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Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) for the procurement of Adult Skills Fund sub-contractors for DurhamLearn

Durham County Council · Local authority

In brief

Durham County Council has announced plans to buy training and education work. This is an early notice: there is nothing to bid on yet, but it tells you a tender may follow.

The notice does not state a value.

The contract runs for 3 years, starting 1 August 2026.

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

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

Can I win this?

Competition

Usually high: a median of 13 bids per contract for this buyer (from 85 awards in the last 12 months).

What the notice says

he Council are inviting suppliers to participate in preliminary engagement to gain insight from the market with the purpose of making any potential future exercise, well framed, feasible, focused and of likely interest to the market. This preliminary market engagement questionnaire is to gauge the scope of interest from potential providers, based in the North East Combined Authority region. DurhamLearn, supporting the NECA Local Growth Plan, aims to invest in skills, improve access to employment and reduce the digital divide. "By unlocking the potential of our people through increased skills, better and more employment, and improved health outcomes, we can increase productivity and help…Read the full description
he Council are inviting suppliers to participate in preliminary engagement to gain insight from the market with the purpose of making any potential future exercise, well framed, feasible, focused and of likely interest to the market. This preliminary market engagement questionnaire is to gauge the scope of interest from potential providers, based in the North East Combined Authority region. DurhamLearn, supporting the NECA Local Growth Plan, aims to invest in skills, improve access to employment and reduce the digital divide. "By unlocking the potential of our people through increased skills, better and more employment, and improved health outcomes, we can increase productivity and help drive the UK's Growth Mission." DurhamLearn will focus on: • A range of non-accredited programmes to help those furthest from the labour market • Accredited qualifications • Short intensive employer led courses, allowing skills specific training into work The questionnaire focuses on the following key areas. • developing the authority's requirements and approach to the procurement • identifying providers that may be able to supply the services required. The benefits to your organisation in participating in this process include: • the chance to assess whether the opportunity will be suitable and of interest to you • the chance to attract new training organisations There is no commercial advantage or disadvantage to your organisation being involved in this exercise.

How to bid

  1. Read the full notice on Find a Tender, including any tender documents it links to.
  2. 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.
  3. Follow the submission instructions in the notice; it does not name an e-tendering portal.

Timeline

  1. Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 006766-2026

About the buyer

Durham County CouncilLast 12 months

Procurements

267

Awards

159

Suppliers it has used most for training

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From notice 006766-2026 on Find a Tender, first published 26 January 2026. We last checked for changes on 28 September 2026.