Out of School Tuition - Open Framework

Thurrock Council is inviting tenders for an Open Framework Agreement to provide flexible tuition and mentoring services for children and young people who are not currently in mainstream education. The framework supports learners across a range of ages and needs, including those without a school placement, individuals with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and others for whom alternative or external tuition arrangements are considered more suitable to meet their educational objectives. Services will be offered either one‑to‑one or in small groups, and may be delivered face‑to‑face or online, with mentoring support available either alongside tuition or as a standalone service to build confidence and address barriers to learning.

The framework is divided into three distinct lots: Lot 1 delivers tuition only, Lot 2 combines tuition with mentoring, and Lot 3 provides mentoring only. Each lot will be managed under the same flexible procurement terms, allowing the Council to renew and extend contracts for up to two years beyond the initial term. Candidates will be assessed on price, service delivery model, staffing and training, meeting attendance, and social value, with a strong emphasis on quality and adherence to best practice in educational support. All service delivery must comply with applicable educational standards and guidance.

Thurrock Council invites tenders for the provision of tuition and mentoring services to support children and young people who are not in mainstream education. This includes, but is not limited to, learners without a current school placement, those with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND), and individuals for whom alternative or external tuition arrangements have been identified as more appropriate to meet their educational needs.
This procurement exercise will establish an Open Framework Agreement for the delivery of high-quality, flexible educational support services.
The framework is designed to provide a broad range of provision across different age groups and learner needs. Services may be delivered on a one-to-one or small group basis, either in-person or online, depending on individual requirements. In addition, mentoring support may be provided alongside or independently of tuition to build confidence, address barriers to learning, and support learners’ engagement and reintegration into education.
The framework is divided into the following three lots:
Lot 1 – Tuition (in-person and online)
Lot 2 – Tuition with Mentoring (in-person and online)
Lot 3 – Mentoring only (in-person)
Further details regarding the scope of services, requirements, and evaluation criteria are set out in the tender documentation.

Contract location: UKH32
Communication: Tenders must be submitted through In-Tend: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/thurrockcouncil/aspx/ProjectManage/1695
Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: En
This is a recurrent procurement: Yes
Enquiry deadline: 2026-07-31T17:00:00+01:00
Submission address and any special instructions: Tenders must be submitted through In-Tend: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/thurrockcouncil/aspx/ProjectManage/1695
Tenders may be submitted electronically: allowed
Award decision date (estimated): 2026-10-15T23:59:59+01:00
Recurring procurement:
Publication date of next tender notice (estimated): 2032-07-01T23:59:59+01:00

Lot number: LOT-0001
Description: Delivery of tuition to support learners’ educational progress, either in-person or online.
Lot value (estimated)
0,00 GBP excluding VAT
0,00 GBP including VAT
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals: Option to extend by up to a further two years

Lot number: LOT-0002
Description: Combined provision of tuition and mentoring support
Lot value (estimated)
0,00 GBP excluding VAT
0,00 GBP including VAT
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals: Option to extend by up to a further two years

Lot number: LOT-0003
Description: Delivery of mentoring support to develop confidence, address personal and educational barriers, and support progression and reintegration into education.
Lot value (estimated)
0,00 GBP excluding VAT
0,00 GBP including VAT
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals: Option to extend by up to a further two years

Award criteria:

Name	Type	Weighting
Price	cost	50%
Service Delivery Model	quality	25%
Staffing & Training	quality	17%
Meeting Attendance	quality	5%
Social Value	quality	3%