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Provision of Buckinghamshire Council Adult Skills Fund & Free Courses for Jobs 2026/27

Buckinghamshire Council

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

Award

31 Jul 2026 at 16:02

Award Notice
TenderUpdate

05 Dec 2024 at 08:51

Tender Notice
Tender

16 Jul 2024 at 17:12

Tender Notice
Planning

27 Dec 2023 at 12:50

Planning Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Buckinghamshire Council commissioned adult education and training services under two programmes: the devolved Adult Skills Fund and Free Courses for Jobs. The provision covers priority skill sectors including work readiness, leadership and management, digital skills for work and artificial intelligence, English and maths, health and social care, construction, warehousing and distribution, and English for speakers of other languages. The services fall within adult education and training. Delivery is for learners in Buckinghamshire, with the council as the contracting organisation. The requirement was structured around providers delivering funded courses in defined priority sectors, rather than a general education service. It therefore suits colleges, training providers and specialist learning organisations with relevant adult skills provision and local delivery capability.

The procurement is complete and contracts were awarded through a further competition under a dynamic purchasing system, using a selective restricted procedure. Awards were made on 22 June, 23 June, 25 June and 20 July 2026, with contracts signed on the same dates. The contracts start on 1 August 2026, run for one year and may be extended by a further 12 months, subject to performance, funding, due diligence and approvals; the stated end date is 27 October 2028. The published tender value is £1 billion, while the stated maximum contracts value is £1,275,536. Twenty-one bids were received, including 17 from SMEs. Evaluation was 100% quality and 0% price. Ten awards were made across the two programmes.

This procurement shows established demand from Buckinghamshire Council for specialist adult learning providers able to deliver funded training in narrowly defined priority sectors. The awarded supplier profile was predominantly SME: AKG (UK) Learning covered work readiness and leadership and management; JBC Skills Training covered digital skills and artificial intelligence; Professional Training Solutions covered English and maths and health and social care; Staff Power Training covered construction and warehousing and distribution; and Martinex, trading as Burleigh College, covered ESOL. A credible future competitor would therefore need demonstrable curriculum and teaching capability in one or more of these sectors, experience delivering adult skills or employment-focused provision, and the capacity to manage funded learner delivery and performance requirements. Suppliers must also be able to participate through the relevant dynamic purchasing system and hold a valid DUNS number.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Provision of Buckinghamshire Council Adult Skills Fund & Free Courses for Jobs 2026/27

Notice Description

Buckinghamshire Council has awarded contracts for the Provision of Buckinghamshire Council Adult Skills Fund & Free Courses for Jobs 2026/27 in two Programmes: Programme 1 - Devolved Adult Skills Fund (ASF)Programme 2 - Free Courses for Jobs (FCFJ)The procurement was undertaken as a further competition from Crown Commercial Services Adult Skills and Learning Dynamic Purchasing System Reference RM6328. CCS Portal Ref itt_89261.Providers were limited to being awarded contracts for a maximum of two priority skill sectors in Programme 1 ASF and a maximum of two priority skill sectors in Programme 2 FCFJ.The start date of the contracts is 1st August 2026. The term of the contracts is one year with the option to extend for a further year, subject to satisfactory performance, continued funding availability, completion of financial due diligence and all necessary approvals.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Buckinghamshire Council has awarded contracts for the Provision of Buckinghamshire Council Adult Skills Fund & Free Courses for Jobs 2026/27 in two Programmes: Programme 1 - Devolved Adult Skills Fund (ASF)Programme 2 - Free Courses for Jobs (FCFJ)The procurement was undertaken as a further competition from Crown Commercial Services Adult Skills and Learning Dynamic Purchasing System Reference RM6328. CCS Portal Ref itt_89261.Providers were limited to being awarded contracts for a maximum of two priority skill sectors in Programme 1 ASF and a maximum of two priority skill sectors in Programme 2 FCFJ.The start date of the contracts is 1st August 2026. The term of the contracts is one year with the option to extend for a further year, subject to satisfactory performance, continued funding availability, completion of financial due diligence and all necessary approvals.

Options: Option to extend for an additional 12 months after the initial 12 month contract term.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0429dc
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/072865-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Planning Notice
Procurement Type
Dynamic
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Restricted procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80400000 - Adult and other education services

80500000 - Training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1,000,000,000 £1B-£10B
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
31 Jul 20263 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
26 Oct 20283 years to go
Future Notice Date
1 Sep 2024Expired
Award Date
22 Jun 20262 months ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Buckinghamshire Council
Additional Buyers

The Minister for the Cabinet Office acting through Crown Commercial Service

Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
AYLESBURY
Postcode
HP20 1UA
Postcode Area
Hemel Hempstead
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ13 Buckinghamshire
Delivery Location
TLJ13 Buckinghamshire
Local Authority
Buckinghamshire
Electoral Ward
Aylesbury North
Westminster Constituency
Aylesbury

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
5
Supplier Names

AKG (UK) Learning Ltd

JBC Skills Training Ltd

Martinex Limited, T/A Burleigh College

Professional Training Solutions Limited

Staff Power Training Limited

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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