Education and training services

Tender description

Through work-based learning the apprenticeship programme will deliver to individuals the skills necessary to embark on successful careers and for employers the relevant skilled people to meet the current and future needs of their businesses and the Welsh economy. Commencing on 1 August 2021 the Apprenticeship framework will run for 4 years until 31 July 2025 (with the option of an extension of up to two years until 31 July 2027). The framework will be procured under the light touch regime, implemented through regulations 74 - 77 as applied to schedule 3 services of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR 2015) using a quasi-open procedure. Please be advised that costs are fixed as set out in the programme specification, as such, there is no commercial evaluation element to this tender. Please be advised that there have been changes to the Allocations Methodology since the market engagement PIN Event, which was held on 22 July 2020. Please see the updated version, that has been reviewed by a QC, within the Programme Specification document which is attached in the e-tender portal. The purpose of the apprenticeships programme is to support people in Wales through high quality learning, in order to provide employers with the relevant skilled people to meet the current and future needs of the Welsh economy. Apprenticeships offer employed learners the opportunity to pursue a foundation apprenticeship, apprenticeship, or higher apprenticeship framework. Degree Apprenticeships are excluded from this procurement. Each framework specifies the learning activities, including, qualifications covering occupational competencies, the relevant technical knowledge, Essential Skills Wales and Employment Rights and Responsibilities (ERR). The client is committed to aligning the apprenticeship programme to the needs of the Welsh economy as outlined in its policy and action plan published in February 2017 - Aligning the Apprenticeship model to the needs of the Welsh economy 2017. The focus is on aligning and raising the level of the skills market designed to meet employer needs with a system that is responsive to industry changes, particularly in the sectors that drive growth and prosperity. The policy reflects the step change towards higher level technical and professional skills, promoting efficiency and portability within our priority sectors. The Welsh Government is of the view that the option to extend the framework beyond four years is likely to be desirable. Individual participants may be on a vocational Apprenticeship programme for up to 4 years. In the event the maximum term of the framework mirrors the maximum duration of a vocational apprenticeship programme, this is likely to result in many apprentices having their learning disrupted as they may be obliged to transfer from an unsuccessful legacy provider to a successful bidder when a future replacement framework is procured. Adopting a 4-year fixed term framework agreement with the ability to extend up to a maximum of 6 years should provide Welsh Government with the opportunity to limit the number of displaced apprentices that may arise if the procurement process had to be repeated more regularly.