WSTLAT Provision of Supply Agency Services

What the buyer is asking for

This collaborative tender opportunity has been issued by Westcountry Schools Trust and Learning Academies Trust. The proposed contracts will be for the provision of supply agency services. The service is intended to provide access to safe, compliant and good quality agency workers when required, while supporting the Trust’s objectives of continuity of provision, safeguarding compliance, operational flexibility and value for money. The tender has been divided into Lots to reflect the two Academy Trusts and the different geographical areas in which the service will be delivered. The intention is to award four (4) separate contracts for each Lot following evaluation of tenders The contracts will be for a period of three (3) years, with the possible extension of two (2) further years in 12-month intervals (3 + 1 + 1).

How this is scored

Published by the buyer. A winning response is written to these weightings, not to the question.

• 60%qualityQualitySupply Agency Provider 20.0% Provision of Supply Agency Workers 20.0% Vetting Processes 10.0% Contract Mobilisation & Management 10.0% Total % 60.0%
• 40%pricePriceLowest Pay Rate Charge to the Trust Per Teacher (Primary & Secondary) - Casual Cover – less than 12 weeks 20.0% Lowest Average Pay Rate Charge to the Trust Per Teacher (Primary & Secondary) Full Responsibility – Average Pay Rate less than12 weeks 2.5% Lowest Average Pay Rate Charge to the Trust Per Teaching Assistant / HLTA – Average Pay Rate less than12 weeks 10.0% Lowest Average Pay Rate Charge to the Trust - Other Staff Model – Average Pay Rate less than12 weeks 2.5% Lowest Average Pay Rate Charge to the Trust – All Staff - Average Pay Rate more than12 weeks 5.0%

What you must already have

Conditions of participation. These are pass or fail, so check them before writing anything.

• economic

  Financial Appraisal To constitute a pass, Tenderers must demonstrate their economic and financial standing in accordance with the following: Due diligence checks will be undertaken on the preferred Tenderer’s accounts to determine a Tenderer’s financial standing. This will incorporate credit checks and a financial appraisal. To constitute a pass, tenderers must: a) Complete a credit check & financial appraisal. No outstanding CCJs or bankruptcy must be shown. A financial appraisal will be based upon the organisation’s gearing ratio, with an acceptable target ratio of approximately 2:1 Any answers which lead the Trust, acting reasonably, to conclude, considering the risk that the relevant answer suggests about the Tenderer’s ability to properly perform the specification, the Tenderer may be rejected. Confirm whether you already have, or can commit to obtain, prior to the award of the contract, the levels of insurance cover indicated below: a. Employer’s (Compulsory) Liability Insurance* = £10m b. Public Liability Insurance = £5m c. Professional Indemnity Insurance = £1m

• technical

  Provide details of up to three contracts to meet conditions of participation relating to technical ability set out in the relevant notice or procurement documents, in any combination from the education sector. To constitute a pass, the contract examples provided shall be relevant to the requirement, with a sufficient level of detail that provides confidence in the Tenderer’s established past experience in similar and relevant projects/contracts. If you cannot provide at least one example of previous contracts, please provide an explanation for this and how you meet the conditions of participation relating to technical ability.

4 lots

You can usually bid for one lot without bidding for all of them.

• Lot 1a – Westcountry Schools Trust Cornwall£1.3m

  Includes 6 Schools. Details of the school sites in Lot 1a Cornwall can be found in Document 2 Specification - Appendix A.

• Lot 1b - Westcountry Schools Trust Devon£2.0m

  Includes 13 Schools. Details of the school sites in Lot 1b Devon can be found in Document 2 Specification - Appendix A.

• Lot 1c - Westcountry Schools Trust Plymouth£2.0m

  Includes 12 Schools. Details of the school sites in Lot 1c Plymouth can be found in Document 2 Specification - Appendix A.

• Lot 2 – Learning Academies Trust£6.5m

  Includes 18 Schools. Details of the school sites in Lot 2 LAT can be found in Document 2 Specification - Appendix A.

How contested is this?

Buyers publish how many bids they received. Across 69 comparable procurements we can tell you the typical field size, how often one of these goes uncontested, and whether the buyer awards on price or on quality.

Timeline

4 published dates · Europe/London

1. Tender notice published16 days ago

   22 Oct 2026, 08:11 BST
2. Clarification questions by14 days ago

   23 Oct 2026, 12:00 BST
3. Submission deadlinein 24 days

   30 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT
4. Award decision expected byin 59 days

   4 Jan 2027, 23:59 GMT

Commercial outcome and contract awards

Nothing awarded yet

Notice history

2 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender

1. Tender notice21 Oct 2026, 15:03 BST099580-2026
2. Tender updated22 Oct 2026, 08:11 BST099739-2026

Payment terms

Invoices are to be submitted in arrears in a format agreed by the Trust. The Provider must ensure that invoices are raised without delay. Payments will be made by BACS. Payment Terms of 30 days. Invoices shall be supported by detailed information in a format as agreed with the Trust.

Documents

• Tender notice on Find a Tender