Mandarin Excellence Programme (2027 onwards)

Tender description

The Mandarin Excellence Programme runs until 31 August 2027, and the Department will be seeking to award a contract from 1 September 2027 for delivery of a programme to support the teaching of Mandarin in state-funded schools in England. Preliminary Market Engagement is being undertaken to inform and refine the DfE's requirements as it considers options for a programme to support the teaching of Mandarin in state-funded schools in England. This engagement is intended to support the development of a programme that is deliverable, value for money, and responsive to the needs of the education sector, while encouraging innovation and effective competition within the supplier market. The purpose of this engagement notice is to notify organisations of the Department's intention to enable interested parties, including prospective bidders, to sign up for an online information session on Wednesday 17 June 2026, 14:00 – 15:00. Information regarding this session will be available to those who register their interest on our e-tendering portal Jaggaer, https://education.app.jaggaer.com This is a zero-value notice for early market engagement and is not a call for competition. The Department for Education reserves the right not to enter a formal procurement process and not proceed with contract award.