What Government Procurement Rules exemption, if any, was used to exempt the contract awarded to Learning First in 2024/25 from a competitive tendering process and what process was followed in applying that exemption?

Answer

I am advised the Curriculum and Assessment Change Programme applied for a procurement exemption under Government Procurement Rule 14.9(c), which provides for an exemption to open tendering in the following circumstances: Only one supplier: If the goods, services or works can be supplied by only one supplier and there is no reasonable alternative or substitute because: i. for technical reasons there is no real competition. Please note, Government Procurement Rule 14.9(c) was used at the time. This has since been changed under new rules which came into effect on 1 December 2025.