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TVCA-PROC-0911 - Adult Skills Fund 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29

Tees Valley Combined Authority

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

TenderUpdate

28 Aug 2026 at 13:12

UK4 - Tender Notice
Tender

28 Aug 2026 at 12:15

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Tees Valley Combined Authority is commissioning adult education and skills programmes for residents aged 19 and over across Tees Valley. The four service areas are English, maths and digital entitlement from Entry Level to Level 2; first full Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications; pathways to employment for unemployed adults; and employer-led Skills Bootcamps. Provision should support participation, achievement, progression into learning or work, and improved employment outcomes. It must align with regional priorities including manufacturing, construction, digital, health and social care, clean energy, life sciences, chemical processing, the foundational economy, business growth and other local labour-market needs. Delivery will involve employers, referral partners, community organisations and existing grant-funded providers, with accurate data returns and compliance with funding, audit and contract-management requirements across Tees Valley.

The buyer invited offers through an open competitive flexible procedure with two stages: participation and compliance, followed by invitations to submit initial tenders and quality and social-value assessment. Enquiries close at 15:00 on 18 September 2026 and tenders are due by 17:00 on 25 September 2026. The award decision is scheduled by 29 January 2027. Contracts are planned from 22 February 2027 to 31 July 2029, with an option to extend by up to one year. The total estimated value is £21,000,000 excluding VAT (£25,200,000 including VAT), with annual funding up to £7,000,000. Lot values excluding VAT are £1,500,000, £3,000,000, £7,500,000 and £9,000,000 respectively. Evaluation is 80% quality and 20% social value; economic and technical selection requirements apply.

This opportunity suits established adult-learning, further-education, employability and workforce-training providers able to deliver accredited or approved qualifications at scale. Providers should be capable of engaging adults with low prior attainment, limited confidence or barriers to participation, retaining learners and supporting progression into further learning, apprenticeships, sustainable employment, self-employment or improved work. Relevant expertise includes English, maths and digital skills; Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications; employment skills; sector-specific technical training; and employer-led Skills Bootcamps. Skills Bootcamp bidders need evidenced employer demand, identified skills gaps and recruitment challenges, and meaningful employer involvement in design and delivery. Delivery partners must collaborate with grant-funded providers, employers, referral and community organisations, provide accessible and innovative learning, and manage accurate data, funding, audit and contract requirements.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

TVCA-PROC-0911 - Adult Skills Fund 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29

Notice Description

Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA)(the 'Contacting Authority'), part of the Tees Valley Combined Authority Group, is inviting tenders for the provision of Adult Skills Fund 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29 with a total annual value of up to PS7m and up to PS21 million over a 3 academic year period, (academic years 2026/27 to 2028/2029). The required services are to deliver Adult Skills Programmes to Tees Valley residents aged 19 and over, aligned to regional skills priorities including manufacturing, construction, digital, health and social care, and emerging and everyday sectors. Providers will be expected to deliver high-quality, innovative provision that supports learner engagement, retention and progression, working collaboratively with employers, referral partners and community organisations to establish clear learner pathways. Providers must also ensure timely and accurate data returns and comply with all relevant funding, audit and contract management requirement. This provision is essential to delivering the outcome focussed Adult Skills Programme. To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://teesvalley.delta-esourcing.com/respond/BT388G5Z77 If you experience any technical difficulties from accessing the above url, then please contact the Delta eSourcing Helpdesk on call 0800 923 9236 or email helpdesk@delta-esourcing.com.

Lot Information

Legal Entitlement (English, Maths and Digital)

This Lot is for the delivery of high-quality English, maths and digital entitlement provision for Tees Valley residents aged 19 and over who need to develop their essential skills for everyday life, further learning and employment. Provision must include the full range of government-approved qualifications, from Entry Level to Level 2, enabling learners to access the most appropriate starting point and progress through clear learning pathways as their skills, confidence and aspirations develop. Delivery should be designed to engage adults who have low prior attainment, limited confidence in learning, or other barriers to participation. Providers must support learners to achieve positive outcomes, including progression into further learning, employment and improved outcomes in work. Funding through this Lot is additional to the provision already delivered by Tees Valley's grant-funded providers. Successful Bidders will therefore be expected to work collaboratively with grant-funded providers and relevant local partners to ensure that provision complements existing services, avoids unnecessary duplication, and maximises participation and access across the Tees Valley. The primary objectives of this Lot are to: - Re-engage adults who have previously had negative educational experiences or who have been disengaged from learning. - Enable adults to gain the essential English, maths and digital skills needed to participate confidently in everyday life and the workplace. - Build learners' confidence, motivation and readiness to progress into further learning, apprenticeships, employment or improved in-work opportunities. - Deliver flexible, accessible and high-quality learning that responds to individual needs and local labour market demand. - Support learners to progress through qualifications and learning pathways from Entry Level to Level 2.

