Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Department for Education
Sanctuary Buildings, 20, Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT
Contact
Department for Education
aebprocurement.help@education.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education
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
Adult Education Budget 2023/24 Procurement Contracts for Services
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 80400000 - Adult and other education services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The purpose of this notice is to the awarded contracts for the delivery of adult education and training to learners aged 19 and over, who are resident in non-devolved areas of England, through Education and Skills Funding Agency (“ESFA”) funded Adult Education Budget (“AEB”) contracts for services (including the level 3 Free Courses for Jobs offer (“FCFJ”)).
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: £75,000,000
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKC - North East (England)
- UKD - North West (England)
- UKE - Yorkshire and the Humber
- UKF - East Midlands (England)
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
- UKH - East of England
- UKJ - South East (England)
- UKK - South West (England)
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Existing ESFA-Funded AEB contracts for services came to an end on 31 July 2023 and therefore the Department for Education (the "Authority") was required to undertake a further procurement exercise to secure this provision.
The Authority, on behalf of the ESFA, conducted a competitive procurement exercise (carried out in accordance with the Light Touch Regime, applying the principles of the Open Procedure as set out in the Public Contract Regulations 2015) for new ESFA-funded AEB contracts for services. These contracts will commence on 1 August 2023 for an initial period of twelve months covering the 2023/24 academic year, with options to extend further by up to three 12-month periods (extension will depend on factors including individual supplier performance and government spending priorities).
Providers needed to meet the criteria and quality standards that were set out in the procurement documents.
The contracts awarded through this procurement exercise are for qualifications-based provision and/or their components described in the AEB funding rules and/or the Free Courses For Jobs ("FCFJ") offer.
Multiple providers were sought to deliver the service across the non-devolved regions of England only. This means individual suppliers were limited to a maximum contract value, referred to as a 'tender cap' according to factors including their experience of providing similar services and the size of the bidding organisation. Note however that the Authority did not guarantee that providers who were successfully appointed would necessarily receive funding in an amount equivalent to their applicable tender cap.
Separately to this, an overall maximum contract value of £2.5 million per year applied to each Provider (albeit subject to availability of funding/provider performance, the Authority may award funding beyond the afore-mentioned 'caps' to providers if/when further funding becomes available and therefore annual contract values may increase in due course).
Following award, contract values may be increased or decreased according to factors including performance by the contractor and government funding priorities as further explained in the procurement documents.
Given the duration of the contract, the Authority may (at its absolute discretion) agree to variations in respect of the subject-matter of the courses delivered to the extent that such courses continue to fall within the auspices of adult education and the relevant funding rules as described above.
The procurement was open to providers who are seeking to deliver adult education and training provision funded by the ESFA AEB and FCFJ (and/or any other relevant public sector funding which may become available to deliver adult education programmes from time to time). Awarded Providers must deliver such provision in accordance with the current funding rules applicable to such funding (such that the provision is wholly fundable within the scope of those funding rules)
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 90
Quality criterion - Name: Social Value / Weighting: 10
Price - Weighting: 0
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
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: 2023/S 000-003507
Section five. Award of contract
Title
THE PORTLAND TRAINING COMPANY LIMITED - ESFA AEB (Contract for Services 2023)
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
31 July 2023
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 338
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
THE PORTLAND TRAINING COMPANY LIMITED
Sheffield
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: £2,498,077
Section five. Award of contract
Title
TLG BUSINESS SERVICES LIMITED - ESFA AEB (Contract for Services 2023)
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
31 July 2023
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 338
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
TLG BUSINESS SERVICES LIMITED
Newcastle upon Tyne
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: £297,230
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The Royal Courts of Justice
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom