questions, Q1–Q4.
- Achieving the minimum threshold for at least one relevant sub-lot question, Q7–Q10.
- Meeting any other mandatory requirements specified in the tender documents.
Suppliers will only be approved for services where they satisfy the applicable assessment requirements. There is no maximum number of suppliers who can be appointed to the framework, provided they meet the published conditions.
The Stage 1 assessment is threshold-based, meaning suppliers should focus on demonstrating that they meet each relevant requirement rather than assuming that a strong response in one area will compensate for shortcomings elsewhere.
Stage 2: Initial contract competitions
Once the framework appointments have been determined, eligible suppliers will be invited to compete for the initial contracts. Only suppliers appointed to the corresponding framework sub-lots can participate in these competitions.
The DfE will issue the detailed Stage 2 specifications, evaluation methodology and award criteria to eligible framework suppliers when the second stage begins. Stage 2 will involve quality and commercial assessments, with contracts awarded according to the most advantageous tender.
Is the SEND CPD framework suitable for SMEs?
The procurement identifies both small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs) as particularly suitable. This is encouraging for specialist SEND training organisations, education consultancies, digital learning providers and smaller businesses with relevant professional expertise.
The absence of a maximum supplier limit at Stage 1 also means that framework appointment isn't restricted to a predetermined number of providers. However, all applicants must satisfy the relevant participation requirements and demonstrate their ability to deliver the services for which they apply.
For smaller organisations, the most effective approach may be to concentrate on specific audience groups or areas of expertise. A training provider with extensive experience supporting school teaching assistants, for example, could demonstrate the relevance of its specialist knowledge, learning materials and programme outcomes. Organisations considering larger national delivery requirements should also examine their capacity, geographical coverage and potential delivery partnerships.
How SEND and CPD providers can prepare their applications
The framework covers a specialist area of professional development, where the quality and relevance of training will be particularly important. Although the detailed assessment questions must guide the final response, there are several areas suppliers should consider when preparing their evidence.
Demonstrate relevant SEND expertise
Applicants should be able to explain their experience of SEND and inclusion training, including the audiences they've supported and the types of programmes delivered. Evidence might include previous work with schools, further education providers, specialist education settings or public sector organisations. The strongest examples should demonstrate how training was designed around participant needs and what was achieved through its delivery.
Evidence professional development outcomes
Training delivery figures alone may not demonstrate the effectiveness of a programme. Where available, suppliers should present evidence of improved participant knowledge, confidence, professional practice or other relevant outcomes. This might involve assessment results, participant feedback, follow-up evaluations or evidence of how learning has been applied. Claims should be supported by appropriate information rather than relying on general statements about programme quality.
Explain programme design and quality assurance
The framework includes research, learning content development and quality assurance. Suppliers involved in these activities should consider how they develop accessible, relevant and accurate materials, incorporate stakeholder feedback and maintain quality across delivery formats. For digital learning providers, relevant evidence may include platform accessibility, learner support, content management and the ability to monitor participation and completion.
Demonstrate delivery capacity
Some framework requirements may involve significant numbers of education professionals across England. Applicants should therefore consider how they will manage recruitment, training resources, delivery personnel and consistent programme standards. Where subcontractors or specialist partners are involved, responsibilities and quality management arrangements should be clearly explained. The proposed approach should reflect the actual services and geographical coverage required by the relevant sub-lot.
Thornton & Lowe supports providers competing for training and education tenders, helping organisations develop structured responses and demonstrate the value of their services.
How to apply for the DfE SEND and Inclusion CPD Framework
The competition is being administered through the Department for Education's Jaggaer eSourcing portal. Suppliers can access the SEND CPD procurement opportunity, where the tender documents and submission requirements are available. Organisations that haven't previously used the platform will need to register before participating.
The deadlines to be aware of are:
- 19 October 2026, 11:59pm: Enquiry deadline
- 29 October 2026, midday: Tender submission deadline
Suppliers should review the PSQ, Conditions of Participation and framework questions carefully, ensuring that their responses address the requirements for their selected sub-lots. Given the importance of meeting the mandatory thresholds, allow time to review the submission for completeness and consistency before uploading it.
How Thornton & Lowe can support SEND training providers
The SEND and Inclusion CPD Framework provides opportunities for specialist training organisations and professional development providers to contribute to a significant education workforce programme. However, securing a place on the framework will require applicants to satisfy the DfE's mandatory conditions and demonstrate their suitability for the relevant audiences and services.
Thornton & Lowe helps education and training businesses prepare framework applications, organise supporting evidence and develop compliant, persuasive tender responses. Whether you need assistance reviewing the participation requirements or preparing your submission, contact Thornton & Lowe to discuss how we can support your application ahead of the deadline.
