Planning

Adult Skills Fund & Free Courses for Jobs

  • Devon County Council

UK2: Preliminary market engagement notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-034168

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-055047 (view related notices)

Published 19 June 2025, 4:19pm

Last edited 20 June 2025, 4:05pm

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Changes to notice

This notice has been edited. The previous version is still available.

Procurement Description - amended to "ILR Data" for clarity

Estimated value changed to £1,338,469 to include vat and reflect actual value

Reference to 5 Geographical Lots removed as detail is within the PME Questionnaire

PME Return/Engagement End Date amended to 27/06/2025 and ITT publish date amended to 1/07/25, in line with the outline timeline within the PME Questionnaire.

Scope

Reference

CP2641-25

Description

Devon County Council (DCC) seeks to implement a framework to provide Adult Skills Fund provision from high quality providers in Devon and Torbay,  that is responsive to local needs, supports individuals furthest from the labour market, and contributes to the county's strategic objectives for economic development, social inclusion, and community wellbeing for the coming academic year (2025/26).

Provision must be delivery of Department for Education (DfE) approved qualifications. Contract awards will be based on the quality and reach of any proposed course provision. Contracts will be paid in arrears according to evidenced learner output milestones as this is the basis for receiving funding from the DfE.

Contractors will be required to submit learner data compliant with the existing learner data framework for Learn Devon (as part of DCC) as DCC will submit ILR data to the DfE on behalf of contracted providers.

Providers will be required to deliver DfE approved qualifications as follows:The first full Qualification at level 2 legal entitlement (excluding Maths, English, and ESOL) for individuals aged 19 to 23; and/or the first full Qualification at level 3 for individuals aged 19 to 23;

Essential digital skills qualifications, up to and including level 1, for individuals aged 19 or over, who have digital skills assessed at below level 1; Level 3 Free Courses for Jobs Offer for learners aged 23 or younger (from these approved DfE qualifications);

Level 3 Free Courses for Jobs Offer for learners aged 24 and over (from these approved DfE qualifications).

Training and skills courses resulting in DfE approved qualifications must be focused on the sectors below:

Health and Social Care

Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (including Green Technologies)

Education

Hospitality

Transport and Storage

Information and Communication

Finance and Insurance

Professional, Scientific, and Technical

Digital (including Essential Digital Skills)

Access to the Preliminary Engagement Event and Questionnaire can be found using the following link to SupplyingtheSouthwest portal.

https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=07159a5c-f84c-f011-8138-005056b64545&p=696a9836-1895-e511-8105-000c29c9ba21

Total value (estimated)

  • £1,338,469 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 14 August 2025 to 1 August 2026
  • 11 months, 19 days

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 80400000 - Adult and other education services

Engagement

Engagement deadline

27 June 2025

Engagement process description

To inform the service provision approach Devon County Council will be undertaking a questionnaire for prospective bidders. The questionnaire will be supported by an online teams event where further discussion on the Authorities requirement and approach to the procurement element will be discussed.

The opportunity can be accessed on the SupplyingtheSouthwest portal using the following link.

https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=07159a5c-f84c-f011-8138-005056b64545&p=696a9836-1895-e511-8105-000c29c9ba21

19/06/2025  Pre-Engagement notice published

26/06/2025 Market engagement event (Teams Meeting)

27/06/2025 Return of questionnaires

1/07/25 ITT Issued

Noon 22/07/2025  Deadline for return of bids

05/08/2025 Notification by the Authority of the award decision and issue of assessment summaries

12/08/2025 Appointment of the successful Bidders to Framework and initial direct award of the contracts

14/08/2025 Contract commences

14/08/2025 - 31/07/2026  Delivery phase

Further details are given in the attached document

The Authority will make available all relevant information from this event and subsequent questionnaire as part of the publication of the ITT


Participation

Particular suitability

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)


Submission

Publication date of tender notice (estimated)

1 July 2025


Procedure

Special regime

Light touch


Contracting authority

Devon County Council

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PJRC-4623-RJBH

County Hall, Topsham Road

Exeter

EX2 4QD

United Kingdom

Contact name: Mr Symon Doliczny

Telephone: +44 1392383000

Email: symon.doliczny@devon.gov.uk

Website: https://www.devon.gov.uk

Region: UKK43 - Devon CC

Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government