Official UK procurement notice
Kent County Council (KCC) Skills Programme DPS - Reopening for Round 3 Applications (SC240120)
Authority: Kent County Council (Local council)
What is being bought2 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionCommunity Learning and Skills (CLS) is Kent County Council's (KCC) internally commissioned department responsible for delivering education and training to adults and young people over 16. CLS manages the Education & Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) Adult Skills Fund (ASF), Greater London Authority (GLA) budget, and ESFA 'Study Programme' courses for young people aged 16-19, including those not in education, employment, or training (NEET). These initiatives support the goals and objectives of Framing Kent's Future.
In response to the Skills for Jobs White Paper and its consultation outcomes, from 1st August 2024, the Department for Education (DfE)/ESFA Adult Education Budget has been restructured to become the Adult Skills Fund. This change introduces new 'Learning Aims' for CLS's £6.7m of 'Tailored Learning Funding', covering a wide range of vocational and essential skills courses designed to support learners in various stages of their educational and career journeys.
The changes have included redefining partner organisations who CLS have previously worked with in a 'partnership delivery' relationship, as sub-contractors 'By subcontracting we mean any delivery to a learner's programme of learning by a third party.'
KCC CLS are seeking to offer a flexible opportunity of externally Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) provision for adults, to support both previously offered 'partnership' courses for niche provision such as for Deaf/deaf learners, and growth in vocational areas, that meet local labour market needs.
There is a recognised national shortage of staff with appropriate skills, experience and qualifications, especially to support for delivery in some vocational areas, which is now a focus of ESFA funding. Outsourcing delivery to appropriate partners would offer an opportunity to deliver, particularly where less than a full-time post is required i.e. whilst growing delivery in a new vocational area.
This tender process is to allow Tenderers to bid to join a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) and sign a contract with The Authority such that they can then be allocated work as the need arises.
The Dynamic Purchasing System is split into two (2) Lots which reflect the category of learner in receipt of education services.
Lot 1
Lot 1 relates to Skills programmes to be delivered to Adult Skills Fund Learners.
Adult Skills Fund Learners means learners who are eligible for funding pursuant to the Adult Skills Fund Rules. The Adult Skills Fund is the funding allocated to the Authority by the Education and Skills Funding Agency on behalf of the Department for Education for the provision of continuing learning programmes for adults.
Lot 2
Lot 2 relates to study programmes to be delivered to Study Programmes Fund Learners.
Study Programme Fund Learners means learners who are eligible for funding pursuant to the Study Programme Fund Rules. The Study Programme Fund is the funding allocated to the Council by the Education and Skills Funding Agency on behalf of the Department of Education for the provision of 16 to 19 study programmes for individuals who are NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) in accordance with the Study Programme Fund Rules.
It is the Authority's intention is to establish and begin awarding work for Lot 1 for Adult Skills Fund related study programmes from the commencement date of the contract.
As per Clause 3.3 of DPS Admission Agreement, the Authority reserves the right to vary the contract to introduce and establish Lot 2 for 16-19 aged children who are NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) and other vulnerable young people. For the avoidance of doubt, no Tenderer will be admitted to Lot 2 and/or allocated work in relation to Lot 2 until such time that the Authority, in its absolute discretion, elects to establish Lot 2.
- Recurrence: Annually
CPV: Education and training services
How this dynamic market works
From the published notice- Type
- Dynamic market
Lots and requirements (2)Procurement structure
2 lots · all with a published valueEvery one of these 2 lots carries the same published figure, £3,000,000: it is the dynamic market's maximum for the whole notice, not each lot's own budget, and no share per lot is published. The cards below say ceiling above rather than repeat it.
Lot #1Adult Skills Fundceiling above
Lot #2Study Programmesceiling above
As per Clause 3.3 of DPS Admission Agreement, the Authority reserves the right to vary the contract to introduce and establish Lot 2 for 16-19 aged children who are NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) and other vulnerable young people. For the avoidance of doubt, no Tenderer will be admitted to Lot 2 and/or allocated work in relation to Lot 2 until such time that the Authority, in its absolute discretion, elects to establish Lot 2.
