Issue details

Adult learning in West Sussex is enabled by funding from the Department for Education (DfE).  The County Council currently receives £3.2m funding per annum to provide Adult Skills in West Sussex and £1.2m per annum (currently until March 2025) to deliver Multiply, which aims to improve maths skills in adults.  A small allocation of £30k is also received to deliver “16-19 study programmes”.

The Council has contract arrangements in place for delivery of some aspects of adult learning.  However, it is often necessary to commission the delivery of adult education, post-16 and post-19 learning, skills and training outside of these contract arrangements. This is often in response to a range of government funded initiatives and programmes via the Department for Education (DfE), Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Home Office and includes funding such as the Adult Skills Fund, Free Courses for Jobs, UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Multiply, Skills Bootcamps and 16-19 programmes.

When such instances arise currently delivery partners are commissioned through stand-alone open tenders. These commissioning arrangements are not well-suited to the need to react effectively to new initiatives and put provision in place promptly. Therefore, this report seeks approval for the commencement of a procurement to establish a framework of providers who deliver adult learning and skills programmes. The proposed methodology and model of operation will enable the establishment of a pool of suitable providers to meet existing needs and for the Council to be more prepared and able to act responsively to new government initiatives relating to the delivery of skills programmes as and when they are announced.