Opportunity

Early Years: accredited Level 3 training for Special Educational Needs Coordinators

  • Department for Education

F02: Contract notice

Notice reference: 2022/S 000-006389

Published 8 March 2022, 10:45pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Department for Education

Sanctuary Buildings, 20, Great Smith Street

London

SW1P 3BT

Email

Craig.HEATLEY@education.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 0000000000

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://education.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html

one.3) Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at

https://education.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via

https://education.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Ministry or any other national or federal authority

one.5) Main activity

Education


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Early Years: accredited Level 3 training for Special Educational Needs Coordinators

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 80000000 - Education and training services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Research has shown that the pandemic has had an impact on the ability of EY settings to identify and support children with SEND. It has also had an impact on family and home environments, which as well as affecting children already in early years care, has affected children who will enter early years provision during the Covid-19 pandemic recovery period i.e. between now and August 2024.

The Department for Education intends to increase specialist expertise in SEND by increasing the number of Level 3 qualified SENCOs in group based settings and childminder settings, at a critical time for early years children, and in particular at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly reduced opportunities to identify and address SEND amongst children not yet of compulsory school age.

To further aid understanding of the SENCO role in these settings and what a qualification to enable an individual to perform this role should include, the department, with input from key EY sector stakeholders, put together two documents (“Early years level 3 SENCO qualification specification” and “Role description of the early years special educational needs coordinator”) which are available on gov.uk.

The primary objective for this contract is to increase the number of Level 3 qualified SENCOs, available to children in group based settings and childminder settings, who have the knowledge and skills to properly fulfil the role of a SENCO described in the code of practice and in the role description.

The Supplier will deliver training of up to 5,000 SENCOs. Training will be available across England but with minimum % targets for each LA region. Training must take place between September 2022 and 31 August 2024. Training must result in an accredited Level 3 EY SENCO qualification.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £10,000,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The Supplier will deliver training of up to 5,000 SENCOs. Training will be available across England but with minimum % targets for each LA region. Training must take place between September 2022 and 31 August 2024. Training must result in an accredited Level 3 EY SENCO qualification.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Start date

1 July 2022

End date

31 August 2024

This contract is subject to renewal

Yes

Description of renewals

12 month extension option

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

12 month extension option included

two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No

two.2.14) Additional information

The Supplier will deliver training of up to 5,000 SENCOs. Training will be available across England but with minimum % targets for each LA region. Training must take place between September 2022 and 31 August 2024. Training must result in an accredited Level 3 EY SENCO qualification.


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Open procedure

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date

11 April 2022

Local time

9:00am

four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted

English

four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders

Date

11 April 2022

Local time

9:00am


Section six. Complementary information

six.1) Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: No

six.3) Additional information

This open competition will be run via the DfE’s e-procurement portal, Jaggaer. It is recommended that to avoid missing out, interested organisations register on this system as soon as possible. Links to the site and related guidance can be found via the following above.

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education/about/procurement#jaggaer-the-dfe-etendering-portal

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Department for Education

Nottingham

Country

United Kingdom