Notice Information
Notice Title
Adult Skills Fund Course Delivery
Notice Description
East Durham College is looking to secure a maximum of 1 organisation to deliver adult education courses to people aged 19 years and over who live in postcodes within the North East Combined Authority area. The contract value will be based on an 80/20 split. The full contract value will be PS125,000 - Tenderers are invited to bid for the contract value stated that they can effectively deliver within the specified contract requirements. This may be split as incremental awards throughout the academic year dependent on achievement of deliverables. Adults must live in an address with a North East Combined Authority postcode, it is not the delivery location. Provision is expected to be part-time and must be linked to the North East Combined Authority Strategic Aims for each area. East Durham College is only seeking provision in subject sector areas 4 (Engineering) and 5 (Construction), which moves adults either directly into jobs or closer to the employment market. We will not accept large volumes of employability provision or distance learning. We would expect all the funded provision to be ASF funded and not Free Courses for Jobs. The training must be delivered in full by the contracted training provider, i.e. only one level of sub-contracting is permitted, no second level subcontracting is permitted. The quality of provision and subcontractor financial health will be paramount as the College will retain responsibility to the North East Combined Authority and OFSTED for programme quality. Financial health and inspection outcomes are mandatory elements of the assessment process which can lead to instant exclusion from the tender process. Where a credit rating shows an above average risk or an Ofsted outcome is less than Good, we will reject a tender unless there are exceptional circumstances given. Where these are given, the college will require a face to face meeting for further investigation of evidence to decide whether the tender can go forward for further review. The estimated contract value reflects the funding value of learning to be delivered and will be subject to a management fee which will not exceed 20%. Providers must have experience of delivering provision to meet local skills needs and be able to provide verified data in the following areas: * Achievement rates which are above national averages * High levels of positive progression into employment * History of achieving contracts in the last two years The positive progression must be into employment, further learning or improved prospects. We are not looking to deliver generic employability programmes. We will only look to contract with providers who have a history of delivering in the North East and they must have a permanent base in the North East. We will not accept tenders from organisations based outside of the geographical area who intend to rent premises to undertake his delivery. Checks will be carried out to ascertain longevity of operation in the North East.
Lot Information
Lot 1
Options: There could be scope for additional contract values subject to our requirements, and the successful tenderers performance. This will not exceed the current procurement threshold.
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-05f6f3
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083481-2025
- Current Stage
- Tender
- All Stages
- Tender
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- UK4 - Tender Notice
- Procurement Type
- Standard
- Procurement Category
- Services
- Procurement Method
- Open
- Procurement Method Details
- Below threshold - open competition
- Tender Suitability
- SME
- Awardee Scale
- Not specified
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- CPV Divisions
80 - Education and training services
-
- CPV Codes
80400000 - Adult and other education services
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- £125,000 £100K-£500K
- Lots Value
- £125,000 £100K-£500K
- Awards Value
- Not specified
- Contracts Value
- Not specified
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 16 Dec 20251 weeks ago
- Submission Deadline
- 13 Jan 20262 weeks to go
- Future Notice Date
- Not specified
- Award Date
- Not specified
- Contract Period
- 26 Jan 2026 - 31 Jul 2026 6-12 months
- Recurrence
- Not specified
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Active
- Lots Status
- Active
- Awards Status
- Not Specified
- Contracts Status
- Not Specified
Buyer & Supplier
Contracting Authority (Buyer)
- Main Buyer
- EAST DURHAM COLLEGE
- Contact Name
- Not specified
- Contact Email
- joanne.wilson@eastdurham.ac.uk
- Contact Phone
- Not specified
Buyer Location
- Locality
- CO DURHAM
- Postcode
- SR8 2RN
- Post Town
- Sunderland
- Country
- England
-
- Major Region (ITL 1)
- TLC North East (England)
- Basic Region (ITL 2)
- TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear
- Small Region (ITL 3)
- TLC41 Durham
- Delivery Location
- TLC North East (England)
-
- Local Authority
- County Durham
- Electoral Ward
- Peterlee West
- Westminster Constituency
- Easington
Further Information
Notice Documents
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083481-2025
16th December 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083469-2025
16th December 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
View full OCDS Record for this contracting process
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.
