Adult and Community Learning Framework

Adult and Community Learning Framework for Staffordshire County Council

Staffordshire County Council wishes to engage a group of suppliers to deliver a wide range of Adult and Community Learning services throughout the eight districts of Staffordshire.

United Kingdom-Stafford: Education and training services

2015/S 044-076536

Contract notice

Services

Directive 2004/18/EC

Section I: Contracting authority

I.1)Name, addresses and contact point(s)

Staffordshire County Council
Wedgwood Building, Tipping Street
For the attention of: John Tapsell
ST16 2DH Stafford
UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: +44 1785854651
E-mail: john.tapsell@staffordshire.gov.uk

Internet address(es):

General address of the contracting authority: www.staffordshire.gov.uk

Address of the buyer profile: www.staffordshire.gov.uk/business/procurement/etendering/

Further information can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)

Specifications and additional documents (including documents for competitive dialogue and a dynamic purchasing system) can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)

Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to: The above mentioned contact point(s)

I.2)Type of the contracting authority

Regional or local authority

I.3)Main activity

General public services

I.4)Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities

The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: no

Section II: Object of the contract

II.1)Description

II.1.1)Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority:

Adult and Community Learning Framework.

II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance

Services
Service category No 24: Education and vocational education services

NUTS code UKG24

II.1.3)Information about a public contract, a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system (DPS)

The notice involves the establishment of a framework agreement

II.1.4)Information on framework agreement

Framework agreement with several operators

Duration of the framework agreement

Duration in months: 48

Estimated total value of purchases for the entire duration of the framework agreement

Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 3 600 000 and 4 800 000 GBP

II.1.5)Short description of the contract or purchase(s)

Staffordshire County Council wishes to engage a group of suppliers to deliver a wide range of Adult and Community Learning (ACL) services throughout the eight districts of Staffordshire. A contract for this provision currently exists and is due to expire on 31.7.2015. Funding for the ACL provision is sourced primarily from a contract awarded to Staffordshire County Council from the Skills Funding Agency (SFA).
The ACL Service currently works with schools, colleges, third sector organisations, independent training providers and local community groups to secure and deliver a range of learning opportunities for adults and families across Staffordshire.
Staffordshire County Council wishes to procure its sub-contracted provision through an open and competitive tendering process in order to source high quality responsive and innovative informal adult and community learning. The County Council is subject to accountability and scrutiny of the SFA and related Ofsted inspection frameworks. All sub-contracted provision must comply with SFA and County Council regulations and related statutory requirements.
This Procurement is for a Framework Agreement between the appointed Provider(s) and Staffordshire County Council, to supply Services on a call-off basis for Community Learning provision. This Framework will be for an initial two year period from 1.8.2015 to 31.7.2016, with an additional option to extend by 3 x 12 months up to a maximum of 31.7.2019. In the event the Agreement is extended the extension shall be on the same Terms and Conditions of Contract as the original Agreement period and will ultimately be at the County Council’s sole discretion. The County Council makes no guarantee as to the volume of business on offer and any funding values given are indicative only and intended as a general guide and these will be subject to annual allocations made to the County Council by the SFA.
Community Learning (CL) will have a value range over four years of 3 600 000 GBP up to 4 800 000 GBP subject to SFA funding allocations.

II.1.6)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)

80000000, 80400000

II.1.7)Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): yes

II.1.8)Lots

This contract is divided into lots: yes
Tenders may be submitted for one or more lots

II.1.9)Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: no

II.2)Quantity or scope of the contract

II.2.1)Total quantity or scope:

II.2.2)Information about options

Options: no

II.2.3)Information about renewals

This contract is subject to renewal: no

II.3)Duration of the contract or time limit for completion

Duration in months: 48 (from the award of the contract)

Information about lots

Lot No: 1Lot title: Leisure Courses

1)Short description

2)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)

80000000, 80400000

3)Quantity or scope

Funding details are for 2015/16 only.
Estimated value excluding VAT: 475 000 GBP

4)Indication about different date for duration of contract or starting/completion

Duration in months: 48 (from the award of the contract)

5)Additional information about lots

Funding details are for 2015/16 only.

Lot No: 2Lot title: Leisure Tasters

1)Short description

Leisure Courses — aim to develop a skill, acquire knowledge or pursue an interest for the purpose of cultural enrichment, intellectual or creative stimulation or to improve health and fitness, e.g. modern languages, art, yoga, dance, cookery, photography.
These courses aim to provide an opportunity to sample the subject area rather than provide a fully featured course.

