How to win: SEND Reform Investments Evaluation - Market Engagement Information

About this contract

The Department for Education is considering commissioning an independent evaluation of key SEND reform investments designed to strengthen inclusion in mainstream settings and improve support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The Department is exploring a single contract comprising three interconnected evaluation components: - An overarching SEND Reform Investments Evaluation - An evaluation of Experts at Hand (EaH) - An evaluation of the Inclusive Mainstream Fund (IMF) The evaluation will assess the extent to which these investments are building workforce capability, inclusive practice, local system capacity and partnerships needed to support future phases of SEND reform. The overarching evaluation will synthesise evidence across a range of SEND reform programmes to understand whether the initial investment period is creating the conditions necessary for successful implementation of a reformed SEND system from 2029/30 onwards. The Department is interested in engaging with potential suppliers to discuss the feasibility, design and delivery of evaluations of this scale and complexity. We anticipate suppliers will require

How to win contracts like this

• ✓Answer against the marking scheme, not the question text — Department for Education scores each response, so map your evidence to the published criteria and weightings.
• ✓Lead with evidenced capability and social value — for Research and development services and related consultancy services work these usually outweigh price.
• ✓Show recent, comparable delivery: name similar Research and development services and related consultancy services contracts you've delivered for public bodies, with measurable outcomes.
• ✓Start early: it closes 19 October 2026 and a strong bid takes iteration.

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