March Clarification questions for the Sheffield City Region (SCR) Skills Bank ITT

Transcription

1 March 2016 Clarification questions for the Sheffield City Region (SCR) Skills Bank ITT

2 1) If a candidate (learner) has already had funded training delivered to them under the previous ESF funding (ESF Skills Support for the Workforce) are they eligible for funding under the Skills Bank project? State Aid funding rules apply for all funding received through the Skills Bank. State aid is determined at a company level, as such companies will have an obligation to check that they will not be in breach of State Aid funding rules at the point that a Skills Deal is created. 2) Is there a central record held by the SFA, Sheffield City Region or other bodies which confirms the level of state aid funding received by an employer through the previous ESF funding (ESF Skills Support for the Workforce)? No, such a record does not exist. 3) Can the funding be used to deliver units of Level 3 or Level 4 programmes rather than a full qualification? Yes, funding can be used in this way. 4) Does the learner have to live within the SCR LEP area? No, the learner is required to work in the Sheffield City Region. 5) Does the employer have to have a permanent address within the SCR LEP area? The employer must have a permanent presence in the Sheffield City Region. 6) What format do you want the Bankers Details Address / Account Number in response to Q1.1, or do you want an attachment of a letter from our bank on their headed paper or will a letter on ours? Details in Q1.1 required are: Bank Name, Bank Address, Bank Postcode, Account Name, Account Number, Sort code, SWIFT/IBAN number Bank details should be confirmed on headed paper from the bank via 1. bank confirmation letter or 2. bank confirmation or 3. bank statement (transacted redacted) 7) Do you want annual accounts the past three years or the most recent ones are these to be attached to the tender submission? We require only the most recent set of annual accounts (this will contain most recent financial position plus prior year financial position as comparison). The accounts should be submitted with the tender. 8) Do you want a copy of our Health and Safety Policy? What do you mean by Health and Safety Certificates? We require a copies of relevant organisational level certification or accreditation for example ISO. Where a company does not have any certification or accreditation. A copy of their Health and Safety Policy should be provided. 9) Where do I get the RoTO number from, there is nothing on the documentation that we have received from the SFA to confirm. We are on the RoTO?

3 The register of training organisations can be found at the following web address: 10) PI.13/24 should these questions be the same? The duplication has been removed in version 2 of the template that can downloaded. 11) In order to qualify do we have to have an OFSTED report? You do not need to be OFSTED registered or have an OFSTED report. If you do not have these then you should mark this question as N/A in the template. It is possible to achieve the pass mark whilst scoring 0 for Q ) We are a new training centre currently in development, scheduled to open in May As such, we have not yet received a rating from OFSTED as required by compliance section C7. I note that under section Q4.1 it is stated that a non rating will receive a 0 score and we are confident we will meet the required standards without the 15% weighting from this section. Would this disqualify us from tender as we had not passed all topics under compliance? You do not need to be OFSTED registered or have an OFSTED report. If you do not have these then you should mark this question as N/A in the template. It is possible to achieve the pass mark whilst scoring 0 for Q ) As this is funded under the SFA, does funding under this initiative count towards the 100,000 limit for non SFA registered entities? We are currently listed under the UKRLP but it is unlikely we will have confirmed listing on the SFA register before the closing date. We require all organisations to be on the Register of Training Organisations. If you are not currently on ROTO then you will be ineligible to bid at this time. 14) Can you confirm that the delivery of Apprenticeships will not be part of the Skills Bank? We are a Training Provider that delivers Apprenticeships only. Does this mean that we do not need to complete the ITT as we are not eligible to be part of the Skills Bank? Whilst the Skills Bank is unable to fund full apprenticeship frameworks, it is able to fund individual QCF components and courses which are a combination of units. Any such offerings will need to be stipulated in the course catalogue. 15) Please could I have a brief overview of how the funding will work? Will the courses in the catalogue be 100% Funded or part funded, or if variable how will that be determined please? Skills Deals with be co-funded between the Skills Bank and the Employer. The nature of each deal will be worked out on an individual basis. 16) I would also welcome a brief discussion around the cap to the national benchmark. All clarification questions must be submitted in writing. Please send us any questions you have regarding the cap set to the national benchmark.

