Highland Council Commissioning on behalf of Highland Employability Partnership (HEP)

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On behalf of Highland Employability Partnership (HEP) Highland Council will be launching a competitive challenge grant fund to support our clients to gain employment, including realising the potential of the large scale economic develop initiatives currently emerging in Highland including the Green Free Port. We are therefore inviting applications from Employability Service providers of an appropriate scale to deliver an all age/all pathway stage provision for our residents who require additional support in their journey towards and in to work. This will include specialist support for clients with disabilities and long-term health conditions. Our particular priority of tackling child poverty means that there is also a requirement for targeted provision to support parents. There will be one grant award for Highland and whilst a single organisation can apply, it is the view of the HEP that it is unlikely that a single organisation will be able to deliver the full requirements. Consortium applications are therefore being encouraged. The application process will go live on Monday 25th August 2025 with the closing date being 31st October 2025, 5pm. It is anticipated that service delivery will commence in January 2026. An information session through Microsoft Teams will be held on Thursday 21st August 2025 10am-11am. At this information session, an outline of both the challenge fund and a planned re-procurement of the Council’s Framework will be provided. To register an interest in the information session AND to receive the challenge fund application pack when it becomes live on Monday 25th August 2025, please email employability.finance@highland.gov.uk Lot 1: On behalf of Highland Employability Partnership (HEP) Highland Council will be launching a competitive challenge grant fund to support our clients to gain employment, including realising the potential of the large scale economic develop initiatives currently emerging in Highland including the Green Free Port. We are therefore inviting applications from Employability Service providers of an appropriate scale to deliver an all age/all pathway stage provision for our residents who require additional support in their journey towards and in to work. This will include specialist support for clients with disabilities and long-term health conditions. Our particular priority of tackling child poverty means that there is also a requirement for targeted provision to support parents. There will be one grant award for Highland and whilst a single organisation can apply, it is the view of the HEP that it is unlikely that a single organisation will be able to deliver the full requirements. Consortium applications are therefore being encouraged. The application process will go live on Monday 25th August 2025 with the closing date being 31st October 2025, 5pm. It is anticipated that service delivery will commence in January 2026. An information session through Microsoft Teams will be held on Thursday 21st August 2025 10am-11am. At this information session, an outline of both the challenge fund and a planned re-procurement of the Council’s Framework will be provided. To register an interest in the information session AND to receive the challenge fund application pack when it becomes live on Monday 25th August 2025, please email employability.finance@highland.gov.uk. This is a Competitive Challenge Grant Fund and a procured framework