Community Justice Learning (Professional Qualification in Probation)

Ministry of JusticecontractFind a TenderRef ocds-h6vhtk-0504cdProcurement Act 2023Light-touch servicesSME suitableVCSE suitablepending
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Estimated value

Awarded value

£60.3m

Awarded 14 Jun 2026

Suppliers

4

Lots

4

4 awarded

Published

15 Jun 2026

Description

These contracts will deliver Community Justice Learning (CJL), which forms the academic component of the Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP) programme - the mandatory training route for all Probation Officers employed by the Probation Service. CJL comprises a BA (Hons) Degree or Graduate Diploma in Community Justice, alongside a Level 5 Vocational Qualification in Probation Practice, which is delivered in-house by His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) staff. Under Section 10 of the Offender Management Act 2007, the Secretary of State for Justice may determine the qualifications, experience and training required to practise as a Probation Officer. Since 1 April 2016, the PQiP has been the sole statutory route to qualification. HMPPS is the only employer of Probation Officers in England and Wales, and the PQiP programme is the only route to train and qualify for this profession. The Authority holds a CJL Course Design Framework, which defines the academic structure, outcomes and learning standards that all suppliers will be required to adopt and implement during the Mobilisation Phase. Suppliers will be required to design their academic course content in accordance with this framework and secure appropriate accreditation through the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) or Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ). The academic elements of the PQiP to be delivered under this contract include: • A Level 6 academic qualification forming the core programme which all learners must complete; and • Level 4 and Level 5 components providing advanced standing onto the core programme where required, depending on each learner’s prior learning and experience. Learning will be delivered through biannual cohorts across four standard entry routes: 1. Probation Services Officer Progression (PSOP); 2. Standard PQiP (post-graduate) – full-time; 3. Standard PQiP (post-graduate) – part-time; and 4. PQiP non-graduate route – full-time. Course duration will vary from between 15-30 months, depending on learners' prior learning and the appropriate entry route identified. From time to time, the Authority may commission ‘optional services’ from the suppliers, which would be related and complementary to the contracted Services but incidental and discrete in nature and could, for example, include (without limitation) specific short term academic research projects and mapping of qualifications. The estimated annual volume is approximately 1,200 learners (not guaranteed), divided across the below-stated four regional Lots: • Lot 1: London – estimated 22% market share • Lot 2: North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands and West Midlands– estimated 28% market share • Lot 3: North West, Greater Manchester, Wales– estimated 22% market share • Lot 4: East of England, Kent, Surrey and Sussex, South Central, South West– estimated 27% market share The delivery model is 100% virtual, with all learning conducted through live, synchronous online teaching (e.g. Microsoft Teams). Suppliers may offer face-to-face sessions at their own discretion and cost where they deem beneficial to learners. The contract term is 10.5 years, anticipated to commence in September 2026, structured as follows: • Mobilisation Phase (6 months): Development and finalisation of curriculum, securing accreditation, and readiness for delivery; • Service Delivery Phase (6.5 years): Delivery of up to 13 learner cohorts, beginning in March 2027; and • Teach-Out Phase (3.5 years): To allow all learners, including those who take a break in learning, enough time to complete the course before contract expiry.

Scope

Reference
ocds-h6vhtk-0504cd
Commercial tool
Standalone contract
Contract dates
31 Aug 2026 to 28 Feb 2037
CPV classifications
80000000
Contract locations
London, United Kingdom
North East England, United Kingdom
Yorkshire and the Humber, United Kingdom
East Midlands, United Kingdom
West Midlands, United Kingdom
North West England, United Kingdom
North West England, United Kingdom
Wales, United Kingdom
East of England, United Kingdom
South East England, United Kingdom
South East England, United Kingdom
South West England, United Kingdom
South East England, United Kingdom
Particular suitability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)

Award criteria

Criteria the buyer will use to evaluate bids.

NameDescriptionTypeWeighting
Section 1 - Delivery to Regions within LotsLot Specific Questionsquality
Section 2 - Course Mobilisation ServicesMobilisation Plan Academic and other Personal used during the Mobilisation Phasequality
Section 3 - Course Delivery Requirements and Curriculum, Teaching & AssessmentCourse Delivery Quality Assurance Academic Staff during course delivery Support services and Support Staffquality
Section 4: Supporting StudentsLearner Supportquality
Section 5 – Course Governance, Contract Management, Management Information and KPI’sPerformance Monitoring Risk Management and Contingency Plansquality
Section 6 - Social ValueCreating a pipeline of opportunities for the contract workforce, reducing barriers to entry for under-represented groups. Increasing productivity through physical and mental wellbeing: in the supply chain and communities in the relevant area.quality

Participation

Conditions suppliers must meet to bid.

