Community Justice Learning

The award of contracts for the design, development, accreditation, delivery, and award of the level 6 degree honours/graduate diploma known as "the Professional Qualification in Probation (PQiP)". The qualification is undertaken by all trainee Probation Officers (Learners) employed by the Probation Service (PS) across England and Wales. The course is to be delivered via a blended model that is majority distance learning.

The services provided under this contract are classified as health, social and other services within Schedule 3 of the Public Contracts Regulations (PCR) 2015, and the procurement process was conducted in accordance with the "Light Touch Regime" (LTR). The procurement was governed by Section 7 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Nothing should be inferred from the fact that a full contract notice was published or that reference was made to the Open Procedure.

Contracts have been awarded in lots to deliver learning within 6 geographical areas, coterminous with the twelve newly formed PS Probation Regions.

The intention is that two cohorts will commence learning in each Academic Year. However, the Authority and the Contractor may agree for additional intake/cohorts to start within an Academic Year. Contractors will qualify Learners joining the PS during three Academic Years from March 2023, with an option to extend to cover those Learners joining in a fourth academic year in March 2026. There will be a run-off period following each cohort to ensure that all Learners within each cohort can qualify, including following the final intake in March 2025 (or March 2026 if contracts are extended) to enable the cohorts to qualify. During the lifetime of the contract there may be related work (e.g. specific short term items of academic research; mapping of qualifications; or support to develop curriculum in response to changes in practice or legislation) that the Contractor may have the opportunity to deliver.