The UK Government has announced further details around its plans to create 3 million new apprentices by 2020.
With apprenticeships becoming a major priority, this Tracker blog looks at whether making apprentices a focus of your business strategy could help you win with the Government.
The apprenticeship drive
During the Summer Budget, the Chancellor introduced an Apprenticeship Levy to help level the playing field so every company plays their part in delivering new generation of skilled apprentices.
In addition, incorporating apprenticeships and wider skills development into the government’s contracting regulations will be integral to achieving this goal.
As a result, from now on Government departments will be required to consider the opportunity for apprenticeships and skills development in their contracting requirements.
Apprenticeships and public sector contracts
These changes will apply to contracts with a full life value of £10 million or more with duration of 12 months and above. This, however, presents an opportunity for your business to grow.
Businesses bidding for relevant contracts will now need to propose the number of apprenticeships they expect to create in fulfilling the contract. This projection will be reviewed as part of the tender evaluation process and written into the ensuing contract.
If your business keeps this in mind when preparing tender responses, and can ensure that apprenticeships and skills development will be developed from your contract solution, your bid will be scored highly as a result and could help you win more business.
The Government has published a Procurement Policy Note to encourage skills development and provide further information on how public bodies can best include apprenticeships in their contract notices.
Helping you win
As important as submitting solid tender responses is finding the right opportunities to bid for in the first place, and Tracker is proud to give you more opportunities, intelligence and support than anyone else.
We hold Europe’s largest database of contracts information and intelligence as well as the UK’s only aggregated database of public sector spend.
It really is the most effective way of winning business in an industry constantly adapting to new legislation and new political targets.
To experience the Tracker difference for yourself, try it for free here:
