Grant for Apprenticeships support for smaller employers through LEPs/Intermediaries

Apprenticeships are a key feature of the Government's educational policy, with specific ambitions to improve quality and ensure all employers offering apprenticeships are onboarded onto the Apprenticeship Service - be they levy paying or otherwise. As part of the ESFA's approach, we are keen to reach smaller and non-levy paying employers and support them to access high-quality apprenticeships and the Apprenticeship Service.

Intermediaries, including Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), have a significant role to play in helping Government achieve these goals through using their existing employer networks and understanding of local skills needs. Intermediaries are defined as those organisations that are Professional Bodies, Membership Organisations, LEPs and other organisations who we deem as having influence over employers.

By working through them, a one-to-many approach can be achieved in engaging smaller employers - providing value for money while also maximising reach. The ESFA is looking for a delivery organisation who will provide support to LEPs and other intermediaries to facilitate their engagement with smaller and non-levy employers about apprenticeships.

In particular we are looking for the following outcomes to be achieved for Intermediary organisations and LEPs: 1. Overall: a) that they are supported and well-equipped to engage with smaller employers on apprenticeship delivery; b) that they are supported to deliver activity to encourage participation of their smaller employers in apprenticeships agenda and make them aware of the transition to using the Apprenticeship Service and are supported; c) that their networks of smaller employers are aware of the transition to using the Apprenticeship Service 2.

Onboarding: Intermediary organisations and LEPs, understand the requirement for smaller employers to go onto the Apprenticeship Service and disseminate relevant messages to their membership, and are supported to deliver activities with their employer membership which lead to: a) raised awareness about these requirements with their smaller employer membership/networks; b) improved understanding by smaller employers of the benefits of onboarding and what they will need to do; and c) solutions to help smaller employers to overcome potential barriers to onboarding. 3. Volume/Quality: Intermediary organisations and LEPs disseminate relevant messages to their membership and are supported to deliver activities with their employer membership in their region/sector which lead to: a) increased growth in local apprenticeships being delivered by smaller employers; and b) improvements in quality (e.g. through ensuring apprenticeships meet government guidance and are delivered through new standards rather than frameworks).

Additional information: Types of organisation needed: The successful bidding organisation will need to be able to demonstrate that they are a not-for-profit (e.g. voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations), impartial organisation, with national reach across England and have: a) an understanding of skills agenda and apprenticeships and b) an understanding of LEPs, intermediaries and smaller employers. The competition is being run via the DfE eTendering Portal.

Providers who are interested in applying need to register on the eTendering Portal. Suppliers can access this system at https://education.app.jaggaer.com When you create your account and log in you should click on: • 'ITT's OPEN TO ALL SUPPLIERS'; • Select 'itt_80 - Grant for Apprenticeships support for smaller employers via LEPs/Intermediaries'; • Select 'Express Interest'.

You will then be able to view all of the information and documents relating to the tender. It is important that you read all of the documents thoroughly before responding to the tender exercise.

Please note this is the only means where an application can be made for consideration and all communications on this project should now be via online message board attached to the ITT in Jaggaer which is numbered itt_80 The deadline for receiving all bids 11 Oct 2019, 17:00BST. The Authority reserves the right not to accept bids submitted after this time. More information about apprenticeships and onboarding of smaller employers onto the Apprenticeships Service system can be found here https://www.gov.uk/topic/further-education-skills/apprent... and here https://www.gov.uk/government/news/all-employers-in-engla...