National Centre of Computing Education

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Description

The Department for Education (DfE) is inviting bids for a lead supplier to deliver the programme the National Centre of Computing Education 2 ("NCCE 2"). The NCCE 2 programme aims to improve the quality of computing teaching for primary and secondary state-maintained schools and colleges in England. This will be delivered through a network of computing hubs providing continuous professional development (CPD) for teachers, events for teachers and pupils, delivery of digital products including GCSE and A level online platforms and teacher resources, school engagement, stakeholder and sector expertise and a programme management office to ensure that the NCCE 2 provides a clear and joined up computing education offer for schools, teachers and pupils. The programme delivery compromises a package of interrelated functions. The overall programme will be delivered via a contract and the contract will include the administration and management of grants to support the hub network and a grant claims service. The funding values associated with the grant elements are not included in the overall contract value, as the grant elements will require funding drawn down from DfE. This is further explained in the Invitation to Tender documentation. The overall programme delivery is through a contract, which will include: 1. Mobilisation and set up of NCCE 2 2. Programme management and co-ordination to ensure a seamless experience for teachers, schools and pupils 3. Grant administration of an existing network of computing hub schools and colleges and their satellites 4. Delivery and support of CPD to teachers in state-maintained schools and events for teachers and pupils 5. Delivery of digital products and resources, including online platforms for GCSE and A level Computer Science and teacher resources 6. Stakeholder expertise and engagement to enhance the experience of computing education in schools in England 7. Providing subject matter expertise and industry outreach (representing the NCCE 2 programme and feedback to the DfE) 8. Social value The DfE undertook market engagement activity in September and October 2021 for interested organisations to learn more about its delivery objectives and to provide insight into the new programme. The DfE will be seeking bid proposals from individual organisations or consortia to deliver this programme. The contract start date will be 4th November 2022 to allow for the set up and mobilisation period, and the handover of the existing programme from the NCCE 1 supplier including transfer of assets and knowledge. This will require working collaboratively with the incumbent supplier whose contract will end on 31st March 2023. The set up and mobilisation period for NCCE 2 will end on 31st March 2023. Please see continue in the additional information box... Additional information: The contract commencement date for the NCCE 2 will be 1st April 2023. This is when 'business as usual' delivery for the NCCE 2 programme will commence. The DfE has allowed up to £1 million for the set up and mobilisation period, and the criteria for this is detailed in the Invitation to Tender documentation. The initial contract period is for the 1st April 2023 to 31st August 2025 with a value of £21.54 million (this excludes the set up costs). This includes a five month period of delivery between April to August 2025 which is subject to further internal approvals. Subject to performance and approvals through departmental governance, the DfE may extend the contract by up to one year to 31st August 2026, with an additional value of up to, and not exceeding, £14.3 million. The total estimated value is made up of: - Set up and mobilisation costs capped at £1 million for the period 4th November 2022 to 31st March 2023 - The approved contract value for the initial term at £21.54 million for the period 1st April 2023 to 31st August 2025. (The period covering April 2025 to August 2025 will be subject to further internal approvals) - A potential extension, subject to supplier performance and DfE governance approvals from 1st September 2025 to 31st August 2027 with an estimated further contract value of £8.98 million. This contract will require the supplier to provide a grant administrator and manager service for the hub network and manage claims that support teachers to achieve continuous professional development (CPD). Grant funding values are not part of the contract value. Grant funding will be distributed through a draw down process from the DfE passing through the supplier to the intended recipients. The DfE will hold the funds until the point of draw down. The available grant value to be administered for the hub network is £11.29 million for the initial term. Subsequent terms are subject to DfE governance approval to extend the contract. This would also extend the requirement for grant management and administration. Onward values of the grant management are dependent on the contract extension term but may be up to a maximum value of £4.66 million. The supplier will also administer a claims service for schools to support engagement with CPD which is valued at £1.54m during the initial term. This will be paid in arrears based on actuals. The claims service is subject to potential extension with a value of up to £0.63m This means subject to all approvals being achieved to extend the contract that the potential maximum contract value is £31.52 million including the set up and mobilisation costs. The initial term value including set up and mobilisation costs is £22.54 million. The contract value excludes the grant administration values. The programme will be subject to independent evaluation commissioned by the DfE.

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