Scope
Procurement description
Gloucestershire County is seeking suppliers to deliver a series of courses for the Community and Adult skills programme 2026 to 2027
The contracts are expected to last no longer than 12 months ending July 2027
The total value of the contracts for 2026 to 2027 will not exceed 250,000
There are 4 Lots
Lot 1 First Steps Programmes which engage and progress low skilled and low waged or unemployed adults ultimately to Employability courses accredited learning or employment
Lot 2 Employability These courses must give learners the skills and knowledge they need to gain employment self-employment volunteering or to take up a vocational accredited course
Lot 3 Adults with Learning Difficulties and or Disabilities ALDD training Providers must challenge these learners to improve their communication skills and make relevant personal choices and decisions and to develop skills that help them become more independent in their everyday life
Lot 4 Local Flex Responding to identified emerging local training needs Provision must directly respond to Local Skills Improvement Plan LSIP priorities and emerging employer demand within Gloucestershire
There will be the option for two further one year extensions 1 plus 1plus 1 and subject to DfE funding
Organisations must be registered on the Central Digital Platform CDP to submit a tender for this opportunity
The tender documents will be issued on wwwsupplyingthesouthwestorguk ProContract All clarifications, correspondence and submissions will be made through this site
It is anticipated tender documents will be issued early in June 2026
Suppliers may apply for all 4 Lots and can be awarded a contract for each Lot. More than 1 supplier may win a contract on a lot.
Total value (estimated, excluding VAT)
750000.00 GBP to 750000.00GBP
Contract dates (estimated)
28 September 2026, 00:00AM to 31 July 2027, 23:59PM
Extension end date (if all the extensions are used): 31 July 2029
Lots
Divided into 4 lots
First Steps
Lot number: 1 Description
Programmes which engage and progress low skilled and low waged or unemployed adults ultimately to Employability courses accredited learning or employment
CPV classifications
- 80400000 - Adult and other education services
Lot value (estimated)
390000.00 GBP Excluding VAT
468000.00 GBP Including VAT
Sustainability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Contract start date (estimated)
28 September 2026, 00:00AM
Contract end date (estimated)
31 July 2027, 23:59PM
Extension end date (estimated)
31 July 2029, 23:59PM
Can the contract be extended?
Yes
Description of extensions
Subject to contract review and DfE funding
Maximum number of lots a supplier can bid for
3
Maximum number of lots a supplier can be awarded
3
Description of how multiple lots may be awarded
Evaluation criteria will be 100 quality with 15 allocated for Social Value
Multiple suppliers may be awarded contracts on each Lot subject to available budget
Awards will be made based on supplier rankings determined by the total scores achieved against the evaluation criteria
The final requirements will be set out in the Tender Notice UK04 and tender documents
Participation
Conditions of participation
Will be detailed in the tender documents
Conditions of participation
Will be detailed in the tender documents
Award criteria
Type: quality
Name
Quality
Description
Quality 100 with social value 15
Weighting: 100.00
Weighting type: percentageExact
Employability
Lot number: 2 Description
These courses must give learners the skills and knowledge they need to gain employment self employment volunteering or to take up a vocational accredited course
CPV classifications
- 80400000 - Adult and other education services
Lot value (estimated)
150000.00 GBP Excluding VAT
180000.00 GBP Including VAT
Sustainability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Contract start date (estimated)
28 September 2026, 00:00AM
Contract end date (estimated)
31 July 2027, 23:59PM
Extension end date (estimated)
31 July 2029, 23:59PM
Can the contract be extended?
Yes
Description of extensions
Subject to contract review and DfE funding
Maximum number of lots a supplier can bid for
3
Maximum number of lots a supplier can be awarded
3
Description of how multiple lots may be awarded
Evaluation criteria will be 100 quality with 15 allocated for Social Value
Multiple suppliers may be awarded contracts on each Lot subject to available budget
Awards will be made based on supplier rankings determined by the total scores achieved against the evaluation criteria
The final requirements will be set out in the Tender Notice UK04 and tender documents
Participation
Conditions of participation
Will be detailed in the tender documents
Conditions of participation
Will be detailed in the tender documents
Award criteria
Type: quality
Name
Quality
Description
Quality 100 with social value 15
Weighting: 100.00
Weighting type: percentageExact
Adults with Learning Difficulties and or Disabilities ALDD training
Lot number: 3 Description
Providers must challenge these learners to improve their communication skills and make relevant personal choices and decisions and to develop skills that help them become more independent in their everyday life
CPV classifications
- 80400000 - Adult and other education services
Lot value (estimated)
150000.00 GBP Excluding VAT
180000.00 GBP Including VAT
Sustainability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Contract start date (estimated)
28 September 2026, 00:00AM
Contract end date (estimated)
31 July 2027, 23:59PM
Extension end date (estimated)
31 July 2029, 23:59PM
Can the contract be extended?
Yes
Description of extensions
Subject to contract review and DfE funding
Maximum number of lots a supplier can bid for
3
Maximum number of lots a supplier can be awarded
3
Description of how multiple lots may be awarded
Evaluation criteria will be 100 quality with 15 allocated for Social Value
Multiple suppliers may be awarded contracts on each Lot subject to available budget
Awards will be made based on supplier rankings determined by the total scores achieved against the evaluation criteria
The final requirements will be set out in the Tender Notice UK04 and tender documents
Participation
Conditions of participation
Will be detailed in the tender documents
Conditions of participation
Will be detailed in the tender documents
Award criteria
Type: quality
Name
Quality
Description
Quality 100 with social value 15
Weighting: 100.00
Weighting type: percentageExact
Local Flex Responding to identified emerging local training needs
Lot number: 4 Description
Provision must directly respond to Local Skills Improvement Plan LSIP priorities and emerging employer demand within Gloucestershire
CPV classifications
- 80400000 - Adult and other education services
Lot value (estimated)
60000.00 GBP Excluding VAT
72000.00 GBP Including VAT
Sustainability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Contract start date (estimated)
28 September 2026, 00:00AM
Contract end date (estimated)
31 July 2027, 23:59PM
Extension end date (estimated)
31 July 2029, 23:59PM
Can the contract be extended?
Yes
Description of extensions
Subject to contract review and DfE funding
Maximum number of lots a supplier can bid for
3
Maximum number of lots a supplier can be awarded
3
Description of how multiple lots may be awarded
Evaluation criteria will be 100 quality with 15 allocated for Social Value
Multiple suppliers may be awarded contracts on each Lot subject to available budget
Awards will be made based on supplier rankings determined by the total scores achieved against the evaluation criteria
The final requirements will be set out in the Tender Notice UK04 and tender documents
Participation
Conditions of participation
Will be detailed in the tender documents
Conditions of participation
Will be detailed in the tender documents
Award criteria
Type: quality
Name
Quality
Description
Quality 100 with social value 15
Weighting: 100.00
Weighting type: percentageExact