City College Plymouth Subcontracting 25/26

City College Plymouth is looking to source an organisation to carry out subcontract training on their behalf with specific sport courses and S1 Adults' & Children's Care; SS3 Animal Care; S6 IT; S7 Beauty Therapy; S8 Sport, S15 Business in the 25/26 academic year. They are also looking to appoint a subcontractor to work with the college to teach E-Sports.

The ESFA guidance for 2024/25 requires the College to carry out a tendering process prior to the allocation of sub-contracting contracts. This applies to both the study programme, adult provision and traineeships.

City College Plymouth is committed to growing and diversifying the range of programmes and opportunities we deliver to widen participation, deliver to niche markets, engage in new and emerging markets and our contribution to skills needs. In order to achieve this, the College has taken the strategic decision to subcontract part of its provision.

This supports the College's strategy to provide education and training which meets the needs of students and employers.

All subcontracting will be in line with the EFSA requirements and for the purpose of one or more of the following:

a. enhance the opportunities available to young people and adults

b. fill gaps in niche or expert provision, or provide better access to training facilities

c. support better geographical access for learners

d. offer an entry point for disadvantaged groups

e. Support individuals who share protected characteristics, where there might otherwise be gaps

The rationale of the subcontracting is to enhance the quality of our learner offer. We do not offer subcontracts to meet short term funding objectives. We ensure learners receive the best possible education and training. By subcontracting we enhance the opportunities available to learners, we use the subcontractor and their expertise to provide better access to facilities or to fill a gap in expertise or niche or expert provision. It enables learners to have better geographical access to their education and supports all learners who may be disadvantaged enter into education. Subcontracting will support individuals who share particular characteristics where otherwise there are gaps

City College has split the requirement into 3 appropriate lots each with its only specialist requirements,

Providers wishing to apply for this opportunity must have an active UKPRN and must be able to demonstrate successful sub-contract delivery of qualifications and financial standing sufficient to meet the ESFA's expected due diligence standards.

All training must be delivered in full by the contracted training provider, no further sub-contracting of any training is permitted by an appointed subcontractor unless specifically agreed.

The Subcontractor, if awarded the contract, will be responsible for the recruitment of all learners, the delivery of elements of training, the premises and resources required to deliver the training, awarding body accreditation and associated fees.

The successful institution will have a robust and rigorous approach to meeting the administration requirements set out by the college, this will include but not limited to ensuring timetables meet all the demands of the study program and are sufficiently detailed to support colleagues, clear break downs of the components of the study program to support in clear identification of other key parts such as enrichment, personal development and tutorial

KPIs and minimum expectations

Expectations

Have an active UKPRN.

Have a track record of successful delivery, as a Subcontractor, of the qualifications included in its delivery proposal

Be financially stable with a proven track record of good financial performance and a history and status which complies with ESFA expectations for subcontracting.

Comply with the audit requirements as per the most recently published version of the ESFA's AEB funding guidance.

Quality assurance meetings - As per detail in section below.

KPIS

Qualification Achievement rate (QAR) - Overall and timely QAR rates in the academic year of a minimum of 90% or above the national average rate, whichever is higher.

Quality Compliance - 100% of College observed Teaching, Learning and Assessment to be graded as good or better

Learner Progress - 100% of learning plans and reviews completed and submitted on a timely basis

Audit Compliance - 100% documentation accuracy and timeliness of submission, appropriately assessed to meet learner needs.

Customer Satisfaction - For the vast majority of of programmes the College expects student satisfaction to show a minimum of 90% of learners indicating good or better.

Quality assurance activities are specified in the attached documents

The college will keep up to 20% of the allocated AEB and 16-19 funding as a form of management fee as part of any subcontracting award. This will cover college costs for activities not limited to Quality monitoring, subcontractor management, support, any other governance (data, financial, funding)