HCC Aug 2024 - PPME for The Provision of Adult Education (Step2Skills)

As part of Hertfordshire County Council (the Council), Step2Skills is the Adult Community Learning and Employment Support service and provides opportunities for adults in Hertfordshire to get involved in learning and employment within the community. The Council aim to collaborate with people who face barriers to education and employment such as low skills, learning or physical disabilities, and mental health conditions. Step2Skills was formerly known as HAFLS.Step2Skills has been undertaking an annual Service Needs Analysis to understand priority locations and populations since the adult education service started. This analysis also informs the commissioning process and the evaluation of potential delivery partners in terms of links with target populations, experience of meeting national and local needs whilst also delivering value for money. The purpose of the Council’s pre-procurement market engagement (PPME) process is to allow and enable potentially interested organisations with appropriate expertise and relevant experience to: o Outline and generate initial views/ideas around the outcomes, scope of the brief (i.e., with no commitment to themselves or the Council). o Engage with the Council to understand its challenges, intentions and desired Outcomes.o Provide informal input to help to shape or refine the Council’s technical requirements.o Inform the Council of current market developments.o Enable the Council to understand how the Current Requirements could be shaped and met.o Explain potential solutions available to the Council.The Council will consider the input and responses received as part of this PPME to help inform the Council’s options and further decision making. The PPME will comprise:o A social media marketing campaign and engagement with industry networks within Hertfordshire such as the Chamber of Commerce, other employer representatives and Hertfordshire Futures (previously known as the Local Enterprise Partnership) to reach potential providers of adult education in Hertfordshire that may be interested in applying for a place on the Step2Skills Framework Agreement with the aim of this commencing on 1st January 2025.o An open invitation to relevant providers of adult education and training to register to attend an Industry Webinar on Friday 13th September 2024.Further details can be found in the PPME document.