Logistics Service for General Qualifications Exams

The Department for Education (DfE) is seeking to re-procure its General Qualifications Logistics Service (GQLS), which manages the collection and delivery of exam scripts from secondary and further education establishments across England for marking. The service operates year-round with peak activity during the summer examination series (May-June). This procurement will be conducted through the Crown Commercial Service Courier, Distribution, Storage and Specialist Solutions Framework (RM6354), Lot 3c. The estimated contract value for the initial 5-year term is £40-49 million. Before issuing the formal Invitation to Tender (ITT), DfE is conducting one-to-one market engagement sessions with registered framework suppliers to gather feedback on service requirements, explore market innovations, identify potential risks and challenges, and ensure the procurement approach reflects best practice and current market capability. These engagement sessions are for information gathering purposes only and will not influence future procurement evaluations or provide competitive advantage.