Provision of Business Support Services to the Army Apprenticeship Programme- Update

Tender description

*Update* Further to notice reference 2023/S 000-022442 please find below additional information. Following enquiries from interested parties: The Authority assesses the eligibility of each bidding entity on their own merits. This will include considering the legal and business implications of any known, relevant, associations that exist with the Army Apprenticeships Programme. Bidders against this future opportunity will be subjected to an assessment of Economic and Financial Standing. Details will be provided within the Invitation To Tender (ITT), and these will be in line with published Policy, Rules & Guidance. Regarding protections against distortion of competition, and the statement that “… the contract cannot be held by any supplier in conjunction with any other subcontracted AAP requirements”, this applies specifically to the legal entity (i.e. registered Company or equivalent VCSE). This does not automatically apply to associated entities (e.g. Other Companies within the same Group; members of Commercial Vehicles such as Consortia, Joint Ventures; etc.). We would however, expect such a bidder to provide a full explanation of (and assurance mechanism for) measures to prevent such distortions. Lot 1: Prior Information Notice (PIN) of the Department's intention to procure a contract for Business Services Support (BSS) for the Army Apprenticeship Programme (AAP). The Army Apprenticeship Programme (AAP) currently offers English Apprenticeships at Levels 2, 3, 4 and 6 with around 15,000 Apprentices on programme at any one time, primarily in UK locations but also overseas. The AAP is predominately an Employer Provider using mixed delivery with subcontracted RoATP listed Service Providers (SP) covering some elements of Training and the majority of learner administration of the programme. The AAP is delivered in 13 separately governed and managed cap badge ( eg Infantry ) apprenticeship sub-programmes. To support this mixed delivery model the AAP subcontracts Business Services Support to administration, delivery and quality assurance of apprenticeships against ESFA regulations.