DPS for Skills and Investment Grant Funding

Notice Date 13/02/2026: Notice to current DPS providers and new bidders. Changing the maximum return date to fall in line with PA23 requirements.

Last possible end date of DPSs under PCR15 is 23 February 2029. Worcestershire County Council is putting in place a DPS for Skills and Investment Grant Funding.

The Council's Investment in Skills Team aims to help people into employment and to work towards improving skills in the county. The scope of the projects delivered by the Investment in Skills Team can vary in context, value and duration but, collectively, and over time they support the goals of the Team which is funded by various grant providers such as the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the Department for Education, etc .

The Team does not have the capacity to meet all the needs of all its Service Users, it therefore commissions the knowledge and skills of externally qualified, licensed and experienced providers to work on a variety of training projects as and when required to meet requirements. There are 5 Categories which Suppliers may wish to apply for, they are:

Category 1 Employability & Skills Training for people to build up sector-specific skills and/or upskill to help people gain skills for life, help support skills demands in their local area, and ultimately help people to get into employment and have the opportunity for a progression within their current job. Category 2 Education Training and support to help adults improve their numeracy skills in everyday life and boost their employment prospects.

It also aims to contribute to businesses to develop their employees’ numeracy skills which can boost productivity, increase profits, and improve employee retention. Category 3 Digital Developing digital tools to support various projects.

Category 4 Consultancy Advice and support for businesses in the county via curriculum development, workforce planning, and supported internship. The aim will be to support businesses with growth and competitive advantage by fulfilling their staffing/skills needs.

Category 5 Health and Wellbeing Training, advice and guidance to support health and wellbeing, and to improve confidence, resilience, motivation, social integration with the goal of empowering people to achieve their true employment potential. If you wish to view the documents for this opportunity please click `Express Interest`.

Following this, if you wish to apply for this opportunity please click `Opt in` which will then enable you to view and complete the Standard Questionnaire and upload the relevant documents. After uploading all required documents and completing the questionnaire(s) please remember to press the `Submit your Return` button at the bottom of the page.

Suppliers will receive a system generated email to confirm successful submission of their return. Any questions or clarification should be conducted via `Correspondence` through this portal.