Market Engagement for the provision of educational Screening and Assessment Tools to use within the future Prison Education Service

Concepts

• special education
• prison education service
• assessment tools
• additional learning needs indication tool
• future prison education service
• procurement of assessment tools
• assessment’ process
• provision of educational screening
• part of the required screening
• tools

Location

United Kingdom:

Description

His Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) is implementing a new Prison Education Service (PES) programme which is working to design and implement the next generation of adult education services in prisons in England. The service will include an initial ‘Screening and Assessment’ process, delivered via tools that accurately identify prisoners’ educational attainment and ability levels, as well as potential additional needs to support successful engagement with prison education. We aim to embed the procured Screening and Assessment tools as part of a modern and robust digital infrastructure that supports data analysis, decision making, tailored support plans and access to appropriate education pathways, through integration with other 3rd party systems as required. We welcome bids from parties who can provide assessment tools for all or part of the required Screening and Assessment subject areas. We will consider the procurement of assessment tools which meet single or multiple specified subject areas if this is deemed likely to represent the best option for both quality and value.

Total Quantity or Scope

As part of the roll-out of Prison Education Service (PES), we are exploring capabilities within the market to better understanding the availability and suitability of Screening and Assessment (S&A) tools. The tools must cover ‘Functional Skills’ assessments, including English, Mathematics and Digital Skills educational levels. There is also a requirement for an ‘Additional Learning Needs Indication Tool’ (ALNIT), and assessments for reading, for ‘English for Speakers of Other Languages’ (ESOL) where identified. The desired package will consist of tools which are validated and designed to create high quality, accessible, and accurate information on additional learning needs and functional skills levels across the prison estate. Information generated by the tools will be used to inform a prisoner’s starting point and the support required to successfully engage with rehabilitative activities within prison, across education, skills and work. The intention is that the implementation of the new PES Initial S&A process will be ready for deployment, with tools in place and staff trained for delivery, for 1 April 2025. The tools procured must as minimum meet the following requirements: Provision of a digital Functional Skills tool, to assess the prisoner’s skills and ability in Mathematics, English, ICT, Reading and ESOL literacy. Provide accurate results which define the prisoner’s ability. Provision of an effective, high quality and evidenced based additional learning needs indicator tool which can produce accurate results, which inform education and prison-wide additional needs support planning processes. The additional learning needs indicator tool should: Clarify what the indicators of neurodivergent needs are for the individual, including any areas of strength as well as areas of need Suggest where further specialist assessment may be needed, and indicate where further diagnostic assessment may be needed, by suitably qualified psychology, learning disability, nursing or specialist education staff. Clearly identify practical strategies and reasonable adjustments to be put in place to support individuals both within education and more widely within the prison regime and in community healthcare. Tools must generate results which are recorded by the Contractor and made available digitally live to the delivery Contractors, the Learner and the Authority after completion and in line with any pre-agreed regular data submissions. The results must be able to be used to inform the learning pathway of individual Learners. The Contractor shall ensure that: Tools are of a consistent quality for completion data, outcomes and progress to be efficiently recorded and analysed to identify trends and patterns. Tools provided meet the standards required to deliver outcomes as outlined in the PES Quality Framework, make sure that it has a system in place for monitoring quality and effectiveness of its provision of the Services. Work with key stakeholders to ensure that information from S&A is relevant on release can be shared in line with information sharing guidance. Tools are compatible with MoJ/HMPPS Digital strategy and delivery teams to ensure continual compatibility with online systems, hardware and software. Tools are reviewed and updated at a frequency agreed with the Authority to ensure that the quality and content of the tools is up-to-date and reflects leading industry standards. Engage with the governance process and provide timely and accurate MI and data reporting Tools are capable of being administered during the initial 30 day prisoner settlement period so results are available within agreed timescales following reception of individuals into the Establishment. Data should be available in real-time once completed. Tools must be accessed, completed, and capture output in a digital format on a web-based platform. Contingency arrangements should also be considered in the event that primary access is unavailable Additional information: Tools must age appropriate Accessibility requirements will be essential HMPPS reserve the right to conduct an additional stage of performing a demonstration of proposed tools. Organisations are required to hold 27/09/2023 for this optional stage. Should further engagement proceed on this date, a small selection of participants will be invited at the earliest possible time

CPV Codes

• 80340000 - Special education services
• 48000000 - Software package and information systems
• 48190000 - Educational software package
• 72222300 - Information technology services
• 75231230 - Prison services
• 80420000 - E-learning services

Other Information

** PREVIEW NOTICE, please check Find a Tender for full details. ** The purpose of this Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to seek feedback and interest from suppliers across a range of aspects relating to the current and future service. The Authority may utilise an e-sourcing portal (also known as Jaggaer) for conducting the ITT and interested organisation should ensure that they are registered to maximise visibility of a potential competitive process for this or any other potential opportunity in the future: https://ministryofjusticecommercial.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html. Interested suppliers can register their interest in the PIN, and receive the associated Launch pack by contacting stuart.taylor6@justice.gov.uk Please complete the questionnaire promptly as the next stage of the process may involve seeking further input from potential providers through market engagement events in September 2023, where suppliers may be asked to provide presentations detailing their proposed approach. Timings and location of supplier forum(s)/event(s) (including invitations for virtual events) will be provided in due course. Potential providers will not be prejudiced by any response to this PIN, or failure to respond. This PIN does not formally signify the beginning of a procurement and does not constitute a commitment by the MoJ to undertake any procurement exercise. The MoJ will reserve its rights as to the procurement route used. In the event that a suitable pre-existing framework is identified during market engagement the MoJ may decide not to issue a contract notice. Should a suitable framework not be identified and the MoJ decides to formally commence the procurement, a separate notice will be issued through the Find a Tender service. Any resulting procurement will be conducted in accordance with MoJ procurement policy and PCR15. This may mean utilising a pre-existing framework agreement and or a competitive process via an electronic sourcing platform.