Scope
Reference
CSW - 22532
Description
Warwickshire County Council (the Council), in collaboration with Coventry City Council is seeking a single provider to enhance the participation of 16-17-year-olds in education and training (EET) and to reduce the number of young people who are Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) or whose situation is unknown. Each authority will have its own separate, stand-alone contract and will individually manage the performance of their respective contracts.
The service provider will track young people's post 16 participation in education and training and identify NEET young people through the tracking activities, ensuring clear referral pathways to other organisations, including learning providers. Additionally, the provider will identify young people who are at risk of dropping out of learning provision and offer support to help them overcome barriers to engagement in EET.
The Service aims to focus on and support young people who are NEET by:
1. encouraging, enabling and assisting young people to participate in education and training.
2. raising awareness of local labour market opportunities.
3. raising aspirations - setting high expectations of every individual.
4. linking to the local authorities for planning and data collection for the Department for Education (DFE).
5. linking with National Careers Service providers, NEET delivery providers and Jobcentre Plus.
• The service outlined in this specification will be available to:
• all young people in Coventry and Warwickshire who are in Year 11 up to the end of the academic year they turn 18 (up to 25 for young people with an EHCP/Care Leavers);
• those young people identified as not in education, employment or training (NEET);
• schools, colleges and training providers in Coventry and Warwickshire.
The service provider will be compliant with DfE MI Requirements as set out in the DfE's most recent NCCIS Management Information Requirements guidance.
Total value (estimated)
- £3,000,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029
- Possible extension to 31 March 2035
- 9 years
Description of possible extension:
The initial contract term will be for 3 years however the Council reserves the right to extend the contract by further periods not exceeding 72 months (6 years) at the discretion of the Council based on the contract performance of the successful applicants.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 80000000 - Education and training services
Contract locations
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
Participation
Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation
Please see tender documentation
Technical ability conditions of participation
Please see tender documentation
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
18 August 2025, 12:00pm
Submission type
Tenders
Tender submission deadline
2 September 2025, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Warwickshire County Council will be using its e-tendering system (CSW-JETS) for the administration of this procurement process. Providers must register with the system to be able to express an interest and download documents.
The web address for CSW-JETS is:
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/csw-jets/aspx/Home
Registration and use of CSW-JETS is free.
All correspondence or clarifications relating to this procurement must be via the CSWJETS correspondence function. If you are having trouble registering with CSW-JETS please email us at: procurement@warwickshire.gov.uk
Providers must register on CSW-JETS and express an interest in this project and be able to correspond with us about this procurement.
Applicants are required to answer all of the questions and return their completed response (including any associated documentation) by: -
no later than Tuesday 2nd September 2025 at 12 Noon.
via https://in-tendhost.co.uk/csw-jets/aspx/Home.
Your tender return must be submitted via the E-tendering portal. You will not be able to upload your tender after the deadline detailed above. Applicants are advised that if their tender response (including any associated documentation) is only partially uploaded within the E-tendering portal by the closing date and time then the system will lock them out and they will not be able to complete their document upload. The Council reserves the right to only evaluate documents received within the E-tendering portal by the closing date and time and applicants are advised that a partial upload is unlikely to be successful. Applicants are therefore recommended to upload their full tender response well in advance of the closing date and time.
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
1 October 2025
Award criteria
Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
---|---|---|---|
Quality | Responses are scored out of a total of 100, only applicants who exceed the stated threshold of 60 out of 100 will pass to Stage 3 (Cost) section |
Quality | 80% |
Cost | 20% The contract has a maximum contract value of £483,550 per annum for WCC and a maximum contract value of £480,000 for CCC. To confirm, if bidders submit a cost higher than the maximum contract... |
Cost | 20% |
Other information
Description of risks to contract performance
The satisfactory performance of the contract may be jeopardised by the following risks, which by their nature, are unable to be addressed in the contract as awarded:
• The changing needs and requirements of the Council and the changing demands placed on the Council by its customers. increases or decreases in funding - such as reductions or additions in budget allocations as part of the Council's budget setting processes, or as a consequence of additional funding streams which were unknown at the time of awarding the contract, but which are provided to increase the volume and scope of services delivered
• Changes in legislation or national guidance
• The identification of additional service recipients, not originally captured by the scope of the contract e.g. same service requirements for 16/17-year-old teenagers where contract is for 18-20s
• Opportunities offered by emerging/new technologies.
Applicable trade agreements
- Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Special regime
Light touch
Competitive flexible procedure description
CoP
Procurement Specific Questionnaire
Applicants must complete Parts 1, 2 and 3 for the Council to identify the applicants to move forward to the 'Award' stage.
Only applicants who pass the mandatory pass/fail elements and exceed the stated threshold of 60 out of 100 will pass to the 'Award' stage.
Please refer to section 2 for more information.
1 Mandatory Questions
Pass/Fail
Applicants must answer questions M1 and M2. Applicants must pass this stage in order to proceed to Stage 2.
Please refer to Section 4 for more information.
2 Quality (Non-cost) 80%
Responses are scored out of a total of 100, only applicants who exceed the stated threshold of 60 out of 100 will pass to Stage 3.
Please refer to Section 4 for more information.
3 Cost 20%
The contract has a maximum contract value of £483,550 per annum for WCC and a maximum contract value of £480,000 for CCC.
To confirm, if bidders submit a cost higher than the maximum contract value they will automatically be excluded from the process/fail this stage.
Please refer to Section 4 for more information.
4 Negotiation/Clarification Meeting The Council reserves the right to invite bidders to a clarification meeting with presentation, or to Negotiation Meetings if the Council elects to do this.
5 Award Stage The contract will be awarded to the applicant with the highest Total Score.
Please refer to Section 4 for more information.
6 Tie-Break (if required) If there are bids with the same total score, then a Tie-Break process will be used to determine the winner.
Contracting authorities
Coventry City Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PMJC-6861-XJPP
Council House, Earl Street
Coventry
CV1 5RR
United Kingdom
Region: UKG33 - Coventry
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government
Warwickshire County Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PDTN-5446-NMXW
Shire Hall
Warwick
CV34 4SA
United Kingdom
Email: procurement@warwickshire.gov.uk
Website: http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk
Region: UKG13 - Warwickshire
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government