Non-Statutory Specialist Pre-School Provision (NSP) for Children with Complex Needs and Severe Learning Difficulties

The Education Authority
Northern Ireland
Open procedure
1 September 2025 to 31 August 2026

Delivery of non-statutory specialist pre-school services for children with complex needs and severe learning difficulties. The service requires staff trained in areas such as augmentative communication, sensory integration, medical support (e.g., PEG, oxygen, epilepsy awareness), and manual handling. Providers must implement structured session planning, classroom adaptations, and individualised risk assessments aligned with pupils' statements of special educational needs.

Open the official notice

Awarded value: £1.7m; As published
Published: 27 May 2025
Awarded: 15 August 2025; Royal Mencap Society, Kids Together Belfast, Solas and 2 more
Contract length: 12 months; Ends 31 August 2026

What the contract covers

Contract(s)

Provision of specialist pre-school educational and care services for children with complex needs and severe learning difficulties.

Non-Statutory Specialist Pre-School Provision (NSP) for Children with Complex Needs and Severe Learning Difficulties

Terms and requirements

Contract type: Contract(s)
Procedure: Open procedure
Initial term: 12 months
Extensions: 24 months
Longest it can run: 36 months
Contract dates: 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2026
Certifications asked for: None stated
Lots: 1
Suitable for SMEs: Yes
Suitable for charities and social enterprises: Yes
Category: Services
CPV codes: 80110000, 80490000, 80000000

Services in this contract

Early learning and childcare placesMain service£688k typicalSpecialist pre-school provision for children with complex needs

Lifecycle

Published
27 May 2025
Contract awardedto Royal Mencap Society, Kids Together Belfast, Solas and 2 more
15 August 2025
Contract starts
1 September 2025
Contract ends
31 August 2026

The buyer

The Education Authority

Type: Locked
Contracts, 24 months: Locked
Recorded value: Locked
Typical contract: Locked
Early learning and childcare contracts, 24 months: Locked

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Contact details

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Address: Locked

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The suppliers

Royal Mencap Society

Contracts won, 24 months: Locked
Value won, 24 months: Locked

Kids Together Belfast

Contracts won, 24 months: Locked

Solas

Contracts won, 24 months: Locked

and 2 more

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Cite this contract

Link: https://bidskim.com/tender/322534/non-statutory-specialist-pre-school-provision-nsp-for-children-with-complex-need
Buyer reference: EDR-25-006
Open contracting ID: ocds-h6vhtk-05271b
Last checked: 5 November 2026

The Education Authority. Non-Statutory Specialist Pre-School Provision (NSP) for Children with Complex Needs and Severe Learning Difficulties. Contract award, 27 May 2025. BidSkim, https://bidskim.com/tender/322534/non-statutory-specialist-pre-school-provision-nsp-for-children-with-complex-need (accessed 5 November 2026).