An ERSA online event with 50 degrees. An essential event for all businesses in the employment support sector.

The new Procurement Act will have a profound impact on the employability and skills sectors and potentially change the way public sector commissioners procure contracts. They will now have greater autonomy and flexibility to choose the way they award contracts either through a competitive process or one of their own design. The language in the Procurement Act is symbolic and points to a new approach to procurement. Awards will now be based on the most “Advantageous Tender” (MAT), as opposed to the “Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT)”

What does this mean for Employability and skills providers?

Feedback from Commissioners suggests a higher weighting being given to specific areas relating to:

• Delivering social value
• Evidencing service integration to compliment place shaped policies and initiatives
• Demonstrating a performance track record
• Higher levels of due diligence and scrutiny to ensure bid commitments are realistic and achievable
• Greater use of competitive dialogue and presentations as part of the wider bidding process

This event is designed to examine the implications in more detail and explore the impact this will have on providers and commissioners.