Procurement and skills
BIS is leading a cross-Government programme of work to ensure we make full use of our procurement to improve the skills of the nation’s workforce.
Government is committed to using its significant procurement programme – worth some £220 billion a year – to promote skills training and apprenticeship opportunities.
This section of the BIS website contains background policy information plus practical advice and support for public bodies.
Background
As part of the new, more active approach to industrial policy signalled in New Industry, New Jobs, the Government committed to using its role as a major procurer of goods and services to promote growth and opportunity and open up skills training and apprenticeship opportunities in its supply chain.
Building on this new approach, the Government announced in September 2009 a new ambition of securing 20,000 new apprenticeships over the next three years through procurement, as part of its wider efforts to expand apprenticeship opportunities.
Within major areas of procurement spend, a number of specific commitments exist which underpin the Government’s overarching aims to promote skills and apprenticeships through procurement. These include the 2008 PBR statement on supporting apprenticeships through Government construction contracts; a commitment made by Government Chief Information Officers to address training issues in new IT contracts; and the Joint Statement on Access to Skills, Trade Unions and Advice in Government Contracting (PDF, 238 Kb) .
The Houghton Review of local authorities’ role in tackling worklessness, published in March 2009, also highlighted the significant scope for local authorities to use their role as a major procurer of goods and services to promote skills and apprenticeships as well as tackling worklessness and driving economic development.
Advice and guidance
To support public bodies in building skills and apprenticeships into their procurement processes, we have developed a toolkit of practical advice and guidance working jointly with the Office of Government Commerce and a range of other partners:
Further advice
If you want to know more or have any questions any other aspect of the work, please email us at: publicprocurement@bis.gsi.gov.uk.
For advice and guidance on procurement policy and the EU procurement rules, please contact the OGC Service Desk on 0845 0004999 or email ServiceDesk@ogc.gsi.gov.uk.