2)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)

80000000, 80400000

3)Quantity or scope

Funding details are for 2015/16 only.
Estimated value excluding VAT: 24 990 GBP

4)Indication about different date for duration of contract or starting/completion

Duration in months: 48 (from the award of the contract)

5)Additional information about lots

Funding details are for 2015/16 only.

Lot No: 3Lot title: Adults with Learning Difficulties and Disabilities (ALDD)

1)Short description

ALDD provision is available in three workstreams and offers courses for adults with learning difficulties, severe physical disabilities and/or mental health challenges:
— Leisure Courses;
— Employability Skills;
— Functional Skills.

2)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)

80000000, 80400000

3)Quantity or scope

Funding details are for 2015/16 only.
Estimated value excluding VAT: 120 000 GBP

4)Indication about different date for duration of contract or starting/completion

Duration in months: 48 (from the award of the contract)

5)Additional information about lots

Funding details are for 2015/16 only.

Lot No: 4Lot title: Wider Family Learning (WFL)

1)Short description

Family Learning — aims to enable adults and children to learn together and/or to enable adults to learn how to support their children’s learning, to improve parenting skills, to develop parents’/carers’ knowledge and skills in relation to healthy lifestyles and safety e.g. Paediatric First Aid, Home Safety, E-Safety etc.

2)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)

80000000, 80400000

3)Quantity or scope

Funding details are for 2015/16 only.
Estimated value excluding VAT: 140 000 GBP

4)Indication about different date for duration of contract or starting/completion

Duration in months: 48 (from the award of the contract)

5)Additional information about lots

Funding details are for 2015/16 only.

Lot No: 5Lot title: Family English Maths and Language (FEML)

1)Short description

Family Learning — aims to improve the English, Maths and language skills of adult’s, to improve the adult’s ability to help their children learn, improve children’s acquisition of Maths, to prepare adults to progress onto accredited Functional Skills courses.

2)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)

80000000, 80400000

3)Quantity or scope

Funding details are for 2015/16 only.
Estimated value excluding VAT: 165 000 GBP

4)Indication about different date for duration of contract or starting/completion

Duration in months: 48 (from the award of the contract)

5)Additional information about lots

Funding details are for 2015/16 only.

Lot No: 6Lot title: Employability Skills

1)Short description

Employability Skills aims to support unemployed adults including adults with learning difficulties, severe physical disabilities and/or mental health challenges who want to improve their chances of finding employment, but who are not yet ready to enrol on an accredited course. These courses will help adult learners to acquire/develop skills and knowledge to prepare them for employment or self- employment.

2)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)

80000000, 80400000

3)Quantity or scope

Funding details are for 2015/16 only.
Estimated value excluding VAT: 80 000 GBP

4)Indication about different date for duration of contract or starting/completion

Duration in months: 48 (from the award of the contract)

5)Additional information about lots

Funding details are for 2015/16 only.

Lot No: 7Lot title: Functional Skills

1)Short description

Functional Skills aim to acquire/develop basic reading and writing skills in a fun and interactive way to improve the learner’s ability to deal with everyday tasks or to progress to an accredited course. Also to acquire or develop basic functional numeracy skills in a fun and interactive way to improve learners’ ability to e.g. deal with utility bills, shopping, banking, mortgage payments etc. and/or to progress to an accredited course.

2)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)

80000000, 80400000

3)Quantity or scope

Funding details are for 2015/16 only.
Estimated value excluding VAT: 40 000 GBP

4)Indication about different date for duration of contract or starting/completion

Duration in months: 48 (from the award of the contract)

5)Additional information about lots

Funding details are for 2015/16 only.

Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information

III.1)Conditions relating to the contract

III.1.1)Deposits and guarantees required:

III.1.2)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:

Payments may be made following acceptance by the banking agents of the County Council.

III.1.3)Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:

No special legal form is required by the grouping of providers but each provider will be required to become jointly or severally responsible for the contract before acceptance.

III.1.4)Other particular conditions

The performance of the contract is subject to particular conditions: yes
Description of particular conditions: UKPRN.

