--- title: "Strengthening the Supported Internships Programme" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-f4270356-8329-47d9-8f21-a59ed4b711fd" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-f4270356-8329-47d9-8f21-a59ed4b711fd" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-f4270356-8329-47d9-8f21-a59ed4b711fd.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-f4270356-8329-47d9-8f21-a59ed4b711fd.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION" published: "2022-02-16" --- # Strengthening the Supported Internships Programme Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-b5fd17-f4270356-8329-47d9-8f21-a59ed4b711fd [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-f4270356-8329-47d9-8f21-a59ed4b711fd) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-f4270356-8329-47d9-8f21-a59ed4b711fd.json) ## Summary The Department for Education is currently in the planning stage of the "Strengthening the Supported Internships Programme," which aims to enhance work-based study opportunities for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This programme is part of a strategic initiative to double the number of permitted internships from approximately 2,250 enrolments per annum to around 4,500 by 2025, with a target maximum contract value of £8,000,000 including VAT. A virtual pre-market engagement event is scheduled for 9 March 2022, and interested parties must register by 4 March 2022 to attend. The indicative contract period is set to commence on 1 August 2022 and run until 31 March 2025, with a contract notice anticipated to be published on 1 April 2022. This procurement presents significant growth opportunities for businesses involved in educational services and training, particularly those focused on employment support for young individuals. Companies specialising in job coach training, employer engagement for internships, and the development of local authority forums could greatly benefit from this initiative. Moreover, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) are well-placed to compete, as the Department seeks to strengthen partnerships with various stakeholders to enhance the quality of internship provision. ## Notice Supported Internships (SIs) are a work-based study programme for 16-24 year olds with SEND who have an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan, who want to move into employment and who need extra support to do so. SIs are designed to equip young people with the skills they need to secure and sustain employment through learning in the workplace. The DfE is considering its commissioning approach for the delivery of the 'Strengthening the Supported Internships Programme' contract. We want to build the capacity of the programme and are aiming to double the number of SIs from c.2,250 internship enrolments per annum to c.4,500 per annum by 2025. We anticipate awarding contracts up to a total maximum value of PS8,000,000 including VAT: - Support to Local Authorities to establish and develop SEND employment forums, including payment and administration of section 14 grants - Delivery of accredited job coach training programmes and training in systematic instruction - Engaging and supporting employers to offer high quality work placements - Establishing a sustainable audit process, to measure the quality of SI provision against a Quality Assurance framework ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (Maximum 400 characters including spaces): The Department wishes to assess market capability and capacity to administer and deliver a response. A virtual pre-market engagement event will take place on Wednesday 9 March and further details of the event will be shared with all those who have registered. Please register an interest in attending (max two per organisation) to: sendbaea.commercial@education.gov.uk by Friday 4 March 2022. SCHEDULED DATE FOR PUBLICATION OF CONTRACT NOTICE: 1 April 2022 (indicative) START AND END DATES OF THE CONTRACT: 1 August 2022 - 31 March 2025 (indicative) This notice does not constitute a call for competition to procure any services for the Department. The procurement of any services will be carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The purpose of this PIN is to stimulate early market interest and invite interested parties to take part in preliminary market consultations. As part of the market engagement, we wish to test views on areas such as: - expertise and capacity required to successfully manage this potential opportunity - delivery model, e.g. single supplier, consortium, framework, lots, managed service or any other appropriate vehicle - mode of delivery to ensure local, regional, and national coverage - potential barriers / challenges / issues to successful delivery and potential solutions - effective partnership working between employers, education providers, local authorities etc. - other potential opportunities which could be included in this programme - key success factors of this programme and how to ensure the greatest positive impact for young people with SEND, their parents / carers, local authorities, employers and supported internships providers - value for money ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/5f31aae4-b120-46b8-b5ef-efd79353f199 | | Notice type | Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Not specified | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 16 Feb 2022 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 4 Mar 2022 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION | | Locality | LONDON | | Post town | South West London | | Postcode | SW1P 3BT | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLI London | | ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West | | ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London | | Local authority | Westminster | | Electoral ward | St James's | | Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 80 - Education and training services ### Codes - 80000000 - Education and training services ## Release History - 16 Feb 2022 at 12:39 - Planning - Market Engagement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/5f31aae4-b120-46b8-b5ef-efd79353f199 - 16 Feb 2022 at 11:12 - Planning - Market Engagement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/c3ba01c7-4aa1-4a76-afbb-73bde4f829ec ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/5f31aae4-b120-46b8-b5ef-efd79353f199 16th February 2022 - Early engagement notice on Contracts Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/c3ba01c7-4aa1-4a76-afbb-73bde4f829ec 16th February 2022 - Early engagement notice on Contracts Finder ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-f4270356-8329-47d9-8f21-a59ed4b711fd. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-f4270356-8329-47d9-8f21-a59ed4b711fd.json.