Updating QQI Assessment Infrastructure 2026
Value
€160k
Deadline
30 Sep
30 Sep 2026
Value
€160k
Deadline
30 Sep
Research services to update Quality and Qualifications Ireland's standards-based assessment infrastructure for further and higher education sectors.
Research services to update QQI's assessment infrastructure for FET and HE sectors in Ireland.
Bidder profile
Firms with expertise in educational research, policy analysis, and quality assurance frameworks, capable of conducting national and international comparative studies.
Risks & flags
- Potential for extensions up to 3 months each
- Focus on quality assurance of assessment, not techniques
Briefing
AI-generated analysis of the documents. Check the official notice and any amendments for current submission details.
1. At a glance
Buyer Title CPV / category Estimated value Per-year Procedure type Lots Location Contract length Submission deadline Go-live / start | :------------------------- | :-------------------------------------------------------------------- | :------------- | :-------------- | :------- | :--------------- | :---------- | :------- | :-------------- | :------------------ | :-------------- | Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) RFT Updating QQI Assessment Infrastructure 2026 not stated €160,000 not stated Open procedure Not specified Ireland Up to 18 months 2026-09-30 12:00 not stated
2. Scope of Work
The Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) seeks research services to update its standards-based assessment infrastructure for further education and training (FET) and higher education (HE) in Ireland. The estimated contract value is €160,000 (excluding VAT) over an initial term of up to 18 months, with potential for two extensions of up to three months each.
The core objective is to establish a validated evidence base for QQI. This involves:
- Stakeholder Consultation: Discovering and documenting stakeholders’ views on issues relevant to updating the assessment infrastructure. This includes identifying what is currently working well and areas for improvement.
- Focus on Quality Assurance: The services will concentrate on the quality assurance of assessment, including its interpretations and uses, rather than specific assessment techniques.
- National Context Analysis: Understanding the national context for standards-based assessment. This includes examining how awarding bodies in Ireland satisfy themselves regarding the effectiveness of their standards-based assessment-related policies, considering both summative and formative assessment purposes.
- International Benchmarking: Comparing current Irish practices for the quality assurance of standards-based assessment (including interpretations and uses) with those of a selection of awarding bodies, providers, quality assurance agencies, and regulators in other countries.
The contractor will be responsible for the research, analysis, and reporting required to inform QQI's strategic decisions regarding its assessment infrastructure.
3. Background & buyer context
This procurement is driven by QQI's need to update its standards-based assessment infrastructure for both Further Education and Training (FET) and Higher Education (HE) sectors in Ireland. The initiative aligns with a broader strategic imperative to ensure the continued relevance and effectiveness of assessment quality assurance frameworks. The services are intended to provide QQI with an updated evidence base, incorporating stakeholder perspectives and international best practices, to inform future policy and operational development. No specific incumbent provider is mentioned in the provided documentation.
4. Eligibility & selection criteria
Bidders must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered:
- Turnover requirement: Not specified for this tender. Bidders must confirm they have the requisite turnover and financial capacity to complete the contract and will provide evidence upon request.
- Insurance: The successful tenderer must hold the following insurances for the term of the Services Contract:
- Employer’s Liability: €13,000,000 any one occurrence.
- Public Liability: €6,500,000 any one occurrence.
- Professional Indemnity: €200,000.
- Product Liability: N/A.
- Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
- Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
- Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
- Geographic / facility constraints: Services are to be provided within Ireland.
All mandatory requirements must be met, and confirmed via the European Single Procurement Document (eESPD).
5. Award criteria & scoring
The award criteria are not explicitly detailed with scoring weights in the provided extract. However, the following is stated:
Criterion Weight (%) Sub-criteria
Can you bid?
Public liability insurance
€6,500,000
Professional indemnity insurance
€200,000
Documents (1)
RFT Updating QQI Assessment Infrastructure 2026 15.7.26.docx
527.5 KB · RFT / Invitation to Tender
Original notice text
QQI is the Qualifications and Quality Assurance Authority of Ireland with responsibility for (among other things) - the external quality assurance of providers of further education (FET) and training or higher education (HE) (providers) in Ireland including designated, delegated and listed awarding bodies. - the external quality assurance of designated and listed awarding bodies that are not providers. - the provision of statutory guidelines on the quality assurance of education, training, research and related services. - determining national policies and criteria for access, transfer and progression in relation to learners (ATP), and monitoring the implementation of procedures for ATP by providers. - promoting, maintaining, further developing and implementing the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), which is a system of levels and types for awards of qualifications based on standards of knowledge, skill or competence . - deciding which awards are included in the NFQ. - facilitating the recognition of qualifications inside and outside the state. Those functions operate at system level or at the level of organisations providing programmes of education and training (providers). QQI is also an awarding body. It established standards for its awards, and awards qualifications to persons who have completed programmes of education and training that it has validated (validation is approval of a programme prior to its delivery) that are offered by providers of programmes without the authority to award NFQ qualifications. It can also delegate its authority to providers meeting certain criteria. Updating QQI’s assessment infrastructure may require changes/supplementation to, or impact upon, all the above in due course. It is important to appreciate that QQI’s infrastructure is primarily focussed on the quality assurance of standards-based formative and summative assessment and is not intended to guide on how to assess learners in specific situations. Any substantial changes to QQI’s assessment infrastructure will be preceded by consultation documents (green and white papers) that will provide stakeholders with opportunities to express their views on the issues and options at the green paper stage and on proposed new policy or guidelines at the white paper stage. QQI-award specific infrastructure needs to be replaced as soon as practicable. In replacing these we plan to separate policy and procedures relating to assessment that QQI needs to maintain as an awarding body from guidelines on the quality assurance of assessment that will be relevant to all providers.
AI analysis updated 13 hours, 31 minutes ago
Value
€160k
Deadline
30 Sep
Location
Services to be provided within Ireland.
Procedure
Open
Clarification
30 Sep 2026
eTenders ID
8683887
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