Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Department for Education
Sanctuary Buildings, 20, Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT
itt.careerchangers@education.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main 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
Career Changer Programme 2022 and 2023 Cohorts
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 80000000 - Education and training services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Secretary of State for Education, through the Department for Education (the Authority) has undertaken a procurement to appoint a contractor to deliver a single national (England) contract (the "Contract"), for the provision of the Career Changer Programme ("the Programme").
The Contract will require recruitment of and delivery of transitional support to two cohorts (the "2022 Cohort" and the "2023 Cohort") of career changers.
The Initial Contract Period shall commence on the date on which the contractor begins to deliver the services and shall expire in October 2025, subject to earlier termination in accordance with the provisions of the Contract with an option, at the Authority's discretion, to extend the Contract for a further period of up to a maximum of 12 months in duration.
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: £2,997,006.39
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance
England only
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Government believes that all pupils, regardless of birth or background, should receive an excellent education wherever they are. Central to this is ensuring all schools throughout England have access to high quality teachers.
The Programme will secure a stream of highly experienced career changers into teaching and contribute to the age diversity of new entrants to Initial Teacher Training (ITT). The contractor will attract, recruit and support experienced career changers who have a substantial career, significant previous employment and industry experience and might not otherwise have considered teaching. The contractor will design and develop a national (England) programme that will support participants to make a successful transition into teaching, provide added value in the schools where they are placed drawing on their prior experience and expertise and retain participants in the profession once trained.
The key objectives of the Programme are to:
- Attract, recruit, support and retain experienced career changers who would not otherwise have joined the profession, into priority subject vacancies in secondary schools throughout England.
- Support experienced career changers to realise their potential in regard to the added value they can bring into schools.
The Contractor will not be expected to deliver ITT. The solution will wrap around an existing ITT course leading to Qualified Teacher Status delivered by an accredited ITT provider.
The Contractor is required to design, develop, and deliver a high quality and bespoke Programme to deliver the following services:
- Attraction of Candidates
- Candidate Recruitment and Selection
- Participant Placement
- Participant Retention and Ongoing Support
- Contractor Management Information
- Programme Evaluation
- Continuous Improvement
- Data Management and Security
- Contractor Performance Management
- Contractor Assurance
- Implementation and Resourcing
- Demobilisation and Exit Planning
The Contract will require recruitment of and delivery of transitional support to two cohorts (the "2022 Cohort" and the "2023 Cohort") of career changers.
The two cohorts shall commence the training element of the Programme as follows:
- The 2022 cohort to start Year 1 of the Programme in September 2022 and Year 2 of the Programme, employed as a newly qualified teacher, by September 2023; and
- The 2023 cohort to start Year 1 of the Programme in September 2023 and Year 2 of the Programme, employed as a newly qualified teacher by September 2024;
The 2022 Cohort shall complete the Programme by August 2024 and the 2023 Cohort by August 2025.
The Authority anticipates that Contract exit activity for the Initial Contract Period shall be completed by October 2025.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Technical / Weighting: 70%
Quality criterion - Name: Social Value / Weighting: 10%
Price - Weighting: 20%
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
There is an option for the Authority at its discretion to extend the Contract on written notice for a further period of up to a maximum of 12 months in duration as set out in the Contract. If exercised, this period would allow for the delivery of an additional one (the 2024 Cohort) and related exit activity. The option to extend the Contract will be solely at the Authority's discretion and will be subject to satisfactory contractor performance, Ministerial approval and availability of funding.
If the option to extend is exercised by the Authority, the 2024 Cohort to start Year 1 of the Programme in September 2024 and Year 2 of the Programme, employed as a newly qualified teacher, by September 2025 The 2024 Cohort shall complete the Programme by August 2026.
The Authority anticipates that there would be a period of 2 months contract exit activity , which would end by October 2026 (if extended for a 2024 Cohort)
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 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: 2021/S 000-013972
Section five. Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
12 October 2021
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 2
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 2
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 2
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Now Teach
4 Bloomsbury Square
London
WC1A 2RP
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UK - United Kingdom
The contractor is an SME
Yes
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £2,997,006.39
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
High Court
Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
High Court
Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand
London
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
The Authority incorporated a voluntary minimum 10 calendar day standstill period at the point information on the award of the Contract was communicated to tenderers. Applicants who were unsuccessful were informed by the Authority immediately after the decision was been made as to the reasons why the applicant was unsuccessful.
If any clarification regarding the award of the Contract was not 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.