--- title: "Adult Skills and Employment Programmes" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-078844" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-078844" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078844.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078844.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "Lincolnshire County Council" published: "2026-10-15" --- # Adult Skills and Employment Programmes Buyer: Lincolnshire County Council Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-078844 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-078844) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078844.json) ## Summary 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. ## Notice 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 ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/097347-2026 | | 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 | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 15 Oct 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 9 Nov 2026 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 Jul 2027 - 22 Mar 2030 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £87,000,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Planning | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | Lincolnshire County Council | | Locality | LINCOLN | | Postcode area | Lincoln | | Postcode | LN1 1YL | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLF East Midlands (England) | | ITL 2 | TLF3 Lincolnshire | | ITL 3 | TLF30 Lincolnshire CC | | Local authority | Lincoln | | Electoral ward | Carholme | | Westminster constituency | Lincoln | | Delivery location | TLE13 North and North East Lincolnshire, TLF3 Lincolnshire | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 80 - Education and training services ### Codes - 80400000 - Adult and other education services - 80500000 - Training services ## Release History - 15 Oct 2026 at 10:56 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/097347-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/097347-2026 15th October 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/54a21758-ea84-4eb1-bbd9-fd464949c9cd@b4e05b92-f8ce-46b5-9b24-99ba5c11e5e9 - https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/db6ce559-0426-47f3-b5f8-b7c897aa92e3@b4e05b92-f8ce-46b5-9b24-99ba5c11e5e9 - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents - https://www.lincolnshire.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-078844. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078844.json.