FINANCIAL CAPACITY PSQ 12. Please refer to the FVRA template, instructions/guidance and evaluation criteria. PSQ 13. Are you relying on another Supplier to act as a guarantor? The Supplier acting as a guarantor will be required to complete the FVRA PSQ 13a. (If you answered Yes to PSQ 13), please provide this Supplier’s name and evidence of their economic and financial standing. INSURANCE PSQ 14. Please confirm whether you already have, or can commit to obtain, prior to Contract signature, the levels of insurance cover indicated below: a. Employer’s (Compulsory) Liability Insurance* = £10,000,000 any one occurrence the number of occurrences being unlimited in any annual period if insurance. b. Public and Products Liability Insurance = £10,000,000 in respect of any one occurrence, the number of occurrences being unlimited in any annual policy period, but £10,000,000 in the aggregate per annum in respect of products and pollution liability (to the extent insured by the policy] c. Professional Indemnity Insurance = £5,000,000 in respect of any one claim, and in the annual aggregate during the period of insurance d. Motor Third Party Liability Insurance ** = Unlimited each and every occurrence the number of occurrences being unlimited in any annual policy period for third party death / bodily injury claims and £1,000,000 any one occurrence the number of occurrences being unlimited in any annual policy period for third party property damage claim. *There is a legal requirement in the United Kingdom for certain employers to hold Employer’s Liability Insurance of £5 million as a minimum. See the Health and Safety Executive website for more information: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hse39.pdf ** There is a legal requirement in the United Kingdom for any user of a motor vehicle on the public highway to hold Motor Third Party Liability Insurance PSQ14a If you have answered ‘Yes’ to PSQ 14 please refer to the Insurance Response Table attached, fill out and submit in response to this PSQ 14a. COMPLIANCE WITH THE UK GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION PSQ15. Please confirm that you have in place, or will have in place by Contract signature, the human and technical resources to perform and comply with the GDPR clauses within Appendix 2: Terms and Conditions by Contract signature.

TECHNICAL ABILITY PSQ 16. Please confirm and provide evidence of your experience in the development and delivery of criminal justice degree programmes. Your response must demonstrate: Previous delivery of a at least one criminal justice degree programme, covering levels 4, 5 and 6 on the Recognised Qualifications Framework Please provide details of the scale of provision (e.g. number of students taught, duration of delivery), validation/accreditation details and levels taught (covering levels 4 – 6 inclusive on the Recognised Qualifications Framework). • That your organisation has established processes for developing and maintaining criminal justice curricula that are evidence-based and regularly updated in line with: • developments in the criminal justice sector (for example: policy and legislative changes, emerging research, advances in practice such as trauma-informed approaches, and new or evolving areas of criminal justice study such as cybercrime or counter-terrorism); and • the quality and standards expected within the higher education sector • That you have employed recognised teaching and learning approaches with reference to positive outcomes they have led to (e.g. retention, student feedback, external examiner comments) Please note the definition of criminal justice degree programmes includes, but is not limited to: • Criminology and Criminal Justice BSc/BA (Hons) • Policing Studies BA (Hons) • Criminal Investigation and Policing BA (Hons) • Counter Terrorism, Intelligence and Cybercrime BSc (Hons) • Applied Criminal Justice BSc (Hons) • Criminology and Law BA (Hons) • Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice BSc (Hons) • Youth Justice BA (Hons) Response format: two-page maximum limit for this question – Arial font, font size 12 TECHNICAL - DEGREE AWARDING POWERS PSQ 17. Do you currently have UK degree awarding powers? As with any Condition of Participation, you may rely on an Associated Person to fulfil this requirement PSQ 17a. If you have answered “No” to PSQ 17, please confirm if you (or an Associated Person) will be able to obtain UK degree awarding powers within 1 week of the date on which the Contract Award Notice is published by providing detail to demonstrate how you will achieve this. CYBER ESSENTIALS PSQ 18 - Do you currently have Cyber Essentials Certification? If not, please confirm you will have certification in place by the end of Mobilisation Milestone 1 (27th November 2026)

Submission & procedure

Procedure
Open procedure

Award details· 4 awards

Awarded supplier(s), contract period and value as published in the award notice.

Awarded value

£15.6m

Award date

14 Jun 2026

Contract start

07 Sept 2026

Contract end

07 Mar 2037

Lots · 4 total

Divisions of the contract. Each lot can be awarded separately.

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LotTitleEst. valueStatus
1Lot 1 - London£18.0mcomplete
2Lot 2 - North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands and West Midlands£22.8mcomplete
3Lot 3 - North West, Greater Manchester Wales£17.8mcomplete
4Lot 4 - East of England, Kent, Surrey and Sussex, South Central, South West£22.0mcomplete