Kent County Council: Kent Test (11+) Examination Services

Contracting authority

Contracting authority:

Kent County Council

Public Procurement Organisation Number:

PLDL-8938-YGYW

Address:

County Hall, Sessions House
Maidstone
ME14 1XQ
UK

Contact name:

Ms Orla Miller

Email:

orla.miller@kent.gov.uk

Telephone:

03000412878

Website:

www.kent.gov.uk

Organisation type:

REGIONAL_AUTHORITY

Devolved regulations that apply:

None

Procedure

Procedure type:

Competitive flexible procedure

Dynamic market OCID:

Not provided

Competitive flexible procedure description:

The procurement will follow a process that will include:
-Stage One – Conditions of Participation using the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) (Selection)
-Stage Two – Tender Questionnaire Submissions (Quality)
-Stage Three – Price Evaluation
To minimise the risk of service failure and any consequent impact to secondary school placement allocations, it is proposed that a down select process be carried out at the PSQ stage.

Preliminary market engagement conducted:

Yes

Dynamic market:

No

Tenders received:

0

Tenders assessed:

0

Tenders from SMEs:

0

Tenders from VCSEs:

0

Special regime:

None

Scope

Title:

Kent Test (11+) Examination Services

Reference number:

CN250565

Main procurement category:

SERVICES

Description:

Kent County Council (The Council) wishes to appoint a suitable provider to deliver Kent wide 11+ Examination Services. The Council currently runs a process which aims, principally through testing, to identify candidates in the top 25% of the ability range as eligible for admission to Year 7 of any of the county’s grammar schools at age 11. Entry to the process is voluntary, with approximately 67% of the local cohort opting to take part, plus a significant number of external candidates. Provision is currently made for approximately 19,000 candidates.

Summary of key areas of service delivery (please reference Specification for full details)

•Production of generic test familiarisation materials - for annual use by schools and parents
•Bespoke confidential test papers and multiple-choice answer sheets (which can be read accurately and quickly by consumer grade scanners)
•Administration instructions
•Printable, bar-coded, double-sided scannable answer sheets with pupil data

Software (and related) requirements to include: -

•Marking software (alongside a small quantity of printed marking manuals)
•Standardisation software and printable standardisation tables
•Support for the Council’s employees in the use of the materials and software through the cycle of the testing process.

The opportunity is being tendered using competitive flexible procedure under Procurement Act 2023 and will follow a process that will include: -

-Stage One – Conditions of Participation using the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) (Selection)
-Stage Two – Tender Questionnaire Submissions (Quality)
-Stage Three – Price Evaluation

To minimise the risk of service failure and any consequent impact to secondary school placement allocations, a down select process is to be carried out at the PSQ stage. Providers that cannot demonstrate their ability to deliver the core competencies, will not be down selected to proceed to the tender stage.

For transparency, and to make potential bidders aware of the nature, type and scope of the services, copies of draft Specification, ITT and Contract will be available for information at PSQ and Tender stages.

Guidance to support Conditions of Participation, Award Criteria and submission requirements will be provided as part of the guidance materials published at PSQ and Tender stages.

If you have any questions and/or queries please contact via the messaging function on the Kent Business Portal using the link to the event provided.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:
https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/tenders/UK-UK-Maidstone:-Primary-education-services./CT7XZS797H

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/respond/CT7XZS797H

Total value (estimated):

GBP 835,000 excluding VAT

GBP 1,002,000 including VAT

Description

Description:

Not provided

Suitable for SMEs:

Yes

Suitable for VCSEs:

Yes

Contract dates (estimated):

01/11/2027 to 31/10/2029

CPV classifications:

80100000 - Primary education services.

Contract can be extended:

Yes

Extension date:

31/10/2031

Delivery regions:

UKJ4 - Kent

Award criteria:

Name: Tests – Format and Implementation Plan / Weighting: 45

Name: Digital Marking and Software Requirements / Weighting: 30

Name: Marking, Familiarisation Materials and Standardisation / Weighting: 20

Name: Social Value / Weighting: 5

Documents

Associated tender documents:

Not provided

Technical specifications:

Not provided

Submission

Enquiry deadline:

19/06/2026 Time: 12:00

Tender submission deadline:

04/08/2026 Time: 14:00

Submission address and any special instructions:

https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/ - 2 stage (restricted) process - stage 1 = PSQ (return date 24th JUNE 2026) , those shortlisted invited to stage 2 = Tender (estimated publication date 8th JULY 2026)

An electronic auction will be used:

No

Languages that may be used for submission:

English

Award decision date (estimated):

02/09/2026

Other information

Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation:

Not provided

Technical ability conditions of participation:

Not provided

Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP):

No

Government Procurement Agreement (GPA):

No

A conflicts assessment has been prepared and revised:

Yes

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