YPO - 001086 Apprenticeships

The procurement concerns a national Framework Agreement for the delivery of apprenticeship standards and associated training across public sector organisations in the United Kingdom. This framework, headquartered by the Youth Public Office (YPO), will supply training providers with the opportunity to deliver all current and newly approved apprenticeship routes specified by the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education. At launch the framework will encompass 15 recognised routes, 646 approved standards, and operate across 11 defined regions, with the structure and content updated in line with the Institute’s quarterly revisions.

Proposers are invited to join the framework at any time during its lifespan and will be able to bid on any existing standard as well as newly added standards that become approved for delivery. The procurement operates under a light-touch procedure, allowing YPO to refresh the roster of active providers each quarter and to integrate additional apprenticeship routes as the industry evolves. There is no cap on the number of providers that may be awarded for any standard, ensuring flexibility to meet evolving public sector demand.

All participating providers must comply with the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education approved routes and standards as specified on the Institute’s official website.

YPO are looking for providers to be appointed onto a Framework Agreement for the provision of Apprenticeship Standards and Associated Training. The Framework is designed to meet the needs of all public sector organisations which includes YPO’s internal requirements. YPO may seek to introduce collaborative partners to this Framework throughout its duration to support growth.

Ocid: ocds-h6vhtk-03abc5
Contract location: UK
Communication: https://procontract.due-north.com/
Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: En
This is a recurrent procurement: Yes
Submission address and any special instructions: https://procontract.due-north.com/

Lot number: 1
Description: The routes are as prescribed by the ‘Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education’. These were defined using labour market information regarding the size and nature of occupations grouped to reflect shared requirements for occupationally related skills and knowledge. The routes are listed on the left hand side of the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education’ website: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/ YPO will list all routes, along with standards which are approved for delivery, and providers will have the ability to select which standards region they are able to deliver in when bidding for the framework. The routes will be as listed by the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education guidance. The framework will replicate the structure that is provided by the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education. If the structure is amended by the institute then the framework structure will be amended to run in-line on the next quarter update. Please be advised that the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education has the ability to change the title of routes and move standards into alternative routes based on feedback from contracting authorities, YPO reserve the right to follow the same process based on the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education direction. Any new routes will be added onto the framework on a quarterly basis with the subsequent standards aligned under them. On a quarterly basis YPO will add on new developed standards as they appear on the above website, the number of standards will continue to grow and will be updated in the documents. Providers will be able to bid for all live standards that have been listed from the beginning of the framework and all new standards that are added by the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education throughout the duration of the framework. The standards are each listed on the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education website and can be found at: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/ At the point of the framework being published there will be: - 11 regions - 15 routes - 646 standards Additional information: YPO is managing this procurement process in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR). This is a Framework Agreement being procured under the Light Touch Regime (LTR) procedure therefore subject to the limited regulation and will be conducted in accordance with regulations 74 to 76 PCR2015. YPO are creating a national framework to meet the needs of the public sector apprenticeship scheme. This is a renewal of the existing framework which went live in 2018. The framework will be flexible and allow for the addition of new standards and the flexibility to add new providers across each of the standards throughout the life of the framework. Standards updating process; The route and standards will be amended in-line with the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education list of routes and standards. Providers will have the ability to join the framework at any time throughout its period or bid for any new routes/standards as they are added. The framework will go live on approximately the 1st August 2023 and YPO will add any new standards as prescribed by the institute of apprenticeship on a quarterly basis. Only standards that are listed as ‘Approved for Delivery’ will be added onto the solution. The framework will be updated with the relevant new standards on a monthly basis where possible (subject to standards being approved for delivery). If YPO feel that these timescales don’t run in-line with market changes we will give a months notice to amend these time periods. The apprenticeship market is changing and developing across all of the public sector and YPO want to ensure that we can meet the needs of both providers and customers. Please refer to the Apprenticeship Framework - Appendix 4 year timetable (Reference 1086) within the YPO tendering portal at https://procontract.due-north.com/ where each round is highlighted accordingly. New providers to the framework process; YPO will re-open the procurement process for new providers to bid to be a part of the framework on a quarterly basis. However, YPO reserve the right to re-open more or less frequently if YPO feel that these timescales do not run in line with market changes or customer demands. YPO will give a months notice to amend these time periods. The apprenticeship market is changing and developing across all of the public sector and YPO want to ensure that we can meet the needs of both providers and customers. New providers will be able to bid for previously listed standards on the framework and new standards that were added. There is no limit to the number of providers that will be allocated onto each standard. Please refer to the Apprenticeship Framework – Appendix E - 4 year timetable (Reference 1086) within the YPO tendering portal at https://procontract.due-north.com/ where each round is highlighted accordingly.
This contract is subject to renewal: Yes
Description of renewals: There is a possibility that this framework will be renewed after 3.5 years from the commencement date.
Information about options. Options: Yes
Variants will be accepted: not allowed