Tees Valley Combined Authority: TVCA-PROC-0911 - Adult Skills Fund 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29

Contracting authority

Contracting authority:

Tees Valley Combined Authority

Public Procurement Organisation Number:

PDNG-8971-ZVCR

Address:

Teesside Airport Business Suite, Teesside international Airport
Darlington
DL2 1NJ
UK

Contact name:

Procurement

Email:

procurement@teesvalley-ca.gov.uk

Telephone:

01325792600

Website:

Not provided

Organisation type:

REGIONAL_AUTHORITY

Devolved regulations that apply:

None

Procedure

Procedure type:

Competitive flexible procedure

Dynamic market OCID:

Not provided

Competitive flexible procedure description:

The competitive flexible procedure will be conducted in 2 stages:-

Stage 1 - Participation and Compliance (including Procurement Specific Questionnaire)
Stage 2 - Invitation to submit initial tenders for bidders who passed Stage 1. Quality/Social Value Assessment

Full details of the multi-stage process can be found in the procurement documentation.

Preliminary market engagement conducted:

Yes

Dynamic market:

No

Special regime:

None

Scope

Title:

TVCA-PROC-0911 - Adult Skills Fund 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29

Reference number:

TVCA-PROC-0911

Main procurement category:

SERVICES

Description:

Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA)(the ‘Contacting Authority’), part of the Tees Valley Combined Authority Group, is inviting tenders for the provision of Adult Skills Fund 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29 with a total annual value of up to £7m and up to £21 million over a 3 academic year period, (academic years 2026/27 to 2028/2029).

The required services are to deliver Adult Skills Programmes to Tees Valley residents aged 19 and over, aligned to regional skills priorities including manufacturing, construction, digital, health and social care, and emerging and everyday sectors. Providers will be expected to deliver high-quality, innovative provision that supports learner engagement, retention and progression, working collaboratively with employers, referral partners and community organisations to establish clear learner pathways. Providers must also ensure timely and accurate data returns and comply with all relevant funding, audit and contract management requirement. This provision is essential to delivering the outcome focussed Adult Skills Programme.

To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://teesvalley.delta-esourcing.com/respond/BT388G5Z77

If you experience any technical difficulties from accessing the above url, then please contact the Delta eSourcing Helpdesk on call 0800 923 9236 or email helpdesk@delta-esourcing.com.
To view this notice, please click here:
https://teesvalley.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=1062490161

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://teesvalley.delta-esourcing.com/respond/BT388G5Z77

Total value (estimated):

GBP 21,000,000 excluding VAT

GBP 25,200,000 including VAT

Maximum number of lots a supplier can bid for:

Not provided

Maximum number of lots a supplier can be awarded:

Not provided

Description of how multiple lots may be awarded:

Not provided

Lots

Description:

This Lot is for the delivery of high-quality English, maths and digital entitlement provision for Tees Valley residents aged 19 and over who need to develop their essential skills for everyday life, further learning and employment.
Provision must include the full range of government-approved qualifications, from Entry Level to Level 2, enabling learners to access the most appropriate starting point and progress through clear learning pathways as their skills, confidence and aspirations develop.
Delivery should be designed to engage adults who have low prior attainment, limited confidence in learning, or other barriers to participation. Providers must support learners to achieve positive outcomes, including progression into further learning, employment and improved outcomes in work.
Funding through this Lot is additional to the provision already delivered by Tees Valley's grant-funded providers. Successful Bidders will therefore be expected to work collaboratively with grant-funded providers and relevant local partners to ensure that provision complements existing services, avoids unnecessary duplication, and maximises participation and access across the Tees Valley.
The primary objectives of this Lot are to:
- Re-engage adults who have previously had negative educational experiences or who have been disengaged from learning.
- Enable adults to gain the essential English, maths and digital skills needed to participate confidently in everyday life and the workplace.
- Build learners' confidence, motivation and readiness to progress into further learning, apprenticeships, employment or improved in-work opportunities.
- Deliver flexible, accessible and high-quality learning that responds to individual needs and local labour market demand.
- Support learners to progress through qualifications and learning pathways from Entry Level to Level 2.

Suitable for SMEs:

No

Suitable for VCSEs:

No

Value (estimated):

GBP 1,500,000 excluding VAT

GBP 1,800,000 including VAT

Contract dates (estimated):

22/02/2027 to 31/07/2029

CPV classifications:

80000000 - Education and training services.

80400000 - Adult and other education services.

Contract can be extended:

Yes

Extension date:

31/07/2030

Delivery regions:

UKC1 - Tees Valley and Durham

Award criteria:

Name: Quality / Weighting: 80

Name: Social Value / Weighting: 20

Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation:

Please refer to tender documentation for full details.

Technical ability conditions of participation:

Please refer to tender documentation for full details.

Description:

This Lot is for the delivery of high-quality Level 2 and Level 3 legal entitlement provision for Tees Valley residents aged 19 and over who do not already hold a full qualification at the level being studied.
Provision must support learners to progress into employment, further learning, higher-level study and/or improved outcomes within work. Delivery must be through government-approved qualifications and/or qualifications included on the Tees Valley Flexible Qualifications List.

