Thames Freeport Skills Programme

Descriptions

1. Purpose of the Programme

The Thames Freeport Skills Programme aims to build the capacity of the local skills and employment system to respond to the specific skills challenges and opportunities within the Thames Freeport area. The programme supports innovation, collaboration and growth in skills provision that aligns with the Freeport's wider ambitions to enhance productivity, drive inward investment and support local people to access high-quality jobs and careers.

The fund is designed to support the development of new programmes, improvement of existing facilities, and the piloting of new skills interventions across core sector areas. Applicants must clearly define the outcomes they intend to deliver and explain how Thames Freeport Skills Programme funding will enable those outcomes to be achieved, as well as how other existing funding sources will be leveraged.

Projects funded through this fund will be known collectively as the Thames Freeport Skills Programme.

This procurement has been divided into nine Lots, as outlined in Section 8, and aims to appoint at least one supplier to each lot to support the delivery of the programme

2. Funding

This funding has been made available as a direct result of the establishment of the Thames Freeport. It is intended to help develop or deliver proposals that will benefit the wider sector and help local businesses grow through improved skills supply and training provision. Funding is available for programme delivery projects and capital projects, or both.

Thames Freeport will provide up to 100% of total eligible project costs. The minimum bid size is £20,000, and the maximum is £120,000 per programme delivery project, and a minimum of £50,000 and maximum of £200,000 for capital projects. Applicants may submit more than one proposal.

All eligible tenders will be included in a pipeline of Thames Freeport Skills Programme projects. Projects in the pipeline will be prioritised on a regular basis. As funding becomes available, Thames Freeport may provisionally allocate funds to projects on this list. The dates on which prioritisation will take place will be published in advance on the Thames Freeport website: https://thamesfreeport.com.

Thames Freeport reserves the right to decide which projects it will fund. Meeting the eligibility and assessment criteria does not guarantee funding.

3. Procurement Act 2023 Compliance

The ITT will be available through a central digital platform, as required under the Procurement Act 2023. This ensures transparency in procurement route and regulations applicable. The ITT will be published on the Find a Tender platform.

In accordance with the Procurement Act 2023, notices and award details will be published on the Find a Tender platform. Contract KPIs, award notices, and performance tracking will also be disclosed where applicable.

This procurement is being conducted by Matt Hamnett & Associates Ltd, trading as MH&A. Company number: 11197120. Registered address: 1a Kingsbury's Lane, Ringwood, England, BH24 1EL. MH&A will act as the Contracting Authority for the purposes of this procurement and will enter into contract(s) with the successful supplier(s).

Due to administrative limitations, the procurement notice is being published via the Thames Freeport (TFP) buyer account on the UK Government's Find a Tender platform. This is to ensure compliance with public procurement regulations, as the funding for this contract is grant-funded and subject to public authority oversight.

However, all procurement activities, including supplier engagement, evaluation, and contract award and any prevailing contracts are being administered by MH&A. Bidders should direct all communications, clarifications, and submissions as instructed in this notice and the procurement documents.

Further Information can be found in the attached ITT Document

IMPORTANT:

To register your interest and ensure you receive any revised or updated documentation or clarification responses, please email skills@thamesfreeport.com with your company name and contact details. You may request to be removed from the distribution list at any time should you choose not to submit a bid.

Guidance on registering an interest to ensure bidders receive clarification responses and any updated documentation has been added to the scope section of the notice

The attached ITT document has been updated to Version 2.0 to correct a typographical error on page 19, where an incorrect submission deadline was stated