Market Engagement for Item Writing Services Framework for the Standards and Testing Agency

The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) is looking to procure suppliers for its new 2025-2029 item Writing Services Framework. This notice is to advise of our intention to engage with the market prior to potentially running a competitive procurement process to source item writing agencies for the new framework. As part of this early market engagement exercise, we wish to engage with suppliers to outline our requirements and explain how potential bidders may ready themselves for any competitive process that may follow. The event will also provide an opportunity for potential bidders to ask questions.

As part of the test development process, the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) on behalf of Department for Education (DfE) requires suppliers experienced in item writing to support the development of the Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 National Curriculum tests. We require a number of suppliers who are capable of understanding the relevant programmes of study, test frameworks and curricula for particular tests and developing high-quality test items, with accompanying mark schemes and/or coding frames. Successful suppliers will be added to the Item Writing Framework 2025-2029 and will have the opportunity to bid for each call-off from the framework between 1 September 2025 - 31 August 2029. Once an organisation has been accepted on to the framework, they will bid for item writing services contracts. An invitation to Tender (ITT) will be disseminated to all those on the framework for all work. Each call-off from this framework will provide detailed requirements including the subject and content domain areas, item types, mark range, difficulty range and other desired properties. The core requirements for the Item Writing Services Framework include the delivery of the following services in order to support the development of high-quality, accessible and inclusive items suitable for DfE assessments (Key stages 1 and 2 English grammar, punctuation & spelling, English reading and mathematics.

- Item writing - Informal item trialling - Reviewing, refining and amending items - Item classification - Design (items and texts) - Text searching / sourcing (English reading) - Reviewing texts (English reading) - Text selection (English reading)/Context selection (science) - Text trialling (English reading) - Informal item and text trialling (English reading) - Printing to meet handover or trialling requirements - Developing mark schemes - Developing coding frames - Administration/ organisation of various elements

Additional information: This online early market engagement event for interested parties will be held on Monday 2 December 2024 between 10:00-12:00 GMT. We welcome interest from parties who have expertise in the National Curriculum delivery and Item writing.

Notices

The publication of this notice does not signify the commencement of any procurement process and does not constitute any commitment by the Department for Education to undertake any procurement exercise.

In the event that the Department for Education might decide to commence any procurement process as contemplated by this notice, a separate notice will be published at the relevant time.

The DfE is keen to ensure that potential suppliers have as much notice as is possible about the services we wish to procure and this supports our agenda about encouraging engagement with Small and Medium Suppliers. Disclaimers and conditions: The Department retains the right to not procure and this early market engagement event is not binding. Any communication made between STA and any party in connection with this requirement, shall not be relied upon as constituting a contract, agreement or representation that any contract will necessarily be offered.

DfE/STA reserves the right to change without notice any documents and communications, in whole or in part. Under no circumstances shall DfE/STA incur any liability in respect of this supporting documentation and DfE/STA will not reimburse any costs incurred by any parties in connection with their use of these communications nor in connection with participation at the Early Market Engagement event.

This early market engagement event is suitable for suppliers that have knowledge, capacity and capability and track record to meet the requirements when the competition is published.