Leicester and Leicestershire - Local Enterprise Partnership Area

Tender description

The Provider will be required to deliver provision across the entire LEP area which encompasses the local authority areas of Leicester City Council and Leicestershire County Council which incorporates seven District Councils; • Blaby; • Charnwood; • Harborough; • Hinckley and Bosworth; • Melton; • North West Leicestershire, and; • Oadby and Wigston. As a minimum the Provider must deliver from premises in • Leicester city centre. • Coalville. • Loughborough. • Hinckley. • Melton Mowbray. • Ashby. • Market Harborough. Service delivery under this contract is expected to commence in October 2016 and continue until September 2019. There will be a further 64 week payment tail. The contract value is £5.4m and there is a requirement for a minimum of 1462 Participants to start on this provision. The Provision will tackle barriers to work and help participants into sustained employment. It will engage with economically inactive people that are not claiming benefits and benefit claimants with complex needs. Whilst the Provision must be participant led and looking after the employment aspirations of each individual, the Provider will be expected to make links and form strong working relationships with employers in local growth sectors. Ultimately such relationships will enhance the chances of Provision participants finding work. The Provider must meet ESF specific requirements set by the European Commission and failure to comply can result in a high financial risk for both the Provider and DWP, as funds used inappropriately or for ineligible Participants or purposes and/or where the ESF requirements have not been met are recoverable from Providers. The Provider will use the Provider Referral and Payment (PRaP) system to receive their referrals and to record claimant activity. The Provider will therefore need to have met relevant security requirements when contracts go live. This contract will be for the use of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), its Executive Agencies and those Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) sponsored by DWP. Further information including a list of such Agencies and Public Bodies can be viewed by selecting ‘Ministerial Departments’ on the Departmental website.