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
- “Kent County Council (KCC) Skills Programme DPS - Reopening for Round 3…” is a dynamic market: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract.
Competition analysis · published record, not a forecast of who will bid
How Kent County Council buys Education and training services (CPV 80), and who usually turns up
Kent County Council’s own published record, next to the published market for the same work. This notice is a framework or DPS, so only frameworks and DPS are compared. Whole-market view: Education and training services (CPV 80) →
How the contest usually goes
Winner shares use published awards; bid and price charts use contested lots.
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How often small and medium firms win.
Share of awards where the winner’s size is known.
The counts under this question show how many awards have a known supplier size.
Small firms have won here. Neither number says whether you qualify; it describes who has been winning.
i
How often local firms win similar work.
Winners with a registered address in the delivery region, out of awards with a known address.
Here, local means registered in South East England.
A local branch does not count if the registered address is elsewhere.
Most of this buyer’s recorded winners are registered in South East England.
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How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.
Middle value in days from the deadline to the first award notice, on competitions that published both dates.
Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.
Half of these awards were announced within 110 days of the bid deadline.
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How often work is awarded with no recorded rival.
Direct awards and tenders where every published lot count shows one bid.
The market share is a minimum: some awards have no bid count.
Thin markets produce this too; it is not proof of a tailored specification.
Awards are recorded, but published direct routes and bid counts do not establish this buyer’s share.
How many bids did past lots attract?
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How many bids past lots received.
Each colour is a bid-count range. Only competed lots with a published count are included.
Past bids do not predict this tender.
1 bid0% / 6%
2–318% / 15%
4–618% / 24%
7+64% / 55%
How did awards compare with estimates?
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Where winning prices landed against estimates.
Each colour shows awards below, close to or above the published estimate, one lot at a time.
On a framework or DPS, prices are agreed when work is called off.
Past prices are a guide, not a bid price.
Not comparable on a framework or DPS. The notice sets up a supplier panel and a ceiling value; what the work actually costs is agreed later, on each call-off or mini-competition, and those publish as contract notices of their own. The award-vs-estimate record of this market therefore sits on the call-offs; this page shows it on the contracts, not on the panel that frames them.
Assess each lot i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
Open a lot for its forecast, this buyer’s previous supplier and possible competitors, from published award history, not a bid list
Lot #1Adult Skills FundCPV 80000000Published estimate£3.0m
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How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid1%
2–39%
4–611%
7+79%
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Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
| Supplier | This buyer’s earlier contract | Lot | Award value | Why listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Forward TrustEarlier contract | Kent County Council (KCC) Skills Programme DPS - SC240120notice published Mar 2026 | Round 1 | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
| LONDON SCHOOL OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LIMITEDEarlier contract | Kent County Council (KCC) Skills Programme DPS - SC240120notice published Mar 2026 | Round 2 | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
| That Nail Place Limited TA TNB Skills TrainingEarlier contract | Kent County Council (KCC) Skills Programme DPS - SC240120notice published Mar 2026 | Round 2 | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
| PARENTA TRAINING LIMITEDEarlier contract | Kent County Council (KCC) Skills Programme DPS - SC240120notice published Mar 2026 | Round 1 | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
| The Blackthorn TrustEarlier contract | Kent County Council (KCC) Skills Programme DPS - SC240120notice published Mar 2026 | Round 1 | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
| Supplier | Won in this category | Live contracts | Award vs estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| £1.5m21 awards in 36m · last 3 months ago | 10 live · £7.7m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | 4% below n=2 | |
| £2.3m6 awards in 36m · last 5 months ago | 5 live · £2.7m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=3 | |
| £71k6 awards in 36m · last this month | 3 live · £1.1m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=2 | |
| £350k3 awards in 36m · last 3 months ago | 1 live · £2.1m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=1 | |
| £178k2 awards in 36m · last 6 months ago | 3 live · £850k iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | no comparable pairs |
Lot #2Study ProgrammesCPV 80000000Published estimate£3.0m
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid1%
