Guidance

Appendix I – pricing guidance

Published 23 March 2026

Applies to England

The following sets out the pricing assessment related to each value band.

High value band only: engagement based selection route (EBSR) – preliminary invitation to tender (PITT)

A commercial tender

For a commercial tender, panel members must provide:

• a commercial tender for building cost, preliminaries and all additional fees and charges by supplying rates against set quantities provided by the framework user (all based on the available information)
• quantities and rates for external and abnormal work costs will be fixed by the framework user for the purpose of any returns made at preliminary invitation to tender (PITT) and will not be adjusted by any potential supplier at this stage - these will be determined during the invitation to tender (ITT) stage
• quantities and rates for furniture fittings and equipment (FF&E), ICT, planning and building regulation fees and refurbishment and temporary accommodation will be fixed by the framework user for the purpose of any returns made at PITT and will not be adjusted by any potential supplier at this stage - these will be determined during the ITT stage
• the total commercial return will be assessed relative to the original DfE budget, with a maximum of 8% available, it will also be assessed relative to the lowest overall tender, with a maximum of 12% available, the total maximum marks available for the commercial return is 20%

A written response to the pricing qualitative questions

For a written response to the pricing qualitative questions, panel members must provide:

• a written response to explain how their pricing proposal is realistic, project specific and achievable
• a written response to explain how they will consider and minimise whole life costing, operational maintenance and carbon impact
• a written response that will be assessed against a set quality criterion, providing a maximum total qualitative score of 10 marks

High value band only: engagement based selection route (EBSR) – invitation to tender (ITT)

A commercial tender

For a commercial tender, panel members must provide:

• a commercial tender for building cost, preliminaries and all additional fees and charges by using rates previously submitted during the PITT process and their own assessment of the quantities required to meet the supplier’s design proposals, which must be determined during the ITT process (all based on the available information)
• quantities and rates for external and abnormal works must be measured and priced, to meet the suppliers design proposals, during the ITT stage
• quantities and rates for FF&E, ICT, planning and building control fees, refurbishment and temporary accommodation works must be measured and priced, to meet the supplier’s design proposals, during the ITT stage, subject to adjustments in line with the pricing rules and guidance, the total commercial return is to be the final contract sum
• the total commercial return that will be assessed relative to the original DfE budget, with a maximum of 8% available, the total commercial return will also be assessed relative to the lowest overall tender, with a maximum of 12% available, the total maximum marks available for the commercial return is 20%

A written response to the pricing qualitative questions

For a written response to the pricing qualitative questions, panel members must provide:

• a written response to explain how their pricing proposal is realistic, project specific and achievable
• a written response to explain how they will manage cost and risk effectively to deliver the scheme within the submitted cost
• a written response that will be assessed against a set quality criterion, providing a maximum total qualitative score of 10 marks
• confirmation that they have included for the full scope of works and associated costs in order to deliver their design proposals and that this is in line with the employer’s requirements

Submission-based selection route (SBSR) – invitation to tender (ITT)

A commercial tender

For a commercial tender, panel members must provide:

• a commercial tender for the:
  • building cost – quantities are fixed by the framework user and subject to planning obligations, there will be no further adjustment to the funded area of the building, the rates must be determined by each supplier’s assessment of the scheme requirements
  • preliminaries – suppliers must determine the quantities and rates required
  • external and abnormal works – quantities are fixed by the framework user, to be remeasured during the pre-construction services agreement (PCSA) period, suppliers must determine the rates for each item, which will be used in the valuation of any changes to the quantities during the PCSA period
  • additional fees and charges – quantities and rates are to be determined by the supplier, who must not exceed any rates provided at framework ITT
  • ICT, planning and building control fees and refurbishment and temporary accommodation – quantities are fixed by the framework user, and suppliers must determine the rates for each item
  • FF&E – quantities are fixed by the framework user, initially at the start of the CF25 framework, the rate will be set using a £ per m2 allowance, a working FF&E schedule is under construction and, when live, suppliers will be expected to price this during any call-off in competition
• the total commercial return will be assessed relative to the original DfE budget, with a maximum of 8% available, the total commercial return will also be assessed relative to the lowest overall tender, with a maximum of 12% available, the total maximum marks available for the commercial return is 20%

A written response to the pricing qualitative questions

For a written response to the pricing qualitative questions, panel members must provide:

• a written response to explain how their pricing proposal is realistic, project specific and achievable
• a written response to explain how they will consider and minimise whole life costing, operational maintenance and carbon impact
• a written response that will be assessed against a set quality criterion, providing a maximum total qualitative score of 10 marks

Direct allocation and future schemes – invitation to submit proposal (ISP)

A commercial tender

For a commercial tender:

• the framework user will have issued a framework pricing schedule with completed funding calculation (feasibility cost plan) to all bidders via the portal
• the budget will be prepared using contractor specific rates and fees, supplied at framework level. Suppliers are not permitted to adjust any prices or quantities, except for any reduction to any fees and charges listed the framework pricing Schedule B2.3 to B2.6.2, as noted in Part A pricing rules and guidance. Therefore, the cost submission must be less than or equal to the funding level set by the framework user, and compliant with all fixed priced elements as set out in Part A pricing rules and guidance. On this basis, compliance with the pricing rules and DfE budget will be marked as a pass. However, any non-compliance or bids that exceed the DfE budget will be marked as a fail

A written response to the pricing qualitative questions

For a written response to the pricing qualitative questions, panel members must provide:

• a written response to explain how their pricing proposal is realistic, project specific and achievable
• a written response to explain how they will consider and minimise whole life costing, operational maintenance and carbon impact
• a written response that will be assessed against a set quality criterion, providing a maximum total qualitative score of 10 marks