--- title: "Highland Council Commissioning on behalf of Highland Employability Partnership (HEP)" ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000806795" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000806795" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000806795.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000806795.json" source: "Public Contracts Scotland" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "THE HIGHLAND COUNCIL" published: "2025-08-07" --- # Highland Council Commissioning on behalf of Highland Employability Partnership (HEP) Buyer: THE HIGHLAND COUNCIL Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000806795 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000806795) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000806795.json) ## Summary The Highland Council is overseeing the procurement process for a competitive challenge grant fund on behalf of the Highland Employability Partnership (HEP). The project, titled "Highland Council Commissioning on behalf of Highland Employability Partnership (HEP)", falls under the services category with a focus on employability within the Highland Council Local Authority Area (UKM6). As of 7th August 2025, this procurement is in the planning stage. Key dates include the opening of the application process on 25th August 2025, closing on 31st October 2025, and the anticipated commencement of services in January 2026. An information session will be held on 21st August 2025 via Microsoft Teams. This tender presents significant opportunities for Employability Service providers, especially those capable of delivering comprehensive support across all age groups and pathways, to engage in economic development initiatives emerging in the Highland region, including the Green Free Port. Businesses focusing on providing specialist support for individuals with disabilities and long-term health conditions will find this an especially attractive opportunity. Additionally, applications are encouraged from consortia, considering the scope of necessities outlined by the HEP. Businesses positioned to contribute to tackling child poverty and supporting parents will also be highly considered in this process, appealing to enterprises focused on social impact and community development. ## Notice On behalf of Highland Employability Partnership (HEP) Highland Council will be launching a competitive challenge grant fund to support our clients to gain employment, including realising the potential of the large scale economic develop initiatives currently emerging in Highland including the Green Free Port. We are therefore inviting applications from Employability Service providers of an appropriate scale to deliver an all age/all pathway stage provision for our residents who require additional support in their journey towards and in to work. This will include specialist support for clients with disabilities and long-term health conditions. Our particular priority of tackling child poverty means that there is also a requirement for targeted provision to support parents. There will be one grant award for Highland and whilst a single organisation can apply, it is the view of the HEP that it is unlikely that a single organisation will be able to deliver the full requirements. Consortium applications are therefore being encouraged. The application process will go live on Monday 25th August 2025 with the closing date being 31st October 2025, 5pm. It is anticipated that service delivery will commence in January 2026. An information session through Microsoft Teams will be held on Thursday 21st August 2025 10am-11am. At this information session, an outline of both the challenge fund and a planned re-procurement of the Council's Framework will be provided. To register an interest in the information session AND to receive the challenge fund application pack when it becomes live on Monday 25th August 2025, please email employability.finance@highland.gov.uk ### Lot Information Lot 1 On behalf of Highland Employability Partnership (HEP) Highland Council will be launching a competitive challenge grant fund to support our clients to gain employment, including realising the potential of the large scale economic develop initiatives currently emerging in Highland including the Green Free Port. We are therefore inviting applications from Employability Service providers of an appropriate scale to deliver an all age/all pathway stage provision for our residents who require additional support in their journey towards and in to work. This will include specialist support for clients with disabilities and long-term health conditions. Our particular priority of tackling child poverty means that there is also a requirement for targeted provision to support parents. There will be one grant award for Highland and whilst a single organisation can apply, it is the view of the HEP that it is unlikely that a single organisation will be able to deliver the full requirements. Consortium applications are therefore being encouraged. The application process will go live on Monday 25th August 2025 with the closing date being 31st October 2025, 5pm. It is anticipated that service delivery will commence in January 2026. An information session through Microsoft Teams will be held on Thursday 21st August 2025 10am-11am. At this information session, an outline of both the challenge fund and a planned re-procurement of the Council's Framework will be provided. To register an interest in the information session AND to receive the challenge fund application pack when it becomes live on Monday 25th August 2025, please email employability.finance@highland.gov.uk. This is a Competitive Challenge Grant Fund and a procured framework ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland | | Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=AUG536563 | | Notice type | PCS Notice - Website Prior Information Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 7 Aug 2025 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 3 Dec 2025 | | 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 | Planned | | Lots status | Planned | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | THE HIGHLAND COUNCIL | | Locality | INVERNESS | | Post town | Inverness | | Postcode | IV3 5NX | | Country | Scotland | | ITL 1 | TLM Scotland | | ITL 2 | TLM2 Highlands and Islands | | ITL 3 | TLM20 Highlands and Islands | | Local authority | Highland | | Electoral ward | Inverness West | | Westminster constituency | Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire | | Delivery location | TLM6 Highlands and Islands | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 80 - Education and training services ### Codes - 80000000 - Education and training services - 80510000 - Specialist training services - 80530000 - Vocational training services ## Release History - 7 Aug 2025 at 00:00 - Planning - PCS Notice - Website Prior Information Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=AUG536563 ## Documents - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=AUG536563 Highland Council Commissioning on behalf of Highland Employability Partnership (HEP) - On behalf of Highland Employability Partnership (HEP) Highland Council will be launching a competitive challenge grant fund to support our clients to gain employment, including realising the potential of the large scale economic develop initiatives currently emerging in Highland including the Green Free Port. We are therefore inviting applications from Employability Service providers of an appropriate scale to deliver an all age/all pathway stage provision for our residents who require additional support in their journey towards and in to work. This will include specialist support for clients with disabilities and long-term health conditions. Our particular priority of tackling child poverty means that there is also a requirement for targeted provision to support parents. There will be one grant award for Highland and whilst a single organisation can apply, it is the view of the HEP that it is unlikely that a single organisation will be able to deliver the full requirements. Consortium applications are therefore being encouraged. The application process will go live on Monday 25th August 2025 with the closing date being 31st October 2025, 5pm. It is anticipated that service delivery will commence in January 2026. An information session through Microsoft Teams will be held on Thursday 21st August 2025 10am-11am. At this information session, an outline of both the challenge fund and a planned re-procurement of the Council's Framework will be provided. To register an interest in the information session AND to receive the challenge fund application pack when it becomes live on Monday 25th August 2025, please email employability.finance@highland.gov.uk ## Notice URLs - http:// - http://www.highland.gov.uk - https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000806795 ## 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-r6ebe6-0000806795. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000806795.json.