Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Department for Education
Sanctuary Buildings, 20, Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education
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
Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at
https://education.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.html
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
PROCUREMENT OF A CONTRACTOR TO RECRUIT TRUSTEES TO ACADEMY TRUSTS
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 80000000 - Education and training services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
There are currently 2,397 school academy trusts (as of August 2023) funded by the DfE in England. The vast majority are well-governed by their trust boards whose responsibility it is, with their members, to recruit a sufficient cadre of high-quality trustees. In doing so, they are supported by a vibrant market of organisations which offer various recruitment services. With this support used as necessary, the vast majority of trusts are able to operate effectively; however, as a contingency, the department, as the principal regulator of school academy trusts, requires a bespoke service to seek to ensure that, where this has not happened, high-calibre trustees, with the required skills, can be sourced for the boards concerned to appoint.
Academy trustees are volunteers who are responsible for ensuring a trust’s clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction, holding executive leaders to account, and overseeing and ensuring effective financial performance. Trust boards therefore need to be made up of trustees with the necessary expertise and skill to fulfil these functions effectively. The role is a significant commitment and while there are already many dedicated trustees across the country, it can be difficult for some trusts to find and recruit the right people with the skills they need.
We expect this to be a bespoke recruitment service which places the right people in the right roles, with a real focus on high quality matches. We expect the vacancies to be filled through this service to have characteristics which make them challenging for the board to recruit to without support.
The tender is for a two-year contract, with the option of a contract extension (+1) subject to need and funding being available.
Organisations wishing to participate in this contract opportunity must do so through DfE's eTendering portal (Jaggaer).
Registration is free of charge and full system support is available via the Jaggaer homepage.
In order to access this opportunity in Jaggaer potential suppliers must first click 'view opportunities' from the Jaggaer homepage and then express their interest to gain access to the full document suite.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £1,200,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
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
Academy trustees are volunteers who are responsible for ensuring a trust’s clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction, holding executive leaders to account, and overseeing and ensuring effective financial performance. Trust boards therefore need to be made up of trustees with the necessary expertise and skill to fulfil these functions effectively. The role is a significant commitment and while there are already many dedicated trustees across the country, it can be difficult for some trusts to find and recruit the right people with the skills they need.
We expect this to be a bespoke recruitment service which places the right people in the right roles, with a real focus on high quality matches. We expect the vacancies to be filled through this service to have characteristics which make them challenging for the board to recruit to without support. For example, the provider may need to find trustees for trusts with challenging geography or religious characteristics or be asked to source candidates with very specific skillsets.
All trusts receiving support through the programme will be ones the department is working with to drive improvement and trustees joining such boards will need to be able to deliver support effectively and at pace. The department is also therefore looking for a provider who will be able to offer a high quality onboarding support to candidates.
The tender is for a two-year contract, with the option of a contract extension (+1) subject to need and funding being available.
Organisations wishing to participate in this contract opportunity must do so through DfE's eTendering portal (Jaggaer).
Registration is free of charge and full system support is available via the Jaggaer homepage.
In order to access this opportunity in Jaggaer potential suppliers must first click 'view opportunities' from the Jaggaer homepage and then express their interest to gain access to the full document suite.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £1,200,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
9 November 2023
End date
8 November 2025
This contract is subject to renewal
No
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
The contract includes an option to extend.
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
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.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2023/S 000-004180
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
5 October 2023
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Duration in months: 6 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
31 August 2023
Local time
5:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
High Court
Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand
London
WC2A2LL
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
The Authority will incorporate a voluntary minimum 10 calendar day standstill period at the point
information on the award of the Contract is communicated to tenderers. Applicants who are unsuccessful
shall be informed by the Authority as soon as possible after the decision has been made as to the reasons
why the Applicant was unsuccessful. If any clarification regarding the award of the Contract has not been
successfully resolved, The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015 No. 102) provide for aggrieved parties
who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by breach of the rules to take legal action.
Any such action must be brought within the applicable limitation period. Where a contract has not been
entered into, the Court may order the setting aside of the award decision or order the Authority to amend
any document and may award damages.
If a contract has been entered into the Court may, depending on the circumstances, award damages, make a
declaration of ineffectiveness, order the Authority to pay a fine, and/or order that the duration of the
contract be shortened. The purpose of the voluntary standstill period referred to above is to allow the parties
to apply to the Courts to set aside the award decision before the Contract is entered into