Adult Education Budget Procurement contracts for services 2021/22

Concepts

• adult education
• coventry
• aeb
• adult education budget procurement contracts
• adult learners
• adult education budget
• aeb contract
• delivery of adult education
• eligible adults
• extra support

Location

Coventry

Description

The Adult Education Budget (AEB) is the major fund for adult learners, delivering skills provision for eligible adults aged 19+ from pre-entry to Level 3. AEB provision aims to engage adults in learning which provides the skills and learning they need for work, progression in work, an Apprenticeship or further learning. The ESFA would like to invite potential contractors to apply for ESFA funded AEB contract for services for the delivery of adult education and training to learners in England that are resident outside of the devolved areas. The contracts will start on 1 August 2021 and run for the 2021/22 academic year. The Authority is conducting a light touch procurement in accordance with Section 7 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015) applying the principles of the Open Procedure as set out in the PCR 2015 and more particularly within the procurement documents, with an accelerated timetable.

Total Quantity or Scope

The ESFA would like to invite potential contractors to apply for ESFA funded AEB contract for services for the delivery of adult education and training to learners in England that are resident outside of the devolved areas. The contracts will start on 1 August 2021 and run for the 2021/22 academic year. Contracts awarded will be between the values of £150,000 and £3,000,000. The procurement will fund the following provision: Statutory entitlements English and maths, up to and including Level 2, for individuals aged 19 and over, who have not previously attained a GCSE grade A* - C or grade 4, or higher, and/or First full qualification at Level 2 for individuals aged 19 to 23, and/or First full qualification at Level 3 for individuals aged 19 to 23. Information technology ('digital') skills, up to and including Level 1, for individuals aged 19+, who have digital skills assessed at below Level 1. Local Flexibility which supports delivery of flexible tailored provision for adults, including qualifications and components of these and/or non-regulated learning, up to Level 2, including Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAP) and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Expansion of DWP's SWAP: SWAP helps employers with immediate and future job needs by upskilling job seekers to fill locally identified vacancies. A SWAP placement has three main components: pre-employment training, work experience placements and a guaranteed job interview. The AEB funds the pre-employment training component. National Skills Fund Level 3 Adult Offer: From April 2021, any adult aged 24 and over who wants to achieve their first full Level 3 qualification, which is equivalent to a technical certificate or diploma, or 2 full A levels, will be able to access hundreds of fully funded courses. Supporting funding to provide extra support to address barriers that may prevent learners from engaging or continuing learning. This includes: Learning support - available to providers to meet the cost of making reasonable adjustments, as part of the Equality Act 2010, for learners who have an identified learning difficulty or disability, to achieve their learning goal, and/or Learner support - available to providers to support learners with a specific financial hardship, such as childcare or residential costs associated with learning. Based on the best information available to the Authority at this time the overall anticipated value for the Contracts, as set out in this Contract Notice is £157, 000, 000.00 (one hundred and fifty seven million pounds). This includes an allowance for the Contract Period including all possible extensions (which the Authority may exercise at its discretion) and performance management adjustments which may be implemented by the Authority in accordance with the Funding Rules (and Performance Management Rules) Potential Contractors shall note that funding for the Contracts is only guaranteed for the period from the Agreement Date to 31 July 2022 and for any Learners recruited before that date to complete their Learning, provided that happens before 31 July 2023. The Authority anticipates that the combined value of the initial Contract Values of all the successful Potential Contracts will be £73,000,000.00 (seventy three million pounds).

Renewal Options

The Contract contains extension provisions, which the Authority may exercise at its discretion. These enable the Authority to extend the Contract to (a) allow Learners who have commenced their Learning prior to the Expiry Date to complete that Learning, provided completion is by a specified Longstop Date; and (b) to extend Contract Period for such period or periods and on as many occasions as the Authority deems necessary up to an overall total of one year from the original Expiry date. Potential Contractors shall note that funding for the Contracts is only guaranteed for the period from the Agreement Date to 31 July 2022 and for any Learners recruited before that date to complete their Learning, provided that happens before 31 July 2023. Potential Contractors should note that any extension of the Contract is wholly at the discretion of the Authority.

CPV Codes

• 80400000 - Adult and other education services

Indicators

• Bids should cover the whole contract.
• Options are available.
• Renewals are not available.
• Award on basis of price and quality.

Legal Justification

The Secretary of State for Education determined that there should be a 'transitional' (short-term) procurement based on current AEB policy to support learners until Further Education (FE) Reform policy embeds and to provide access for learners to the new National Skills Fund Level 3 adult offer. This procurement, for the 2021/22 academic year, will ensure continued access to funds for providers who have an important role in the adult education market helping to deliver the government's education and skills priorities and ensuring full coverage across England. It will also provide opportunities to support some of the policies associated with post Covid-19 economic recovery. The Services to be delivered under the Contracts will support Covid-19 recovery and will be focused to support skills which boost productivity and enhance the adult skills system.

Other Information

Regions of delivery for this procurement: East Midlands East of England North East North West South East South West West Midlands Yorkshire and The Humber 1. The Authority is conducting a light touch procurement applying the principles of the Open Procedure as set out in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ("PCR") and more particularly in the procurement documents, with an accelerated timetable. Services of the nature of those covered by this procurement are designated as "Schedule 3" Services ("the Social and Other Specific Services") under the PCR and as such are not subject to the full requirements of the Regulations. The Authority is only bound by the application of the PCR to the extent that they are applicable to Schedule 3 services. The procurement is covered by Regulations 74 to 76 (the "Light Touch Regime"). 2. Interested economic operators (Potential Contractors) are required to register on the Authority's e-tendering portal. Applicants can access this system at https://education.app.jaggaer.com where the details of how to register and the terms of free registration are provided. 3. Potential Contractors are referred to the procurement documents accompanying this Contract Notice for additional information on this procurement and in relation to this Contract Notice. 4. The Authority reserves the right to withdraw from or discontinue the procurement process, which shall include the right to not award a Contracts or Contracts as a result of this call for competition. 5. Tenders and all supporting documentation for the contract must be in English and priced in sterling. 6. The Authority will not be liable for any bid costs, expenditure, work or effort incurred by a Potential Contractor in proceeding or participating in this procurement, including if the procurement process is terminated or amended by the Authority.