Award

English Language and Employment Support for Ukrainians and HK (BNOs)

  • Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government

UK6: Contract award notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-041825

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-05227e (view related notices)

Published 22 July 2025, 9:10am



Scope

Reference

CPD4128072

Description

Scope/ Key Deliverables

The programme is a priority for the Ministry. The Supplier will need to deliver at pace the following three objectives:

Objective 1: To assess learners' initial English Language skills and identify barriers to entering the employment market, or into higher paid roles, and develop tailored support plans.

Measure of Success 1: For 90% of all students to have a tailored support plan which identifies barriers to employment with agreed steps to reducing these barriers. For 85% of all students that have completed the course to report that employment support sessions were helpful, at the point of their completion of the course (to be determined by exit survey).

Objective 2: To provide English Language tuition to up to 4,000 individuals comprising of 50% Ukrainians and 50% HK BN(O)s, of which two thirds are unemployed and one third are in low-paid employment.

Measure of Success 2: For all eligible learners to have improved by at least half a level of Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) qualification compared to their baseline at the start of the programme.

Objective 3: To provide high-quality, individualised employability support to up to 4,000 Ukrainians and HK BN(O)s in parallel to providing English Language classes.

For English Language Provision:

Provide virtual intensive English language lessons of up to 20 hours a week as a minimum, delivered flexibly to suit the cohort's needs and a less intensive option of 3 days a week. This will include (but is not limited to):

1. Assessing students English learning needs.

2. Helping students improve reading, writing, speaking and listening in English aimed to enable them to access the employment market.

3. Providing specific language skills for those seeking employment in specific professional employment e.g., healthcare and education professions.

4. One to one support including regular check-ins to motivate and monitor progress.

5. Regular checks on attendance levels and learning of the English language.

6. End of course assessment leading to English certificate.

For Employability Support

Employment support should be delivered 1-2 hours per week after week three, increasing in intensity from week seven or fifteen if offering the less intense option. Depending on individual's needs, these sessions may be one-to-one support or provided in group settings. This will include (but is not limited to):

1. Assessing student's employment support needs.

2. Support with seeking recognition of existing professional qualifications where the qualification is relevant to the employment sought. The Supplier will not be expected to fund these but instead support beneficiaries through the application process.

3. Signposting to job boards and/or job opportunities.

4. Support with CV writing and job applications.

5. Undertaking interview practice including providing actionable feedback and role-playing cultural norms around interviewing as needed;

6. Support in preparing for self-employment, including but not limited to, signposting to local entrepreneurship services, and training to understand business, the UK tax system and how to access financial support and start-up capital.

7. Ensure that paid-for vocational and/or technical training is provided to a recognised standard (for example, in-line with qualification levels in England).

8. The supplier should be mindful of other employability schemes


Contract 1

Supplier

Contract value

  • £12,480,000 excluding VAT
  • £14,976,000 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Award decision date

18 July 2025

Date assessment summaries were sent to tenderers

18 July 2025

Standstill period

  • End: 31 July 2025
  • 8 working days

Earliest date the contract will be signed

20 August 2025

Contract dates (estimated)

  • 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2026
  • Possible extension to 31 August 2028
  • 3 years

Description of possible extension:

The contract will be for an initial period of 12 months only.

There will be the option to extend this contract in yearly increments (+1+1) representing up to two additional years. Any extension to this contract will be subject to requirement, funding, ministerial approval, approval from HMT and the suppliers performance in the initial contract period.

Main procurement category

Services

CPV classifications

  • 80500000 - Training services

Contract locations

  • 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
  • UKI - London
  • UKJ - South East (England)
  • UKK - South West (England)

Information about tenders

  • 8 tenders received
  • 8 tenders assessed in the final stage:
    • 6 submitted by small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
    • 2 submitted by voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
  • 1 supplier awarded contracts
  • 7 suppliers unsuccessful (details included for contracts over £5 million)

Unsuccessful suppliers


Procedure

Procedure type

Open procedure


Suppliers

CENTRAL BRITISH FUND FOR WORLD JEWISH RELIEF(THE)

  • Companies House: 01874886
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PLDH-9331-QJXN

54 Crewys Road

London

NW2 2AD

United Kingdom

Region: UKI71 - Barnet

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): Yes

Supported employment provider: No

Public service mutual: No

Contract 1

CONNECTED BUSINESS ENGLISH LIMITED

  • Companies House: 14241434
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PRNJ-5524-CYVZ

39 Abbey Road

Colwyn Bay

LL28 4NR

United Kingdom

Region: UKL13 - Conwy and Denbighshire

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

CULTURALINKS COMMUNITY CIC

  • Companies House: 16268519
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PMXM-6943-RYQD

8 Brooke Road

Taunton

TA1 2HP

United Kingdom

Region: UKK23 - Somerset

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

FUTURE INVESTMENTS GATE (FIG) LTD

  • Companies House: 12830928
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PGMG-2738-QLQX

Ground Floor 6 English Business Park

Hove

BN3 7ET

United Kingdom

Region: UKJ21 - Brighton and Hove

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

LANGUAGE PATH EDUCATION LIMITED

  • Companies House: 13312625
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PNJW-4614-VPYN

891 Greenford Road

London

UB6 0HE

United Kingdom

Region: UKI73 - Ealing

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

MALVERN INTERNATIONAL PLC

  • Companies House: 05174452
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PCQH-9262-BLJT

3rd Floor 1 Ashley Road

Altrincham

WA14 2DT

United Kingdom

Region: UKD34 - Greater Manchester South West

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

THE COVENTRY REFUGEE AND MIGRANT CENTRE

  • Companies House: 04291931
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PXWZ-2645-XCQW

Norton House, Bird Street Norton House

Coventry

CV1 5FX

United Kingdom

Region: UKG33 - Coventry

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No

THE GROWTH COMPANY LIMITED

  • Companies House: 02443911
  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PLRD-7665-DLPV

Lee House

Manchester

M1 5JW

United Kingdom

Region: UKD33 - Manchester

Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No

Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): Yes


Contracting authority

Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government

  • Public Procurement Organisation Number: PWCX-8281-CLPR

2 Marsham Street

London United Kingdom

SW1P 4DF

United Kingdom

Region: UKI32 - Westminster

Organisation type: Public authority - central government