Decision details
Recommendation to extend Dynamic Purchasing System for the provision of Apprenticeship Training and Assessment
Decision Maker: Director Children and Education
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
Purpose:
The Council established a Dynamic Purchasing
System for the provision of apprenticeship training and assessment
for Sandwell Council employees and new start apprentices. There are
currently 36 providers listed on the Dynamic Purchasing
System.
The expenditure to date is as follows:
2017/18 - £42606.87
2018/19 - £387436.60
2019/20 - £659220.12
2020/21 - £695968.46
2021/22 - £837,648.00
2022/23 - £803,312.00
The annual Council contribution into the apprenticeship levy for
the period of the extension is projected to be £1,115,496 per
annum. This equates to 0.5% of the Sandwell council pay bill
(including Local Authority maintained schools). The levy
contribution receives a 10% top up from government.
Price Increases:
There are no known price increases to be applied as the original
terms of the DPS are to continue. Any changes will be in line with
previously agreed mechanisms, in line with ESFA funding rules and
continue to offer value for money.
This contract extension is compliant with Regulation 72(1)(c) of
the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 in that:
(i) the need for modification has been brought about by
circumstances which a diligent contracting authority could not have
foreseen;
(ii) the modification does not alter the overall nature of the
Framework;
Decision:
That approval be given to extend the Dynamic
Purchasing System (DPS) for the provision of Apprenticeship
training and Assessment for a period of 2 years from 1 November
2023 to 31 October 2025.
Reasons for the decision:
The existing DPS is still fit for purpose and
working well, allowing new providers to join to cater for emerging
requirements.
Cabinet approved the original 4-year period from 1 November 2017 to
31 October 2021 on 30 August 2017. The cabinet report and OJEU
notice allows for a further period of extensions up to 31 October
2025.
Alternative options considered:
The Council could choose to not extend the
Apprenticeship Levy DPS but this would result in a delay in the
delivery of apprenticeships since there is not enough time to
procure a new DPS by 1 November 2023.
Publication date: 06/12/2023
Date of decision: 17/10/2023