VEAT - Adult Education Budget Service Contract 2

This is a VEAT notice, not an opportunity. This contract provides Adult Education Skills and Training throughout the West Midlands Combined Authority area.

The impact of the pandemic has been unprecedented and widespread across our residents communities, and businesses and we are currently experiencing a challenging economic picture. Employment is flat, while falling unemployment masks a continuing decline in the size of the labour force as economic inactivity rises.

While short-term unemployment is at its lowest ever, long-term unemployment is significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels. Record vacancies signal that employers are finding it increasingly hard to fill posts.

And while pay is increasing, soaring inflation means that it is declining in real terms. Taken together, this creates a toxic mix for living standards that will not resolve itself.

The provision of training has a key role to play in moving people back into the labour force; improving workplace support; and helping people find good, well-paid employment and progress at work. We want to align our skills funding to be able to deliver maximum impact so we intend to procure provision collectively - meaning we are aiming to run a single procurement opportunity for Adult Education Budget, National Skills Fund and Multiply.

The estimated length of time expected to be able to create the new offering is anticipated to be in the region of 6 to 12 months. We are therefore intending to let the contract for an initial period of 6 months with the option to extend for a further 6 month period.

To ensure service continuity, the West Midlands Combined Authority has taken the decision to award the contract to their current providers (please see list above), under Regulation 32 of the Procurement Regulations 2015 as the Services consist of a repetition of similar services entrusted to the current providers which are the same as or similar to the Services awarded under their original contracts. Additional information: As stated elsewhere in this notice, the initial contract period is for 6 months, with an option to extend for a further 6 months (12 months total).

The current contracts end on the 31st July 2022, the new ones will commence from 1st August 2022. For the purposes of maximum transparency, this is the second of 2 VEAT notices published by the WMCA in respect of the provision of Adult Education Services. The title of the first notice is Adult Education Budget Service Contract 2.