Official UK procurement notice
Thames Freeport Skills Programme 2027
Authority: Thames Freeport (Public body)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThames Freeport is procuring training providers to deliver the Thames Freeport Skills Programme, which funds the design and delivery of vocational, technical, and skills training aligned to local economic priorities in the Thames Freeport region (Barking and Dagenham, Havering, and Thurrock).
The programme aims to:
•Improve the supply of skilled labour in priority sectors
•Create employment and skills pathways for local people, including those facing barriers to work
•Support transitions into sustained employment and in work progression
•Develop new curriculum and pilot innovative skills interventions
•Strengthen coordination across the local skills system
Types of provision include, but are not limited to:
•Pre-apprenticeship training and short courses supporting entry into skilled employment
•Qualification-based vocational training in construction, manufacturing, and technical trades
•Upskilling and reskilling for adults already in work or seeking to progress
•Specialist provision for underrepresented groups, including people with physical disabilities or SEND
•Employer-linked training designed to lead to genuine job or apprenticeship outcomes
•Training in emerging technologies including AI, digital manufacturing, and advanced welding
All delivery must take place within the Thames Freeport region. Providers must have, or commit to establishing, physical delivery locations within the three boroughs before commencement. Blended learning with some online elements is permitted where it supports value for money. Avencera Ltd is acting as Procurement Agent and will be managing delivery on behalf of Thames Freeport Limited, supporting the administration, management, and delivery of the procurement process.
CPV: Education and training services · Vocational training services
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Open framework · open framework scheme (admission reopens)
- Call-offs
- call-offs may be awarded directly or by further competition
- Places
- up to 8 suppliers · 6 bids received (0.8 per place) · 6 appointed
- Framework period
- 2 yrs · up to 4 yrs from 12 Jun 2026
- Scheme runs until
- 11 Jun 2030
- Buyer regions
- UKH, UKH32, UKI, UKI52
- Supplier levy on call-offs (max %)
- NA
Who may buy through it
Authorities within the Thames Estuary region will have access to the framework
Published description of the framework
Contracts under the framework may be awarded through direct call-off and/or mini-competition processes
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedRenewalPublished value£10,000,000
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).
Published sub-criteria (5)
- Strategic alignment and rationale: 20%
- Delivery capability and track record: 25%
- Employer relationships and local presence: 25%
- Performance management and reporting: 20%
- Social Value - Organisational Capability: 10%
Published award criteria (5)
- Strategic alignment and rationale
- Delivery capability and track record
- Employer relationships and local presence
- Performance management and reporting
- Social Value - Organisational Capability
- “Thames Freeport Skills Programme 2027” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, up to 8 suppliers, not a single contract: call-offs may be direct or by further competition.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Light touch regime
- Commercial structure
- Open framework scheme
- Who may use this agreement
- Authorities within the Thames Estuary region will have access to the framework · open scheme: new suppliers can join during the term
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 7 May 2026, 11:55 BST
- Last source update
- 11 Jun 2026, 09:22 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 12 Jun 2026
- Authority reference
TFP-ITT-SP27- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-041834- Accelerated
- Light touch contract
- Latest notice
- Contract award notice (UK6)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-069326Find a Tender
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 29 May 2026, 00:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 22 May 2026, 00:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
- Supplier levy on call-offs (max %)
- call-off levy · NA
www.delta-esourcing.com ↗. Request for ITT documentation can be requested from [email protected]
Timeline
7 May 2026 → 12 Jun 2026 · 7 dates- Tender notice published167 days ago7 May 2026, 11:55 BST
- Clarification questions by152 days ago22 May 2026, 00:00 BST
- Admission / appointment period ends145 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown29 May 2026, 00:00 BST
- Assessment summaries sent135 days ago8 Jun 2026, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published132 days ago11 Jun 2026, 09:22 BST
- Contract starts131 days ago12 Jun 2026, 00:00 BST
- Award decision expected by130 days ago12 Jun 2026, 23:59 BST
Notice history
5 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 7 May 2026- Tender notice published7 May 2026, 11:55 BSTUK4
- Tender notice published15 May 2026, 15:12 BSTUK4
- Contract award notice published11 Jun 2026, 09:22 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete11 Jun 2026, 09:22 BST
- Contract signature expected23 Jun 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
Published amendments (1)
Clarification Window 2: Draft Terms and Conditions have been released to all suppliers on 15/05/26- deadline for clarifications purely on contract terms will be open until 22nd May 2026 5pm Clarification Window 1: ITT, closes Friday 15th May 2026 5pm as stated within ITT documents
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| BARKING AND DAGENHAM COLLEGE, CENTRE FOR ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE LTDSMEVCSE, Community Coworking LtdSMEVCSE, South Essex College, The STC GroupSME, USP College24 Jun 2026 – 11 Jun 2028 · up to 11 Jun 2030Extensions: Initial term of two years with options to extend by two further one-year periods (2+1+1), up to a maximum total term of four years. | £10,000,000 inc. VAT | 5 Jun 2026 | Awarded |
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6final-stage tenders · 16 at stage one | 3 | 2 | — |
Who bid
- wonUSP College · East of England
- wonSouth Essex College · East of England
- wonCommunity Coworking LtdSMEVCSE · East Midlands
- wonBARKING AND DAGENHAM COLLEGE · Greater London
- wonCENTRE FOR ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE LTDSMEVCSE · Greater London
- wonThe STC GroupSME · Greater London
Bidders as named on the Procurement Act 2023 award notice. “Won” means the bidder holds an award on this notice.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Framework contractors & participating bidders
6 commercial parties on the notice- BARKING AND DAGENHAM COLLEGEFramework contractor
- CENTRE FOR ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE LTDFramework contractor
- Community Coworking LtdFramework contractor
- South Essex CollegeFramework contractor
- The STC GroupFramework contractor
- USP CollegeFramework contractor
Official documents & specifications (3)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender