Contract

Adult Skills Course Delivery

  • East Durham College

F03: Contract award notice

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-061226

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-048731 (view related notices)

Published 1 October 2025, 11:21am



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

East Durham College

Willerby Grove

PETERLEE

SR82RN

Contact

Joanne Wilson

Email

joanne.wilson@eastdurham.ac.uk

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKC - North East (England)

UK Register of Learning Providers (UKPRN number)

10002111

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.edc.ac.uk

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Body governed by public law

one.5) Main activity

Education


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Adult Skills Course Delivery

Reference number

2024/S000-024313

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 80400000 - Adult and other education services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

East Durham College is looking to secure a maximum of two organisations to deliver adult education courses to people aged 19 years and over who live in postcodes within the North East Combined Authority area.

The contract value will be based on an 80/20 split. The full contract value will be a maximum of £450,000 - Tenderers are invited to bid for the contract amount they can effectively deliver within the specified contract requirements, it will then be at the discretion of the College to determine the split of the contract award.

Adults must live in an address with a North East Combined Authority postcode, it is not the delivery location. Provision is expected to be part-time and must be linked to the North East LEP or LSIP Strategic Aims for each area. East Durham College is seeking provision which moves adults either directly into jobs or closer to the employment market. We will not accept large volumes of employability provision or distance learning. We would expect all the funded provision to be AEB funded and not Skills for Jobs.

The training must be delivered in full by the contracted training provider, i.e. only one level of sub-contracting is permitted, and no second level subcontracting is permitted. The quality of provision and subcontractor financial health will be paramount as the College will retain responsibility to the ESFA and OFSTED for programme quality. Financial health and inspection outcomes will form important parts of the assessment process, where a credit rating is above average we may reject their tender.

The estimated contract value reflects the funding value of learning to be delivered and will be subject to a management fee which will not exceed 20%.

Providers must have experience of delivering provision to meet local skills needs and be able to provide verified data in the following areas:

Achievement rates which are above national averages

High levels of positive progression into employment

History of achieving contracts in the last two years

The positive progression must be into employment, further learning or improved prospects. We are not looking to deliver generic employability programmes.

We will only look to contract with providers who have a history of delivering in the North East and they must have a permanent base in County Durham, Sunderland or Gateshead.

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: £450,000

two.2) Description

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKC - North East (England)

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

You are invited to tender for the provision of Adult Skills Course Delivery, commencing September 2024 to 31st July 2025.

Tenderers are asked to confirm their intention to Tender for this Contract by 'Registering their Intent' to Joanne Wilson at joanne.wilson@eastdurham.ac.uk, procurement@eastdurham.ac.uk

East Durham College is looking to secure a maximum of two organisations to deliver adult education courses to people aged 19 years and over who live in postcodes within the North East Combined Authority area.

The contract value will be based on an 80/20 split. The full contract value will be a maximum of £450,000 - Tenderers are invited to bid for the contract amount they can effectively deliver within the specified contract requirements, it will then be at the discretion of the College to determine the split of the contract award.

Adults must live in an address with a North East Combined Authority postcode, it is not the delivery location. Provision is expected to be part-time and must be linked to the North East LEP or LSIP Strategic Aims for each area. East Durham College is seeking provision which moves adults either directly into jobs or closer to the employment market. We will not accept large volumes of employability provision or distance learning. We would expect all the funded provision to be AEB funded and not Skills for Jobs.

The training must be delivered in full by the contracted training provider, i.e. only one level of sub-contracting is permitted, and no second level subcontracting is permitted. The quality of provision and subcontractor financial health will be paramount as the College will retain responsibility to the ESFA and OFSTED for programme quality. Financial health and inspection outcomes will form important parts of the assessment process, where a credit rating is above average we may reject their tender.

The estimated contract value reflects the funding value of learning to be delivered and will be subject to a management fee which will not exceed 20%.

Providers must have experience of delivering provision to meet local skills needs and be able to provide verified data in the following areas:

Achievement rates which are above national averages

High levels of positive progression into employment

History of achieving contracts in the last two years

The positive progression must be into employment, further learning or improved prospects. We are not looking to deliver generic employability programmes.

We will only look to contract with providers who have a history of delivering in the North East and they must have a permanent base in County Durham, Sunderland or Gateshead.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: 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: 2024/S 000-024313


Section five. Award of contract

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

7 October 2024

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 9

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

Learning Curve Group

Durham

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKC - North East (England)
Companies House

05233487

The contractor is an SME

No

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)

Total value of the contract/lot: £200,000


Section five. Award of contract

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

7 October 2024

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 9

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

Utraining Limited

Newcastle Upon Tyne

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKC - North East (England)
Companies House

11518429

The contractor is an SME

Yes

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)

Total value of the contract/lot: £250,000


Section six. Complementary information

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

East Durham College

Durham

Country

United Kingdom