Published date: 22 May 2024

Closed early engagement


Closing date: 4 June 2024

Contract summary

Industry

  • Educational software package - 48190000

  • Educational software development services - 72212190

  • Networking software development services - 72212210

    • Document management software development services - 72212311

    • IT software development services - 72212517

    • System and support services - 72250000

    • Helpdesk and support services - 72253000

    • Software-related services - 72260000

    • Software support services - 72261000

    • Software maintenance and repair services - 72267000

    • Data-processing services - 72310000

    • Services related to the detention or rehabilitation of criminals - 75231200

    • Prison services - 75231230

    • Education and training services - 80000000

    • Adult and other education services - 80400000

    • Computer-user familiarisation and training services - 80533000

    • Computer training services - 80533100

Location of contract

Any region

Procurement reference

tender_436405/1352273

Published date

22 May 2024

Closing date

4 June 2024

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

Yes

Description

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has a legal requirement to secure the provision of education and training for prisoners and recognises that Education, Skills, and Work (ESW) play a significant role in reducing reoffending. A 2017 MoJ report shows that prisoners who participated in any form of learning activity were 9 percentage points less likely to reoffend compared to non-learners and 1.8 percentage points more likely to be in employment after release. MoJ is committed to delivering a transformed 'Prisoner Education Service' (PES) focused on work-based training and skills'.

The Prisoner Education Service (PES) is developing an innovative, integrated digital ecosystem that brings together a holistic prisoner view that informs planning, delivery and accountability. Effective Screening and Assessment (S&A) is at the core of this, ensuring that prisoner's learner needs are identified when engaging with education, and inform their learner journey throughout their time in custody. This system should enable HMPPS to drive up standards and outcomes across the estate, both in custody and in the community.

To enable and support HMPPS ambition and realise the strategic decision for national education screening, we are procuring digital S&A tools for the Prison Education Service contracts. The scope of this procurement includes screening tools for English, Mathematics, Digital Skills, Reading, and Additional Learning Needs (ALN). Due to the importance of having a 'human element' in assessing reading ability, certain elements of the reading tool are not required to be digital.

We are expecting to procure three Tools, one for each of the following Lots:
Lot 1: English, Mathematics, and Digital Skills
Lot 2: Reading
Lot 3: Additional Learning Needs

The Tools must be compliant with Government Digital Standard (GDS) in the design, testing and deployment in time for Service Commencement and must be capable of integrating with other services and sharing data using open standards.

The vision for the S&A Tools contracts is to:
- Implement high-quality, accessible tools that accurately identify prisoner ability levels and indicate potential needs.
- Enable collaboration with the Authority and PES providers to ensure continuous improvement so that the S&A tools enable quality S&A delivery.
- Enable data reporting integration of the S&A tools into the Authority systems.
- Provide for the first time national consistent S&A tools across the PES estate to reduce duplication and improve data flow across the estate.
- Deliver the ambition for digital by default screening with contingencies to allow continued S&A delivery when access to digital tool/s is impacted.
- Ensure high quality S&A tool provider led training and ongoing support to PES core-education staff on the use of provider screening tools.
- Drive quality via performance measured key performance indicators.

More information

Attachments

Links

  • https://we.tl/PzuLZ5VFOC
  • This link leads to a pre-recorded presentation. We strongly recommend viewing this presentation if you are interested in this opportunity.
  • https://forms.office.com/e/0qsUebBnuH
  • This link leads to a survey to seek your views on how we should structure elements of this procurement. This is also how you submit an interest in taking part in 1-2-1s.

Additional text

The purpose of this engagement is to secure wider market involvement in the testing and development of our procurement structure, including the specification and contract.

Topics we would like to hear suppliers' view on may include but are not limited to:
- Specification Optimisation
- Contract Terms Proportionality
- Removing Barriers to SMEs
- Lot Structure
- IPR
- Costs
- Pay Mech
- Insurance Levels
- Digital Requirements

As part of this PIN we have included a pre-recorded presentation and PowerPoint slides from the Screening and Assessment Team, which goes through the current Screening and Assessment situation in prisons, our future view, and the areas we would particularly like to seek your feedback on. Feedback on other areas will also be welcomed.

We have included a Survey to seek out your views and to ask if you would be willing to speak with us further on this topic. The survey will be open from 22nd May - 4th June. If you agree to speak with us, we will be holding meetings on a first come first serve basis between 28th May - 4th June.

We then intend to review our approach based on the information provided from the market before coming back to you on the 17th June - 27th June. Please note, we will not be sending out an additional PIN for this.

About the buyer

Address

102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ
England

Email

pes-screeningandassessment@justice.gov.uk