WSCC Independent Alternative Provision (IAP) Open Framework
The submission route named on the official notice.
This is a large award for Education & Training — above three-quarters of comparable contracts. Based on 23,516 valued Education & Training tenders in our corpus.
West Sussex County Council publishes Education & Training work continuously — 22 notices, roughly one every 67 days. This is a stream to watch, not a cycle to wait for.
57% of West Sussex County Council’s awards go to a supplier it has used before.
Which is the argument for getting on the list rather than winning this one. The incumbent is rarely the last winner — it is the roster. See the retention odds by category →
The Authority is committed to ensuring access to high-quality education for all Learners, in line with statutory duties under the Education Act.
To achieve this, we commission Independent Alternative Provision (IAP) to complement mainstream education, provide short-term interventions, and deliver Education Other Than At School (EOTAS) packages where appropriate.
This Framework will operate in addition to the Authority’s commissioned placements at the Ofsted-regulated West Sussex Alternative Provision College (APC), which offers full-time education.
The Framework aims to secure safe, high-quality Alternative Provision that: acts as an intervention, not a destination; supports timely reintegration and/or transition of Learners into long-term education, training, or employment; and meets the individual needs of Learners, particularly Learners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) with a particular demand on provisions supporting Learners with Social Emotional Mental Health (SEMH) and Autism.
For Clarity the Framework is due to run from September 1st 2026 for an initial period of two years.
Bidders can apply from September 1st 2026 until the end of the framework.
Please disregard dates of award and submission deadline below.
The Framework has been updated to align with the Non-School Alternative Provision Voluntary National Standards (August 2025), ensuring Suppliers meet nationally recognized benchmarks for quality and safeguarding.
Structure of the Framework This opportunity does not include separate Lots.
Suppliers may apply for one or more Tiers and can request to add additional Tiers at any point during the Framework term.
Tier 1: Provision commissioned by schools for Learners at risk of placement breakdown (e.g., short-term intervention to maintain engagement).
Tier 2: Transitional placements commissioned by the Authority while seeking a permanent education setting.
Tier 3: Provision commissioned by the Authority for Learners with an agreed EOTAS package.
Tier 4: Specialist targeted support commissioned by the Authority for Learners supported by a multi-disciplinary team.
The Tender Document pack , including full details of the services required, can be viewed via the Authority’s e-tendering Portal. https://atamis-7669.my.site.com/s/Welcome
What the notice asks for
To achieve this, we commission Independent Alternative
To achieve this, we commission Independent Alternative Provision (IAP) to complement mainstream education, provide short-term interventions, and deliver Education Other Than At School (EOTAS) packages where appropriate.
Tier 1: Provision commissioned by schools
Tier 1: Provision commissioned by schools for Learners at risk of placement breakdown (e.g., short-term intervention to maintain engagement).
Tier 4: Specialist targeted support commissioned by
Tier 4: Specialist targeted support commissioned by the Authority for Learners supported by a multi-disciplinary team.
Sentences from the notice that state an obligation, surfaced automatically and shown in the order they appear. Not an exhaustive list — always confirm against the tender documents.
What it takes to bid this
Typical UK bid effort for the £10m+ band — an estimate, not a quote.
Qualify & bid/no-bid ~10% · SQ / PQQ ~20% · Written response ~55% · Review & presentation ~15%
Typical for this category — confirm against the ITT pack
- Show at bidComparable references / case studies
- Hold at bidFinancial standing (accounts, often ~2× contract value turnover)
- Hold at bidInsurance cover (PL / EL, often PI)
- Show at bidSocial value commitments
Hold at bid = pass/fail conditions of participation. Show at bid = scored in the quality response. Plan for delivery = contract obligations from day one.
Make the case to bid
Reveal who to approach at West Sussex County Council, and generate a go-to-market strategy from their news, accounts and people.
Free to start. Named contacts come from published notices; the strategy is generated from the buyer’s news, accounts and people.
The full intelligence dossier
Our agent reads West Sussex County Council’s accounts, hunts live signals, finds the people who decide — and hands you a bid strategy plus a go-to-market influence plan, including what your team should post this week. You approve every paid step.
Five included while we’re in beta, and the agent asks before it spends on any paid step.
- OCID
- ocds-h6vhtk-06efd3
- Stage
- tender · Open
- Source
- Find a Tender
- Buyer ref
- 082798-2026
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source data © Crown copyright.
Who wins this kind of work
The suppliers and buyers around this opportunity — drawn from official award data. Drag to orbit; click a node to explore.
Top suppliers & buyers in Education & Training
West Sussex County Council’s tender network