✓Tender information last checkedLast checked 8 Oct 2026, 14:06.
Opportunity overview
Bury Metropolitan Borough Council ("the Council") intends to establish a new commissioning arrangement for the delivery of Alternative Provision (AP) to children and young people, with a particular focus on those with SEND, those at risk of exclusion, and those unable to access mainstream or specialist education.
The service will deliver a graduated continuum of support from mainstream in-reach and early intervention through to full-time AP, specialist bespoke provision, vocational and employability pathways, Post-16 preparation for adulthood, and tutoring with the primary aim of supporting reintegration into mainstream education or transition to the most appropriate longer-term provision.
The arrangement is proposed to operate a two-tier directory (Core Providers and Approved Providers).
This Preliminary Market Engagement Notice is published to inform the market of the Council's intentions and to invite providers, partners and stakeholders to participate in a live PME event and post-event questionnaire. The outputs of PME will inform the final service specification and procurement strategy.
Classification
CPV80000000 — Education and training services
Lots
Lot 1Value not stated
Documents and notices
Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a TenderOpen source ↗
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.
The Council is undertaking PME to: test the proposed service model, lotting structure and market management approach; assess market capacity, appetite and capability (including SMEs and VCSE organisations); identify gaps in specialist and therapeutic provision; and inform the final service specification, pricing mechanism and procurement route.
• Live PME event on 19 October 2026 at 16:30 (UK time).
• Post-event feedback questionnaire hosted on Microsoft Forms, circulated to all registered attendees and interested parties.
• Bilateral follow-up meetings may be arranged with individual providers on request, subject to equal-treatment safeguards.
Please use register for the live event using the following link:
Link: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/f644851a-ebb1-4cbf-a370-b79a0d479943@b3b731d0-98c0-440b-8765-8d6464a8ed82?source=copyLinkLegacyShareLinkDialog
Due
2 Nov 2026, 23:59
Status
scheduled
Documents
Entry 1
Id
095177-2026
Document Type
marketEngagementNotice
Notice Type
UK2
Description
Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.
1 VERSION
1
095177-2026Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ·
PROCURAAXIS ANALYSIS
ProcuraAxis Analysis
Our approved analysis of the opportunity appears below the official tender information.
ANALYSIS PREVIEW
Opportunity intelligence at a glance
Early-stage market engagement for a planned Bury Council arrangement for alternative provision for children and young people, particularly those with SEND, at risk of exclusion, or unable to access mainstream or specialist education. The Council is seeking market input before finalising the specification and procurement strategy; this is not an open bidding opportunity.
Who this may suit
Potentially relevant to alternative education, SEND support, tutoring, vocational training, employability and post-16 transition providers. Supplier selection requirements are not yet stated.
Key points identified
Service usersChildren and young people, particularly those with SEND, those at risk of exclusion, and those unable to access mainstream or specialist education.Evidence: "with a particular focus on those with SEND, those at risk of exclusion, and those unable to access mainstream or specialist education"
Service scopeA graduated continuum of alternative provision, including mainstream in-reach, early intervention, full-time AP, specialist bespoke provision, vocational and employability pathways, post-16 preparation for adulthood, and tutoring.Evidence: "The service will deliver a graduated continuum of support from mainstream in-reach and early intervention through to full-time AP, specialist bespoke provision, vocational and employability pathways, Post-16 preparation for adulthood, and tutoring"
Primary outcomeSupport reintegration into mainstream education or transition to the most appropriate longer-term provision.Evidence: "with the primary aim of supporting reintegration into mainstream education or transition to the most appropriate longer-term provision"
96% approved-analysis confidence6 supplier criteria identified3 risks or unknowns
ProcuraAxis structures information found in published procurement records, checks the result for consistency and publishes only approved analysis. Confidence describes the completeness and consistency of the available source information; it is not a guarantee of eligibility or contract award.
Early-stage market engagement for a planned Bury Council arrangement for alternative provision for children and young people, particularly those with SEND, at risk of exclusion, or unable to access mainstream or specialist education. The Council is seeking market input before finalising the specification and procurement strategy; this is not an open bidding opportunity.
