Condition Improvement Fund guidance, DfE raises the bar on compliance – don’t let procurement sink your bid
Fresh guidance from the Department for Education makes it explicit: trusts must evidence compliant procurement of their CIF consultants in line with the Procurement Act 2023. Under heightened scrutiny, even perceived conflicts of interest between consultants and contractors can derail funding.
At the October Education Estates Conference, Warneford Consulting sponsored, chaired and organised a workshop on the impact of the new Procurement Act on schools. Watch the full session featuring Tim Warneford of Warneford Consulting here.
The session included Emma Wiltshire and Nicola Cullen from specialist procurement firm Capital Law, who shared expert insight and opinion on what the new legislation means for academy trusts. Their presentation slides are available here.
What the DfE now expects
The DfE’s latest guidance is clear: a higher standard of procurement compliance is now expected from trusts seeking CIF funding. Trusts must demonstrate a clear separation of interests between consultants and contractors to avoid any suggestion that advice is being influenced by those bidding for the work. Procurement must be transparent, with open competition that gives all qualified contractors a fair opportunity to tender. Finally, governance must be robust, with every decision traceable through audit-ready documentation. The DfE wants to see processes that can stand up to external scrutiny, not just outcomes that appear compliant.
For many trusts, this represents a step change in how procurement is managed. It means starting earlier, documenting every stage, and ensuring that procurement decisions are not only fair but seen to be fair.
How Warneford Consulting keeps you ahead
Warneford Consulting has developed a CIF-ready procurement system that makes early, compliant consultant procurement simple, effective, and fully aligned with DfE expectations. Our approach begins with clear separation of interests: consultants can recommend contractors based on technical capability but have no role in their appointment, ensuring impartiality at every stage.
As with Warneford’s School Condition Allocation funded MAT’s all competitions are run through a transparent Invitation to Tender (ITT) process, ensuring that contractors compete on a level playing field. The process is managed through the Delta eSourcing platform, which provides a complete audit trail, version control and DfE-aligned compliance checks. This gives governors, trustees and auditors full confidence that every decision can be evidenced.
By engaging early, trusts can secure the best consultants before the CIF rush, ensuring sufficient time to scope, plan and prepare bids that meet both technical and compliance criteria. The system also generates audit-ready documentation automatically, providing the reassurance that all procurement activity is fully defensible in the event of DfE review or external audit.
Act early, protect your funding for CIF 2026/27
The new guidance raises expectations, but it also offers an opportunity for well-prepared trusts to gain an advantage. By adopting a structured, transparent procurement approach now, you can reduce risk, strengthen your governance position, and give your bids the best possible chance of success.
Book a short workshop and we’ll map your procurement needs, demonstrate the workflow, and share templates you can use immediately to start your CIF preparation.
Schedule your workshop by contacting Tim Warneford: tim@warnefordconsulting.com
