Requirement for the delivery of Work Experience and Industry Placement Referrals

1. Croydon College is seeking to outsource some of its work placement referral load to an experienced organisation in the academic year 2021/22.

2. This represents a target of approximately 1,300 work placement referrals (1,100 Work Experience and 200 Industry Placements), or an equivalent in the referral of a sufficient number of suitable employers capable of delivering activities for virtual Work Experience programme (VWEX), depending on Covid-19 situation. However, virtual work placements would be required and approved only in exceptional cases if the coronavirus-related governmental restrictions do not allow for face to face placements.

3. Application instructions and detailed requirements are provided in the documents attached to this notice (Tender Specification, Tender Application Form, and Delivery Proposal Spreadsheet). To view and download the attachments please scroll down to the end of this notice. The successful Tenderer will be expected to enter into the College's standard contract / SLA, which is also attached to this notice for information.

4. Organisations wishing to apply for this opportunity must: a) Be an active company with a valid registration number (companies house company number, charity number and similar), or with valid evidence of exemption from the registration requirement. b) Be registered on the Government's contracts finder as Suppliers. c) Have a successful track record of providing referrals for suitable WEX and IP placements to college-level students, and/or sourcing and referring suitable employers capable of delivering virtual WEX programmes to college-level students. d) Have the capacity to deliver 100% of the contract volume tendered. e) Meet any other mandatory criteria specified in the tender documents attached to this notice. The College will not consider any Tenderers that fail to meet any of the criteria above.

5. At the time of the tender publication, the expectation is that the full contract value must be delivered in the 2021/22 academic year, to agreed in-year profile and deadlines. However, please refer to the tender documents for details of possible contract increase and/or extension, at the College's sole discretion.

6. The deadline for submitting clarification requests regarding this opportunity by email to [email protected] is Friday 10 September 2021, 17:00. 7. Responses to clarification requests will be collated and published under this notice as an additional attachment, within timescales as per the Tender Specification Form.

8. The deadline for submitting tender applications by email to [email protected] is Friday 24th September 2021, 17:00. The applications must contain the following: a) The completed Tender Application Form and b) The completed Delivery Proposal Spreadsheet and c) Any supporting documents required in the application form

9. For full details of application requirements please read the tender documents, which are attached to this notice.

Additional information: Please read attachments 1, 2 and 3 carefully as they provide full application instructions and detailed requirements of the tender.

Attachment 4 is provided for your information, to familiarise yourself with the contract that the successful Tenderer will be expect to commit to by the College.

Responses to Clarification Requests will be published as an additional document attached to this notice.

The deadline for submitting applications is Friday 24th September 2021, 17:00.

Please use the email address [email protected] for any communications regarding the tender, including clarification requests and application submissions.

Communications received over the telephone or on another email address will not be responded to and enquirers will be asked to resend their communication to the official tender email above. This is to ensure that consistent advice is provided to all enquirers.

For full details of application instructions, acceptable application format, tender requirements and the tendering process timetable please read the tender documents, which are provided above as Attachments to this notice.

How to apply Follow the instructions given in attachments 1, 2, 3 published above as attachments to this notice.