Belfast City Council requires agile and flexible Employability and Skills solutions to be able to respond to challenges and opportunities within the labour market. Sufficient flexibility within the delivery of Employability & Skills interventions is required to take account of: a) Emerging needs. b) New initiatives and areas of development e.g. skills interventions within the Local Economic Partnership, Labour Market Partnership etc. c) Specialist employability and skills delivery. d) To test new areas of work as agreed. e) Sectors that are not covered within the current Employment Academy Framework (T2474) f) To pick up overflow of delivery if the current Contractors on T2474 are working to full capacity On this basis, the Council is setting up an "Open Framework", which would allow an open, fair, and transparent way of procuring the above services in the most efficient way possible. There will be no guarantee of any work for those Contractors on the new Open Framework, and any future call-offs will not be initiated until the following happens sequentially (which is designed to provide budgetary control): 1. Workplan and budget approval. 2. When agreed, a direct award or mini-competitions will then undertaken. 3. Delegated authority approval prior to awarding the call-off contract. An Open Framework will provide an opportunity for SMEs and Social Enterprises/Not-for-Profits to secure a place on the Framework, with the opportunity re-opening at various stages for new entrants to apply/re-apply. The Framework will be split into 5 Lots: 1. Lot 1 – Care Sectors (Health/Social Care/Education/Playwork/Childminding) 2. Lot 2 – Customer Services (Leisure/Hospitality/Retail/Tourism/Beauty) 3. Lot 3 – Practical Sectors (Transport/Green Economy/Construction/Manufacturing) 4. Lot 4 – Professional and Business Services Sectors (Business/Technology) 5. Lot 5 – Employability Support (language/Soft Skills/Capacity Building) The Council intends that this Framework Agreement will form part of a scheme of successive framework agreements on substantially the same terms (the “Open Framework Scheme”). The total duration of the Open Framework Scheme shall not exceed 8 years from the commencement date of the first framework awarded under the scheme. The Open Framework is intended to commence in October 2026 and will be awarded for an initial period of two years until October 2028. Full details on the Framework period can be found in the ITT document. – Lot nr.: 1 Care Sectors Lot 1 of the Framework will cover requirements under various Care Sectors, including: - Health Care and/or Social Care - Education and/or Childcare/Playwork - Childminding It is expected that training provision within Lot 1: Care Sectors will typically consist of the following core elements: - Delivery of vocational skills, licences and/or qualifications where applicable to provide participants with the skills and qualifications required for employment, self-employment and ‘better job’ opportunities available. - Employability skills development such as motivation, team working, communication skills, interview skills, confidence building etc. in order to help optimise employment outcomes for the individual. - Addressing remaining employment barriers facing participants including development of interpersonal skills, confidence building etc. - Using a differentiated approach, where appropriate, to deliver training for those who are newly unemployed to compete for vacancies within the labour market. Duration contract start date : 30/09/2026 11:00:00 PM Duration contract end date : 30/09/2028 10:59:59 PM Criteria definitions: Quality: 80 (Proposed Approach & Methodology (Scenario Based)) Cost: 20 (Cost) – Lot nr.: 2 Customer Service Sectors Lot 2 of the Framework will cover requirements under various Customer Service Sectors, including: - Leisure - Hospitality - Retail - Tourism - Beauty It is expected that training provision within Lot 2: Customer Service Sectors will typically consist of the following core elements: - Delivery of vocational skills, licences and/or qualifications where applicable to provide participants with the skills and qualifications required for employment, self-employment and ‘better job’ opportunities available. - Employability skills development such as motivation, team working, communication skills, interview skills, confidence building etc. in order to help optimise employment outcomes for the individual. - Addressing remaining employment barriers facing participants including development of interpersonal skills, confidence building etc. - Using a differentiated approach, where appropriate, to deliver training for those who are newly unemployed to compete for vacancies within the labour market. Duration contract start date : 30/09/2026 11:00:00 PM Duration contract end date : 30/09/2028 10:59:59 PM Criteria definitions: Quality: 80 (Proposed Approach & Methodology (Scenario Based)) Cost: 20 (Cost) – Lot nr.: 3 Practical Sectors Lot 3 of the Framework will cover requirements under various Practical Sectors, including: - Transport - Green Economy - Construction - Manufacturing It is expected that training provision within Lot 3: Practical Sectors will typically consist of the following core elements: - Delivery of vocational skills, licences and/or qualifications where applicable to provide participants with the skills and qualifications required for employment, self-employment and ‘better job’ opportunities available. - Employability skills development such as motivation, team working, communication skills, interview skills, confidence building etc. in order to help optimise employment outcomes for the individual. - Addressing remaining employment barriers facing participants including development of interpersonal skills, confidence building etc. - Using a differentiated approach, where appropriate, to deliver training for those who are newly unemployed to compete for vacancies within the labour market. Duration contract start date : 30/09/2026 11:00:00 PM Duration contract end date : 30/09/2028 10:59:59 PM Criteria definitions: Quality: 80 (Proposed Approach & Methodology (Scenario Based)) Cost: 20 (Cost) – Lot nr.: 4 Professional and Business Services Sectors Lot 4 of the Framework will cover requirements under various Professional and Business Services Sectors, including: - Technology - Business It is expected that training provision within Lot 4: Professional and Business Services sectors will typically consist of the following core elements: - Delivery of vocational skills, licences and/or qualifications where applicable to provide participants with the skills and qualifications required for employment, self-employment and ‘better job’ opportunities available. - Employability skills development such as motivation, team working, communication skills, interview skills, confidence building etc. in order to help optimise employment outcomes for the individual. - Addressing remaining employment barriers facing participants including development of interpersonal skills, confidence building etc. - Using a differentiated approach, where appropriate, to deliver training for those who are newly unemployed to compete for vacancies within the labour market. Duration contract start date : 30/09/2026 11:00:00 PM Duration contract end date : 30/09/2028 10:59:59 PM Criteria definitions: Quality: 80 (Proposed Approach & Methodology (Scenario Based)) Cost: 20 (Cost) – Lot nr.: 5 Employability Support Lot 5 of the Framework will cover requirements relating to Employability Support, including areas such as: - Language - Soft Skills - Capacity Building It is expected that interventions within Lot 5: Employability Support will consist of: - Employability skills development such as motivation, team working, communication skills, interview skills, confidence building etc. - Support to employers to help them to provide work opportunities leading to sustainable employment. Duration contract start date : 30/09/2026 11:00:00 PM Duration contract end date : 30/09/2028 10:59:59 PM Criteria definitions: Quality: 80 (Proposed Approach & Methodology (Scenario Based)) Cost: 20 (Cost)