Who this may suit
Potentially relevant to alternative education, SEND support, tutoring, vocational training, employability and post-16 transition providers. Supplier selection requirements are not yet stated.
Key deliverables
Graduated alternative provision from early intervention and mainstream in-reach to full-time and bespoke provision
Vocational, employability and post-16 preparation-for-adulthood pathways
Tutoring and support for reintegration into mainstream education or transition to longer-term provision
Potential participation in a two-tier directory of Core Providers and Approved Providers
SUPPLIER REQUIREMENTS
6 criteria identified
Service users
99% confidence
Children and young people, particularly those with SEND, those at risk of exclusion, and those unable to access mainstream or specialist education.
View supporting evidence
"with a particular focus on those with SEND, those at risk of exclusion, and those unable to access mainstream or specialist education"
Service scope
99% confidence
A graduated continuum of alternative provision, including mainstream in-reach, early intervention, full-time AP, specialist bespoke provision, vocational and employability pathways, post-16 preparation for adulthood, and tutoring.
View supporting evidence
"The service will deliver a graduated continuum of support from mainstream in-reach and early intervention through to full-time AP, specialist bespoke provision, vocational and employability pathways, Post-16 preparation for adulthood, and tutoring"
Primary outcome
98% confidence
Support reintegration into mainstream education or transition to the most appropriate longer-term provision.
View supporting evidence
"with the primary aim of supporting reintegration into mainstream education or transition to the most appropriate longer-term provision"
Provider structure
96% confidence
Proposed two-tier directory comprising Core Providers and Approved Providers.
View supporting evidence
"The arrangement is proposed to operate a two-tier directory (Core Providers and Approved Providers)."
Eligible participant types for market engagement
97% confidence
Providers, partners and stakeholders are invited to participate in the PME event and post-event questionnaire.
View supporting evidence
"invite providers, partners and stakeholders to participate in a live PME event and post-event questionnaire"
Supplier eligibility criteria
94% confidence
Unknown; no selection, financial standing, insurance, safeguarding, capacity or accreditation requirements are stated.
View supporting evidence
The supplied notice description contains no supplier selection criteria.
COMMERCIAL AND DELIVERY
Contract intelligence
Commercial
Contract value
99% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
No value minimum or maximum is supplied.
Contract term
99% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
No contract start or end date is supplied.
Commercial model
88% confidence
A proposed two-tier provider directory; detailed payment and call-off arrangements are unknown.
View supporting evidence
"The arrangement is proposed to operate a two-tier directory (Core Providers and Approved Providers)."
Delivery
Delivery geography
81% confidence
Bury Council area is indicated by the buyer location; the precise service delivery footprint is unknown.
View supporting evidence
Buyer location is Bury, BL9 0SW; delivery region is listed as UKD.
Delivery timing
99% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
No service commencement or delivery timetable is supplied.
PROCEDURE
How to respond
Procurement status
99% confidence
Upcoming early-stage preliminary market engagement; bidding is not stated to be open.
View supporting evidence
Display status is "upcoming"; notice type is "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender".
Market engagement activity
98% confidence
Live PME event and post-event questionnaire.
View supporting evidence
"participate in a live PME event and post-event questionnaire"
Purpose of engagement
99% confidence
To inform the final service specification and procurement strategy.
View supporting evidence
"The outputs of PME will inform the final service specification and procurement strategy."
Procurement method and submission process
99% confidence
Unknown.
View supporting evidence
No procurement method, tender instructions or submission deadline is supplied.
RISKS AND UNKNOWNS
Points requiring attention
Scope and procurement strategy risk
99% confidence
The final specification and procurement strategy remain to be determined following market engagement.
View supporting evidence
"The outputs of PME will inform the final service specification and procurement strategy."
Commercial uncertainty
99% confidence
Value, term, pricing and payment arrangements are unknown at this stage.
View supporting evidence
No commercial values, dates or pricing details are supplied.
Participation uncertainty
97% confidence
Dates, registration process and response requirements for the live event and questionnaire are unknown.
View supporting evidence
The notice mentions the event and questionnaire but supplies no participation timetable or instructions.
ProcuraAxis analysis supplements, but does not replace, the original notice and tender documents. Always verify eligibility, deadlines and commercial terms with the issuing authority.
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