Against the odds - and many experts' predictions too, the UK economy seems to be holding up and fighting off recession.
Only just…but it all counts.
Against that backdrop, I am expecting plenty of tendering activity over the next 12 months and, as a result, plenty of opportunities for organisations who are interested in putting bids together to secure Government contracts.
In the education market, the Adult Education Budget (AEB) is due to be re-procured. That has been delayed but, I hope by the time you are reading this, it will be good to go.
Skills Bootcamps
The Department for Education’s Skills Bootcamps Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) was launched at the end of 2022 but then, they were only interested in hearing from those involved in the digital arena.
In the coming months, they want to hear from those able to offer Bootcamps in other priority sectors in terms of being part of the DPS and ultimately its ‘mini competitions’ moving forward.
For the record, the DPS is the pre-qualification part and the ‘mini competitions’ is where the pounds and pence are.
In addition, this year represents the second year of ‘Multiply’. and there will be contract opportunities for this.
This is part of the Shared Prosperity Fund, which come the autumn Local Authorities will be looking to procure wider skills development opportunities at a local level.
RoATP
For many other sectors, it will be business as usual as well, with the two or three-year cycle of those contracts unlikely to change and re-contracting efforts needed.
For example, I did some successful work a client to secure Derby City Council’s Highway Support Resource contract three years ago and that is due for re-contracting in 2023.
Finally, looking towards the end of the year, it will be time for the refresh of the very popular, Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers – or RoATP, as it is better known.
This year marks two years since the last RoATP refresh and it is likely that tendering opportunities should emerge again in late summer/autumn.
In conclusion, although there seems to be lots of doom and gloom surrounding the UK economy, there does not seem to be too much significant change.
The same issues and challenges will be there for us over the next six months but we have shown that we are resilient as a nation and I can see a busy time ahead.