---
title: "HMPPS Common Awarding Organisations"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-043b5e"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-043b5e"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-043b5e.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-043b5e.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "MINISTRY OF JUSTICE"
published: "2024-04-09"
---

# HMPPS Common Awarding Organisations

Buyer: MINISTRY OF JUSTICE  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-043b5e

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## Summary

The Ministry of Justice is inviting tenders for the HMPPS Common Awarding Organisations procurement. This tender aims to appoint Ofqual registered suppliers for curriculum areas including English, Mathematics, Catering and Hospitality, Textiles, and Engineering to support Prisoner Education Service contracts starting in April 2025. The procurement is being conducted under the Light Touch Regime, with a total contract value of £2,640,000 GBP. The Ministry is based in London, UK, and the tender deadline for submissions is 29th May 2024.

This opportunity provides businesses in the education and training services sector the chance to secure long-term contracts with the Ministry of Justice. Companies offering qualifications in English, Mathematics, Catering and Hospitality, Textiles, and Engineering, and are Ofqual registered, are well-suited to compete. The planned start date for the contracts is in line with the Prisoner Education Service strategy, aiming to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes and increase employment prospects post-release, aligning with the government's rehabilitation goals.

## Notice

Across the prison estate, HMPPS and Education Providers (procured by HMPPS) deliver qualifications as part of education, skills, and work provision. The aim is to ensure that prisoners can develop key knowledge, skills, and behaviours through the delivery of qualifications that are recognised by industry experts and the wider community, enabling them to progress towards meaningful outcomes on release, with the long-term aim of reducing reoffending. In 2016, Dame Sally Coates undertook a review of Prison Education and recommended mandating the use of single Awarding Organisations to deliver services in key subject areas to drive consistency of learning and ensure that prisoners can continue qualifications if they transfer establishments. The Government committed to this in the Prison Safety and Reform White Paper in 2016. In 2019, the Prisoner Education Framework (PEF) was introduced to deliver core education services across the prison estate. Common Awarding Bodies were procured to support Prisoner Education Framework providers. In 2021, the Prisons Strategy White Paper was published, this set out the vision for a modern prison estate to create the right conditions to support rehabilitation. A key component in the paper was the commitment to a new Prisoner Education Service (PES) which will: * improve literacy and numeracy outcomes * incentivise obtaining qualifications * increase prospects of work or further education upon release Prisoner Education Service contracts will commence in April 2025. To ensure consistency in learning, HMPPS will be mandated to use Ofqual Registered Common Awarding Organisations for the following curriculum areas: 1) Mathematics 2) English 3) Catering and Hospitality 4) Textiles 5) Engineering This procurement is to appoint an Ofqual registered supplier for each of the above curriculum areas. This procurement is run under the Light Touch Regime. The Authority is using the Jaggaer electronic eSourcing Portal (formerly Bravo) for the procurement. The ITT, which is comprised of a number of volumes, is available only in electronic format via the Portal. Bidders must register the names of all contacts requiring access to the sourcing event and should submit queries via the Portal https://ministryofjusticecommercial.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html

