Published date: 5 May 2022

Last edited date: 9 May 2022

Closed early engagement


Closing date: 17 June 2022

Contract summary

Industry

  • Education and training services - 80000000

Location of contract

Any region

Procurement reference

tender_299463/1067997

Published date

5 May 2022

Closing date

17 June 2022

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

Yes

Description

The purpose of this early engagement notice is to notify the market of a forthcoming market engagement event relating to the Department's programme to support Flexible Working in schools. It is not a call for competition.

This PIN is intended to inform the market of an opportunity to help shape the future delivery of the Flexible Working programme, ahead of a possible procurement.

Providers will need to register their interest via the DfE eTendering portal (Jaggaer). Providers can access this system at: https://education.app.jaggaer.com for details of how to register and the terms of free registration.

Promoting Flexible working in schools was a key commitment set out in the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy (2019). Supporting a culture of flexible working in schools is also featured in the Opportunity for all white paper 2022:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1063601/Opportunity_for_all_strong_schools_with_great_teachers_for_your_child__web__-_accessible.pdf

In 2021-22 the Department funded two projects to support flexible working in schools and promote culture change.
· Flexible Working Ambassador Schools (FWAS) to champion flexible working and provide bespoke peer support to participant schools in their area
· Flexible Working Training for School Leaders focused on implementing effective flexible working arrangements and developing strategic approaches

Arrangements for our current projects end in December 2022.

The department is now beginning to consider what a future programme might look like.

We are considering awarding a contract to deliver training and awareness-raising events tailored to key audience groups. The successful supplier/s is likely to provide support to the operational delivery of Flexible Working Ambassador Schools or Trusts to promote culture change.

The Department would like to gain a clear understanding of the level of interest from the market in providing a service, as well as insight into how potential providers might approach the delivery of the service in question.

We will be undertaking an online event on 19 May 2022. This event is anticipated to last approximately 1.5 hours. The market engagement event is an opportunity to shape the core responsibilities and delivery offer of the Department's future programme ahead of possible future procurement.

In particular, the Department is looking for respondents to:
Comment on the feasibility of the proposed delivery model
Share comments or learning on alternative delivery solutions

More information

Previous notice about this procurement

Flexible Working Programme May 2022 Early Market Engagement

  • Early engagement
  • Published 5 May 2022

Additional text

Attendees will be invited to respond in full to a post-event questionnaire. The market engagement event and the questionnaire document form part of the DfE initial market research in which we are seeking information from a range of providers to inform any future approach and delivery.

Procurement, if taken forward, is expected to open in June 2022, more information on the procurement process will be provided in due course.

This notice is for information only and is not a call for competition.

The Department reserves the right not to enter a formal procurement process and not award contracts. Accordingly, the Authority will not be liable for any bid cost, expenditure, work or effort incurred by a provider in acting on the basis of this PIN.

All future information will be issued to potential providers via the DfE eTendering Portal. Providers can access this system at: https://education.app.jaggaer.com for details of how to register and the terms of free registration.

All information included in this notice is indicative and subject to change.

About the buyer

Address

20 Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT
England

Email

FlexibleWorking.RESOURCES@education.gov.uk