Scope
Reference
PA0005
Description
This is a Preliminary Market Engagement stage for the Norfolk and Suffolk Skills Bootcamps Programme (Wave 6 2025/2026).
Using Government funding, provided by the Department for Education, Suffolk County Council (SCC) are looking to appoint a selection of learning and training providers to deliver a range of Skills Bootcamps across a Norfolk and Suffolk geography during the financial year 2025/26.
SCC will be the contract holders and, working closely alongside Norfolk County Council, will act as a consortium for ongoing programme development, monitoring and reporting throughout the year to ensure that delivery meets and addresses local needs as well as the funding criteria and requirements of the Department for Education.
The Norfolk and Suffolk Skills Bootcamp Programme will provide a range of training courses (up to 16 weeks in length) aligned directly with the recruitment and skills needs of employers.
Total value (estimated)
- £4,600,000 excluding VAT
- £4,600,000 including VAT
Contract dates (estimated)
- 8 August 2025 to 2 October 2026
- Possible extension to 2 October 2027
- 2 years, 1 month, 26 days
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 80000000 - Education and training services
Engagement
Engagement deadline
24 May 2025
Engagement process description
The grant we have received from the Department for Education has been increased by ~100% in 2025/6 (£4.1 million) compared to 2024/5 (£2.2 million).
Suffolk County Council (SCC) is committed to ensuring fairness, openness and transparency in line with the objectives in Section 12 of the Procurement Act 2023.
It is the current intention of SCC to appoint providers with relevant experience and who can demonstrate that they can deliver a range of Skills Bootcamps supporting three overarching themes and lots:
• Developing Talent for Infrastructure
• Developing Talent for Technology Application and Convergence
• Developing Talent to underpin Growth and Employment
To support our procurement activity and develop the potential range of providers, we are undertaking Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) to help SCC:
1] identify an increased range of training providers that may be able to deliver Skills Bootcamps in 2025/26
2] understand capacity among providers in the region for potential future years of Skills Bootcamps
3] understand potential barriers for SMEs and opportunities to minimise some of these barriers
We will used the 'Central Digital Platform' to promote the PME, alongside our current channels including the Norfolk and Suffolk Skills Hub, LinkedIn, SCC and NCC website.
To express an interest in this opportunity, and to access/view the PME briefing pack, please register your details for Suffolk Sourcing and "opt in" to the project at https://in-tendhost.co.uk/suffolksourcing/aspx/ProjectManage/18857
If you would like to provide initial feedback on this opportunity, we would kindly request that you fill in the following questionnaire ideally by 6th May 2025:
https://forms.office.com/e/YHdRvCsirW
Any information gathered as part of this exercise may be used in the development of our requirements and our approach to the procurement.
The PME briefing pack and any Q&A generated in response to the PME will be made available to all as part of any subsequent tender documentation. This will ensure that those participating in PME are not put an unfair advantage. This will also enable us to mitigate the risk of distortion of competition.
We would also strongly encourage providers who are interested in this opportunity to register for the new Central Digital Platform, following the guidance at the following web address:
Please note, this is required even if you have historically had an account with the 'Find a Tender' service.
Our provisional timeline (which is subject to change) for this procurement is:
Tender Launch: 9th June 2025
Tender Submission deadline: 2nd July 2025
Evaluation completed: 18th July 2025
Contract Notices issued: 1st August 2025
Contracts Issued: 8th August 2025
Participation
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Submission
Publication date of tender notice (estimated)
10 June 2025
Procedure
Special regime
Light touch
Contracting authority
Suffolk County Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PHVH-1657-HHMV
Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road
Ipswich
IP1 2BX
United Kingdom
Contact name: Skills Team
Region: UKH14 - Suffolk
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government