### Lot Information

Lot All

The aim of the Common Awarding Organisations procurement(s) are to deliver qualifications across 5 areas which meet industry standards and create pathways to employment opportunities. MoJ has conducted very early market engagement with all Ofqual providers qualified for Mathematics, English, Engineering, Textiles and Catering and Hospitality at the time. This was to seek feedback from potential providers on MoJ's proposed requirements for Common Awarding Organisations. The subjects chosen for future Common Awarding Organisations procurement do not restrict future qualification delivery. Prisons will still be able to deliver qualifications in any subject area that is part of the wider curriculum. The only difference is that, for qualifications in subjects outside of the Common Awarding Organisations procurement, prisons will have the flexibility to choose the awarding organisation that best meets their needs. MoJ has further developed its procurement strategy and wishes to invite considered feedback on the requirements and proposed tender process to gain an understanding of the market appetite for a competition. MoJ encourages providers interested in these requirements to respond to this PIN indicating their interest (whether or not those providers were involved in the earlier market engagement). MoJ would bring to providers' attention that it will be a requirement of the competition that providers are Ofqual qualified or can obtain such qualification prior to any contract award (scheduled for autumn 2024). Providers wishing to access and provide feedback on the market briefing should contact providers have a 14 day window from the date of PIN publication in which to confirm their interest to do so, the deadline being 5th March. In addition, MoJ may invite one or more provider which confirms their interest to participate in one-to-one market engagement sessions. Depending on the level of confirmed interest, it may not be possible to hold such sessions with every provider. In that eventuality, such sessions would be held with a representative sample of providers. MoJ will consider all feedback during market engagement and any subsequent amendments to its procurement strategy will be entirely at its discretion. This PIN is not a call for competition. It does not commit MoJ to commencing a procurement process and is intended for market engagement purposes only. The value of this PIN is indicative and subject to change should MoJ decide to commence a procurement process.

Lot English

This procurement is in place to secure one Ofqual registered Common Awarding Organisation for each English (Excluding ESOL). As a minimum, the Contractor must offer a suite of qualifications in English at pre-entry, entry level 1, entry level 2, entry level 3, level 1, and level 2. The Contractor must offer a breadth of qualifications within English of varying breadth and complexity or specialism, which must include as a minimum: * Functional skills in English at entry level 1 * Functional skills in English at entry level 2 * Functional skills in English at entry level 3 * Functional skills in English at level 1 * Functional skills in English at level 2 The Contractor may offer qualifications in English at other levels in addition, however, this is not a mandatory requirement. The Contractor will be used as the preferred awarding organisation in English. If the Contractor is unable to provide a qualification in English required by the Authority, the Authority retains the right to utitlise another awarding organisation.

Options: The contracts may be extended up to three years at the Authority's discretion.

Lot Mathematics

This procurement is in place to secure one Ofqual registered Common Awarding Organisation for Mathematics. As a minimum, the Contractor must offer a suite of qualifications in Mathematics at pre-entry, entry level 1, entry level 2, entry level 3, level 1, and level 2. The Contractor must offer a breadth of qualifications within Mathematics of varying breadth and complexity or specialism, which must include as a minimum: * Functional skills in Mathematics at entry level 1 * Functional skills in Mathematics at entry level 2 * Functional skills in Mathematics at entry level 3 * Functional skills in Mathematics at level 1 * Functional skills in Mathematics at level 2 The Contractor may offer qualifications in Mathematics at other levels in addition, however, this is not a mandatory requirement. The Contractor will be used as the preferred awarding organisation in mathematics. If the Contractor is unable to provide a qualification in mathematics required by the Authority, the Authority retains the right to utitlise another awarding organisation.

Options: The contracts may be extended up to three years at the authority's discretion

Lot Catering and Hospitality

This procurement is in place to secure one Ofqual registered Common Awarding Organisation for Catering and Hospitality The Contractor must ensure that its qualifications in Catering and Hospitality are built on the standards required by workplaces to undertake job roles in Catering and Hospitality, developing the knowledge, skills and understanding that enables progression routes to employment in Catering and Hospitality . The Contractor must ensure that its qualifications in Catering and Hospitality enable opportunities to use and apply theoretical knowledge, skills and understanding in a practical work environment. As a minimum, the Contractor must offer a suite of qualifications in Catering and Hospitality at level 1 and level 2. The Contractor could offer qualifications in hospitality and catering at other levels, however, this is not a mandatory requirement. The Contractor must offer qualifications within Catering and Hospitality in the following area: * food safety, hygiene, and allergen awareness The Contractor must also offer a breadth of qualifications within Catering and Hospitality of varying breadth and complexity or specialism, which could include, and is not limited to, Catering and Hospitality qualifications related to the following areas: * general hospitality and catering * introduction to hospitality and catering * customer service * hospitality services * catering services * teamwork * health and safety * food safety, hygiene, and allergen awareness * meeting dietary needs, including healthy foods * food preparation, production, and cooking * cookery * culinary skills * barista skills * baking * using catering equipment Note: the above examples are for illustrative purposes only, Contractors do not need to provide all the above to be eligible to bid. The Contractor will be used as the preferred awarding organisation in Catering and Hospitality . If the Contractor is unable to provide a qualification in Catering and Hospitality required by the Authority, the Authority retains the right to utitlise another awarding organisation.