2–310%
4–610%
7+80%
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Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
| Supplier | This buyer’s earlier contract | Lot | Award value | Why listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Forward TrustEarlier contract | Kent County Council (KCC) Skills Programme DPS - SC240120notice published Mar 2026 | Round 1 | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
| LONDON SCHOOL OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LIMITEDEarlier contract | Kent County Council (KCC) Skills Programme DPS - SC240120notice published Mar 2026 | Round 2 | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
| That Nail Place Limited TA TNB Skills TrainingEarlier contract | Kent County Council (KCC) Skills Programme DPS - SC240120notice published Mar 2026 | Round 2 | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
| PARENTA TRAINING LIMITEDEarlier contract | Kent County Council (KCC) Skills Programme DPS - SC240120notice published Mar 2026 | Round 1 | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
| The Blackthorn TrustEarlier contract | Kent County Council (KCC) Skills Programme DPS - SC240120notice published Mar 2026 | Round 1 | — | Matched as the earlier contract |
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
| Supplier | Won in this category | Live contracts | Award vs estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| £3.0m25 awards in 36m · last 2 months ago | 7 live · £31m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=3 | |
| £215k4 awards in 36m · last 1 months ago | 2 live · £57k iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=3 | |
| £1.7m3 awards in 36m · last 15 months ago | 1 live · £43k iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | 17% below n=1 | |
| £2.1m9 awards in 36m · last 18 months ago | 4 live · £4.2m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=3 | |
| £3.1m1 awards in 36m · last 10 months ago | None on file | no comparable pairs |
About this data
- Source. Official UK public procurement notices (Find a Tender), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. New notices arrive through the day; the figures are rebuilt nightly.
- Two views, kept apart. The authority’s own track record and the wider market for the same kind of work sit side by side and are never mixed. Where the local picture is too thin, a figure widens to a broader market and says which one it used.
- Forecasts are labelled. The price forecast and its range, possible competitors and the earlier-work matches are our estimates from past awards: not published facts, not win chances and not price advice. Official notices do not say who is bidding.
- Every figure shows what it rests on. Not every notice publishes a bid count, a value or a delivery region, so each figure carries the number of records behind it, and one built on few records is marked as such. The on a figure explains it; the counting rules are in the methodology. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
What this replaces i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
59% title match.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
59% title match.
A past supplier may not bid again.
The prior contract this notice most likely re-tenders · matched by title and category (59% title match), the holder is not guaranteed to re-bid
Kent County Council (KCC) Skills Programme DPS - SC240120, winner not published; no contract end date published.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record · publisher note attached- Procedure method
- Restricted procedure
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Open admission
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Dynamic market
- Who may use this agreement
- Any qualifying supplier may apply while the market is open
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Yes · Annually
- First published
- 20 Jan 2026, 15:53 GMT
- Last source update
- 20 Jan 2026, 15:53 GMT
- Authority reference
SC240120- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-004959- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-060a49Find a Tender
- Electronic trading
- e-invoicing allowed · electronic payment
Publisher note: The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement. To access this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at: To respond to this opportunity, please copy and paste the following URL into your web browser to access the opportunity: https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/respond/7G8J6U2E8S If you experience any technical difficulties from accessing the above url, then please contact the Delta eSourcing Helpdesk on call 0800 923 9236 or email [email protected].
How to participate & submission route
Official notice Apply via ProContract (Due North)- Requests to participate (first stage)
- —
- Admission period ends
- 6 Nov 2026, 17:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- —
- Submission channel
- {"electronicSubmission"}
- Accepted languages
- en
- Bid validity
- 90 days from the deadline
Timeline
20 Jan 2026 → 6 Nov 2026 · 2 dates- Notice published274 days ago20 Jan 2026, 15:53 GMT
- Today21 Oct 2026
- Admission / appointment period endsin 16 days · period end, not a bid countdown6 Nov 2026, 17:00 GMT
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Nothing awarded yet- Awards (0)
- No award published
- Contracts (0)
- No contract published
- Bid statistics
- No aggregate bid statistics published
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Economic and financial selection criteria
- Technical selection criteria