Public procurement notice: Prior Information Notice Without Call For Competition
Published: 2017-08-09
Buyer: Ministry of Defence, C&C, Other
Country: UK
Contract type: Services
CPV classification: 80000000
EU fund: ESF

Technical requirements: The Authority is seeking to select Contractors to deliver part of, or all of, the Apprenticeship qualifications covered by Lot #1 to Lot #7. Contract duration will be 4 years, from 01 Aug 18 (subject to continued provision of Apprenticeship Levy or ESFA funding). The methodology & location for delivery of each of apprenticeship varies according to the requirements of each Arm or Service. In general, delivery commences during a soldier's Phase 2 Trade Training, and continues into their service in the Field Army.
Only suppliers registered on the DfE Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers are eligible to deliver these requirements. Suppliers considering tendering must be listed on the DfE Register by 01 Aug 18, when delivery of the contracts for these Lots commences.
Contracting Authority reserves the right to award contracts combining up to 7 of the Lots. However the Contracting Authority also reserves the right to limit the number of Lots that can be awarded to one supplier.
Delivery commences during Phase 2 training (Ph2 trg) at Defence School of Electronic & Mechanical Engineering, and continues into Field Army service. In addition to Technical knowledge components of apprenticeships, Ph2 Trg may include opportunities for a Contractor to assess competence components, and time is allocated for delivery of Functional Skills but the contractor may have to complete delivery during Field Unit service. Delivery in the field can be structured as formal courses, or informally in evenings / spare time. After Ph2 trg, REME soldiers may be posted to units in UK or overseas, where assessment opportunities may exist.
In 2017/18, estimated delivery of apprenticeships based upon a profile of 650 — 700 x L3 starts and average total occupancy of approx. 2250.
The requirement covers the delivery of components of Apprenticeship qualifications not delivered in-house by military staff or through mandatory military training; and also the provision of the remaining components of Apprenticeship qualifications to those soldiers that had already commenced their apprenticeship training with other contracted providers prior to the letting of this contract.
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, comprising Royal Artillery (RA) and Royal Horse Artillery (RHA), consists of Regular Army Regiments based in UK & Germany. Depending upon their trade specialisation, learners undertake first apprenticeship programmes in:
Progression apprenticeships may be offered in Comms Technologies (L3 and L4), Avn Ops on the Ground (L3), Horse Care (L3) and Logistics Ops Management (L3). New apprenticeship standards in similar areas will be adopted during the course of this contract. Most delivery commences at the School of Artillery, Larkhill; but some learners are inducted from the Field Army. All apprenticeships are completed in Field Army units.
In 2017/18, the estimated delivery of apprenticeships is based upon a profile of 500 — 600 starts and average total occupancy of approx. 1 000.
The requirement covers the delivery of components of Apprenticeship qualifications not delivered in-house by military staff or through mandatory military training; and also the provision of the remaining components of Apprenticeship qualifications to those soldiers that had already commenced their apprenticeship training with other contracted providers prior to the letting of this contract.
RE comprises a number of units based in UK & Germany. Soldiers commence apprenticeships during Ph2 trg and complete them in Field Army units. Ph2A trg takes place at Minley, and consists of Functional Skills & Combat Engineering trg. Ph2B trg consists of trade trg at Minley (Signals — Telecomms), Deepcut (Warehousing & Storage), Leconfield (Driving), Bovington (Armoured), Chatham (all other trades)
In 2017/18, apprenticeship delivery is based upon a profile of 600 — 700 starts, and average total occupancy of approx. 850.
The requirement covers the delivery of components of Apprenticeship qualifications not delivered in-house by military staff or through mandatory military training; and also the provision of the remaining components of Apprenticeship qualifications to those soldiers that had already commenced their apprenticeship training with other contracted providers prior to the letting of this contract.
The Defence Food Services School (DFSS) is located in Hampshire. All learners are inducted onto apprenticeships whilst in training at DFSS, where Functional Skills & Technical Certificates relevant to existing apprenticeship frameworks are delivered. Competence requirements of these frameworks are delivered in the Field Army by qualified military chef assessors, supported by a network of qualified military IVs at locations in UK and overseas. The following are currently delivered to Professional Chefs of the Royal Logistic Corps:
In 2017/18, estimated delivery of apprenticeships is based upon a profile of 100 starts and an average total occupancy of approx. 175.