Options: The contracts may be extended up to three years at the Authority's discretion

Lot Textiles

The Contractor must ensure that its qualifications in Textiles are built on the standards required by workplaces to undertake job roles in textiles, developing the knowledge, skills and understanding that enables progression routes to employment in Textiles. The Contractor must ensure that its qualifications in Textiles enable opportunities to use and apply theoretical knowledge, skills and understanding in a practical work environment. As a minimum, the Contractor must offer a suite of qualifications in Textiles at level 1 and level 2. The Contractor could offer qualifications in Textiles at other levels, however, this is not a mandatory requirement. The Contractor must offer a breadth of qualifications within Textiles of varying breadth and complexity or specialism, which could include, textiles qualifications related to the following areas: * introduction to Textiles * manufacturing sewn and Textile products, including cutting, sewing, repair and inspection * industrial Textile machinery use, repair and maintenance * fashion design and development Note: the above examples are for illustrative purposes only, Contractors do not need to provide all the above to be eligible to bid. The Contractor will be used as the preferred awarding organisation in Textiles. If the Contractor is unable to provide a qualification in Textiles required by the Authority, the Authority retains the right to utitlise another awarding organisation.

Options: The contracts may be extended up to three years at the Authority's discretion

Lot Engineering

The Contractor must ensure that its qualifications in Engineering are built on the standards required by workplaces to undertake job roles in Engineering, developing the knowledge, skills and understanding that enables progression routes to employment in Engineering. The Contractor must ensure that its qualifications in Engineering enable opportunities to use and apply theoretical knowledge, skills and understanding in a practical work environment. As a minimum, the Contractor must offer a suite of qualifications in Engineering at level 1 and level 2. The Contractor could offer qualifications in Engineering at other levels in addition to the above, however, this is not a mandatory requirement. The Contractor must offer a breadth of qualifications within Engineering of varying breadth and complexity or specialism, which could include engineering qualifications related to the following areas: * general Engineering * introduction to Engineering * performing Engineering operations * engineering for product manufacture and refurbishment * vehicle/automotive engineering, including inspection, maintenance, repair and fitting * electrical installation and construction * fabrication and welding * computer aided design * glass and glazing manufacture and refurbishment * railway Engineering Note: The above examples are for illustrative purposes only, Contractors do not need to provide all of the above to be eligible to bid. The Contractor will be used as the preferred awarding organisation in Engineering. If the Contractor is unable to provide a qualification in engineering required by the Authority, the Authority retains the right to utitlise another awarding organisation.

Options: The contracts may be extended up to three years at the Authority's discretion.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/011516-2024 |
| Notice type | Planning Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning, Tender |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 9 Apr 2024 |
| Submission deadline | 29 May 2024 |
| Future notice date | 3 Apr 2024 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £2,640,000 |
| Lots value | £2,640,750 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Active |
| Lots status | Active, Planned |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | MINISTRY OF JUSTICE |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | South West London |
| Postcode | SW1H 9AJ |
| 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

- 9 Apr 2024 at 15:15 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/011516-2024
- 20 Feb 2024 at 10:16 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/005474-2024

## Notice URLs

- https://ministryofjusticecommercial.bravosolution.co.uk
- https://ministryofjusticecommercial.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html
- https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

## 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-h6vhtk-043b5e. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-043b5e.json.