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Adult Skills and Employment Programmes

Lincolnshire County Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

15 Oct 2026 at 10:56

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Lincolnshire County Council plans to refresh its existing Adult Skills and Employment Programme Light Touch Framework, admitting additional providers rather than creating a new framework. The services will support adult skills, employability, learner engagement and related support across Lincolnshire. The framework has three lots: non-accredited provision; accredited skills provision; and other skills and employment-related activity. Providers may seek admission to one or more lots. The work is training and adult education services. The framework is intended to support future delivery through call-off contracts, while existing providers retain their framework status. The council is the buyer and expects providers to operate in line with the framework specification and associated requirements.

This is at the planning stage: the council has set out its intention to refresh the framework, but this is not an invitation to tender. It expects to use a competitive framework refresh, with applications assessed against participation conditions and quality requirements. The stated total estimated value is £87 million. The framework period for Lot 1 is expected to run from 31 July 2027 to 22 March 2030, with a possible extension to 22 March 2034. A further notice is expected by 9 November 2026. The council planned market-engagement presentations for 3 and 6 November 2026. Applications are expected to be assessed against a minimum quality threshold for admission to the relevant lots.

The framework is suited to organisations delivering adult education, skills training, employability support or learner engagement in Lincolnshire. Providers can apply for non-accredited provision, accredited skills provision, other skills and employment-related activity, or a combination. The council expects applicants to demonstrate relevant technical and professional capability, comparable delivery experience, sufficient organisational capacity and resources, and appropriate financial standing. Quality assurance, safeguarding and learner-protection arrangements, and compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements will also matter. Evaluation is expected to consider delivery methodology alongside capability, experience, quality, safeguarding and capacity. Providers must be able to meet the framework’s operational, performance, monitoring and reporting requirements. Admission would enable participation in future call-offs, but does not guarantee contracts or a minimum amount of work.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Adult Skills and Employment Programmes

Notice Description

Lincolnshire County Council is undertaking a refresh of its existing Adult Skills and Employment Programme (ASEP) Light Touch Framework. The purpose of this refresh is to admit additional Providers to the Framework to support the future delivery of adult skills, employability, learner engagement and associated support services across Lincolnshire. The Framework was originally established under the Light Touch Regime and this refresh is being undertaken in accordance with the principles, conditions and evaluation methodology upon which the Framework was established. This refresh does not constitute the establishment of a new framework. Existing Framework Providers will retain their place on the Framework and are not required to reapply. Applications are invited from suitably qualified and experienced organisations seeking admission to one or more of the Framework Lots. Providers may apply for admission to a single Lot, multiple Lots or all Lots. Procurement Procedure The Authority is undertaking a competitive Framework Refresh in accordance with the Framework's established governance and admission arrangements. Applications will be assessed using the Conditions of Participation, selection methodology and quality requirements set out within the procurement documentation. Only Providers meeting the required quality standards and minimum evaluation threshold will be admitted to the relevant Framework Lot(s). Admission to the Framework does not guarantee the award of future contracts or any minimum volume of work. Framework Lots Lot 1 - Non-Accredited Provision Lot 2 - Accredited Skills Provision Lot 3 - Other Skills and Employment Related Activity

Planning Information

Conditions of Participation The Conditions of Participation remain consistent with those applied when establishing the Framework. Applicants will be required to demonstrate: • Relevant technical and professional capability. • Appropriate experience delivering comparable services. • Organisational capacity and resources. • Financial standing. • Quality assurance arrangements. • Safeguarding and learner protection arrangements. • Compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements. • Capacity to operate in accordance with the Framework requirements. Full details are contained within the procurement documentation. Evaluation Methodology Applications will be evaluated in accordance with the Framework Refresh documentation. The evaluation will focus upon: • Organisational capability. • Relevant experience. • Quality assurance. • Delivery methodology. • Safeguarding arrangements. • Capacity and resources. • Compliance with Framework requirements. Only Providers achieving the stated minimum quality threshold will be admitted to the relevant Lot(s). Framework Operation Successful Providers admitted through this refresh will: • Become Providers on the relevant Framework Lot(s). • Be eligible to participate in future call-off opportunities. • Be subject to the Framework Agreement and all associated terms and conditions. • Be required to comply with all performance, monitoring and reporting requirements. Existing Framework Providers will retain their Framework status and rights. Submission of Applications Applications must be submitted electronically through PANACEA. Clarification questions must be submitted via PANACEA no later than the date specified in the procurement timetable. The Authority reserves the right to reject submissions received after the stated deadline. Additional Information The Authority reserves the right to clarify, verify and seek confirmation of any information submitted by applicants. The refresh is intended solely to facilitate the admission of additional Providers to the existing Framework. Existing Providers are unaffected by this refresh and are not required to submit a further application. The Framework shall continue to operate in accordance with the Framework Agreement, Specification and associated procurement documentation. Preliminary Market Engagement Presentations: Tuesday 3rd November 2026 10.30 – 11.30am - https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/54a21758-ea84-4eb1-bbd9-fd464949c9cd@b4e05b92-f8ce-46b5-9b24-99ba5c11e5e9 Friday 6th November 2026 9.30 – 10.30am - https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/db6ce559-0426-47f3-b5f8-b7c897aa92e3@b4e05b92-f8ce-46b5-9b24-99ba5c11e5e9

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078844
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/097347-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

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
£87,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
15 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
9 Nov 20262 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 Jul 2027 - 22 Mar 2030 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Lincolnshire County Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LINCOLN
Postcode
LN1 1YL
Postcode Area
Lincoln
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLF East Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLF3 Lincolnshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLF30 Lincolnshire CC
Delivery Location
TLE13 North and North East Lincolnshire, TLF3 Lincolnshire
Local Authority
Lincoln
Electoral Ward
Carholme
Westminster Constituency
Lincoln

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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