Award

UKRI-3797 AI Skills Hub

UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

15 Jan 2025 at 12:05

TenderUpdate

21 Aug 2024 at 15:05

Tender

16 Jul 2024 at 15:05

Summary of the contracting process

The public procurement process under consideration involves UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) and focuses on the establishment of an AI Skills Hub within the business and management consultancy services sector. This procurement process, which is located in the United Kingdom, has progressed to the award stage as of January 2025. The contract was awarded to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP with a total value of £4,148,645, and it aims to enhance the adoption and diffusion of AI and ML through a series of strategic initiatives. The initial tender had key dates including submission deadlines on 17th September 2024, following an amendment from the original deadline of 3rd September 2024.

This procurement opportunity offers significant business growth potential, particularly for those within the AI and data skills training sectors. It is tailored to address gaps in data and AI skills, which are critical barriers identified by government and industry surveys. Small or medium enterprises (SMEs) as well as larger firms with robust capabilities in AI training and consultancy stand to benefit from the broad scope of this initiative. By creating a centralised skills hub, companies have the chance to play a key role in shaping the future workforce, responding to industry needs, and contributing to a diverse and advanced AI-skilled labour market in the UK.

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Notice Title

UKRI-3797 AI Skills Hub

Notice Description

Contract Award by United Kingdom research and Innovation through its component body Innovate for AI Skills Hub to UK business beneficiaries as part of a larger programme of activities that seek to stimulate adoption and diffusion of AI & ML in the UK. The skills hub will stimulate adoption by addressing one of the major barriers in AI adoption, identified by both government and industry surveys, as the gap in data and AI skills in the industry. Achieving this objective will have a positive impact on underperforming sectors and on UK productivity, ensuring AI benefits all sectors of the UK economy.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Contract Award Notice for United Kingdom Research and Innovation through its component body, Innovate UK, for delivery an AI Skills Hub to UK business beneficiaries as part of a larger programme of activities that seek to stimulate adoption and diffusion of AI & ML in the UK. The skills hub will stimulate adoption by addressing one of the major barriers in AI adoption, identified by both government and industry surveys, as the gap in data and AI skills in the industry. Achieving this objective will have a positive impact on underperforming sectors and on UK productivity, ensuring AI benefits all sectors of the UK economy. An independently run, self-sustainable skills hub can act in coordinating the activities required to address the current skills gap faced by industry. The main activities to be delivered by the hub include a systematic archiving of AI and data skills training providers and training material. The AI Skills Hub will embed the values of the skills value chain and will align with and interface with parallel and tangential activities (e.g. Workforce Foresighting - Innovate UK Business Connect (ktn-uk.org)) outlined by the relevant authority in the setup phase of the project. The data skills training archive and gap analysis will be aligned to the AI skills for business framework and the Skills Hub will act as a central point for industry to identify skills training opportunities, feedback on exact training needs and promote a more diverse workforce. There are a number of key stakeholders in the UK, including government departments, Innovation Centres and Catapults that serve to shape the direction and adoption of AI in alignment with the National AI strategy. Representatives of such bodies sit on the BridgeAI Advisory Group providing governance over ongoing activities. The AI skills for business framework will be reviewed by the supplier throughout the lifetime of the Skills Hub and updated subject to review by the BridgeAI Advisory Group during the lifetime of the BridgeAI programme and by the national custodians of the document, The Alan Turing Institute, on programme cessation. This will place the UK at the forefront of international best practice for AI and data skills provision and delivery. Additional information: There is an optional extension of up to one year included PS822,522.00 to be decided near the end of the contract

Renewal: There is an option of a costed extension period of up to 12 months subject to agreement near the end of the Initial period.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-047dd5
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/001337-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security


CPV Codes

79410000 - Business and management consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£4,166,666 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£4,166,666 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£4,148,645 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
15 Jan 20251 years ago
Submission Deadline
3 Sep 2024Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
16 Dec 20241 years ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION
Additional Buyers

UNITED KINGDOM RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
corporateprocurement@ukri.org
Contact Phone
+44 1793867000

Buyer Location

Locality
SWINDON
Postcode
SN2 1FL
Post Town
Swindon
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK71 Swindon
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Swindon
Electoral Ward
Rodbourne Cheney
Westminster Constituency
Swindon North

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS

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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