Higher education services

Tender description

GMCA, on behalf of Greater Manchester Police (GMP), wishes to appoint a provider to deliver the College of Policing PEQF curriculum, i.e. the 3-year Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) and 2-year Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) leading to a graduate diploma in professional policing practice. The chosen provider will: lead academic learning for the force and deliver this within the Greater Manchester footprint; deliver training year-round with periodic student intakes; deliver high quality learning programmes whilst minimising abstraction [i.e. the time officers are unavailable for duty]; provide the technologies needed to deliver learning through online methods; manage the learning data required for accreditation; manage the programmes to ensure apprenticeship rules are met; help the Force to achieve wider learning transformation through the design of the programme; and support the Force to increase the diversity and social mobility of recruits. Following issue of this prior information notice, a market engagement event is to be held in advance of the publication of the OJEU contract notice and invitation to tender. The purpose of this event is: to provide interested parties with context around the requirement; gather feedback from the market to assist in the development of the final specification; and allow potential providers to explore partnership opportunities with other interested parties. The event will take place in Greater Manchester on the morning of 22.11.2019, and interested parties may request places for up to 4 attendees. To find out more about this event, or to request attendance, potential providers should register their interest via email to ali.cordrey@gmp.police.uk, quoting ‘A0378 PEQF Provider Event’. GMP is working towards the first intake of PCDA students being September 2020, and the first intake of DHEP students being December 2020, though this is subject to change and may be revised prior to the issue of the invitation to tender. It is not possible to provide exact figures for the number of apprenticeships/qualifications required, due to a range of factors affecting officer recruitment during any financial year. However, commercial modelling for the current business case includes the following assumptions: that GMP continues to recruit 400-700 students each financial year; and the split of PCDA and DHEP remains as the current average split of 58 % non-degree holders and 42 % degree holders. Whilst the primary scope of the contract is for delivery of the PCDA and DHEP qualifications, the contract will also cover delivery of initial training for all entry routes into policing, including PCSOs and police staff. It is expected that GMCA will enter into a circa 10-year commercial relationship with the chosen HEI provider. The contract value stated in this PIN is the current best estimate for value over a 10-year contract. This may be revised prior to the issue of the OJEU contract notice. This prior information notice is not being used as a call for competition. Potential providers who do not express an interest at this stage will not be excluded from bidding after the OJEU Contract Notice is published. This service falls under the ‘Light Touch Regime’ as set out in Regulations 74-76 (inclusive) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Pursuant to regulation 76(7), the authority will conduct a competitive procedure, but this is not taken as acceptance by the authority that any part of the PCR 2015 apply, other than those parts which apply to the light touch regime.