Prior information notice
This notice is for prior information only
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Ministry of Justice
102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ
UK
Telephone: +44 02033343555
E-mail: pes-screeningandassessment@justice.gov.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice
I.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
I.5) Main activity
Public order and safety
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Prisoner Screening & Assessment Tools and Associated Services
II.1.2) Main CPV code
48190000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Supplies
II.1.4) Short description
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has a legal requirement to secure the provision of education and training for prisoners and recognises that Education, Skills, and Work (ESW) play a significant role in reducing reoffending. A 2017 MoJ report shows that prisoners who participated in any form of learning activity were 9 percentage points less likely to reoffend compared to non-learners and 1.8 percentage points more likely to be in employment after release. MoJ is committed to delivering a transformed 'Prisoner Education Service' (PES) focused on work-based training and skills'.
The Prisoner Education Service (PES) is developing an innovative, integrated digital ecosystem that brings together a holistic prisoner view that informs planning, delivery and accountability. Effective Screening and Assessment (S&A) is at the core of this, ensuring that prisoner’s learner needs are identified when engaging with education, and inform their learner journey throughout their time in custody. This system should enable HMPPS to drive up standards and outcomes across the estate, both in custody and in the community.
To enable and support HMPPS ambition and realise the strategic decision for national education screening, we are procuring digital S&A tools for the Prison Education Service contracts. The scope of this procurement includes screening tools for English, Mathematics, Digital Skills, Reading, and Additional Learning Needs (ALN). Due to the importance of having a 'human element' in assessing reading ability, certain elements of the reading tool are not required to be digital.
We are expecting to procure three Tools, one for each of the following Lots:
Lot 1: English, Mathematics, and Digital Skills
Lot 2: Reading
Lot 3: Additional Learning Needs
The Tools must be compliant with Government Digital Standard (GDS) in the design, testing and deployment in time for Service Commencement and must be capable of integrating with other services and sharing data using open standards.
The vision for the S&A Tools contracts is to:
• Implement high-quality, accessible tools that accurately identify prisoner ability levels and indicate potential needs.
• Enable collaboration with the Authority and PES providers to ensure continuous improvement so that the S&A tools enable quality S&A delivery.
• Enable data reporting integration of the S&A tools into the Authority systems.
• Provide for the first time national consistent S&A tools across the PES estate to reduce duplication and improve data flow across the estate.
• Deliver the ambition for digital by default screening with contingencies to allow continued S&A delivery when access to digital tool/s is impacted.
• Ensure high quality S&A tool provider led training and ongoing support to PES core-education staff on the use of provider screening tools.
• Drive quality via performance measured key performance indicators.
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
9 600 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
Yes
Maximum number of lots that may be awarded to one tenderer: 3
II.2) Description
Lot No: 1: English, Mathematics, and Digital Services
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
48190000
72212190
72212210
72212311
72212517
72250000
72253000
72260000
72261000
72267000
72310000
75231200
75231230
80000000
80400000
80533000
80533100
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
Main site or place of performance:
Public Prisons in England
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
This Tool covers: English, Mathematics, and Digital Skills.
We anticipate that the English and Mathematics element of the Tool would accurately assess Prisoner's current skills and ability under the following outcomes:
* Pre-entry level
* Entry level 1
* Entry level 2
* Entry level 3
* Level 1
* Level 2 or higher
And the Digital Skills element of the Tool would accurately assess Prisoners' current skills and abilities in line with National Standards and provide an assessment of the Prisoner's everyday digital literacy skills and functional digital skills.
This is subject to change based on market feedback.
Lot No: 2: Reading
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
48190000
72212190
72212210
72212311
72212517
72250000
72253000
72260000
72261000
72267000
72310000
75231200
75231230
80000000
80400000
80533000
80533100
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
Main site or place of performance:
Public Prisons in England
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
This Tool covers: Reading.
It is anticipated that this tool would accurately identify gaps in a Prisoners' reading ability, covering comprehension, reading fluency and phonological awareness and would indicate a reading level/score and level of reading support required to progress their ability to read.
Reading assessments would include digital elements but must include interaction with and assessment outcomes determined by prison delivery staff.
This is subject to change based on market feedback.
Lot No: 3: Additional Learning Needs
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
48190000
72212190
72212210
72212311
72212517
72250000
72253000
72260000
72261000
72267000
72310000
75231200
75231230
80000000
80400000
80533000
80533100
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
Main site or place of performance:
Public Prisons in England
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
This Tool covers: Additional Learning Needs.
The ALN Tool must identify areas of potential ALN including:
* Communication and Interaction needs;
* Cognition and Learning needs;
* Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties; and
* Physical and/or Sensory Needs
The Tool would also:
* identify strengths, contributing to the process of making reasonable adjustments.
* Produce results that can inform and support processes of ALN support planning within a whole Prison approach including Prison inductions, Education, and the wider Prison regime.
* Have been designed as an ALN Indicator Tool and not as a diagnostic tool (a diagnostic tool is designed to be administered and interpreted by suitably qualified psychology, learning disability, nursing or specialist education staff in order to reach a clear professional diagnosis).
* Have been designed and developed with psychological and specialist educational input to ensure it covers a wide range of neurodivergent and other additional need(s).
*Have been previously tested within a relevant further education and/or custodial environment comparable to the UK Prison system and be supported by research/reports which clearly demonstrate its validity and capability to deliver in a consistent and equitable manner. Contractors are expected to engage with the Authority in any additional validity testing requested.
*Lead to the production of clear and detailed results and reports which:
Can be understood by the Prisoner, Prison Staff and HMPPS staff.
Clarify what the indicators of ALN are for the individual, including any areas of strength as well as areas of need.
Clearly identify what practical strategies and reasonable adjustments can be put in place to support the individual both within education and more widely within the Prison regime and in community healthcare.
It is desirable for the tool to suggest where further specialist assessment may be needed, and indicate where further diagnostic assessment may be needed, by suitably qualified psychology, learning disability, nursing or specialist education staff.
The tool results are accessible to all staff who work with Prisoners across all departments within the Prison. The results must be available digitally, live, to the Authority and selected third parties.
T
his is subject to change based on market feedback.
II.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice:
23/07/2024
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
The purpose of this engagement is to secure wider market involvement in the testing and development of our procurement structure, including the specification and contract.
Topics we would like to hear suppliers’ view on may include but are not limited to:
• Specification Optimisation
• Contract Terms Proportionality
• Removing Barriers to SMEs
• Lot Structure
• IPR
• Costs
• Pay Mech
• Insurance Levels
• Digital Requirements
As part of this PIN we have included a pre-recorded presentation and PowerPoint slides from the Screening and Assessment Team, which goes through the current Screening and Assessment situation in prisons, our future view, and the areas we would particularly like to seek your feedback on. Feedback on other areas will also be welcomed.
We have included a Survey to seek out your views and to ask if you would be willing to speak with us further on this topic. The survey will be open from 22nd May – 4th June. If you agree to speak with us, we will be holding meetings on a first come first serve basis between 28th May - 4th June.
We then intend to review our approach based on the information provided from the market before coming back to you on the 17th June – 27th June. Please note, we will not be sending out an additional PIN for this.
The pre-recorded presentation can be found here: https://we.tl/PzuLZ5VFOC
The Survey can be found here: https://forms.office.com/e/0qsUebBnuH
Other supporting material is attached to the Contracts Finder PIN, which can be found here: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/b1c6faac-1524-47a5-b07a-63db1534f521
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
22/05/2024