Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Cambridgeshire County Council on behalf of the Greater Cambridge Partnership
New Shire Hall, Alconbury Weald
Huntingdon
PE28 4YE
Contact
Mr Jon Collyns
Jon.Collyns@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKH - East of England
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/
Buyer's address
https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert/Index?advertId=ffc974b4-9875-ef11-812f-005056b64545
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert/Index?advertId=ffc974b4-9875-ef11-812f-005056b64545
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
GCP Skills & Apprenticeship Service 2025
Reference number
DN741465
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 80000000 - Education and training services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This project is an opportunity to deliver key skills activities in Greater Cambridge. These activities will fundamentally underpin the growth of the economy in one of fastest growing areas of the UK. This project has a number of core themes (listed below) including delivering apprenticeships and training opportunities, mentoring and careers guidance. In delivering these activities the successful bidder will be required to work across the breadth of the Greater Cambridge ecosystem.
The successful bidder will need work in collaboration with the Greater Cambridge community and specifically with businesses, schools, membership organisations and other educational establishments. The service will require a close working relationship with other local government bodies, such as the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, to ensure joined up working and avoiding duplication of efforts.
The Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) has been funding specific skills activity across the last ten years. Current activity, as set out in our latest reports is broadly delivering well against its KPI’s. We want to see continued delivery in these key areas. The GCP is now looking to expand on the success of the existing provision and provide a service with a wider focus.
The focus of the Service will be in the following key areas:
1. Apprenticeships, training programmes and internships – promote and support young people to secure these opportunities. Work directly with young people, educators, parents and employers to do so. KPI’s to demonstrate numbers against 3 areas:
· Apprenticeships
· Work experience placements
· Internships
Activities to specifically focus on:
· Awareness of opportunities
· Encouraging and supporting the application process
· Signposting employers to a wide range of training providers
2. Careers Guidance Secondary Schools - offer careers and employability support to every child at a Greater Cambridge state secondary school.
3. Careers Advice Primary Schools – Engage with all primary schools in Greater Cambridge to support them to embed careers awareness activities into the curriculum. Including though an annual careers fair.
4. Mentoring – Provide targeted support to children who are at risk of being NEET through targeted mentoring arrangements.
5. Engagement with parents/carers – engage with parents/carers to inform, raise awareness and equip them to support their young people.
6. Supporting staff – through targeted activity, support and equip staff in educational environments with a detailed understanding of current and emerging work opportunities for their students.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH - East of England
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
This project is an opportunity to deliver key skills activities in Greater Cambridge. These activities will fundamentally underpin the growth of the economy in one of fastest growing areas of the UK. This project has a number of core themes (listed below) including delivering apprenticeships and training opportunities, mentoring and careers guidance. In delivering these activities the successful bidder will be required to work across the breadth of the Greater Cambridge ecosystem.
The successful bidder will need work in collaboration with the Greater Cambridge community and specifically with businesses, schools, membership organisations and other educational establishments. The service will require a close working relationship with other local government bodies, such as the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, to ensure joined up working and avoiding duplication of efforts.
The Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) has been funding specific skills activity across the last ten years. Current activity, as set out in our latest reports is broadly delivering well against its KPI’s. We want to see continued delivery in these key areas. The GCP is now looking to expand on the success of the existing provision and provide a service with a wider focus.
The focus of the Service will be in the following key areas:
1. Apprenticeships, training programmes and internships – promote and support young people to secure these opportunities. Work directly with young people, educators, parents and employers to do so. KPI’s to demonstrate numbers against 3 areas:
· Apprenticeships
· Work experience placements
· Internships
Activities to specifically focus on:
· Awareness of opportunities
· Encouraging and supporting the application process
· Signposting employers to a wide range of training providers
2. Careers Guidance Secondary Schools - offer careers and employability support to every child at a Greater Cambridge state secondary school.
3. Careers Advice Primary Schools – Engage with all primary schools in Greater Cambridge to support them to embed careers awareness activities into the curriculum. Including though an annual careers fair.
4. Mentoring – Provide targeted support to children who are at risk of being NEET through targeted mentoring arrangements.
5. Engagement with parents/carers – engage with parents/carers to inform, raise awareness and equip them to support their young people.
6. Supporting staff – through targeted activity, support and equip staff in educational environments with a detailed understanding of current and emerging work opportunities for their students.
This requirement is not split into Lots, as the authority require one single provider to service this requirement, for ease of management and to drive efficiencies.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
24
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: 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.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
11 December 2024
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
11 December 2024
Local time
12:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: Yes
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Cambridgeshire County Council
New Shire Hall, Alconbury Weald
Huntingdon
PE28 4YE
Clare.Ellis@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
Royal Courts of Justice
The Strand
London
WC2A 2LL
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
The Authority will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar days standstill period at the point
information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. The duration of this
standstill will be disclosed at this point.
This period allows unsuccessful tenderers to seek further debriefing from the Contracting
Authority before the contract is entered into. Such additional information should be required
from (Refer to address in Part 1.1). If an appeal regarding the award of a contract has not
been successfully resolved the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Chapter 6) provide for
aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to
take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). Any such action must
be brought promptly. 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
the contract has been entered into the Court may order the ineffectiveness of a contract
where serious breach have occurred in addition to any fine, the Court may instead provide for
alternative penalties, either contract shortening, fines or both.
Please ensure that you read the tender documents carefully in order to be aware of the
requirements and relevant deadlines.
The Council reserves the right to award all, part or none of the business forming the subject
matter of this procurement and to abandon, halt, pause, or postpone this procurement at
any time. Under no circumstances will the Council incur any liability (including, but not
limited to, liability as to costs) in respect of this procurement exercise, the abandonment of
the same, or any documentation issued as part of this procurement exercise.