HMP Academies - Sector specific skills training linked to employer needs

The Employability Innovation Fund was announced in the Prisons Strategy White Paper to "enable Governors to work with more employers and training providers to repurpose workshops, deliver sector specific skills training to meet the changing needs of the economy and smooth the path from prison to employment"

As a result, Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) is now seeking to develop its academy delivery model within prison work and learning environments and is seeking to do so in partnership with more employers to deliver sector specific skills training to meet the changing needs of the economy and smooth the path from prison to employment.

We know that having a job to go to on release from prison can significantly reduce the chance of reoffending and employers can benefit from securing committed and skilled people to fill gaps in the UK economy.

HMP Academies are workspaces hosted by employers that have a clear emphasis on providing specialist vocational training and offer the prisoners participating in them significant skills development and employment opportunities that can significantly impact reducing re-offending rates. Whilst there are a small number already established in prisons, we want to do much more.

To achieve this, we are seeking to procure additional HMP Academies hosted by employers by engaging with a diverse range of businesses from across all sectors that can offer prisoners a second chance

In issuing this Prior Information Notice, the MoJ is seeking to inform the market of this planned procurement with a view to having a virtual market engagement session on 13 October 2022. This will be recorded if you are unable to attend this session.

Additional information:

The purpose of this engagement is to secure wider market involvement in the development of HMP Academies across the HMPPS Prison Estate in England and Wales. MoJ is seeking to assess the level of interest, capability and capacity of a wide range of employers to help achieve this.

HMP Academies offer practical employment related training to better prepare prisoners for their release. Typically, once a prisoner has completed a period of training in an academy and is released, they are fully skilled and can have an immediate positive impact for the employer, who supports and encourages them.

Employers that have experience of recruiting this way earn loyalty from offering people a second chance. Many report people staying with them for longer than average and have impressive prison leaver retention rates thereby benefit from reduced recruitment costs. Opportunities like this help business deliver outcomes that add social value, benefit local communities and / or society and can support commercial outcomes too by integrating prison workshops into supply chains.

HMP Academies offers employers the opportunity to tap into this diverse talent pool of people with a range of backgrounds and life experiences and in doing so transform not just one life but many.

Moj plans to hold a market engagement event via MS Teams on the 13/10/22. This will include more information on objectives/requirements, attendees will also hear from other employers and prison leavers who have benefited from the HMP Academy initiative.

This engagement will inform how this requirement is delivered. The lotting structure and contract values are yet to be decided and will be informed by the market engagement.

Employers (suppliers) interested in participating should confirm their interest by 3pm on 06/10/22 by email to the PES commercial team at CCMD-PrisonEducationService-Programme@justice.gov.uk clearly stating HMP Academies Tender in the subject line. Your response should include company name, contact name, job title, e-mail address and telephone number). The Authority will then issue invitations to all interested parties, confirming the timings and MS Teams link to the event.

Following the event, a questionnaire will be issued for further supplier engagement, the procurement is anticipated to start in late 2022 or early in 2023.

We reserve the right to supplement and vary the conduct of the prior engagement process. Where we do this, we will act transparently and treat all suppliers who have expressed an interest equally.

Please note that the MoJ and its advisers give no warranty in respect of the accuracy, permanence or completeness of any information provided. Reliance on, or use of, any such information is entirely at the risk of the person so doing and, save in the case of fraud, under no circumstances will the MoJ or any of its advisers be liable for or accept any responsibility for any cost, expense or liability incurred by any person relying upon or using such information.