IUK Foresighting causing action in year project

Direct Award is the only option due to technical reasons. Skillsminer were explicitly named as a delivery partner in the successful proposal submitted to Innovate UK. The project was subsequently approved and contracted on this basis, with Skillsminer’s involvement and associated budget reviewed and accepted by the funder as part of the funding agreement.

As such, the appointment of Skillsminer forms a core component of the approved project delivery plan. Running a separate competitive procurement process at this stage would introduce unnecessary duplication, delay the commencement of key work packages, and risk non-delivery of outputs within the current project end date of 31 March 2026.

The direct award to Skillsminer therefore ensures alignment with the approved Innovate UK proposal, maintains project continuity, and supports timely and compliant delivery of the agreed outputs.