Prisoner Education Services Panel (Inc. Core Education)

MoJ is establishing a Prisoner Education Services Panel (through a panel agreement). The Panel will be used to call off a range of Prisoner Education Services, including Core Education, Careers, Information and Guidance (CIAG), Libraries, and Physical Education. The initial Call Offs will be for the provision of the new Core Education Services (including prison library services where relevant) for 11 regional Lots. The panel will enable subsequent Call Off Competitions and Contracts.

The core education contracts will be part of the transformed Prisoner Education Services (PES). These contracts will commence delivery in April 2025. Contractors will deliver a curriculum that helps prisoners gain the necessary skills to live an independent life on release, and access opportunities in vocational subject areas to help progression into employment or further education and training. The procurement also covers provision of library services where these are delivered as part of the core education service.

Providers must successfully apply for a place on the Panel in order to be able to be considered for the initial 11 Call Off Contracts for Core Education Services. Bidders should note that although CIAG, Higher Education, Further Education and Physical Education do not form part of the scope of the initial 11 Call Off Contracts to be awarded under the Panel, they do fall within the overall scope of the type of services that may be procured under the Panel, although there are no current / pending plans to hold such Call Off Competitions.

The Panel Agreement and this contract awarded pursuant to the Panel Agreement may each be extended by up to 3 years.  

If MoJ wishes to procure services for these additional scope areas, MoJ commit to open the Panel up to allow new suppliers to apply to join the Panel by the means of publishing an appropriate notice on the Find A Tender. Similar considerations apply for the provision of prison library services which are also within scope of the Panel, and which may, in future, be procured as a distinct requirement for one or more Prisons.

This procurement is run under the Light Touch Regime.

The Authority is using the Jaggaer electronic eSourcing Portal (formerly Bravo) for the procurement. The ITT, which is comprised of a number of volumes, is available only in electronic format via the Portal. Bidders must register the names of all contacts requiring access to the sourcing event and should submit queries via the Portal https://ministryofjusticecommercial.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html

Additional information: The Core Education Services procurement is part of a broader programme to transform prison education. Separate procurements will be run for Careers, Information, Advice and Guidance services, Screening and Assessment Tools, Common Awarding Organisations.

Award of contract: The Authority is not committed to any course of action as a result of this Contract Notice. It is not liable for any costs incurred in respect of expressing an interest or in tendering for this opportunity. The Authority reserves the right to abandon, rewind, pause or terminate the procurement and not to award one or more contract(s) at its own discretion. Nothing in this Contract Notice shall generate any contractual obligations prior to the signature of a Contract Important notice: This Contract Notice must be read in full together with the procurement documents being released for this procurement. Bidders are reminded that participation in this procurement will be subject to the conditions of participation set out in the procurement documents and the eSourcing Portal.