Renewal: Any option to extend of up to one year may include but not be limited to review of existing Delivery Plan from Year 1-3, including provision, learner numbers, priority sector areas, funding values, review of Social Value from Year 1-3.

Legal Entitlement (first full Level 2 and 3 qualifications)

This Lot is for the delivery of high-quality Level 2 and Level 3 legal entitlement provision for Tees Valley residents aged 19 and over who do not already hold a full qualification at the level being studied. Provision must support learners to progress into employment, further learning, higher-level study and/or improved outcomes within work. Delivery must be through government-approved qualifications and/or qualifications included on the Tees Valley Flexible Qualifications List. The funding available through this Lot is additional to the provision already delivered by Tees Valley's grant-funded providers. Successful Bidders will be expected to ensure that their provision complements existing delivery, avoids unnecessary duplication, and maximises opportunities for Tees Valley residents to access learning and progress.

Renewal: Any option to extend of up to one year may include but not be limited to review of existing Delivery Plan from Year 1-3, including provision, learner numbers, priority sector areas, funding values, review of Social Value from Year 1-3.

Pathways to Employment

This Lot provides a universal offer for adults aged 19 and over who are unemployed and actively seeking work. Provision delivered through this Lot must equip learners with the skills needed to secure, sustain and progress in employment. This includes: - Essential skills, including English, maths and digital skills; - Essential employment skills (as set out in Appendix 3); and - Sector-specific technical skills aligned to local labour market opportunities and employer demand. The Pathways to Employment programme is intended to support the Government's ambition to increase the employment rate to 80% by 2035 and to contribute to reducing unemployment across the Tees Valley. Where bidders propose to include essential skills provision (English, maths and digital) as part of a Pathways to Employment programme, they must submit a separate funding request under Lot 1: Legal Entitlements (English, Maths and Digital). Any such request must meet the minimum contract value specified for that Lot. Providers must ensure that learners who are not yet ready to enter employment on completion of their initial programme are supported to continue their learning journey. This should include access to further skills development, qualifications and progression opportunities that move learners closer to sustainable employment.

Renewal: Any option to extend of up to one year may include but not be limited to review of existing Delivery Plan from Year 1-3, including provision, learner numbers, priority sector areas, funding values, review of Social Value from Year 1-3.

Employer-Led Skills Bootcamps

Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) is seeking providers to deliver collaborative, employer-led Skills Bootcamps that respond directly to identified skills shortages and workforce needs within the Tees Valley. Skills Bootcamps must be developed in partnership with employers and aligned to one or more of TVCA's priority sectors: - Advanced Manufacturing - Clean Energy - Digital, Creative and Culture - Life Sciences and Biomanufacturing - Chemical Process Industries - Foundational Economy - Construction - Business Start-up and Scale-up - Building Smarter Businesses Bidders must demonstrate clear and evidenced employer demand for their proposed Skills Bootcamp, including the skills gaps and recruitment challenges identified by participating employers. Skills Bootcamps must support Tees Valley residents aged 19 and over to: - Move into sustainable employment; - Secure improved employment outcomes, including progression into self-employment; - Progress within their current role through upskilling; or - Access new employment opportunities created through workforce development, including backfill vacancies arising from employee progression. Bidders must clearly demonstrate how employers have been involved in the design and delivery of the programme and how this collaboration will enable learners to secure, sustain and progress in employment while meeting the workforce needs of local businesses.

Renewal: Any option to extend of up to one year may include but not be limited to review of existing Delivery Plan from Year 1-3, including provision, learner numbers, priority sector areas, funding values, review of Social Value from Year 1-3.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06ee76
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082179-2026
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
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

80000000 - Education and training services

80400000 - Adult and other education services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£21,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£21,000,000 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
28 Aug 20264 days ago
Submission Deadline
25 Sep 20264 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
22 Feb 2027 - 31 Jul 2029 2-3 years
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
Tees Valley Combined Authority
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
DARLINGTON
Postcode
DL2 1NJ
Postcode Area
Darlington
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC3 Tees Valley
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC33 Darlington
Delivery Location
TLC1 Tees Valley and Durham
Local Authority
Darlington
Electoral Ward
Sadberge & Middleton St George
Westminster Constituency
Stockton West

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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