European Social Fund (ESF)
ESF 2007-2013 Programme for England
Notice to Providers - ESF Opportunities to Tender
This note tells you about some forthcoming opportunities to bid for a number of European Social Fund contracts. These will be advertised during March 2009 under the European Social Fund section of this site.
If you are interested in these contracts, I would encourage you to check our sites regularly to ensure you do not miss these tendering opportunities. In the meantime I want to explain the approach we will take to this procurement exercise and how you can get involved.
The European Social Fund
The European Social Fund (ESF) helps people improve skills and consequently their job prospects. Created in 1957, The ESF is the EU’s main source of financial support for efforts to develop employability and human resources. It helps Members States combat unemployment, prevent people from dropping out of the labour market, and promotes training, to make Europe’s workforce and companies better equipped to face new global challenges.
In 2007 a new programme period for the ESF began aiming to respond more effectively to the challenges of the 21st century. The programme period will end in 2013.
It is anticipated that contracts will commence in December 2009 and run through to July 2011, with the opportunity to extend up to July 2013. The objective of ESF priorities is to increase employment, and to reduce unemployment and inactivity, tackling barriers to work faced by people.
Approach to contracting
These contracts will be let following a fair and open competition in accordance with public procurement policy and EU regulations, using the DWP website to advertise these.
A two-stage approach to tendering will be taken involving the completion of standardised tendering documentation to ensure a consistent approach. For the first stage of the process bidders will be asked to complete a Pre-qualification Questionnaire. Bidders who are successful at this stage will then be invited to complete detailed tendering documentation to tell us how they will fully meet the varied employment needs of all Jobcentre Plus’ customers. Through this process only those providers that are able to best demonstrate they are able to meet our requirements are asked to spend time completing detailed documentation.
How to get involved
The approach enables bidders to either bid to deliver a range of provision using sub-contractors where it is appropriate, or to bid to deliver provision as a sole provider. Those who propose to deliver without using any sub-contractors or other partners must demonstrate that they have sufficient capacity and expertise to do so. It is in the interest of providers who do not wish to, or do not have the capacity, to bid to engage with larger providers. Equally it is in the interest of large providers to engage with suitable specialist organisations to enhance their delivery. Any arrangements that are made will of course be a commercial matter between the organisations involved. DWP do however require evidence that all potential partners and sub-contractors are aware of their roles and that they have agreed payment arrangements.
Smaller providers may wish to partner other small providers to consider bidding as a consortium. In this case we expect the organisations involved to nominate one of their members as the lead partner. The lead partner would be solely responsible for submitting a single bid on behalf of the consortium. If the bid is successful DWP will enter into a joint contract with all the consortia members, but the lead partner is required to represent, and co-ordinate the activities of, the consortium as a whole throughout the life of the contract. Each member of the consortium would be accountable to DWP for its own performance.
We will be holding provider briefing events, during March 2009, to explain our requirements more fully and to answer questions from potential bidders. Further details of the events, including how to apply for a place, will be displayed on this website shortly.
