The Department for Work and Pensions (“the Authority”) intends to commission a supplier to provide end-to-end event management, creative theming, production and delegate-management services for the National Apprenticeship Awards and the annual Apprenticeship Ambassador Network Conference.

The services are required to be delivered between April 2027 and March 2030 (on a 2 year plus 1 year extension basis). Further details will be provided in the Contract Notice.

These services relate to “light touch services” under the Light-Touch Regime as set out in Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, using common procurement vocabulary (CPV) codes. The Authority expects to use the Government Commercial Agency (GCA) RM6214 Communications Marketplace Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for this requirement.

For a list of supplier minimum requirements and instructions on how to apply to join the DPS, download the GCA’s ‘Quick supplier guide’ from the ‘Documents’ section of the RM6214 webpage (https://www.gca.gov.uk/agreements/RM6124). Before applying, suppliers should first read the RM6214 bid pack, to check that they agree to the standard terms and conditions associated with the DPS.

The requirement is expected to include the planning and delivery of nine regional Awards ceremonies, one national Awards ceremony and one annual Apprenticeship Ambassador Network Conference. Services may include creative development and branding, venue sourcing and liaison, delegate registration and communications, scriptwriting, staging, lighting, audio-visual production, digital and video content, photography, signage, event logistics, subcontractor management, event-day delivery and post-event evaluation.

Engaging with the market will allow the Authority to gather valuable insights into the health of the market and facilitate market input to shape and test the design of the National Apprenticeship Awards Events 2027-2030 requirement, to ensure deliverability and increase understanding of the policy intent, to deliver value for money.