The ESFA is seeking to procure an organisation to manage and run the Sheffield City Region (the “SCR”) Skills Bank on behalf of the SCR Local Enterprise Partnership (a “Managing Agent”). The Managing Agent will be required to carry out initial triage of employer skills, sign post employers to the existing provision that is available and provide, through sub-contractors, tailored learning solutions to meet the skills priorities of employers in the SCR and their employees.

1) The Sheffield City Regions Skills Bank (the “Skills Bank”) is an integral part of the business support offer of the SCR LEP. The aim of the Skills Bank is to support businesses with a clear growth plan by co-investing in the development of their workforce;

2) The Skills Bank shall invest in responsive skills provision for businesses operating in the SCR and shall be sufficiently flexible to ensure the offer to business meets both immediate and emerging skills needs;

3) The range of support funded will be broad – encompassing full qualifications; units and bespoke training packages. Ordinarily, training for ‘licences to practice’ will not be supported;

4) The Skills Bank shall be aligned to key strategic policies and programmes including other skills, employment and business-related services to ensure the maximum economic outcomes and other priorities are achieved for the SCR. The Managing Agent shall ensure that Skills Bank activity complements these policies and does not duplicate existing services.