Adult Skills and Skills Bootcamps

Description

Cornwall Council (Council) is seeking to put in place a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) to support the provision of Adult Skills and Skills Bootcamp training and commissioned activities that will support individuals to develop the skills needed for everyday life and work, including progressing towards, entering into and sustaining work and upskilling or retraining in order to advance or change their career. As the services in this procurement fall under Schedule 3 of the Public Contract Regulations 2015, this DPS will be governed by regulations 74 to 77 (the so-called Light Touch Regime), providing the Council with additional flexibility. Unlike a continuously open DPS, this DPS will operate through a series of defined windows that will open and close throughout the duration of the DPS. Further details on the additional flexibilities are detailed in the procurement documents. The DPS will be a completely electronic system and includes three Lots, Applicants can apply or one, two or all Lots: • Lot 1 - Adult Skills • Lot 2 - Free Courses For Jobs • Lot 3 - Skills Bootcamps Further details on the Services in each Lot are provided in the Additional Details of this notice. This notice invites any organisation ('Applicant') interested in joining the Council's DPS during the initial window to submit a Request to Participate ('RTP') in stage 1 of the procurement no later than 12 noon 10th March 2025 ('RTP Return Date'). Those Applicants whose RTP meet the Council's evaluation methodology will be eligible to the join the DPS as a Participant ('Participant'). Stage 2 of the procurement the Council will use a Mini-Competition process to award Call-Off Contracts(s) to Participant(s) for Service requirements under one or more of the DPS Lots. The Council anticipate that the DPS will be chosen approach to award a Call-Off Contracts for the delivery of Adult Skills and Free Courses For Jobs funding commencing August 2025 (following devolution of the funding to Council in 2025). Subject to confirmation of funding by Department For Education the Council also intends to use this DPS to award Skills Bootcamps delivery in Cornwall from 2025/26, replacing services previously delivered in partnership with Devon County Council under the Train 4 Tomorrow initiative. The estimated values in this notice are given in good faith as a guide and are not an undertaking on behalf of the Council to purchase Services to this or any other particular value and shall not create a binding obligation. Additional information: If you are interested in applying to join the Council's DPS you must: a) Register on the Council's ProContract System https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk b) Express an interest in the project titled "Adult Skills and Skills Bootcamps - DN753886" c) Download, read and carefully consider the Council's ITP and Selection Questionnaire (SQ) d) Complete the Council's SQ and submit their completed SQ and any supporting documents as a Request to Participate to the Council electronically using the ProContract System no later than the Request to Participate Return Date. Lot 1 - Adult Skills: The principal purpose of the devolved ASF is to engage adults aged 19+ and provide them with the skills needed for entering and sustaining work, an apprenticeship/traineeship, or other further learning. It provides funding for programmes of learning up to Level 2 (GCSE level equivalent) and some Level 3 qualifications for individuals aged 19-23. It does not fund all Level 3 learning as this is delivered through Free Courses for Jobs or Advanced Learner Loans, or programmes at Level 4 and above which are also funded through Advanced Learner Loans or Higher Education (HE) funding. The devolved ASF encompasses a range of statutory entitlements for learners, including the right to fully funded provision for basic English and maths qualifications and, depending on the resident's age and employment status, an entitlement to a first Level 2 and/or Level 3 qualification for individuals aged 19-23. The devolved ASF also includes non-formula Tailored Learning provision. The primary purpose of tailored learning is to support learners into employment and to progress to further learning, in line with the overall purpose of the ASF. It will, however, also support wider outcomes including using it to improve health and wellbeing, equip parents/carers to support their child's learning and develop stronger and more integrated communities. Funding in Lot 2 is available for Free Courses for Jobs provision to support adults to gain free fully funded Level 3 qualifications that are part of the national approved adult offer. The Free Courses for Jobs Level 3 Adult Offer is designed to help adults to gain the skills that are sought by employers. This will help them improve their job prospects and support economic recovery. This offer includes around 400 Level 3 qualifications in 20 different sector subject areas (SSA). Cornwall Council as part of its devolved freedom and flexibilities has added additional courses to this list. The Council in consultation with providers will monitor qualifications on the approved list to ensure that they meet the needs of the County's strategic priorities. Funding in this Lot should support adults aged 24+ to gain their first Level 3 qualification. Skills Bootcamps are intensive, Level 3-5 (and in certain cases Level 2) or equivalent flexible training courses up to 16 weeks, with a guaranteed job interview (in the case of a new job), which equip adults with technical skills that enable them to access in-demand jobs, apprenticeships, new opportunities, and an increased level of income over time (including for the self-employed). They are designed to support rapid training into higher-paid and sustainable job roles for sectors with evidenced vacancies, that align to the Department for Education (DfE) sector priorities; Digital, Technical, Green Skills, HGV, Construction, Early Years and Creative Industries and regional sector priorities (capped at 50% of the award total). Provision in this Lot should be open to Cornwall residents aged 19 or over who are full-time or part-time employed, self-employed, unemployed (i.e. not in work), as well as adults returning to work after a break. Applicants must ensure employer involvement in the design and delivery of their Skills Bootcamp provision. Applicants will be required to provide evidence of their work with employers. This could include involvement in the provision of behavioural skills support, work experience, coaching and mentoring, or the delivery of content. In order to join the Council DPS the Applicant must meet the following minimum standards: As set out in the Council's Contract Notice in order to join the Council DPS the Applicant must meet the following minimum standards: 1) Hold a valid UK Provider Reference Number (UKPRN) from the UK Register of Learning Providers. 2) Be either registered with the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services (Ofsted) with your most recent Ofsted rating of grade 3 - requires improvement or above; or if you are a new training provider awaiting a monitoring visit from Ofsted. If this applies, please state your anticipated inspection date. 3) Have the ability to submit funding claims via the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) individual learner record (ILR). 4) Hold a cyber essential basics accreditation. 5) Hold policies and procedure (as set out in the procurement documents) that meet current legislative requirements, the Council's Contract and Ofsted requirements. To lever the additional flexibility provided under Schedule 3 of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 this DPS incorporates elements of a dynamic purchasing system with the following additional adjustments being made by the Council as the Services fall under the light touch regime: 1. Limited access to join the DPS - This DPS will not remain continuously open for new Applicants to apply to join throughout its duration. Instead, the DPS will operate through a series of defined windows that will open and close during the duration of the DPS. Applicants will only be able to apply to join the DPS when the designated windows are open. 2. Initial and additional windows - An initial window will be opened to allow Applicants to join the DPS and then the initial window will close. The Council intends to open additional windows periodically throughout the duration of the DPS, enabling Applicants who were not previously admitted to the DPS, to apply to join the DPS. 3. Categories - Before initiating a Mini-Competition, the Council will filter those Participants admitted to the DPS using the following Categories (selected in stage 1) to identify those Participants that are capable of meeting the Service requirements and will be eligible to participate in a Mini-Competition: • Lot 1 - Adult Skills and Lot 2 - Free Courses For Jobs: Category 1 - Delivery Location, and Category 2 - Subject Area / Qualification Level / Delivery Approach. • Lot 3 - Skills Bootcamps: Category 1 - Sub-category / Subject Area / Qualification Level. 4. Economic and financial standing of Applicant/Participant - While the Council will undertake an evaluation of each Applicant's economic and financial standing during stage 1 of the procurement, this will not consider turnover. Instead, the Council will be set a minimum turnover requirement within each Mini-Competition within stage 2 of the procurement and within each Mini-Competition require Participants to demonstrate they a turnover that is at least two times the pre-estimated value of the Call-Off Contract.