Procurement of a Framework Agreement of Suppliers to provide Initial Teacher Training Early Career Framework (ITTECF) from September 2025

Description

The Early Career Framework (ECF) reforms were rolled out nationally in September 2021 entitling all Early Career Teachers (ECTs) in England to access high quality professional development for the first two years of their career. All head teachers whose schools offer statutory induction are required to provide an induction training programme for their ECTs and schools can choose to offer provider-led or school-led training. From September 2025, the induction training programme for ECTs is expected to be based on the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework (ITTECF). The ITTECF sets out what both trainee teachers, and ECTs are entitled to learn about and learn how to do when they start their careers. Please refer to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/initial-teacher-training-and-early-career-framework. The Department (the "Authority") is seeking to appoint Supplier(s) to a framework agreement ("Framework Agreement”) to provide ITTECF-based training for ECTs and mentors from 2025. Successful tenderers in the Procurement will design and deliver a 2-year training programme for ECTs and a 1-year training programme for Mentors that choose to undertake their training with providers contracted to the Department. Suppliers will become part of the group of 'Lead Providers' that deliver a range of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) to new and existing teachers and leaders in the school sector. Suppliers to the Framework Agreement will deliver ITTECF-Based Training to ECTs and Mentors alongside the National Institute of Teaching who are contracted to the Department via their own framework agreement to deliver a range of teacher recruitment and development services. Subject to the procurement process, the Framework Agreement is anticipated to commence in Autumn/Winter 2024 and last for a duration of 4 years. The Department anticipates awarding a number of call-off contracts under the Framework Agreement with the first being for the set up and delivery of the 2025 Cohort which will commence no later than September 2025. All call off contracts are subject to the terms of the procurement and the Framework Agreement. Call-off contracts will last for a period of 40 (forty) months but subject to extension provisions to accommodate service delivery to non-standard inductions. The services that are the subject of this procurement are governed by the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (the "Regulations") Chapter 3, Section 7 (Social and other specific services); the so called "Light Touch Regime". The Department is managing this Procurement as an open tendering procedure as set out and described in the Procurement Documents. The Department is only bound by the application of the Regulations to the extent that they are applicable to Schedule 3 services. Lot 1: Suppliers appointed to the Framework Agreement will be required to provide Services under individual Call Off Contracts. The type and specific nature of the Services will be subject to Call Off Contracts but the general scope of requirements of provider-led training is as follows: -Design of training content for ECTs and their Mentors based on the ITTECF; -Recruitment and training of ECTs and their Mentors; -Building and maintaining delivery chains; -Maintaining relationships with schools; and -Developing, hosting and maintaining an online learning platform that provide a high quality, hybrid learning experience and meet accessibility and usability standards. Training provision will be subject to the terms of the Call Off Contracts but it can be in a variety of formats (e.g. online and face-to-face) on the basis it works for Participants across all educational settings and with a variety of start dates and training pattern requirements. Suppliers will be required to deliver high-quality training and their success will be measured by achievement of KPIs that measure recruitment and retention rates as well as the engagement and satisfaction of Participants who undertake provider-led training. In accordance with Procurement Policy Note PPN 06/20 (taking account of social value in the award of central government contracts) potential Suppliers will also be required to make, and deliver on if successful, commitments to help achieve the Department's social value policy. Subject to the terms of the procurement, the Department intends to award an initial call off contract (the “First Call Off Order”) by direct award to any potential supplier that submits a successful Tender. The First Call Off Order will include for the set up and delivery of the first cohort commencing no later than September 2025. The value of the First Call Off Order will be subject to contract but include a maximum payment of £420k (four hundred and twenty thousand pounds) to the successful supplier(s) as a contribution towards the cost of designing their training content (including school-led materials where applicable), mobilising their delivery function, and providing the Digital Deliverables. The value of payments for training of Participants under the First Call Off Order will be subject to the rates and prices submitted in the successful Suppliers' Tender and the number of Participants trained by the Supplier. All other call off contracts will be subject to the terms of the Framework Agreement and there is no guarantee of further Call Off Contracts should you be awarded a place on the Framework Agreement. Full details on the how the Framework Agreement will operate, the service requirements, the commercial arrangements and how to submit a Tender can be found in the Procurement Documents. The Department is using its e-sourcing portal to administer the procurement. Organisations interested in participating in this Procurement must register with https://education.app.jaggaer.com ("Jaggaer"). Once registered, you will be able to search for the opportunity and express an interest. Following this, you will be able to download the Procurement Documents