Adult Education Budget 2023/24 Procurement

Tender description

The purpose of this notice is to inform the market of a forthcoming procurement opportunity for delivery of education and training to learners, resident in non-devolved areas of England, through Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) funded Adult Education Budget (AEB) contracts for services. Lot 1: The purpose of this notice is to inform the market of a forthcoming procurement opportunity for delivery of education and training to learners, resident in non-devolved areas of England, through Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) funded Adult Education Budget (AEB) contracts for services. Existing ESFA Funded AEB contracts for services will come to an end on 31 July 2023 and will not be extended. A competitive procurement exercise (carried out in accordance with the Light Touch Regime, applying the principles of the Open Procedure as set out in the Public Contract Regulations 2015) for new ESFA funded AEB contracts for services will open in early 2023. These contracts will start on 1 August 2023 for an initial period of twelve months covering the 2023/24 academic year, with options to extend further (the take-up of extension options will depend on factors including individual supplier performance and government spending priorities). The procurement will be open to providers who are seeking to deliver education and training provision funded by the ESFA AEB. Providers will need to meet the criteria and quality standards that will be set out in the procurement documents. The procurement will fund the following provision: Qualifications based provision as described in the AEB funding rules which includes: a) 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. · Digital skills, up to and including Level 1, for individuals aged 19+, who have digital skills assessed at below Level 1. b) Local Flexibility: Delivering flexible tailored provision for adults, including qualifications and components of these up to Level 2, including ESOL and SWAP. and/or: Level 3 Free Courses for Jobs offer provides free qualifications in high value sectors to adults who do not yet have a full Level 3, and adults who are unemployed or earning low wages (even if they already hold a Level 3 or higher). In addition to the above provision, providers may utilise supporting funding alongside their delivery of qualifications-based provision described in the AEB funding rules and/or the Level 3 Free Courses for Jobs offer. The procurement will open in early 2023. All information about the procurement will be communicated via GOV.UK Contracts Finder and ESFA Update. A virtual engagement event is planned to take place shortly after the date the tender opportunity being made available. Further details of which will be provided as part of the Tender Opportunity Notice (this notice will be posted on GOV.UK Contracts Finder). The procurement process will be carried out electronically via Jaggaer, an online e-Procurement Solution portal. Potential bidders should therefore ensure they are registered on this portal, under the name of the legal organisation that intends to enter into a contract deliver the services. It can be accessed via your web browser at https://education.app.jaggaer.com.