Closing soon4 days left · closes midday, Tuesday 17 November 2026

Flexible Lifelong Learning

In brief

Cardiff University is looking for suppliers for training and education work (Wales).

It is a framework worth up to £5,000,000 excluding VAT: the most the buyer expects to spend across all suppliers, not one contract.

The contract runs for 3 years, up to 5 years with extensions, starting 8 June 2027.

The buyer says it is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.

Bids close at midday, Tuesday 17 November 2026.

Built from the notice's own fields. Always check the official notice before you bid.

Can I win this?

Key dates

Questions by: midday, Tuesday 10 November 2026
Bids by: midday, Tuesday 17 November 2026

How bids are scored

Quality – Written Response 45% · Responsible Procurement 10% · Quality – Presentation 20% · Price 25%

Quality matters most. You can win without being the cheapest.

Competition

Typical: a median of 4 bids per contract for this buyer (from 27 awards in the last 12 months).

Framework

Winning puts you on a list of suppliers the buyer can call on; it does not guarantee work. The £5,000,000 is the most the buyer expects to spend across all suppliers over the framework's life, not one contract.

Tender documents

https://in-tendhost.co.uk/cardiffuniversity/aspx/Home

What the notice says

Cardiff University’s new Institute for Flexible Lifelong Learning, established in August 2026, brings together the University’s long established lifelong learning and professional development portfolios into a single Institute with an expanded, future-focused approach to flexible study. The Institute builds on our strong foundations with a clear ambition – to make Cardiff University a “learning partner for life”, offering education that fits around work, life and changing career needs. To support this ambition, Cardiff University are procuring the services of an Online Programme Management (OPM) as a flexible partner to provide specialist expertise and operational support for the development, launch and growth of a portfolio of fully online postgraduate programmes, with the first programmes expected to commence recruitment from Spring/Summer 2027 with the first cohort of students anticipated to start in academic year 2027/28.

Should I bid?

Tick what applies to you. Nothing is saved.

Can you prepare a good bid in 4 days?That is tight, especially for a first bid with this buyer.
Is a contract of about £5,000,000 a size you can deliver?Buyers often check that your turnover is comfortably larger than the yearly contract value.
Can you deliver in Wales?Check the delivery locations in the tender documents.
Are you registered on the Central Digital Platform?You need to be registered to take part under the Procurement Act 2023.
The buyer says this suits small businesses.A good sign if you are an SME, but check the requirements.

How to bid

Read the full notice on Find a Tender, including any tender documents it links to.
Register your organisation on the Central Digital Platform (through Find a Tender) if you have not already. Suppliers need to be registered to take part in procurements under the Procurement Act 2023.
Submit your bid through the buyer's e-tendering portal: in-tendhost.co.uk.
Send clarification questions before midday, Tuesday 10 November 2026.
Make sure your bid arrives before midday, Tuesday 17 November 2026. Late bids are usually rejected.

Timeline

10 July 2026Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 064991-2026
10 July 2026Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 065056-2026
27 August 2026Pipeline notice · UK1, notice 081970-2026
20 October 2026Tender notice · UK4, notice 098813-2026
21 October 2026Tender notice · UK4, notice 099269-2026
10 November 2026Tender notice · UK4, notice 106829-2026

About the buyer

Cardiff UniversityLast 12 months

Procurements

Awards

Suppliers it has used most for training

Field Studies Council1 contract
Gradcore Ltd1 contract
Oxford University Press1 contract
Symmons Madge Associates Limited1 contract

All tenders and awards from Cardiff University

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From notice 064991-2026 on Find a Tender, first published 10 July 2026, last updated 10 November 2026. We last checked for changes on 10 November 2026.