Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Department for Education
Sanctuary Buildings, 20, Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT
SkillsBootcamps.DPS@education.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education
one.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from 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
DfE Dynamic Purchasing System for Skills Bootcamps
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 80000000 - Education and training services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
DfE is seeking to engage with suppliers who are interested in delivering Skills Bootcamps, building on successful delivery to date and as the third wave of Skills Bootcamps moves toward delivery. DfE are currently proposing to launch a dynamic purchasing system (DPS) for a duration of up to 6 years with a value of approximately £1.5bn to support DfE’s Skills Bootcamps.
DfE is focusing on Skills Bootcamps within the wider adult skills agenda and envisages significant and regular requirements for the procurement of Skills Bootcamps. Therefore, DfE wishes to streamline the process and have a close and ongoing relationship with suppliers.
This PIN is for market engagement only. It does not signify the commencement of any procurement process and does not constitute any commitment by DfE. If DfE decides to commence any procurement process(es) as contemplated by this notice, a separate notice(s) will be published at the relevant time.
What are Skills Bootcamps?
Skills Bootcamps are part of the 2019 manifesto commitment to invest £3bn (£2.5bn after Barnett consequential) through the National Skills Fund to help adults learn valuable skills and prepare the economy of the future. The fund aims to increase skills, productivity and individuals’ resilience to better respond to a changing labour market. Overall, Skills Bootcamps contribute to the government’s agenda to drive economic growth and wider skills reforms. Ensuring the adult skills system delivers for employers is a key priority for the department as set out in the Plan for Jobs White Paper and recently published in the Levelling Up White Paper.
DfE started rolling out early testing of Skills Bootcamps in September 2020 and expanded the programme from April 2021 (Wave 1 and Wave 2 respectively), in accordance with the Public Contract Regulations 2015. The results of Wave 2 procurement were announced in July 2021 and contracts subsequently agreed with the successful suppliers. Wave 2 Skills Bootcamps completed on 31 March 2022 and some contract extensions have now been entered into. DfE launched a competition for Wave 3 Skills Bootcamps in January 2022 which is now closed; notification of contract awards is expected to be announced in July 2022. DfE are also providing up to £70 million to Mayoral Combined Authorities and the Greater London Authority so they can offer more local Skills Bootcamps.
Building on the previous successful waves, DfE is now considering launching a dynamic purchasing system to procure future Skills Bootcamps. This PIN and subsequent market engagement relates specifically to the dynamic purchasing system for Skills Bootcamps.
The aims of the Skills Bootcamps are:
• To deliver short, flexible training programmes in England lasting up to 16 weeks, based on employer/sector ‘in-demand’ skills such as digital.
• Training may be either regulated (i.e., qualification based) or non-regulated (i.e. based on alignment with industry standards, apprenticeship standards and/or quality assured through evidenced methodology such as RARPA, SFIA or other) and will offer a guaranteed job interview for those seeking a new job on completion of the course.
• To address the needs of adults (19+) who are employed (either full-time or part-time), unemployed, returning to work, self-employed and prisoners within 6 months of release.
• To provide adults with wider access to opportunities to retrain, update or formalise their skills or acquire specialist skills. Skills Bootcamps are primarily targeted at NQF Level 3-5 or equivalent. For some sector areas they may also cover Level 2 courses.
• To address the needs of employers and the wider economy, to deliver targeted interventions to meet short-medium term demand to fill medium-higher level vacancies and drive productivity.
Further information about the Skills Bootcamps can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-skills-fund
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £1,500,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 80500000 - Training services
- 80531200 - Technical training services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance
England
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
What is a Dynamic Purchasing System?
A dynamic purchasing system (DPS) is a procurement tool that allows suppliers who qualify onto it to subsequently compete for contracts through further competitions.
A DPS is a two-stage process.
Stage One
In the initial set up stage, all suppliers who meet selection criteria and are not excluded will be qualified onto the DPS. During the application process, suppliers can apply to join specific categories within the DPS. Categories reflect at a high-level the type of requirement the supplier can provide (e.g. the Skills Bootcamps DPS may have categories of service requirements which include sector subject areas such as ‘digital’). Suppliers can apply to join multiple categories within the DPS to reflect their service offering.
Unlike framework agreements, suppliers can apply to join the DPS during its lifetime.
Stage Two
Individual contracts are awarded during the second stage. In this stage, the contracting authority (DfE) invites all suppliers on the DPS (or the relevant category within the DPS) to bid for a specific contract or contracts (this is the call-off competition stage).
The purpose of a DPS is to streamline procurement for both suppliers and the contracting authority; suppliers do not have to demonstrate suitability and capability every time they wish to compete for a DfE Skills Bootcamp contract, and the award of individual call-off contracts can be quicker than under some other procurement procedures.
How DfE will engage with the market?
DfE is planning to hold two separate virtual market engagement events.
Event 1 – 27th April 2022
This first event invites any suppliers whose service offering potentially matches DfE’s requirements for Skills Bootcamps to achieve the following outcomes:
1. To explain what DfE is considering to bring to market
2. To outline DfE’s initial approach to DPS categories and how the call-off mechanism will work including the use of potential filters.
3. Invite suppliers’ feedback on the approach.
How to join the Event 1 Virtual Call
Suppliers are invited to attend a virtual market engagement event on 27th April 2022 from 11AM-12PM.
This event will consist of two separate activities:
1. A virtual market engagement event
2. A follow-up Supplier Questionnaire
To book your attendance (max. two per organisation), please use this link
to register via Microsoft Teams:
Following Event 1, suppliers are invited to complete a questionnaire. This questionnaire will offer the opportunity to ask any further questions on the Skills Bootcamps DPS. All subsequent questions and answers will be circulated to attendees and may be used in further market engagement activities.
Event 2 – 25th May 2022
DfE intend to present the following topics at Event 2:
1. Approach to evaluation (both SQ & ITT)
2. Payment mechanism
3. Performance measures
4. Qualification onto the DPS
5. Categories & filters
6. Update on call-off competition timelines
How to join the Event 2 Virtual Call
Suppliers are invited to attend a virtual market engagement event on 25th May 2022 from 11AM-12:30PM.
To book your attendance (max. two per organisation), please use this link to register via Microsoft Teams:
The events will be delivered via Microsoft Teams and recordings will be made available for those unable to attend. Further information will be published in July 2022 to inform suppliers of pre-launch information which will assist with the understanding of the DPS and qualification process.
two.2.14) Additional information
This is an indicative value of the DfE Dynamic Purchasing System for Skills Bootcamps. The Department for Education (DfE) is not guaranteeing or committing to any specific value. The publication of this notice does not signify the commencement of any procurement process and does not constitute any commitment by DfE to undertake any procurement exercise.
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
1 September 2022
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
Following Event 1 (27/4/22), please use the below link to complete the Event 1 follow-up questionnaire. Please note that the follow-up questionnaire will become active on 27/4/22.