Danish Agency for Education and Quality Secures DKK 99.9 Million Framework for Personal Assistance Services

A nationwide framework agreement for the provision of personal assistance services worth up to DKK 119.9 million has been awarded by the Danish Agency for Education and Quality (Styrelsen for Undervisning og Kvalitet). The contract, won by DUOS A/S, demonstrates how the Danish education system supports students with disabilities through personal assistance services, including secretarial help, practical assistance, and support person arrangements.

Introduction

Every student with a disability in Denmark deserves the support they need to succeed in their education. The Danish Agency for Education and Quality has taken a significant step to ensure this by awarding a new nationwide framework agreement for the provision of personal assistance services. The contract covers secretarial help, practical assistance, and support person arrangements for students who have been granted special educational support.

While not a headline-grabbing infrastructure deal, this contract is fundamental to ensuring that students with disabilities across Denmark have access to the personal assistance they need to participate fully in education. It reveals a great deal about how the Danish education system provides support for students with special needs through a nationwide framework.

Why This Contract Matters

The Danish Agency for Education and Quality (Styrelsen for Undervisning og Kvalitet - STUK) is responsible for supporting educational institutions across Denmark in providing high-quality education. One of its key functions is administering special educational support for students with disabilities.

Students with disabilities may require personal assistance to participate in education, including secretarial help (note-taking, reading assistance), practical help (mobility support, personal care), and support person arrangements (mentoring, guidance). This framework ensures that students across Denmark have access to consistent, high-quality personal assistance services, regardless of their location.

Contract Timeline

• Previous notice referenced: 764221-2025
• Contract award notice published: 27 July 2026 (OJ S 142/2026)
• Date winner chosen: 19 June 2026
• Contract concluded: 7 July 2026
• Coverage start date: 7 July 2026
• Coverage end date: 31 July 2030

Contract Overview

The Danish Agency for Education and Quality conducted an open procedure for a nationwide framework agreement for the provision of personal assistance services. The services include secretarial help, practical assistance with or without substitute cover, and support person arrangements for students who have been granted special educational support.

The expected consumption over the entire framework period, including extensions, is 420,400 hours. The maximum quantity over the framework period, including extensions, is 504,480 hours. The maximum value of the framework is DKK 119,922,720, with a re-estimated value of DKK 99,935,600. The contract duration is approximately 4 years, with the option for two 12-month renewals.

Key Contract Details

Detail	Information
Contracting Authority	Styrelsen for Undervisning og Kvalitet (Danish Agency for Education and Quality)
Winning Bidder	DUOS A/S
Contract Subject	Health and social work services (CPV 85000000), Social work and related services (CPV 85300000)
Procedure Type	Open procedure
Legal Basis	Directive 2014/24/EU, Danish Public Procurement Act (section III)
Maximum Framework Value	DKK 119,922,720.00
Re-estimated Value	DKK 99,935,600.00
Expected Hours (incl. extensions)	420,400 hours
Maximum Hours (incl. extensions)	504,480 hours
Contract Duration	7 July 2026 – 31 July 2030 (with 2 x 12-month renewal options)
Award Criteria	Quality (55%), Price (45%)
Bids Received	4
EU Funding	None disclosed
Covered by GPA	Not specified (light regime notice)
Review Organisation	Klagenævnet for Udbud

Project Scope

The framework agreement covers the provision of personal assistance services for students with disabilities. The services include:

• Secretarial Help: Note-taking, reading assistance, and other administrative support for students with disabilities.
• Practical Assistance: Mobility support, personal care, and other practical help, with or without substitute cover for staff absences.
• Support Person Arrangements: Mentoring, guidance, and one-to-one support for students who have been granted special educational support.

The framework is nationwide, covering students across all of Denmark. The services are provided to students, learners, and course participants who have been granted special educational support.

About the Contracting Authority

Styrelsen for Undervisning og Kvalitet (the Danish Agency for Education and Quality) is a central government authority under the Danish Ministry of Education. The agency is responsible for supporting educational institutions across Denmark in providing high-quality education. One of its key functions is administering special educational support for students with disabilities, ensuring that all students have access to the support they need to succeed in their education.

About the Winning Company

DUOS A/S is a large Danish social services company based in Valby, Copenhagen. The company specialises in providing personal assistance, social support, and care services to individuals with disabilities and special needs across Denmark. DUOS has extensive experience in delivering high-quality personal assistance services in educational settings, making it well-positioned to deliver this nationwide framework.

Procurement Analysis

Procedure: An open procedure was used, following the Danish Public Procurement Act (section III). The procurement is classified as a "light regime" notice, indicating that it falls under the social and other specific services regime. Four tenders were received, all submitted electronically.

Competition: Four bids were received, indicating healthy competition in the Danish personal assistance services market.

Award Criteria:

• Quality (55%): The quality of the proposed solution, including service delivery approach and staff competencies.
• Price (45%): The total cost of the services based on the pricing in the tender documents.

Framework Structure: The agreement is a single-supplier framework without reopening of competition, meaning that the Agency can directly call off services against the framework terms for the duration of the contract.

No Lot Division: The framework is not divided into lots because the Agency assessed that there is a need for a nationwide, uniform delivery of the three services. The services are closely connected, and it is often necessary for the same support provider to deliver multiple services to ensure continuity, quality, and security for students.

Renewal Options: The framework includes two 12-month renewal options, providing flexibility for the Agency and long-term stability for the contractor.

Sanctions Compliance: The tender includes provisions requiring compliance with EU sanctions (EU Regulation 833/2014, Article 5k) regarding Russian involvement.

