Apprenticeships Commissioning Programme Wales Framework Agreement

Concepts

• essential skills wales and employment rights and responsibilities
• cardiff
• education and training
• maximum term of the framework
• purpose of the apprenticeships commissioning programme
• vocational apprenticeship programme
• wales
• maximum duration of a vocational apprenticeship programme
• higher apprenticeship framework
• foundation apprenticeship

Location

Cardiff

Description

The purpose of the Apprenticeships Commissioning Programme (“ACP”) is to support people in Wales through high quality learning, in order to provide employers with the relevant skilled people to meet the current and future needs of the Welsh economy. Apprenticeships offer employed learners the opportunity to pursue a Foundation Apprenticeship, Apprenticeship, or Higher Apprenticeship framework. Degree Apprenticeships are excluded from this procurement. Each framework specifies the learning activities, including, qualifications covering occupational competencies, the relevant technical knowledge, Essential Skills Wales and Employment Rights and Responsibilities (ERR). The Client is committed to aligning the ACP to the needs of the Welsh economy as outlined in its policy and action plan published in February 2017 - Aligning the Apprenticeship model to the needs of the Welsh economy 2017. The focus is on aligning and raising the level of the skills market designed to meet employer needs with a system that is responsive to industry changes, particularly in the sectors that drive growth and prosperity. The policy reflects the step change towards higher level technical and professional skills, promoting efficiency and portability within our priority sectors. The Welsh Government is of the view that the option to extend the framework beyond four years is likely to be desirable. Individual participants may be on a vocational Apprenticeship programme for up to four years. In the event the maximum term of the framework mirrors the maximum duration of a vocational Apprenticeship programme, this is likely to result in many apprentices having their learning disrupted as they may be obliged to transfer from an unsuccessful legacy provider to a successful bidder when a future replacement framework is procured.

Ammendments to Previous Notice

Award Detail

CPV Codes

• 80000000 - Education and training services
• 80500000 - Training services

Indicators

• Contract modified due to additional needs.

Legal Justification

Noting the limited duration/ value of the disabled AEIS, ACP providers are best placed to deliver for technical reasons given the relevant systems, information on employers and apprentices they have in place, to ensure efficacy of the scheme. Appointing alternative providers would result in unnecessary cost duplication, (1)setting up separate EIS administration systems, such as, data sharing agreements with the ACP providers to obtain details of the relevant employers and apprentices; (2)significant liaison with ACP providers to confirm details pertinent to each apprentice including confirming each learner has started their apprenticeship, and is employed within 14 weeks from apprenticeship start to ensure AEIS payments are paid in a timely manner. The payment to the provider of GBP100 per apprentice would not be satisfactory recompense to warrant establishing a separate framework of providers for the disabled AEIS. The maximum amount paid to ACP providers will not exceed GBP 19,000.

Other Information

(WA Ref:133213)