PRISON CATERING AND HOSPITALITY

The MoJ know that employment for prison leavers helps cut crime, prevents further victims, and reduces the £18 billion total estimated economic and social cost of reoffending. Prison leavers who find employment after release are up to nine percentage points less likely to reoffend. Getting more prison leavers into work also has a role to play in promoting economic growth by helping employers with skills shortages and filling vacancies.

In the year to March 2023, 25.9% of prison leavers were employed 6 months post release (excluding cases out of scope or where the status was unknown). This is up from 17.3% in the previous year, an 8.6 percentage point increase. Our ambition is to deliver a step-change in the number of prison leavers who secure employment on release.

The Authority would like to assess the market interest and capability of delivering a Self-Funded facility within prisons. The current facility offers Catering and Hospitality, however the authority is open to new initiatives the market may have to offer. The prison locations are HMP Brixton, HMP High Down, and HMP Styal.

The current service includes a Catering and Hospitality facility within a prison, which is hosted by an employer or consortia of businesses and employers that provides sector specific skills training and creates pathways to jobs on release, preferably with the Supplier. The core elements of this would be:

A defined programme of learning that prepares the prisoners for work with the employer/s or with others after release.

A unique in-prison facility which resembles, as much as possible, the facility as it would be in the community. Including branding and signage, uniforms for prisoners, and a focus on company values and behaviours.

Sales and marketing.

Reporting/monitoring and evaluating.

Guaranteed interviews for all participants successfully completing the programme upon release; and

"Through the gate" support to enhance the likelihood of prisoners settling in well to the new role and having an immediate positive impact upon release.

The Specification will be subject to ongoing review and development by both Authority and Supplier to take note of emerging best practice and changes in approach. There is a clear expectation that the Supplier will strive to continuously improve service delivery and provide a flexible service which can readily respond to changing learning and skills needs of prisoners.

The initiative will benefit prisoners aged 18 or over of working age regardless of Protected Characteristics and with a good work ethos who are motivated to engage with longer-term, higher skilled sector specific training in work environments.

Additional information: Following this PIN, additional market engagement and service requirements events will be taking place during March 2024 both in-person and virtually. These will be as follows:

19th February 2024, 13:00-14:00 - Virtual via Teams

8th Match 2024, 11:00-13:00 - In Person - Manchester Justice Collaboration Centre, M4 4AH

12th March 2024, 09:30 - 10:30 - Virtual via Teams

21st March 2024, 11:00 - 13:00 - In Person - Newbold Revel, CV23 0TH

Interested suppliers will need to register for an event using the link provided or email [email protected]. We welcome any feedback you can give on the proposed service. Attendance is only required at one event.

Follow these activities if the MoJ identifies multiple suitable and interested parties with the capability to deliver the service it will intend to run a procurement competition to secure the future of this service.