Business Transformation & Finance Cabinet Member – Minutes – 4 October 2017
8 (8) ESTABLISHMENT OF A DYNAMIC PURCHASING SYSTEM FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF APPRENTICESHIPS – The Director: Business Development submitted a report seeking approval to establish a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) through which to procure apprenticeship provision.
In order for government to significantly increase the quantity and quality of apprenticeships in England, various changes were introduced from 1 April 2017.
Included in these changes was a new Apprenticeship Levy, paid for by all UK employers with a pay bill of more than £3m per year. This meant that funding for apprenticeships now sat within an Apprenticeship Levy pot that was managed by the council, rather than the funding sitting with apprenticeship providers, as previously. Access to the funding had to be done in line with requirements set out by the Education and Skills Funding Agency, and in accordance with the requirements of the Public Contracts Regulations and the Contract Procedure Rules.
To enable the council to be compliant in its procurement of apprenticeship training, it was proposed to establish a DPS, which would be used to procure the services of apprenticeship providers.
A DPS was an electronic system that was set up on YORtender that enabled the council to purchase commonly used goods, works or service. It allowed the council to set up and maintain a list of apprenticeship providers from whom value for money provision could be achieved as the need for new apprenticeship starts arises.
The report set out how the DPS would be established, including the financial implications.
Resolved – That the proposal to establish a Dynamic Purchasing System for procurement of apprenticeship training as the most effective way of ensuring compliance with procurement requirements and obtaining the service of high quality providers, be approved.
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