GMCA 959 Adult Skills Level 3 Targeted Offer

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) is looking to procure adult skills Level 3 activity under the devolved Adult Education Budget (AEB) and the national Free Courses for Jobs Level 3 offer, using its 'single pot' approach for the 2024/25 academic year with the option to extend for a further 12 months, subject to GMCA receiving and approving continued funding as it transitions to a Single Settlement for adult skills.

The intent of the GM's Adult Skills Level 3 targeted offer is:

• To support the priorities of the Greater Manchester Strategy 2021 - 2031 good lives for all:

Greater Manchester is a great place to grow up, get on and grow old; a great place to invest, do business, visit and study to become:

• A greener Greater Manchester: responding to the climate emergency.

• A fairer Greater Manchester: addressing inequalities and improving wellbeing for all

• A more prosperous Greater Manchester: driving local and UK growth.

• To develop the occupational competences needed to progress further in learning, work or careers, on courses aligned to Greater Manchester's key growth and foundational occupational areas and the sector skills shortages highlighted in the GM Local Skills Improvement Plan.

• To improve the skills of residents and be more productive or retrain to find a better job supporting in-work progression for adults into higher level careers, adapting to changing employer needs.

• Target occupational skills gaps to support our business needs, providing employers with a locally skilled workforce.

GM's Adult Skills Level 3 Targeted Offer incorporates two funding streams under one single pot:

• An allocation of funding from GM's core devolved Adult Education Budget for targeted Level 3 delivery, and

• GMs devolved ringfenced allocation from the national Free Courses for Jobs Level 3 offer.

Within the funding streams there are three core strands as follows:

• GM Local Level 3 for Adults

• GM FCFJ Level 3 Local Funding Flexibility

• National Free Courses for Jobs Level 3 offer

There are two lists of fully funded Level 3 qualifications attached to these core strands, differentiated by a resident's eligibility:

• A GM Local List.

• The national Free Courses for Jobs Level 3 list.

Activity can be summarised as follows:

o Overall value: £4,800,000 for the period 1 August 2024 to 31 July 2025.

o Bidders can propose activity with a minimum contract value of £150,000 to a maximum contract value of £1,000,000.

o It should be noted that this Single Pot Level 3 mini competition does not include funding for Legal Entitlements for 19- to 23-year-olds.

This opportunity was commissioned as a further competition/call off from the GMCA Education, Work and Skills Flexible Procurement System.