Theory Test Services

The Authority is procuring a TCN Supplier in each regional Lot to deliver the Theory Test Centre Network (TCN) Service, providing secure and accessible front end test delivery for all theory test types across Great Britain and Northern Ireland. DVSA are procuring, and contracting for, the service on behalf of the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) in Northern Ireland. The Service must deliver a fully compliant Test Centre estate that meets the Authority’s 40/40 accessibility requirement, ensuring all Candidates are located within 40 minutes (urban) or 40 miles (rural) of a test centre in each region. In Northern Ireland, mandatory test centre provision is required in Ballymena, Belfast, Londonderry, Omagh, Portadown and Newry. All proposed sites will require Authority approval during implementation.

The TCN Supplier will be responsible for providing a responsive scheduling system offering a real time, six month forward view of test availability to the Authority’s booking systems, reflecting test duration, demand and test type requirements. The Service includes delivery of on-site invigilation to maintain test integrity; detection and deterrence of fraud; and support for incident reporting and investigative activity integrating with Authority systems.

The TCN Supplier must provide all necessary infrastructure and technology within each test centre, including secure hardware and software, on premises server capability, resilient network connectivity, CCTV, and sufficient equipment to deliver all standard and non-standard test adjustments for candidates with additional needs. The Service must support Welsh language options, voiceovers, British Sign Language (BSL), and—where applicable—additional language voiceovers in Northern Ireland. TCN Suppliers must also deliver approved Non Standard Adjustments including extra time, separate testing rooms, adapted equipment, signers, interpreters, language modifiers, readers, recorders, audio requirements (NI only), and home testing (not remote proctoring) where authorised.

Multi client test sites are permitted provided they do not impede delivery of the Authority’s requirements and only with Authority approval. The TCN Service excludes delivery of tests in In House Theory Test Centres (IHTTCs).

Further details of the scope are contained in the procurement documents (which include the draft contract), which are available on the Jaggaer portal.

Lotting:

The TCN Service is packaged into three regional Lots of broadly equivalent historic and forecast test volumes based on Government Office Region geographies:

• Region 1: includes the Government Office Regions of Scotland, North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber and Northern Ireland.

• Region 2: includes the Government Office Regions of Wales, West Midlands, South East and South West.

• Region 3: includes the Government Office Regions of East Midlands, East of England and London.

The Authority is seeking to appoint a different TCN Supplier in each regional Lot at contract award stage to develop a more diversified supply base. However, there is no limit on the number of Lots that a supplier can bid for. In certain circumstances, where defined objective eligibility and value for money criteria are met, a supplier may be awarded a maximum of two regional Lots, while a one-Lot cap applies where such criteria are not met. The detail of this is set out in the contract award mechanism in the procurement documents.

Additional Services:

The Authority has identified several potential future developments that may be explored through the regional contracts and in the delivery of the TCN Service. These Additional Services fall within the overall scope of the contract and may, where required, be implemented through the contract’s change control procedure. The Authority is therefore clearly signalling these areas to the market at this stage, and further detail is available in the procurement documents.

The Additional Services are:

• Exploring remote testing/proctoring technology in the delivery of the Service.

• Exploring the use of end‑to‑end cloud architecture in the delivery of the Service.

• Adding other Authority or Department for Transport tests into Service delivery.

• Adding wider government tests into Service delivery.

• Enabling validation of Digital Driving Licences.

• Enhanced identification checking.

Key Dates

Publication date: Tuesday 7 April 2026

Supplier Engagement Event: Tuesday 14 April 2026 (online webinar) - Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams - https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/6872fd4f-a164-467a-8d86-2bb14f0e04cb@a455b827-244f-4c97-b5b4-ce5d13b4d00c

PSQ Clarification Deadline: 5PM on Wednesday 22 April 2026

PSQ SUBMISSION DEADLINE: NOON ON TUESDAY 5 MAY 2026

Suppliers notified of PSQ outcome: Friday 19 June 2026

Invitation to Participate in Dialogue (ItPD) formally issued to Suppliers shortlisted through PSQ in each Lot: Monday 22 June 2026

Supplier Engagement Event: Wednesday 1 July 2026 (in person in Nottingham)

Initial individual supplier dialogue: Thursday 9 – Friday 10 July 2026

INITIAL TENDER SUBMISSION DEADLINE: NOON FRIDAY 14 AUGUST 2026

Supplier dialogue: Monday 28 September – Friday 13 November 2026

Invitation to Submit Final Tenders (ISFT) formally issued to Suppliers: Monday 14 December 2026

FINAL TENDER SUBMISSION DEADLINE: NOON FRIDAY 29 FEBRUARY 2027

Expected award: Monday 2 August 2027

Service Implementation Period: Monday 2 August 2027 – Tuesday 5 September 2028

Operational Commencement Date: Wednesday 6 September 2028

Contract end: 5 September 2035

Extension options: +2 years (potential maximum term 9 years to 5 September 2037)