III.2)Conditions for participation

III.2.1)Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers

III.2.2)Economic and financial ability

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: The applicant must meet the minimum set standards of economic and financial standing to service the term and value of the contract.
Financial checks will be undertaken for economic operators using one or more of the Councils current financial assessors, n2check (www.n2check.com), Dun & Bradstreet (www.dnb.co.uk), Experian (www.experian.co.uk). Economic operators will be assessed according to the level of risk stipulated by the financial assessors used. Any economic operator being given an above average/higher than average risk rating or poorer, by one or more of the assessors used, may be rejected.Note:
1. It is the responsibility of the economic operator to ensure that the appropriate accounts have been filed and that the credit information held is correct.
2. Should economic operators wish other financial information to be taken into account to support the economic and financial check this should be submitted with the response to the PQQ. SCC reserves the right to request further financial information and to take this into account where necessary in addition to the level of risk stipulated by the financial assessors.
3. For sole traders/partnerships where third party financial assessments are not available the assessment will be undertaken using a financial spreadsheet detailing trading account data for the last 3 years.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: The organisation should hold as a minimum the following insurance levels or be able to provide with their response, a written statement advising that should they be awarded the contract they will have the required levels of insurance in place for the commencement of the contract.
Public Liability 2 000 000 GBP
Employers Liability 5 000 000 GBP.

III.2.3)Technical capacity

III.2.4)Information about reserved contracts

III.3)Conditions specific to services contracts

III.3.1)Information about a particular profession

Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession: no

III.3.2)Staff responsible for the execution of the service

Legal persons should indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff responsible for the execution of the service: no

Section IV: Procedure

IV.1)Type of procedure

IV.1.1)Type of procedure

Open

IV.1.2)Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate

Envisaged minimum number 1

IV.1.3)Reduction of the number of operators during the negotiation or dialogue

Recourse to staged procedure to gradually reduce the number of solutions to be discussed or tenders to be negotiated no

IV.2)Award criteria

IV.2.1)Award criteria

The most economically advantageous tender in terms of the criteria stated in the specifications, in the invitation to tender or to negotiate or in the descriptive document

IV.2.2)Information about electronic auction

An electronic auction will be used: no

IV.3)Administrative information

IV.3.1)File reference number attributed by the contracting authority:

SCHG00139

IV.3.2)Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract

Prior information notice

Notice number in the OJEU: 2014/S 241-424199 of 13.12.2014

IV.3.3)Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents or descriptive document

Time limit for receipt of requests for documents or for accessing documents: 25.3.2015 – 12:00
Payable documents: no

IV.3.4)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

25.3.2015 – 12:00

IV.3.5)Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates

IV.3.6)Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up

English.

IV.3.7)Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender

in days: 90 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)

IV.3.8)Conditions for opening of tenders

Date: 25.3.2015 – 12:00

Place:

SCC Offices.

Persons authorised to be present at the opening of tenders: no

Section VI: Complementary information

VI.1)Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: no

VI.2)Information about European Union funds

The contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no

VI.3)Additional information

VI.4)Procedures for appeal

VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures

Staffordshire County Council
UNITED KINGDOM

Body responsible for mediation procedures

Staffordshire County Council
UNITED KINGDOM

VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals

Precise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals: The Contracting Authority will incorporate a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period (or 15 days where non-electronic or fax methods are used) at the point that an award decision notice is communicated to tenderers. The award decision notice will specify the criteria for the award of the contract/framework agreement, the reasons for the decision, including the characteristics and relative advantages, the name and score of the successful tender and will specify when the standstill period is expected to end or the date before which the contracting authority will not conclude the contract/framework agreement. If an appeal regarding the award of a contract/framework agreement has not been successfully resolved, the Public Contracts (Amendment) Regulations 2009 provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). Any such action must be brought promptly (generally within 3 months). The Court may order the setting aside of the award decision or may order the Contracting Authority to amend any document and may award damages. If a framework agreement has been entered into the Court may make a declaration of ineffectiveness or may order that the duration of any relevant specific contract be shortened and additionally may award damages. The time limit for seeking such a declaration is generally 30 days from notification of the award (either by award decision notification or contract award notice depending upon the circumstances) or otherwise 6 months.

VI.4.3)Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained

Staffordshire County Council
UNITED KINGDOM
Internet address: http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/business/procurement/etendering/ Refer also to details in section VI.3 Additional Information

VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:

27.2.2015