Awarded contract

Voluntary Transparency Notice (VTN) for Civil Service learning and development contract modification CCZP20A03

  • Cabinet Office

F15: Voluntary ex ante transparency notice

Notice reference: 2024/S 000-013318

Published 24 April 2024, 2:54pm



Section one: Contracting authority/entity

one.1) Name and addresses

Cabinet Office

70 Whitehall

LONDON

SW1A2AS

Email

john.collins@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UK - United Kingdom

Justification for not providing organisation identifier

Not on any register

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/cabinet-office

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Ministry or any other national or federal authority

one.5) Main activity

General public services


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Voluntary Transparency Notice (VTN) for Civil Service learning and development contract modification CCZP20A03

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 80000000 - Education and training services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

This VTN sets out the Cabinet Office's intention to amend its contract dated 2 October 2020 with Ernst & Young LLP for the delivery of learning and development services. The term of the contract will be extended by 12 months, such that the new expiry date will be 4 October 2025, and the maximum value of the contract will be increased by 50% from £130,000,000 (ex. VAT) to £195,000,000 (ex. VAT). The Cabinet Office intends to observe a voluntary standstill and will not conclude these contract amendments before Tuesday 7th May 2024. No other changes will be made to the contract. The Cabinet Office also intends to amend a separate, but related, contract for the delivery of learning and development services with KPMG LLP as set out in a separate VTN issued on the same date.

The Cabinet Office considers that the amendments set out in this VTN are permitted pursuant to Regulation 72(1)(b) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR), which permits the modification of contracts without a new procurement procedure in the following circumstances:

for additional works, services or supplies by the original contractor that have become necessary and were not included in the initial procurement, where a change of contractor-

(i) cannot be made for economic or technical reasons such as requirements of interchangeability or interoperability with existing equipment, services or installations procured under the initial procurement, and

(ii) would cause significant inconvenience or substantial duplication of costs for the contracting authority,

provided that any increase in price does not exceed 50% of the value of the original contract.

The Cabinet Office is preparing to conduct a new procurement exercise for replacement learning and development services beyond October 2025. Following the publication of the prior information notice with reference 2022/S 000-032585 by Crown Commercial Service on 17 November 2022, various market engagement events took place between March 2023 and November 2023. A new procurement exercise for replacement learning and development services is expected to formally commence during Summer 2024, and the Cabinet Office intends to issue a new prior information notice in respect of that procurement in the near future.

As set out above, these are permitted modifications under the PCR, but, in the event that either of the modifications are deemed not to be a permitted modification under the PCR, then this notice should be treated as providing the requisite notice of the Cabinet Office's intention to make a contract award.

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

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

Value excluding VAT: £65,000,000

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 80000000 - Education and training services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

This VTN sets out the Cabinet Office's intention to amend its contract dated 2 October 2020 with Ernst & Young LLP for the delivery of learning and development services. The term of the contract will be extended by 12 months, such that the new expiry date will be 4 October 2025, and the maximum value of the contract will be increased by 50% from £130,000,000 (ex. VAT) to £195,000,000 (ex. VAT). The Cabinet Office intends to observe a voluntary standstill and will not conclude these contract amendments before Tuesday 7th May 2024. No other changes will be made to the contract. The Cabinet Office also intends to amend a separate, but related, contract for the delivery of learning and development services with KPMG LLP as set out in a separate VTN issued on the same date.

The Cabinet Office considers that the amendments set out in this VTN are permitted pursuant to Regulation 72(1)(b) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR), which permits the modification of contracts without a new procurement procedure in the following circumstances:

for additional works, services or supplies by the original contractor that have become necessary and were not included in the initial procurement, where a change of contractor-

(i) cannot be made for economic or technical reasons such as requirements of interchangeability or interoperability with existing equipment, services or installations procured under the initial procurement, and

(ii) would cause significant inconvenience or substantial duplication of costs for the contracting authority,

provided that any increase in price does not exceed 50% of the value of the original contract.

The Cabinet Office is preparing to conduct a new procurement exercise for replacement learning and development services beyond October 2025. Following the publication of the prior information notice with reference 2022/S 000-032585 by Crown Commercial Service on 17 November 2022, various market engagement events took place between March 2023 and November 2023. A new procurement exercise for replacement learning and development services is expected to formally commence during Summer 2024, and the Cabinet Office intends to issue a new prior information notice in respect of that procurement in the near future.

As set out above, these are permitted modifications under the PCR, but, in the event that either of the modifications are deemed not to be a permitted modification under the PCR, then this notice should be treated as providing the requisite notice of the Cabinet Office's intention to make a contract award.

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: No


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Negotiated without a prior call for competition

  • Additional deliveries by the original supplier

Explanation:

This VTN sets out the Cabinet Office's intention to amend its contract dated 2 October 2020 with Ernst & Young LLP for the delivery of learning and development services. The term of the contract will be extended by 12 months, such that the new expiry date will be 4 October 2025, and the maximum value of the contract will be increased by 50% from £130,000,000 (ex. VAT) to £195,000,000 (ex. VAT). The Cabinet Office intends to observe a voluntary standstill and will not conclude these contract amendments before Tuesday 7th May 2024. No other changes will be made to the contract. The Cabinet Office also intends to amend a separate, but related, contract for the delivery of learning and development services with KPMG LLP as set out in a separate VTN issued on the same date.

The Cabinet Office considers that the amendments set out in this VTN are permitted pursuant to Regulation 72(1)(b) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR), which permits the modification of contracts without a new procurement procedure in the following circumstances:

for additional works, services or supplies by the original contractor that have become necessary and were not included in the initial procurement, where a change of contractor-

(i) cannot be made for economic or technical reasons such as requirements of interchangeability or interoperability with existing equipment, services or installations procured under the initial procurement, and

(ii) would cause significant inconvenience or substantial duplication of costs for the contracting authority,

provided that any increase in price does not exceed 50% of the value of the original contract.

The Cabinet Office is preparing to conduct a new procurement exercise for replacement learning and development services beyond October 2025. Following the publication of the prior information notice with reference 2022/S 000-032585 by Crown Commercial Service on 17 November 2022, various market engagement events took place between March 2023 and November 2023. A new procurement exercise for replacement learning and development services is expected to formally commence during Summer 2024, and the Cabinet Office intends to issue a new prior information notice in respect of that procurement in the near future.

As set out above, these are permitted modifications under the PCR, but, in the event that either of the modifications are deemed not to be a permitted modification under the PCR, then this notice should be treated as providing the requisite notice of the Cabinet Office's intention to make a contract award.

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

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes


Section five. Award of contract/concession

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract/concession

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

2 October 2020

five.2.2) Information about tenders

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

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

Ernst & Young LLP

London

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UK - United Kingdom
Companies House

OC300001

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: £65,000,000


Section six. Complementary information

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

The High Court, Royal Court of Justice

The Strand

London

WC2A 2LL

Country

United Kingdom