Apprenticeships Service - User Centred Design

Description

Pre-market engagement N/A Work done so far A minimum viable service was introduced in 2017 and today we enable £2.3bn of public funding to train around 1/2 million apprentices a year. Each year around 100,000 employers use the service to recruit apprentices and pay for the training of their employees. We will continue to develop significant capability as we move towards the agreed vision whereby all employers take greater control of apprenticeship funding and drive up the quality and outcomes. We continue improve and add new services/capabilities as we provide a great end to end experience for our users. These capabilities are all connected through a personalised user-outcomes under pinned by near real time data models. Which phase the project is in Discovery Existing team Our build-test-run delivery model is underpinned by an agile at scale build capability. Existing teams are multi-disciplinary experts with a range of agile delivery skills. These teams are involved in service development of new digital services, going through the standard GDS phases. Typical team size is around 10 with a skills mix such as product/service managers, delivery managers, business analysts, user research and design professionals, developers and testers. Solutions and Technical Architects support delivery through setting technology standards and direction as well as supporting design decisions. Teams are co-located in Coventry for key events and ceremonies, with teams comprised of digital service suppliers and permanent staff. Address where the work will be done Cheylesmore House, Quinton Road, Coventry, CV1 2WT and remote working / supplier sites. Occasional travel to the DfE site in London along with travel across England for user research may be required All agreements for in-office working will comply with the relevant and prevailing Government guidance on restrictions to movement. When in-office working takes place, the location will be Cheylesmore House. The primary location will be detailed in each Statement of Work (SoW) and expenses will not form part of the cost unless the supplier is asked to work from a secondary location during the execution of the work e.g. If SoW primary base is in Coventry , then no expenses will be paid for Coventry. Working arrangements Working arrangements, including team location, size and make-up, will be contained within each statement of work. Day to day delivery will be governed by standard agile delivery techniques. We recognise the value the benefits of co-location and we encourage teams to come together for key ceremonies and events. Provide more information about your security requirements: Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) Provide more information about your security requirements (optional): Enhanced DBS Latest start date 2025-03-12 Enter the expected contract length: 2 years Extension period: 1 year Special terms and conditions The Supplier shall ensure that no Supplier Staff who discloses that they have a Relevant Conviction, or who is found to have any Relevant Convictions (whether as a result of a police check or through the vetting procedure of HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard or through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) or otherwise), is employed or engaged in any part of the provision of the Services without the prior written approval of the Buyer. Subject to the Data Protection Legislation, the Supplier shall disclose the results of their vetting process, immediately to the Buyer. The decision as to whether any of the Supplier’s Staff are allowed to perform activities in relation to the Call Off Contract, is entirely at the Buyer’s sole discretion. The Supplier shall be required to undertake annual periodic checks during the Call Off Contract Period of its Staff, in accordance with HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard so as to determine the Supplier Staff suitability to continue to Framework Schedule 6 (Order Form Template, Statement of Work Template and Call-Off Schedules) 5 provide Services under the Call Off Contract. The Supplier shall ensure that any Supplier Staff who discloses a Relevant Conviction (either spent or unspent) or is found by the Supplier to have a Relevant Conviction through standard national vetting procedures or otherwise, is immediately disclosed to the Buyer. The Supplier shall ensure that the individual staff member immediately ceases all activity in relation to the Call Off Contract, until the Buyer has reviewed the case, on an individual basis, and has made a final decision. Where the Buyer decides that a Supplier Staff should be removed from performing activities, as a result of obtaining information in relation to the Call Off Contract, or for any other reason, the Supplier shall promptly and diligently replace any individual identified. Special terms and conditions The primary location will be detailed in each Statement of Work (SoW) and expenses will not form part of the cost unless the supplier is asked to work from a secondary location during the execution of the work e.g. If a SoW primary base is in Manchester, then no expenses will be paid for Manchester. Expenses cannot be claimed for travel to the Primary Location of work when in-office working is required. Some work may be UK wide, and travel may be required to other DfE offices. When travel to other DfE sites is required, all costs incurred must comply with the prevailing DfE Travel and Subsistence policy. Parking is not available on DfE sites. Costs for additional roles required within this contract will be discussed as needed. Should base location vary it will be outlined and agreed upon the individual SoW. Special terms and conditions The latest start date will be outlined in each individual statement of work. Except for in exceptional circumstances, and as agreed with the Buyer. The Buyer has the right to terminate any Statement of Work issued in accordance with this Call-Off Contract at any time, without reason, with five working days’ written notice to the Supplier. The notice period shall be given in writing. The receiving party must acknowledge receipt of notice within 24 hours. Special terms and conditions All work must be conducted in line with the Buyer’s security policy and securely within in the United Kingdom. Contractors must work within the United Kingdom unless agreed by the Department on an individual basis in line with Buyer's working overseas policy and Buyer's security policy. Contractors must not take any departmental equipment abroad or access the departmental network whilst outside the United Kingdom unless agreed by the Department on an individual basis. Use of private VPNs is prohibited. Special terms and conditions Non-Solicitation Clause 5.1 The Supplier shall not, either directly or indirectly, by or through itself, its affiliate, its agent or otherwise, or in conjunction with its affiliate, its agent or otherwise, whether for its own benefit or for the benefit of any other person solicit, entice or induce, or endeavour to solicit, entice or induce, any employees of the Buyer who are employed or engaged in the performance of the Services with a view to employing or engaging the employee of the Buyer during the Call-Off Contract Period and for a period of [9 months] thereafter. 5.2 Notwithstanding clause 5.1 the Supplier may employ or engage any employees of the Buyer which have responded directly to a bona fide recruitment drive either through a recruitment agency engaged by the Supplier or via an advertisement placed publicly by the Supplier (either in the press, social media, online or in trade and industry publications). Special terms and conditions The initial scope of this contract covers the Apprenticeships Service, however this contract may also serve as provision for other services across the Department for Education. Should additional work of this nature be required throughout the contract term, the Buyer may at its absolute discretion re-scope the contract. Write the term or acronym: DFE Are you prepared to show your budget details?: Yes Indicative maximum: £5,500,000 ex VAT Provide further information: DFE does not commit to minimum spend. Confirm if you require a contracted out service or supply of resource Supply of resource: the off-payroll rules may apply Summary of work The Department for Education's Digital Apprenticeship Service is looking for an end to end user centred design agency to deliver against a range of projects which will support the delivery of the Government's agenda for training and skills by helping more employers and learners to gain the skills they need. The Service(s) are already live so we will require a handover from incumbent suppliers and throughout a need for knowledge transfer to permanent staff within DFE. Where the supplied staff will work West Midlands Who the organisation using the products or services is The Department for Education's Digital Apprenticeship Service Why the work is being done The Government has committed to increasing the quality and quantity of apprenticeships and other skills programmes in England. To support the delivery of this ambition we need to ensure our digital services are user-centred and meet user needs, ensuring a simple and great apprenticeship experience. The business problem you need to solve Our objective is to enable more employers and learners to obtain the skills they need to improve their performance, become more productitive and help grow the economy. We do this by connecting users, enabling them to make the right choices about apprenticeships and other skills programmes, and to access the training they need. User centred design is at the heart of what we do and we need a partner who can match our ambition to create great digital services based on users' needs and maintain our track record of being at the forefront of government digital services. First user type: Student. First user type: Non-Levy Employer First user type: Training Provider First user type: End-Point Assessment Organisation First user type: DFE