Education and training services

Tender description

Plymouth City Council (PCC) holds an annualised budget of c. 1 480 000 GBP from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) for delivery of Adult Education (AEB). This is split into grant-funded Community Learning (800 000 GBP) and earnings-based Adult Skills (680 000 GBP). For 2019/20 ESFA has issued an illustrative allocation of 1 402 000 GBP. PCC is procuring learning activities for the next year 2019–2020 with the option to extend for a further 2 years in yearly increments. Applications were sought from training providers who will need to be listed on the UK Register of Learning Providers and who will be able to deliver this fund in accordance with ESFA rules and guidelines. In particular, PCC has sought providers who would be able to deliver this provision over this time period in the following categories (lots): 1) Lifelong learning for all; 2) Improving the education, basic skills and employability of vulnerable groups; 3) Supporting skills development in Plymouth’s key growth sectors. These services are for the sub contracted delivery of the contract between Plymouth City Council and the Education and Skills Funding Agency, specifically Adult Skills Budget and Community Learning. Provision under this specification should be designed to promote and engage adults in systematic and sustained learning to improve their own lives, their families and the quality of life in the communities where they live through developing and enhancing: — information, advice and guidance, — personal development; and employability opportunities. Services should be designed to deliver the following ambitions: — widen participation in learning by helping adults to overcome barriers that prevent them from successfully engaging or progressing in learning, — provide high quality training and support for employers/employees that support key sectors and vulnerable groups in the city, — ensure learning opportunities are flexible and responsive to needs so that they can participate, achieve and progress to further learning or employment options, — ensure that learning opportunities and support packages are high quality and fit against local regional and national priorities, — utilise and develop community and voluntary sector networks, such as community hubs, — provide a range of access routes for learners including on-line, employer-based and community based provision, — offer provision to attract participation from disadvantaged or minority groups, such as adults with learning disabilities, ethnic minorities, ex-offenders, adults over 50, ex-servicemen, — integrate provision with the existing adult learning and careers advice offer, e.g. National Careers Service (NCS) delivered by alternative providers to support referral and progression routes. These services are for the delivery of a contract between Plymouth City Council and the Education and Skills Funding Agency, specifically Adult Skills Budget and Community Learning. Provision or activities under this specification should: Be targeted at adults who have barriers to: — engagement in adult education; or improving skills to develop employability. Focus on adults from disadvantaged groups, such as: — refugees and displaced people, — homeless people, — substance dependents, — speakers with different native languages, — carers, — victims of abuse, — adults from deprived communities, — adults with learning difficulties, — adults with mental health related issues, — ex-offenders, — service and ex-service families, — adults either unemployed, or in low skilled/paid employment. Services should be designed to deliver the following ambitions: — widen participation in learning by helping adults to overcome barriers that prevent them from successfully engaging or progressing in learning, — provide high quality training and support for employers/employees that support key sectors and vulnerable groups in the city, — ensure learning opportunities are flexible and responsive to needs so that they can participate, achieve and progress to further learning or employment options, — ensure that learning opportunities and support packages are high quality and fit against local regional and national priorities, — utilise and develop community and voluntary sector networks, such as community hubs, — provide a range of access routes for learners including on-line, employer-based and community based provision, — integrate provision with the existing adult learning and careers advice offer (eg National Careers Service) delivered by alternative providers to support referral and progression routes. These services are for the delivery of a contract between Plymouth City Council and the Education and Skills Funding Agency, specifically Adult Skills Budget and Community Learning. Provision or activities under this specification should: Deliver opportunities for adult learners in or out of work that develop skills and attitudes that improve employability and enhance career progression. Services should be designed to deliver the following ambitions: — widen participation in learning by helping adults to overcome barriers that prevent them from successfully engaging or progressing in learning, — enhance employability skills and support unemployed residents with targeted support to enable them to improve career prospects, secure employment/apprenticeships or progress into further vocational learning, — move individuals, particularly those in low skilled or low waged employment towards higher paid, higher skilled and more secure employment, — develop transferable work skills, eg literacy and numeracy/skills to support access work or learning, — provide high quality training and support for employers/employees that support key sectors e.g., — health and social care, — manufacturing/marine, — business admin, — construction and built environment, — hospitality and visitor economy, — offer provision at the following levels, —— introductory, —— entry level/level 1, —— upskilling within current employment settings, including L1/L2 and gaining skills and knowledge required for roles demanding L2 qualifications, — ensure learning opportunities are flexible and responsive to needs so that they can participate, achieve and progress to further learning or employment options, — ensure that learning opportunities and support packages are high quality and fit against local regional and national priorities, — provide a range of access routes for learners including, employer-based provision and on-line learning delivered at a learning centre, employer premises or other location (eg at home), — offer provision to attract participation from disadvantaged or minority groups, such as adults with learning disabilities, ethnic minorities, ex-offenders, adults over 50, ex-servicemen, — integrate provision with the existing adult learning and careers advice offer [eg National Careers Service (NCS)] delivered by alternative providers to support referral and progression routes.