Creating Opportunities Forum Programme: Contract for a National Provider

The Home Office is seeking to commission a national provider to deliver wraparound support services and provide six regional co-ordinators to support the delivery of the Creating Opportunities Forum programme.

The objective of the Creating Opportunities Forum is to empower and support young people at risk of serious violence to be able to access employment-related opportunities and help them develop the skills they need to make a successful transition into work.

In its role, the national provider will deliver wraparound support to the young people participating in the programme to ensure they are able to engage with and benefit from the employment-related opportunities on offer. The national provider will also be responsible for finding employability-related and skills-based opportunities for participants, using its links with local and national businesses, in the 12 geographical areas which have been selected by the Home Office, and pairing participants with suitable opportunities. The Supplier may avail any opportunities made available by the COF or seek to leverage the networks created by other government programmes such as through the Inclusive Economy Partnership’s Transition to Work programme. The COF programme will run until the end of March 2023.

Critical success factors should include offering positive opportunities to develop aspirations and skills, and demonstrable progress in the distance travelled on the journey towards employment for the young people participating in the programme. The young people engaged should be those at risk of being involved in violence. The supplier shall be required to provide evidence of specific employment-related and skills-based activities, the support provided to the young people to access and engage in them, and how undertaking these activities supported their journey towards work.

The Authority is seeking to award a contract by September 2021 to continue until March 2023 giving an approximate duration of 18 months including mobilisation and implementation, for which it has funding of up to £2.6m.

The Authority is providing for two one-year extensions, which is explained further in the procurement documentation. The indicative contract value quoted does not take into account any possible extensions.