---
title: "Aspiring Pathways Project"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-078607"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-078607"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078607.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078607.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "West Yorkshire Combined Authority"
published: "2026-10-12"
---

# Aspiring Pathways Project

Buyer: West Yorkshire Combined Authority  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-078607

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## Summary

West Yorkshire Combined Authority intends to commission Aspiring Pathways, a workplace-experience programme for young people attending 11 Alternative Provision settings across West Yorkshire. The service is intended to widen access to meaningful, high-quality workplace experiences, particularly for young people facing additional barriers to progression. Delivery is expected to be flexible and inclusive, supporting different levels of readiness. It includes preparation and workplace-readiness activity for young people not yet ready to enter a workplace, as well as routes to build confidence, skills and experience over time. The programme is informed by the Careers & Enterprise Company’s Equalex framework and depends on collaboration between the provider, participating settings and employers. This is a planned education and training service, rather than a request for goods or construction work.

The process is at planning: the authority has announced its intention to procure and is undertaking preliminary market engagement, not inviting tenders at this stage. It expects to use an open procedure for one planned lot. The authority has arranged a Microsoft Teams market-engagement event for 21 October 2026, 10:00–11:00, for prospective providers to hear about requirements and procurement and ask questions. Its stated engagement-response date is 20 October 2026. The planned tender submission deadline is 7 December 2026, with award expected by 14 December 2026; these are indicative dates, not deadlines to bid now. The planned contract period runs from 14 December 2026 to 31 August 2028. Estimated value is £290,000 excluding VAT (£348,000 including VAT).

This is likely to suit providers experienced in work-experience programmes, careers and employability support for young people, especially those with additional barriers or who are not yet ready for workplace placements. The delivery model calls for the ability to assess and respond to differing needs and readiness, provide structured preparation and workplace-readiness activity, and support progression in confidence, skills and experience. Providers should be able to work collaboratively with 11 Alternative Provision settings and build effective employer partnerships that create meaningful routes into work. Familiarity with the Careers & Enterprise Company’s Equalex framework would help shape the approach. The programme’s multi-setting, inclusive delivery will favour organisations able to coordinate provision and adapt it to individual interests and circumstances. The planned market-engagement session offers a chance to understand the authority’s ambitions and inform preparation before the procurement reaches tender stage.

## Notice

West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) is preparing to commission Aspiring Pathways, a targeted programme designed to increase access to high quality and meaningful experience of the workplace for young people attending Alternative Provision settings across West Yorkshire. The purpose of this early market engagement is to raise awareness among potential providers, share our ambitions for the programme and encourage organisations to consider how their experience, expertise and partnerships could contribute to its successful delivery. Aspiring Pathways is a nationally funded programme designed to improve access to workplace experiences for young people in Alternative Provision, particularly those who may face additional barriers to progression. We are seeking a provider who can work collaboratively with 11 participating AP settings, to deliver a flexible, inclusive and progressive approach to work experience, recognising that young people in Alternative Provision will have different starting points and levels of readiness. Delivery will need include appropriate preparation and workplace-readiness activity for those not yet ready to enter a workplace, supporting young people to build confidence, skills and experience over time. The approach should be informed by the Careers & Enterprise Company's Equalex framework, shaped around individual needs and interests, and underpinned by strong partnerships with AP settings and employers to create meaningful pathways into the world of work. Please note that this PPN is for prior information only, to inform potential suppliers of an upcoming opportunity and an engagement event for those interested in bidding. Additional Information A pre-market engagement event will be held via Microsoft Teams on Wednesday 21st October from 10:00am - 11:00am. Attending will be members of the Combined Authority's Careers & Education Team and Commercial Team. This session will give an overview of the Combined Authority's requirements and procurement process and allow prospective bidders to ask detailed questions. To attend the session, please complete the form linked in the attached PPN document, or via the URL here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=_DvpNGbuRUOk_oBbZ-SAwPOPFfNtYt5FmXqWSs2bdjtUNjBWQU1HSU5UV05FQ01IMUcxODdHSlVGSi4u

### Planning Information

https://uk.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=109992&TID=100115023&B=

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/096308-2026 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement 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 |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 12 Oct 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 9 Nov 2026 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 14 Dec 2026 - 31 Aug 2028 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £290,000 |
| Lots value | £290,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | West Yorkshire Combined Authority |
| Locality | LEEDS |
| Postcode area | Leeds |
| Postcode | LS1 2DE |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLE Yorkshire and The Humber |
| ITL 2 | TLE4 West Yorkshire |
| ITL 3 | TLE42 Leeds |
| Local authority | Leeds |
| Electoral ward | Little London & Woodhouse |
| Westminster constituency | Leeds Central and Headingley |
| Delivery location | TLE4 West Yorkshire |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 80 - Education and training services

### Codes

- 80000000 - Education and training services
- 80500000 - Training services

## Release History

- 12 Oct 2026 at 17:33 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/096308-2026
- 12 Oct 2026 at 17:03 - Planning - UK3 - Planned Procurement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/096290-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/096308-2026
  12th October 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/096290-2026
  12th October 2026 - Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=_DvpNGbuRUOk_oBbZ-SAwPOPFfNtYt5FmXqWSs2bdjtUNjBWQU1HSU5UV05FQ01IMUcxODdHSlVGSi4u
- https://uk.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=109989&TID100115020&B=
- https://uk.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/rwlentrance_s.asp?PID=109992&TID=100115023&B=
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk

## 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-078607. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078607.json.