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UKRI –5498 TechFirst undergraduate and Spärck AI scholarships: Cohort Management Function (Lot 1), Recruitment Function (Lot 2)

Published 9 Sep 2026

9 Sep 2026

UK Research & Innovation (UKRI)

Primary CPV: 79996000 *
Business organisation services
Location: 🇬🇧 Swindon, South West
Value: £2,356,052
Contract: 1.1 years Duration
08/09/2026 30/09/2027
Contract Types: 79 *Business services: law, marketing, consu...
Full CPV Breakdown
SME suitable: Not stated

Publisher Address

Polaris House, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN2 1FL, United Kingdom · UKK14

Contact

Corporate Procurement

corporateprocurement@ukri.org

Award Criteria

Not specified

FULL DOCUMENTATION

Related tenders

UK Research & Innovation (UKRI)

All notices from this publisher

Same CPV code

79996000 *

All notices with this CPV code

Reference: UKRI-5498

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has awarded a contract for the provision of Recruitment Management Services (Lot 2) to support the delivery of its TechFirst Undergraduate and Spärck AI Scholarship programmes. The appointed supplier will deliver an end-to-end recruitment management service, including the design, promotion and delivery of recruitment campaigns to attract and engage prospective applicants. The service includes applicant outreach and engagement, management of the application process, candidate communications, administration of eligibility checks, coordination of assessment activities, and support throughout the selection process to ensure a high-quality candidate experience. The supplier will also work collaboratively with UKRI and other delivery partners to support programme governance, performance reporting and continuous improvement, contributing to the successful delivery of UKRI's strategic objectives.

Awarded to

PENNA PLC QA LIMITED

Full CPV breakdown

79996000 — Business organisation services (primary)

Notice details

Buyer type: Central government
Competition: Open competition (any supplier can bid)
Contract type: Services
Winning supplier: Large company
Lots: 2
Procurement method: Open procedure
Main category: Services
Legal basis: UKPGA 2023/54
Notice status: Complete
Award status: Active
Number of lots: 2
Language: EN
Published: 09 Sep 2026 10:08
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-066fdc
Notice ID: UKRI-5498

Organisations on this notice

QA LIMITED

Supplier Large

International House First Floor, 1 St Katharine's Way, London, E1W 1UN, United Kingdom

alexander.wood@qa.com

GB-PPON PLCZ-7371-DXGG

Penna Plc

Supplier Large

10 Bishops Square, London, E1 6BG, United Kingdom

tenders@penna.com

GB-PPON PTYB-2895-WWLN

Lots (2)

Lot 1

· Complete

Lot 2

· Complete

Full notice record

87 details

Everything the publisher included in this notice, organised by section.

Organisations

Party 1 › Name	UK Research & Innovation (UKRI)
Party 1 › Address › Street	Polaris House
Party 1 › Address › Town / city	Swindon, Wiltshire
Party 1 › Address › Postcode	SN2 1FL
Party 1 › Address › Country	GB
Party 1 › Address › Country	United Kingdom
Party 1 › Address › Region (NUTS)	UKK14
Party 1 › Contact › Name	Corporate Procurement
Party 1 › Contact › Email	corporateprocurement@ukri.org
Party 1 › Role	buyer
Party 1 › Link	https://www.ukri.org/
Party 1 › Classification › Description	Public authority - central government
Party 2 › Name	QA LIMITED
Party 2 › Address › Street	International House First Floor, 1 St Katharine's Way
Party 2 › Address › Town / city	London
Party 2 › Address › Postcode	E1W 1UN
Party 2 › Address › Country	GB
Party 2 › Address › Country	United Kingdom
Party 2 › Address › Region (NUTS)	UKI42
Party 2 › Contact › Email	alexander.wood@qa.com
Party 2 › Role	supplier
Party 2 › Business size	large
Party 2 › VCSEs	No
Party 2 › Public service mission organisation	No
Party 2 › Sheltered workshop	No
Party 3 › Name	Penna Plc
Party 3 › Address › Street	10 Bishops Square
Party 3 › Address › Town / city	London
Party 3 › Address › Postcode	E1 6BG
Party 3 › Address › Country	GB
Party 3 › Address › Country	United Kingdom
Party 3 › Address › Region (NUTS)	UKI42
Party 3 › Contact › Email	tenders@penna.com
Party 3 › Role	supplier
Party 3 › Business size	large
Party 3 › VCSEs	No
Party 3 › Public service mission organisation	No
Party 3 › Sheltered workshop	No

Buyer

Name	UK Research & Innovation (UKRI)

Tender

Title	UKRI –5498 TechFirst undergraduate and Spärck AI scholarships: Cohort Management Function (Lot 1), Recruitment Function (Lot 2)
Status	complete
Procedure type	open
Procedure	Open procedure
Lot › Lot 1 › Status	complete
Lot › Lot 2 › Status	complete
Document › Document type	Conflict of interest
Document › Description	Not published

Awards

Award 1 › Status	active
Award 1 › Category	services
Award 1 › Supplier › Name	QA LIMITED
Award 1 › Item › CPV › CPV 1 › Description	Business organisation services
Award 1 › Item › CPV › CPV 2 › Description	Project-management services other than for construction work
Award 1 › Item › Delivery › Region (NUTS)	UK
Award 1 › Item › Delivery › Country	GB
Award 1 › Item › Delivery › Country	United Kingdom
Award 2 › Status	active
Award 2 › Category	services
Award 2 › Supplier › Name	Penna Plc
Award 2 › Item › CPV › Description	Recruitment services

Contracts

Contract 1 › Title	UKRI-5498 TechFirst Undergraduate and Spärck AI Scholarships – Cohort Management Services (Lot 1)
Contract 1 › Status	active
Contract 1 › Contract period › Start	8 Sep 2026
Contract 1 › Contract period › End	30 Sep 2027
Contract 1 › Value › Value incl. VAT	£2,827,262.39
Contract 1 › Value › Value	£2,356,051.99
Contract 1 › Value › Currency	GBP
Contract 1 › Above threshold	Yes
Contract 1 › Signed	8 Sep 2026
Contract 1 › No Agreed Metrics Rationale	KPIs have been set for this contract, but not for publication and reporting through FTS
Contract 1 › Document › Document type	Contract notice
Contract 1 › Document › Description	Contract details notice on Find a Tender
Contract 1 › Document › Link	https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085218-2026
Contract 1 › Document › Published	9 Sep 2026
Contract 2 › Title	UKRI –5498 TechFirst undergraduate and Spärck AI scholarships: Cohort Recruitment Function (Lot 2)
Contract 2 › Status	active
Contract 2 › Contract period › Start	7 Sep 2026
Contract 2 › Contract period › End	21 Oct 2027
Contract 2 › Value › Value incl. VAT	£1,877,073.06
Contract 2 › Value › Value	£1,564,227.55
Contract 2 › Value › Currency	GBP
Contract 2 › Above threshold	Yes
Contract 2 › Signed	7 Sep 2026
Contract 2 › No Agreed Metrics Rationale	KPIs have been set for this contract, but not for publication and reporting through FTS
Contract 2 › Document › Document type	Contract notice
Contract 2 › Document › Description	Contract details notice on Find a Tender
Contract 2 › Document › Link	https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085218-2026
Contract 2 › Document › Published	9 Sep 2026

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