Decision details

GMCA have run a competitive process. In total 49 bids were received across both lots, with 30 in lot one and 19 in lot two.

Each bid was sent to a full evaluation panel. GMCA’s Information Governance Team also reviewed each provider’s IG submission to ensure that they were acceptable, and the finances of the bidding company were also checked.
The mini-competition comprised of 2 parts, covering (80%) Quality, (20%) Social Value via the Social Value Portal. The Quality selection process involved evaluating the bidders’ responses on a number of criteria including:
- Learning Delivery Approach
- Quality and Track Record
- Mobilisation and Implementation
- Engagement and Stakeholder Management
- Performance Management and Monitoring
- Financial Value for Money

Following the evaluations, the bidders were ranked based on their total overall score and all organisations who had met the minimum evaluation criteria as per the published documentation, were invited to a two-part negotiation procedure, the first stage was to ask all providers to resubmit their allocation asks, taking into account a number of factors, including but not limited to the following:

- Coverage, reach, capacity and affordability
- Value for money, based on the cost, volumes and balance/mix of provision.
- The extent to which the totality of the proposals responds to the LMI appended to the specification, in particular the proposed offer available in those areas with high concentrations of residents with low/no qualifications.
- Current performance of existing devolved GM AEB contract for service providers, where relevant

Following the resubmissions, each organisation was invited to a negotiation meeting to discuss any remaining points. These discussions centred around the values of contracts, past performance considerations, reviewing supply chains and distribution across localities.

Contracts will be awarded to the bidders listed above. Any bidder who scored one or below on two or more questions, did not pass the economic and financial standing evaluations, the minimum OFSTED requirements or did not submit a proposal for a contract value above the minimum or below the maximum for the relevant lot has been excluded from the process.

Following a competitive procurement process using GMCA’s Education Work and Skills Flexible Procurement System, GMCA wishes to award the following contracts:

Lot 1 - Upskilling unemployed residents and residents who are economically inactive into employment:

Babington Group Ltd - £650,088.00
Back 2 Work Complete Training - £1,979,980.20
Bright Direction Training - £991,846.80
Get SET Academy - £521,690.00
Gloucestershire College - £745,998.00
Mantra Learning Ltd - £3,148,193.58
Realise Learning & Employment Ltd - £1,040,232.12
Rochdale Training - £412,162.80
Seetec Business College - £1,262,006.90
Standguide Limited - £1,149,951.28
The Constructions Skills People Ltd - £771,686.00
The Growth Company - £3,014,976.97
Total People Ltd - £893,322.50
Workers' Educational Association - £1,416,909.12

Lot 2 - Upskilling / reskilling employed residents:

Acorn Training - £541,810.00
Babington Group Ltd - £209,783.00
DMR Training and Consultancy Ltd - £254,227.00
Mantra Learning Ltd - £1,655,377.67
Rochdale Training - £279,724.40
The Growth Company Limited - £477,810.00

The intent of the GM devolved AEB provision is to support:

• The priorities of the Greater Manchester Strategy 2021 – 2031 good lives for all:
Greater Manchester is a great place to grow up, get on and grow old; a great place to invest, do business, visit and study to become:
o A greener Greater Manchester: responding to the climate emergency
o A fairer Greater Manchester: addressing inequalities and improving wellbeing for all
o A more prosperous Greater Manchester: driving local and UK growth.
• Unemployed residents, including those furthest away from the labour market and residents who are economically inactive with the potential of re-entering the workplace, to develop the essential skills and occupational competences needed to progress further in learning, work or careers, on courses aligned with local employer needs.
• Employed residents, to improve their skills and be more productive, or retrain to find a better job supporting in-work progression for adults into higher level careers, adapting to changing employer needs.
• Occupational skills gaps to support our business needs, providing employers with a locally skilled workforce.
Further information on the scope of the procurement can be found in the embedded specification attached.