Learning and Training Services DPS

Provides access to standard and niche training options from a large group of pre-qualified training providers in one place.

Description

This Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) provides training services to UK public sector bodies, the wider public sector (WPS) and the third sector. This includes but is not limited to:

• local government
• combined authorities
• NHS and health sector
• police, fire and rescue
• housing associations
• charities
• education sector
• devolved administrations

Central government departments can also use this agreement, but they must first consider the Cabinet Office learning and development spend control guidance. This agreement also forms part of the Workforce Alliance portfolio, providing an additional access route for NHS customers. Workforce Alliance is the partnership between CCS and NHS Procurement in Partnership which brings together a wealth of trusted procurement and commercial expertise to benefit the NHS.

Watch this quick video for an introduction to the Learning & Training Services DPS.

We have organised services using filters to help you select capable suppliers who can meet your training needs. The 2 headline filters are:

Learning categories

These are the broad category / subject headings to help you define what learning category your potential training needs sit under. This will help you to narrow down your supplier selection:

• business skills
• coaching and mentoring
• health and safety
• digital, data and technology
• financial services
• languages
• leadership and management
• legal and compliance
• Learning Management System (LMS) software
• LMS design, delivery and content
• NHS clinical
• NHS non-clinical
• NHS Continuous Professional Development (CPD)
• project and programme management
• specialist / niche training
• wellbeing

Service types

There are four distinct service routes that you can choose to further help you with the supplier selection process. These are:

Standard off the shelf training

Ad hoc off the shelf training courses and professional qualifications. These are only provided by the training provider (no aggregators / sub contractors).

Bespoke training

Sourcing specialist or tailored training courses and small scale ad hoc learning needs across all subject areas. This includes the design and provision of specialist / niche training programmes.

Learning technologies

The design, build, supply and development of learning technologies. This includes, but is not limited to:

• new Learning Management Systems / Learning Experience Platforms
• the integration of existing Learning Systems / Platforms

Education services

This provision is for public sector funded programmes targeted to provide skills to the general public (those in education, unemployed, or in full time employment). Alternatively, our latest commercial agreement, the RM6348 Adult Skills and Learning DPS, specifically focuses on providing access to training for adults and young adults in the general public, through funding streams like the adult skills fund. Read the Adult Skills and Learning webpage to see if it better suits your needs, or contact us to find out more.

 

Benefits

• single route to market for a variety of training types
• flexibility of contract award: customers can choose between rapid award and standard award depending on their needs
• a future-proofed solution that can be continually updated to reflect changes in market demand and to support the addition of new products and suppliers at any time
• extensive choice of providers, both at a national and regional level
• access to a high volume of SMEs in the UK training market
• the flexibility to decide how you want the training provided, for example:
  • virtual
  • face to face
  • blended (a mix of virtual and face to face)
  • public: training provided with other public sector organisations
  • closed: training provided with only your organisation

Products and suppliers

Please read the 'How to buy' tab below for detailed instructions on how to find out which suppliers are on this agreement.

• Lot 1: Learning and Training Services DPS:

  Expires: 27/10/2028

How to buy

Before buying from this agreement, watch this video to find out how to run your procurement using the Learning & Training Services dynamic purchasing system (DPS). It includes a step by step guide, a demo of the DPS system, and explains the difference between a standard award and a rapid award. You can also read the ‘Buyer guide’ from the ‘Documents’ section below.

You can buy training services through:

• rapid award: for standard off the shelf training only
  • you are able to evaluate the shortlisted suppliers’ prospectus and pricing information to make a rapid award to the supplier that best meets your training needs
• standard award: for any other training needs 
  • you can export a supplier list and invite the selected suppliers to take part in a further competition

Rapid award

Rapid award allows you to create a shortlist of suppliers, then run a desktop evaluation based on:

• your requirements
• suppliers’ pricing
• suppliers’ pre-answered questions

You can then award to the best supplier. If you have bespoke needs, use the standard award option instead.

To run a rapid award you need to:

1. Decide which learning categories you need.
2. Shortlist suppliers using the DPS system (read ‘How to create your supplier shortlist’ below).
3. Download the supplier prospectus and pricing information.
4. Evaluate suppliers based on your evaluation criteria.
5. Complete the order form and contract terms (together, these form your call-off contract).
6. Award the contract to the winning supplier (you can sign the contract on the system using DocuSign or the usual way over email or a procurement tool).
7. Inform CCS of your contract award by sending us the following information:
   1. Name of awarding organisation. 
   2. Name of winning supplier.
   3. Annual contract value.
   4. Contract dates and any extensions.
   5. Brief description of training.

Standard award

Standard award is the usual further competition process. To run a standard award you will need to:

1. Decide on your training service requirements.
2. Write your tender documents:
   1. Invitation to tender document (including your evaluation criteria, quality questions and associated score weightings).
   2. Requirements specification.
   3. Pricing matrix.
   4. Draft contract order form.
   5. Draft contract terms.
3. Shortlist suppliers using the DPS system (read ‘How to create your supplier shortlist’ section below).
4. Invite suppliers to bid (you can use the free CCS eSourcing portal or another procurement tool).
5. Evaluate supplier bids.
6. Send outcome letters to the suppliers that bid.
7. Finalise the contract order form and contract terms (together, these form your call off contract).
8. Award the contract to the winning supplier (you can sign the contracts on the DPS system using DocuSign or the usual way over email or a procurement tool).
9. Inform CCS of your contract award by sending us the following information:
   1. Name of awarding organisation.
   2. Name of winning supplier.
   3. Annual contract value.
   4. Contract dates and any extensions.
   5. Brief description of training.

How to create your supplier shortlist

To create your supplier shortlist, follow these steps:

1. Register as a buyer on the DPS system (it can take a few days to process).
2. Go to the Learning & Training Services section on the DPS system, click ‘Access as a buyer’ and sign in.
3. On the ‘Manage your DPS portfolios’ page, click ‘Create a new portfolio’ (it’s underneath the grey ‘Help’ box on the right).
4. Tick ‘Rapid award’ or ‘Standard award’, then click ‘Continue’.
5. Tick the filters along the left that you need.
6. Then, click ‘Select training filters’ in the top right.
7. Tick the training filters that best fit your needs, then click ‘Save and continue’. You can choose to filter by location (postcode radius) and delivery method, including:
   1. E-learning provision.
   2. Virtual instructor-led.
   3. Face to face.
   4. Hybrid / blended (a mix of face to face and online training).
   5. Classroom.
   6. Workplace.
   7. Virtual.
8. Scroll down and click ‘Save portfolio’, name it, and click ‘Save portfolio’ again (note that webpage loading times vary).
9. On the ‘Manage your DPS portfolios’ page, scroll to your shortlist and once loaded, click ‘Export’.
   1. With rapid award, this downloads a spreadsheet with supplier prospectus information and a folder containing supplier pricing tables.
   2. With standard award, this downloads a spreadsheet with supplier contact information.
10. Use this information to continue your call off process.

Documents

• RM6219 How to complete your contract documents v2
• RM6219 How to inform CCS of an awarded contract v1
• RM6219 Quick supplier guide: how to apply v2
• RM6219 DPS Core terms v1.0.3
• RM6219 Learning and training services DPS supplier guidance v2
• RM6219 Buyer guide v5
• RM6219 Schedule 6: order form template and order schedules v1.3
• RM6219 Capability assessment template v2
• RM6219 Contract terms and schedules