The funding available through this Lot is additional to the provision already delivered by Tees Valley's grant-funded providers. Successful Bidders will be expected to ensure that their provision complements existing delivery, avoids unnecessary duplication, and maximises opportunities for Tees Valley residents to access learning and progress.

Suitable for SMEs:

No

Suitable for VCSEs:

No

Value (estimated):

GBP 3,000,000 excluding VAT

GBP 3,600,000 including VAT

Contract dates (estimated):

22/02/2027 to 31/07/2029

CPV classifications:

80000000 - Education and training services.

80400000 - Adult and other education services.

Contract can be extended:

Yes

Extension date:

31/07/2030

Delivery regions:

UKC1 - Tees Valley and Durham

Award criteria:

Name: Quality / Weighting: 80

Name: Social Value / Weighting: 20

Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation:

Please refer to tender documentation for full details.

Technical ability conditions of participation:

Please refer to tender documentation for full details.

Description:

This Lot provides a universal offer for adults aged 19 and over who are unemployed and actively seeking work.

Provision delivered through this Lot must equip learners with the skills needed to secure, sustain and progress in employment. This includes:
- Essential skills, including English, maths and digital skills;
- Essential employment skills (as set out in Appendix 3); and
- Sector-specific technical skills aligned to local labour market opportunities and employer demand.

The Pathways to Employment programme is intended to support the Government's ambition to increase the employment rate to 80% by 2035 and to contribute to reducing unemployment across the Tees Valley.

Where bidders propose to include essential skills provision (English, maths and digital) as part of a Pathways to Employment programme, they must submit a separate funding request under Lot 1: Legal Entitlements (English, Maths and Digital). Any such request must meet the minimum contract value specified for that Lot.

Providers must ensure that learners who are not yet ready to enter employment on completion of their initial programme are supported to continue their learning journey. This should include access to further skills development, qualifications and progression opportunities that move learners closer to sustainable employment.

Suitable for SMEs:

No

Suitable for VCSEs:

No

Value (estimated):

GBP 7,500,000 excluding VAT

GBP 9,000,000 including VAT

Contract dates (estimated):

22/02/2027 to 31/07/2029

CPV classifications:

80000000 - Education and training services.

80400000 - Adult and other education services.

Contract can be extended:

Yes

Extension date:

31/07/2030

Delivery regions:

UKC1 - Tees Valley and Durham

Award criteria:

Name: Quality / Weighting: 80

Name: Social Value / Weighting: 20

Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation:

Please refer to tender documentation for full details.

Technical ability conditions of participation:

Please refer to tender documentation for full details.

Description:

Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) is seeking providers to deliver collaborative, employer-led Skills Bootcamps that respond directly to identified skills shortages and workforce needs within the Tees Valley.
Skills Bootcamps must be developed in partnership with employers and aligned to one or more of TVCA's priority sectors:
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Clean Energy
- Digital, Creative and Culture
- Life Sciences and Biomanufacturing
- Chemical Process Industries
- Foundational Economy
- Construction
- Business Start-up and Scale-up
- Building Smarter Businesses

Bidders must demonstrate clear and evidenced employer demand for their proposed Skills Bootcamp, including the skills gaps and recruitment challenges identified by participating employers.
Skills Bootcamps must support Tees Valley residents aged 19 and over to:
- Move into sustainable employment;
- Secure improved employment outcomes, including progression into self-employment;
- Progress within their current role through upskilling; or
- Access new employment opportunities created through workforce development, including backfill vacancies arising from employee progression.

Bidders must clearly demonstrate how employers have been involved in the design and delivery of the programme and how this collaboration will enable learners to secure, sustain and progress in employment while meeting the workforce needs of local businesses.

Suitable for SMEs:

No

Suitable for VCSEs:

No

Value (estimated):

GBP 9,000,000 excluding VAT

GBP 10,800,000 including VAT

Contract dates (estimated):

22/02/2027 to 31/07/2029

CPV classifications:

80000000 - Education and training services.

80400000 - Adult and other education services.

Contract can be extended:

Yes

Extension date:

31/07/2030

Delivery regions:

UKC1 - Tees Valley and Durham

Award criteria:

Name: Quality / Weighting: 80

Name: Social Value / Weighting: 20

Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation:

Please refer to tender documentation for full details.

Technical ability conditions of participation:

Please refer to tender documentation for full details.

Documents

Associated tender documents:

Not provided

Technical specifications:

Not provided

Submission

Enquiry deadline:

18/09/2026 Time: 15:00

Tender submission deadline:

25/09/2026 Time: 17:00

Submission address and any special instructions:

https://teesvalley.delta-esourcing.com/respond/BT388G5Z77

An electronic auction will be used:

No

Languages that may be used for submission:

English

Award decision date (estimated):

29/01/2027

Other information

Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation:

Not provided

Technical ability conditions of participation:

Not provided

Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP):

No

Government Procurement Agreement (GPA):

Yes

A conflicts assessment has been prepared and revised:

Yes

Other organisations