{
"tag": [
"compiled"
],
"id": "ocds-h6vhtk-05f6f3-2025-12-16T15:30:13Z",
"date": "2025-12-16T15:30:13Z",
"ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-05f6f3",
"initiationType": "tender",
"parties": [
{
"id": "GB-UKPRN-10002111",
"name": "East Durham College",
"identifier": {
"scheme": "GB-UKPRN",
"id": "10002111"
},
"additionalIdentifiers": [
{
"scheme": "GB-PPON",
"id": "PXPM-1872-RCYW"
}
],
"address": {
"streetAddress": "Willerby Grove",
"locality": "Co Durham",
"postalCode": "SR8 2RN",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom",
"region": "UKC14"
},
"contactPoint": {
"email": "joanne.wilson@eastdurham.ac.uk"
},
"roles": [
"buyer"
],
"details": {
"classifications": [
{
"id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
"scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
"description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
}
]
}
}
],
"buyer": {
"id": "GB-UKPRN-10002111",
"name": "East Durham College"
},
"tender": {
"id": "ocds-h6vhtk-05f6f3",
"legalBasis": {
"id": "2023/54",
"scheme": "UKPGA",
"uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
},
"title": "Adult Skills Fund Course Delivery",
"description": "East Durham College is looking to secure a maximum of 1 organisation to deliver adult education courses to people aged 19 years and over who live in postcodes within the North East Combined Authority area. The contract value will be based on an 80/20 split. The full contract value will be PS125,000 - Tenderers are invited to bid for the contract value stated that they can effectively deliver within the specified contract requirements. This may be split as incremental awards throughout the academic year dependent on achievement of deliverables. Adults must live in an address with a North East Combined Authority postcode, it is not the delivery location. Provision is expected to be part-time and must be linked to the North East Combined Authority Strategic Aims for each area. East Durham College is only seeking provision in subject sector areas 4 (Engineering) and 5 (Construction), which moves adults either directly into jobs or closer to the employment market. We will not accept large volumes of employability provision or distance learning. We would expect all the funded provision to be ASF funded and not Free Courses for Jobs. The training must be delivered in full by the contracted training provider, i.e. only one level of sub-contracting is permitted, no second level subcontracting is permitted. The quality of provision and subcontractor financial health will be paramount as the College will retain responsibility to the North East Combined Authority and OFSTED for programme quality. Financial health and inspection outcomes are mandatory elements of the assessment process which can lead to instant exclusion from the tender process. Where a credit rating shows an above average risk or an Ofsted outcome is less than Good, we will reject a tender unless there are exceptional circumstances given. Where these are given, the college will require a face to face meeting for further investigation of evidence to decide whether the tender can go forward for further review. The estimated contract value reflects the funding value of learning to be delivered and will be subject to a management fee which will not exceed 20%. Providers must have experience of delivering provision to meet local skills needs and be able to provide verified data in the following areas: * Achievement rates which are above national averages * High levels of positive progression into employment * History of achieving contracts in the last two years The positive progression must be into employment, further learning or improved prospects. We are not looking to deliver generic employability programmes. We will only look to contract with providers who have a history of delivering in the North East and they must have a permanent base in the North East. We will not accept tenders from organisations based outside of the geographical area who intend to rent premises to undertake his delivery. Checks will be carried out to ascertain longevity of operation in the North East.",
"status": "active",
"items": [
{
"id": "1",
"additionalClassifications": [
{
"scheme": "CPV",
"id": "80400000",
"description": "Adult and other education services"
}
],
"deliveryAddresses": [
{
"region": "UKC",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom"
},
{
"region": "UKC",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom"
}
],
"relatedLot": "1"
}
],
"value": {
"amountGross": 125000,
"amount": 125000,
"currency": "GBP"
},
"procurementMethod": "open",
"procurementMethodDetails": "Below threshold - open competition",
"mainProcurementCategory": "services",
"aboveThreshold": false,
"submissionMethodDetails": "Please submit tenders to joanne.wilson@eastdurham.ac.uk procurement@eastdurham.ac.uk as per the tender documents instructions **PLEASE NOTE THERE WILL BE NO RESPONSE TO QUERIES BETWEEN 20TH DECEMBER 2025 - 4TH JANUARY 2026**",
"submissionTerms": {
"electronicSubmissionPolicy": "notAllowed"
},
"tenderPeriod": {
"endDate": "2026-01-13T12:00:00Z"
},
"enquiryPeriod": {
"endDate": "2026-01-12T23:59:00Z"
},
"otherRequirements": {
"reservedParticipationLocation": {
"gazetteer": {
"scheme": "GB-ONS",
"identifiers": [
"K02000001"
]
}
}
},
"lots": [
{
"id": "1",
"status": "active",
"value": {
"amountGross": 125000,
"amount": 125000,
"currency": "GBP"
},
"awardCriteria": {
"criteria": [
{
"type": "quality",
"name": "Quality",
"numbers": [
{
"number": 85,
"weight": "percentageExact"
}
]
},
{
"type": "quality",
"name": "Social Value",
"numbers": [
{
"number": 15,
"weight": "percentageExact"
}
]
},
{
"type": "quality",
"name": "Quality",
"numbers": [
{
"number": 85,
"weight": "percentageExact"
}
]
},
{
"type": "quality",
"name": "Social Value",
"numbers": [
{
"number": 15,
"weight": "percentageExact"
}
]
}
]
},
"selectionCriteria": {
"criteria": [
{
"description": "We will only look to contract with providers who have a history of delivering in the North East and they must have a permanent base in County Durham, Sunderland or Gateshead."
},
{
"description": "We will only look to contract with providers who have a history of delivering in the North East and they must have a permanent base in County Durham, Sunderland or Gateshead."
}
]
},
"suitability": {
"sme": true
},
"contractPeriod": {
"startDate": "2026-01-26T00:00:00Z",
"endDate": "2026-07-31T23:59:59+01:00"
},
"hasOptions": true,
"options": {
"description": "There could be scope for additional contract values subject to our requirements, and the successful tenderers performance. This will not exceed the current procurement threshold."
}
}
],
"documents": [
{
"id": "A-9276",
"documentType": "biddingDocuments",
"url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/A-9276",
"format": "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document"
},
{
"id": "083469-2025",
"documentType": "tenderNotice",
"noticeType": "UK4",
"description": "Tender notice on Find a Tender",
"url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083469-2025",
"datePublished": "2025-12-16T15:19:34Z",
"format": "text/html"
},
{
"id": "083481-2025",
"documentType": "tenderNotice",
"noticeType": "UK4",
"description": "Tender notice on Find a Tender",
"url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083481-2025",
"datePublished": "2025-12-16T15:30:13Z",
"format": "text/html"
}
]
},
"language": "en"
}