The Department for Education could face a possible legal challenge over the procurement process for the long-anticipated £121 million Institute of Teaching (IoT) contract, Tes understands.
The Ambition Institute led consortium, which had bid for the contract, is understood to be considering legal action after DfE named rival School Led Development Trust (SLDT) - comprising the Harris Federation, Outwood Grange Academies Trust, Star Academies and Oasis Community Learning - as the preferred bidder last month.
Ambition Institute, who lead a consortium, including Ark, which lost out on the bid last month, was previously understood to be seeking clarification on the process ahead of official confirmation of the successful bid.
Last month, it was revealed that a consortium of multi-academy trusts had been selected as the preferred bidder to deliver the IoT.
It is understood the challenge is focused on the procurement process and not the decision to name SLDT as the preferred bidder.
Tes understands concerns are also now being raised over delivery schedules for the IoT, as it is due to open its doors in September this year, but the contract has yet to be confirmed.
Tes previously revealed that the government had set aside £121 million to fund the IoT over six years. It is set to train 1,000 new teachers a year.
The DfE previously said the IoT would be “England’s flagship teacher training and development provider”, designed to show “exemplary delivery of the government’s ambitious reforms”.
According to the department, the provider would offer training to around 2,000 early career teachers and 2,000 mentors per year, as well as 1,000 participants in National Professional Qualification leadership training.
But James Noble-Rogers, executive director of the Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers, told Tes at the time that “what added value” the IoT “will bring is unclear”.
Ambition has declined to comment.
Tes has contacted the SLDT and the DfE for comment.
