Decision Maker: Treasurer GMCA
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: Yes
Is subject to call in?: Yes
GMCA have run a competitive process in which 8
bids were received in total.
Each bid was sent to a full evaluation panel. Individual
evaluations were undertaken on each organisations Financial and
Economic Standing, Information Governance and Safeguarding policies
and procedures. Each of these was undertaken by a specialist from
the relevant GMCA department and conducted in line with the
processes published within the procurement documentation.
Bidders were also required to meet minimum requirements for Ofsted
or, where no recent Ofsted inspect was available, produce a good
internal Self-Assessment Report.
The Mini-Competition comprised of 2 parts, the first being Quality
questions which accounted for 85% of the total score. The Quality
selection process involved evaluating the bidders’ responses
on a number of criteria including:
- Evidence of Need (5%)
- Programme, Content, Design & Delivery (20%)
- Employer Engagement (20%)
- Learner Engagement (15%)
- Track Record (5%)
- Quality & Performance Management (10%)
- Financial Value for Money (10%)
Social Value was weighted as 15% of the overall score (7.5%
Qualitative and 7.5% Quantitative) and was evaluated via the Social
Value Portal.
Following a rigorous evaluation process, the bidders were ranked
based on their total score. Any bidders who failed any of the key
due diligence evaluations, as described above, were excluded from
the process.
Contracts will be awarded to the bidders listed.
Following a competitive procurement process
using GMCA’s Education Work and Skills Flexible Procurement
System, GMCA wishes to award four contracts with a value of
£375,000 each (£1,500,000 in total) to the following
providers:
- Bright Direction Training Limited
- Realise Learning and Employment Limited
- Woodspeen Training
- Reform Radio CIC
The primary aim of Skills Bootcamps in the region is to ensure that
residents are supported to fulfil their potential by entering into
or progressing within those good quality job roles most needed in
our local labour market, supporting a thriving productive economy.
Funding is available to deliver short courses of up to 16 weeks
co-designed with employers for residents aged 19+ with alignment to
other GM wide activities for Education, Skills and Work and wider
policy areas such as digital and green.
Skills Bootcamps are funded by the Department for Education (DfE)
as part of the National Skills Fund, which aims to help business
find and hire the workers they need as well as supporting adults to
flourish and fulfil their potential through high quality training.
In 24/25, GMCA will receive £7m of grant funding from DfE to
support c2100 residents to undertake Skills Bootcamps in key
sectors with a focus on addressing local priorities.
Between June and November 2023, GMCA commissioned 12 lead
providers, partnering with employers to deliver Bootcamps in key
growth and high employment sectors to residents aged 19+ in the
region. These 2-year Skills Bootcamps projects are delivering
across a range of sectors including; Digital & Tech,
Construction & Green Skills, Manufacturing & Engineering,
Hospitality, Events & Security, Education, and Social Care and
the majority of this delivery will continue into 2024/25. Using the
remaining funding, GMCA is now looking to procure lead
organisations partnering with employers to deliver Skills Bootcamps
targeting specific skills gaps across sectors to residents aged 19+
in the region.
GMCA requires that:
• Providers are highly engaged with employers from start to
finish and work with them to co-design programmes ensuring every
participant has a guaranteed interview.
• Residents progress into a positive outcome such as: a new
job, upskilling within their current employer/role and increasing
work in the case of the self-employed.
• Providers support unemployed residents, the low-skilled
workforce and residents requiring higher level skills (Level 3+)
for progression.
Publication date: 10/05/2024
Date of decision: 29/04/2024
Effective from: 18/05/2024
Accompanying Documents: