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AwardedAwarded 8 September 2026

UKRI –5498 TechFirst undergraduate and Spärck AI scholarships: Cohort Management Function (Lot 1), Recruitment Function (Lot 2)

UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) · Central government

In brief

UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) awarded consultancy and IT and software work to Qa Limited and Penna Plc on 8 September 2026.

The notice gives a value of £5,430,502 excluding VAT.

The contract runs for 14 months, starting 15 July 2026.

It is split into 2 lots, so a supplier can bid for part of the work.

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.

What the notice says

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has awarded a contract for the provision of Recruitment Management Services (Lot 2) to support the delivery of its TechFirst Undergraduate and Spärck AI Scholarship programmes. The appointed supplier will deliver an end-to-end recruitment management service, including the design, promotion and delivery of recruitment campaigns to attract and engage prospective applicants. The service includes applicant outreach and engagement, management of the application process, candidate communications, administration of eligibility checks, coordination of assessment activities, and support throughout the selection process to ensure a high-quality candidate experience. The supplier will also work collaboratively with UKRI and other delivery partners to support programme governance, performance reporting and continuous improvement, contributing to the successful delivery of UKRI's strategic objectives.

Lots

LotTradeValue
Lot 1: Cohort Management Function
15 July 2026 to 31 August 2027
What this lot covers

Focus: programme delivery, student engagement, events, placements, stakeholder management

IT services and software, Training, Education services, Management consultancy, Recruitment and staffing, Marketing and communications£2,665,239
Lot 2: Recruitment Function
15 July 2026 to 31 August 2027
What this lot covers

Focus: recruitment campaigns, application management, candidate assessment

IT services and software, Recruitment and staffing£2,765,263

Who won

WinnerLotValueDates
Qa LimitedLot 1: Cohort Management Function£2,356,052
Awarded 16 July 2026
8 September 2026 to 30 September 2027
Penna Plc
9 bids received
Lot 2: Recruitment Function£1,564,228
Awarded 5 August 2026
7 September 2026 to 21 October 2027

Values as the award notice gives them, excluding VAT where stated.

Timeline

  1. Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 025562-2026
  2. Tender notice · UK4, notice 036797-2026
  3. Contract award notice · UK6, notice 073270-2026
  4. Contract award notice · UK6, notice 074401-2026
  5. Contract details notice · UK7, notice 085218-2026

About the buyer

UK Research & Innovation (UKRI)Last 12 months

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1896

Awards

1737

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From notice 025562-2026 on Find a Tender, first published 20 March 2026, last updated 9 September 2026. We last checked for changes on 28 September 2026.