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PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY

Strengthening Higher Education for Female Empowerment (SHEFE)

Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office · compiled

Tender information last checkedLast checked 29 Sept 2026, 21:13.

Opportunity overview

Procurement of supplier for Strengthening Higher Education for Female Empowerment (SHEFE)

Classification

  • CPV75211200 — Foreign economic-aid-related services

Lots

  • Inception Period: The below work will be preceded by an inception period to fully resource the team as well as finalise design of the programme. Grant Management: In Phase 1 of the grant management activity the Supplier will design a closed call competitive grant process to invite and select 4 successful pilots from the SPHEIR programme up to a total of £12.7 million with each grant receiving between (£1-4 million). These have demonstrated ‘proof of concept’ and strong results in improving access, quality, and relevance to scale and replicate interventions in new states and geographies. SPHEIR pilots will be required to pivot their concepts to adopt a comprehensive gender transformative approach. In Phase 2 The Supplier will run an open call competitive process to invite 8 new, high potential and innovative proposals up to a total of £25.6 million, in priority geographies with a focus on improving access, safeguarding and employment outcomes for women and girls. Interventions may include improving take up of STEM subjects and increasing female representation in academia and underrepresented fields such as the tech industry. The Supplier will also invite proposals that drive an evidence-based approach to reducing all forms of gender-based violence and harm, including tackling sexual violence, exploitation, abuse and harassment in the HE sector. Centre of Expertise – Higher Education: The Supplier will launch a new pilot offer under the Centre of Expertise for Education which will be delivered through SHEFE. The demand-led, draw down facility will ensure the FCDO’s global network has access to high-quality technical expertise, best practice and tailored policy advice. This will not only expand our global reach to support HE reform, but it will also help to strengthen diplomatic engagement with policy makers. The new enhanced offer will also respond to new windows of opportunity when they arise, including short term requests for direct support from host governments to deliver HE reform, including short-term deployments of embedded experts. It will enhance the 'Best of British' brand by promoting UK expertise and showcase our ability to convene prominent international experts in a community of practice.Value not stated

Published notice details

Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.

Scope, procedure and submissions

Id
ocds-h6vhtk-04d4cd
Status
active
Has Recurrence
No
Procurement Method
open
Main Procurement Category
services
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure

Covered By

GPA

Amendments

Entry 1
Id
3

Unstructured Changes

Entry 1

Where

Section
IV.2.2

New Value

Date
18 Mar 2025, 13:00

Old Value

Date
4 Mar 2025, 13:00

Bid Opening

Date
4 Mar 2025, 13:00

Legal basis

Id
32014L0024
Scheme
CELEX

Expected award period

Starts
4 Mar 2025, 13:00

Tender Period

Ends
4 Mar 2025

Classification

Id
75211200
Scheme
CPV
Description
Foreign economic-aid-related services

Submission terms

Languages

en

Bid Validity Period

Duration In Days
240

Submission Method

electronicSubmission
written

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
1
Status
active
Has Options
Yes
Has Renewal
No
Description
Inception Period: The below work will be preceded by an inception period to fully resource the team as well as finalise design of the programme. Grant Management: In Phase 1 of the grant management activity the Supplier will design a closed call competitive grant process to invite and select 4 successful pilots from the SPHEIR programme up to a total of £12.7 million with each grant receiving between (£1-4 million). These have demonstrated ‘proof of concept’ and strong results in improving access, quality, and relevance to scale and replicate interventions in new states and geographies. SPHEIR pilots will be required to pivot their concepts to adopt a comprehensive gender transformative approach. In Phase 2 The Supplier will run an open call competitive process to invite 8 new, high potential and innovative proposals up to a total of £25.6 million, in priority geographies with a focus on improving access, safeguarding and employment outcomes for women and girls. Interventions may include improving take up of STEM subjects and increasing female representation in academia and underrepresented fields such as the tech industry. The Supplier will also invite proposals that drive an evidence-based approach to reducing all forms of gender-based violence and harm, including tackling sexual violence, exploitation, abuse and harassment in the HE sector. Centre of Expertise – Higher Education: The Supplier will launch a new pilot offer under the Centre of Expertise for Education which will be delivered through SHEFE. The demand-led, draw down facility will ensure the FCDO’s global network has access to high-quality technical expertise, best practice and tailored policy advice. This will not only expand our global reach to support HE reform, but it will also help to strengthen diplomatic engagement with policy makers. The new enhanced offer will also respond to new windows of opportunity when they arise, including short term requests for direct support from host governments to deliver HE reform, including short-term deployments of embedded experts. It will enhance the 'Best of British' brand by promoting UK expertise and showcase our ability to convene prominent international experts in a community of practice.

Options

Description
option to extend by a further 24 months and by £40 million

Contract period

Duration In Days
1,440

Submission terms

Variant Policy
notAllowed

Items and delivery

Item 1
Id
1
Related Lot
1

Delivery Location

Description
Place of performance not yet known

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UK

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1
Id
GB-FTS-131
Name
Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office

Roles

buyer

Address

Region
UK
Locality
London
Postal Code
SW1A 2AH
Country Name
United Kingdom
Street Address
King Charles Street

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Id
MINISTRY
Scheme
TED_CA_TYPE
Description
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
Entry 2
Id
01
Scheme
COFOG
Description
General public services

Identifier

Legal Name
Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office

Contact

Telephone
+44 1355844000
Organisation 2
Id
GB-FTS-1006
Name
Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office

Roles

reviewBody

Address

Locality
London
Country Name
United Kingdom

Identifier

Legal Name
Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office

Recorded locations

  • Buyer location · London · UK · SW1A 2AH · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UK

Notice and amendment history

1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

1 VERSION
  1. ocds-h6vhtk-04d4cd-2025-02-12T14:58:52Zcompiled ·