Call for Tenders: School of Cycling Programme Design

Bike Innovation Scotland is encouraging experienced education, employability and programme design professionals to apply for an exciting consultancy opportunity to help create the new School of Cycling programme, a national initiative inspired by the 2027 Tour de France Grand Départ and designed to connect young people with future careers across Scotland's cycling and innovation sectors. 

Developed by Scottish Cycling in partnership with Developing the Young Workforce (DYW), South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) and Bike Innovation Scotland, the School of Cycling aims to use cycling as a gateway into careers, innovation, entrepreneurship and major events. The programme will connect young people with opportunities across manufacturing, engineering, tourism, media, technology, active travel and the wider cycling economy.

The partnership is now seeking an experienced consultant to co-design a practical, delivery-ready programme framework and toolkit that can be piloted in schools from 2027. The successful consultant will work closely with project partners, schools, employers and young people to create a flexible model that can be adapted across Scotland and support long-term skills and employability outcomes well beyond the Tour de France Grand Départ. 

The commission will focus on developing curriculum-linked learning content, career pathways, employer engagement models and implementation plans that enable schools and industry partners to work together in inspiring the next generation of talent. Particular emphasis will be placed on creating a programme that works effectively across both urban and rural communities and can be delivered using a reusable "lift-and-shift" approach across a range of sectors and employers.

As a strategic partner in the initiative, Bike Innovation Scotland will help ensure strong links between the programme and Scotland's growing cycling innovation ecosystem, creating opportunities for young people to engage with emerging careers in product development, engineering, manufacturing, sustainability and active travel.

The consultancy contract is valued at between £6,000 and £8,000, inclusive of VAT where applicable and associated expenses, with an anticipated commitment of up to eight consultancy days (approximately 60 hours). The work will commence in late November 2026, with final delivery expected by early March 2027.

Applications are invited from consultants with experience in programme design, education, employability, youth engagement and stakeholder co-design. Experience within the Scottish education landscape, cycling, sport, innovation or major events would be advantageous.

The closing date for submissions is 16 November 2026. Proposals should be sent to Victoria Leiper, Social Impact Project Lead at Scottish Cycling.