National Careers Service Tender Opportunity North West (current service)

The Growth Company are looking to expand the current supply chain and are inviting organisations to submit tender applications for the delivery of the National Careers Service in the North West (which includes Greater Manchester, Cheshire & Warrington, Lancashire and Liverpool City Region).

The National Careers Service provides high quality, impartial and professional information and advice to help people negotiate learning, training and employment opportunities. It supports customers in transitions to, and within, the labour market, and helps them to make effective use of their skills and be resilient in the face of change, with a particular focus on 6 priority groups: • 18-24 year olds not in education, employment or training (NEETs); • Low-skilled adults without a level 2 qualification. • Adults who have been unemployed for more than 12 months. • Single parents with at least one dependent child living in the same household. • Adults with special educational needs and/or disabilities; and • Adults aged 50 years and over who are unemployed or at demonstrable risk of unemployment.

The contract is Payment by Results with providers being required to support customers to achieve the following outcomes: • Customer Satisfaction - delivery of high quality, impartial careers information, advice and guidance, including providing the customer with relevant information and clear steps to advance their career planning, development and achievement of their short, medium and long-term goals. Target - 98% of customers to be satisfied with the service they receive • Career Management - provision of careers information, advice and guidance to help customers understand the value and importance of managing their own careers and encouraging them to continue to manage their career on their own initiative throughout their lifetime. Target - 95% of customers to actively manage their careers. • Job and Learning progression - progress made in learning or working life in alignment with the careers and skills action plan. It may constitute starting a formal learning programme, or completing an accredited course, starting a job or securing a promotion. Target - 45% customers to achieve a job or learning outcome.

Tender applications will need to be submitted by 1pm on Tuesday 17th August 2021. The available funding will be circa £300k which could be awarded to one or more organisations subject to potential customer volumes and geographical spread. The contract will be awarded for the period October 2021 to March 2022. Any involvement beyond this date will be subject to a further expression of interest and The Growth Company securing the contract for the delivery of the National Careers Service from April 2022.

Additional information: Please use our In-Tend portal to access the tender and for all correspondence