Decision details

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.