Subcontracting

The Essex Learning Partnership Fund is the vehicle by which ACL Essex sub-contracts with other providers to complement and enhance its learning offer in Essex. It has been developed from the successful Neighbourhood Learning in Deprived Communities (NLDC) project, which for a number of years awarded Education & Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) Community Learning funding to organisations from the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector to deliver non-accredited learning programmes to some of the most disadvantaged residents of Essex. All allocations from the ELPF are made in the form of sub-contracts to successful applicants.

Although it is recognised that ACL Essex could deliver the required Community Learning outcomes through direct delivery, the Service is committed to supporting the VCSE sector to build its capacity to deliver learning opportunities to disadvantaged and hard to reach local communities and individuals across Essex especially in the more rural parts of the county, as well as the urban, suburban and coastal areas of greatest need.

Although ACL Essex highlights particular subject sectors and/or Essex districts they wish to target, organisations are required to evidence a local or county-wide need for the provision they aim to deliver when they apply for funds. This should take the form of demographic data and/or confirmation of local consultation to identify individual learning needs, and where applicable, the needs of local businesses.

In addition the Service provides a VCSE Sector Support Package consisting of Continuing Professional Development activities relating to initial teacher training, quality assurance, self-assessment and Ofsted requirements. Safeguarding, Equality and Diversity and other training can also be offered in response to demand from sub-contractors. Non-VCSE sector – All sub-contractors are subject to quality monitoring of processes, and teaching and learning.

ACL Essex operates a Subcontracting, Supply-chain Fees and Charges Policy for sub-contracted provision. Costs incurred in relation to the management of contracts, management information reporting, audit and quality requirements are fully met by ACL Essex. Subcontractors will receive the full contract value on successful completion of the contract. Details of these costs can be found in the policy document in the section below.