Awarded contract

Adult Education Budget Service Contract 2

  • West Midlands Combined Authority

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice reference: 2022/S 000-011471

Published 4 May 2022, 11:56am



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

West Midlands Combined Authority

16 Summer Lane

Birmingham

B19 3SD

Email

Procurement.team@wmca.org.uk

Telephone

+44 3453036760

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKG31 - Birmingham

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.wmca.org.uk

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Regional or local authority

one.5) Main activity

General public services


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Adult Education Budget Service Contract 2

Reference number

02336-2020

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 80000000 - Education and training services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

WMCA is establishing a suite of Adult Education Budget Service Contracts through this procurement exercise, with a total estimated value of up to £4m for the initial 15 month period. It is WMCA’s intention that contracts awarded will initially be awarded for 15 months (academic year 2019 to 2020), with an option to extend for a further year up to July 2022.

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: Yes

two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)

Value excluding VAT: £1,164,955.31

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Support for those in Employment

Lot No

4

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 80000000 - Education and training services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKG - West Midlands (England)

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The provision of Adult Education Services - Lot 4 includes:

• Focus on new learning to support career progression

• A flexible adult offer to enable those who seek to re-train and up-skill

• Particular focus but not exclusive to those in low-paid, low-skilled and insecure jobs

• Level 2, 3 and 4

• Funding subsidies available to support L3 and L4

• Pre-apprenticeship provision that supports uptake of Apprenticeships

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

The initial contract period is for 6 months, with an option to extend for a further 6 months (12 months total).

two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: Yes

Identification of the project

European Social Fund

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Birmingham Commonwealth Games

Lot No

5

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 80000000 - Education and training services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKG - West Midlands (England)

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The provision of Adult Education Services - Lot 5 includes:

• Particular focus on young people aged between 19 and 30 and unemployed adults aged 30+ through level 3 provision

• Technical skills at level 3 supporting event management, digital marketing, hospitality, sports coaching and team leading.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

The initial contract period is for 6 months, with an option to extend for a further 6 months (12 months total).

two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: Yes

Identification of the project

European Social Fund


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Negotiated without a prior call for competition

  • New works/services, constituting a repetition of existing works/services

Explanation:

This contract provides Adult Education Skills and Training throughout the West Midlands Combined Authority area.

The impact of the pandemic has been unprecedented and widespread across our residents communities, and businesses and we are currently experiencing a challenging economic picture. Employment is flat, while falling unemployment masks a continuing decline in the size of the labour force as economic inactivity rises. While short-term unemployment is at its lowest ever, long-term unemployment is significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels. Record vacancies signal that employers are finding it increasingly hard to fill posts. And while pay is increasing, soaring inflation means that it is declining in real terms. Taken together, this creates a toxic mix for living standards that will not resolve itself. The provision of training has a key role to play in moving people back into the labour force; improving workplace support; and helping people find good, well-paid employment and progress at work.

We want to align our skills funding to be able to deliver maximum impact so we intend to procure provision collectively – meaning we are aiming to run a single procurement opportunity for Adult Education Budget, National Skills Fund and Multiply.

The estimated length of time expected to be able to create the new offering is anticipated to be in the region of 6 to 12 months. We are therefore intending to let the contract for an initial period of 6 months with the option to extend for a further 6 month period.

To ensure service continuity, the West Midlands Combined Authority has taken the decision to award the contract to their current providers (please see list above), under Regulation 32 of the Procurement Regulations 2015 as the Services consist of a repetition of similar services entrusted to the current providers which are the same as or similar to the Services awarded under their original contracts.

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.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure

Notice number: 2020/S 027-063408


Section five. Award of contract/concession

Lot No

4

Title

Adult Education Budget Service Contract 2 - Support for those in employment

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract/concession

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

4 May 2022

five.2.2) Information about tenders

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: Yes

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire

Learning Curve Group

1-10 Dunelm Rise, Durhamgate, Spennymoor, England, DL1 6FS

Darlington

DL1 6FS

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKC13 - Darlington
National registration number

5233487

The contractor/concessionaire is an SME

Yes

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire

Waltham International College Limited

Glebe House, Vicarage Drive, Barking, England, IG11 7NR

Barking

IG11 7NR

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKI52 - Barking & Dagenham and Havering
National registration number

7177562

The contractor/concessionaire is an SME

No

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)

Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £582,464.31

five.2.5) Information about subcontracting

The contract/lot/concession is likely to be subcontracted


Section five. Award of contract/concession

Lot No

5

Title

Adult Education Budget Service Contract 2 - Birmingham Commonwealth Games

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract/concession

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

4 May 2022

five.2.2) Information about tenders

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: Yes

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire

Babington Business College

55 Colmore Row, Birmingham England B3 2AA

Birmingham

B3 2AA

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKG31 - Birmingham
National registration number

2673518

The contractor/concessionaire is an SME

No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire

Bright Direction Training Limited

Regency House, 45-51 Chorley New Road, Bolton, Lancashire BL1 4QR

Bolton

BL1 4QR

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKD4 - Lancashire
National registration number

7476725

The contractor/concessionaire is an SME

Yes

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor/concessionaire

Mitre Group Limited

Mount Cook Adventure Centre Porter Lane, Middleton, Matlock, England, DE4 4LS

Matlock

DE4 4LS

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKF1 - Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire
National registration number

2768180

The contractor/concessionaire is an SME

Yes

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot/concession (excluding VAT)

Total value of the contract/lot/concession: £582,491

five.2.5) Information about subcontracting

The contract/lot/concession is likely to be subcontracted


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

As stated elsewhere in this notice, The initial contract period is for 6 months, with an option to extend for a further 6 months (12 months total).

The current contracts end on the 31st July 2022, the new ones will commence from 1st August 2022.

For the purposes of maximum transparency, this is the second of 2 VEAT notices published by the WMCA in respect of the provision of Adult Education Services. The title of the first notice is Adult Education Budget Service Contract 1.

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

West Midlands Combined Authority

16 Summer Lane

Birmingham

B19 3SD

Email

procurement.team@wmca.org.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

www.wmca.org.uk