Additional Procurement Facts

• Four tenders were received, all submitted electronically.
• The framework has a maximum value of DKK 119.9 million and a re-estimated value of DKK 99.9 million.
• The expected consumption is 420,400 hours, with a maximum of 504,480 hours.
• The framework is not divided into lots to ensure nationwide uniformity.
• Quality (55%) is weighted higher than price (45%).
• The contract is a re-tender of a previous procurement (notice 838569-2025).
• No EU funding was used for this procurement.
• Disputes or review requests fall to the Klagenævnet for Udbud (Public Procurement Complaints Board).

Market & Industry Perspective

The personal assistance services market in Denmark is competitive, with several providers offering support services for individuals with disabilities. The four bids received for this contract reflect a healthy level of competition for a large-scale nationwide framework.

The 55/45 quality/price weighting reflects the importance of service quality in personal assistance. The quality of support provided to students with disabilities directly impacts their educational experience and success, making quality a critical factor alongside cost.

The decision not to divide the contract into lots reflects the Agency's assessment that a nationwide, uniform delivery is necessary to ensure consistency, quality, and security for students across Denmark. This approach ensures that students receive the same high-quality support regardless of their location.

Economic Significance

At up to DKK 119.9 million over up to 6 years (including renewals), this framework agreement represents a substantial investment in support services for students with disabilities. The contract ensures that students across Denmark have access to personal assistance services to support their participation in education.

For DUOS A/S, the framework provides a stable, multi-year revenue stream and the opportunity to serve students across the country.

Future Procurement Opportunities

This framework agreement covers personal assistance services through approximately 2032 (with renewals). Related procurement opportunities may include:

• Other social services for students with disabilities
• Special educational support services
• Mentoring and guidance services
• Accessibility and inclusion services

Opportunities for Suppliers

Social services providers active in the Danish public sector should note the emphasis on quality (55%) over price (45%) in this framework. Suppliers must demonstrate strong service delivery capabilities, staff competencies, and a robust approach to quality assurance.

Key success factors include: proven experience in personal assistance services, strong staff competencies, robust quality assurance systems, competitive pricing, and the ability to deliver services nationwide.

What Businesses Should Watch

• Whether the Agency exercises the renewal options for this framework.
• Similar social services opportunities from other Danish public bodies.
• The evolution of support requirements for students with disabilities.
• Opportunities for subcontracting with DUOS A/S.

DenmarkTender Procurement Intelligence

This contract is a useful case study in how the Danish education system supports students with disabilities through nationwide framework agreements. The Danish Agency for Education and Quality has secured a DKK 119.9 million framework for personal assistance services, with DUOS A/S selected through a competitive open procedure.

The most notable feature of this tender is the 55/45 quality/price weighting, which reflects the importance of service quality in personal assistance. The quality of support provided to students with disabilities directly impacts their educational experience and success, making quality a critical factor alongside cost.

The decision not to divide the contract into lots reflects the Agency's commitment to nationwide uniformity. By ensuring that the same provider delivers services across the country, the Agency ensures consistent quality and avoids the administrative complexity of coordinating multiple providers.

The expected consumption of 420,400 hours and maximum of 504,480 hours over the framework period reflects the significant demand for personal assistance services in Danish education. This scale of provision demonstrates the importance of personal assistance in enabling students with disabilities to participate fully in education.

For suppliers, the lesson is that service quality, staff competencies, and a robust approach to quality assurance are critical success factors in social services procurement. Companies that can demonstrate these capabilities, alongside competitive pricing, are best positioned for these frameworks.

Supplier Takeaways

• Quality is the dominant factor (55% weighting).
• Price (45%) is important but secondary to quality.
• Nationwide service delivery capability is required.
• Staff competencies and quality assurance are critical.
• Single-supplier frameworks offer long-term revenue stability.
• Renewal options extend contract duration up to 6 years.

Key Takeaways

• Danish Agency for Education and Quality awarded a DKK 119.9 million framework for personal assistance services to DUOS A/S.
• The contract covers secretarial help, practical assistance, and support person arrangements for students with disabilities.
• Award criteria: Quality (55%), Price (45%).
• Four bids were received, with a large Danish social services company winning.
• Contract duration: 4 years + 2 x 12-month renewal options (max 6 years).
• The framework supports inclusive education for students with disabilities across Denmark.

Conclusion

This is not a contract that will make national headlines, but it reflects something structurally important about how Denmark supports inclusive education. By awarding a DKK 119.9 million framework for personal assistance services to DUOS A/S, the Danish Agency for Education and Quality ensures that students with disabilities across the country have access to the support they need to participate fully in education. The contract demonstrates the importance of service quality, nationwide consistency, and the value of long-term frameworks in supporting inclusive education.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the Danish Agency for Education and Quality?

It is a central government authority under the Danish Ministry of Education, responsible for supporting educational institutions and administering special educational support for students with disabilities.

Q: What does personal assistance include?

It includes secretarial help (note-taking, reading assistance), practical assistance (mobility support, personal care), and support person arrangements (mentoring, guidance) for students with disabilities.

Q: Why wasn't the contract divided into lots?

To ensure nationwide uniformity, consistency, and quality. The services are closely connected and often require the same support provider to deliver multiple services.

Q: Who is the winning bidder?

DUOS A/S, a large Danish social services company based in Valby, Copenhagen.

Q: Is this contract funded by the EU?

No. The notice confirms the project is not financed with EU funds, though it is governed by EU Directive 2014/24/EU.

Source: EU Official Journal, Contract Award Notice 515875-2026, OJ S 142/2026, published 27 July 2026.