4 17) I would be grateful if you could confirm how frequently the course catalogue can be refreshed after the initial submission (also, how soon after that initial submission, a refreshed upload can be made to the portal)? We will encourage providers to update the course catalogue regularly. We intend for providers to be able to update their course catalogue shortly after contracting. Please note, it is important for providers to submit as complete a course catalogue as possible during the bid stage. 18) In regards to C9, C10 and C11 can you please provide clarification in what is the 'required format' for this information? For C9 you must complete 'Annex I.II Course Catalogue' in the Tender Bid Template and confirm submission. For C10 you must complete 'Annex III Non-Disclosure agreement' and confirm submission. For C11 you must complete 'Annex II Signed declaration' and confirm submission. 19) Please could you send us any further information you have and let us know how and in what form you wish tenders to be submitted. All information regarding to this tender is provided in the Invitation to Tender and Tender Bid Template. The instructions for the submission of the tender are also provided in these documents. 20) As the ROTO number is the same as the UKPRN is this what is required to achieve a pass? Or is it asking if we are currently listed on the Register Of Training Organisations and, if we are not, does that imply we are ineligible to apply? The ROTO number is the same as the UKPRN number. We require all organisations to be on the Register Of Training Organisations. If you are not on ROTO then you will be ineligible to bid at this time. 21) Can you clarify whether listing on ROTO is mandatory at this stage? We require all organisations to be on the Register of Training Organisations. If you are not currently on ROTO then you will be ineligible to bid at this time. 22) Can you clarify whether smaller providers, with aggregated demand from employers within the SCR for bespoke and specialist courses, but are not listed on the ROTO at present, are able to apply to the Skills Bank in this tender opportunity? We require all organisations to be on the Register of Training Organisations. If you are not currently on ROTO then you will be ineligible to bid at this time. 23) Can you provide clarification on required format for C4 - Bank confirmation letter Details in Q1.1 required are: Bank Name, Bank Address, Bank Postcode, Account Name, Account Number, Sort code,swift/iban number Bank details should be confirmed on headed paper from the bank via 1.bank confirmation letter or 2. bank confirmation or 3. bank statement (transacted redacted). 24) The range of relevant training sought - for example, Leadership and Management, Coaching etc.

5 We are aiming to provide as broad a range of training as possible. As such, we would recommend that you provide all training you are able to offer within the course catalogue. 25) That a turnover of less than 100k would disqualify a tenderer (as indicated in the Tender Bid Template). Yes, a turnover of less than 100k would make the company ineligible to bid at this time. 26) The maximum charge rate. The literature directs readers to the link below which does not directly provide a figure. The SFA hub (accessed via the link) allows you to search for courses. Within the course details the course price is indicated. 27) Payment- can you clarify when payment to a provider will be made. If it is on completion what evidence will they need to provide and if a learner leaves early and is unable to complete is a provider able to claim for any elements of delivery? Payment timescales will be determined as part of the Skills Deal and will be based predominantly on the length of the course. 28) Can you clarify the extent to which non regulated provision can be delivered, for example could it be an in house package that has been developed but as such doesn t have any formal approval, accreditation etc.? Each Skills Deal will be assessed on its own merit and different funding streams pose different requirements. 29) In the delivery on non-accredited provision how will this be quality assured? The Skills Bank will implement quality checks and spot checks as part of our performance management. In relation to the content of specific courses, employers will work to identify the courses that they wish to undertake, performing checks and negotiations with suppliers and ensuring that they are comfortable with the offer. 30) Will there by any reporting system which allows providers to see which providers have been most successful in terms of been chosen by an employer? Say on a monthly basis? We will be sharing data which shows the courses and sectors which have been the most popular. Employers will be encouraged to provide feedback based on their training experience, this feedback will be shared with employers. 31) The protection on the spreadsheet for the question about Ofsted Inspection data and Grade doesn t allow you to enter a date only a grade number Please see the updated spreadsheet document where this data issue has been fixed. 32) How is the employer contribution collected? The employer contribution will be collected by the provider. 33) How are funds past onto the provider?

6 Employer contributions will be paid directly to the provider and Skills Bank contributions will be drawn down through an invoice process. 34) Moving forward will employers be able to access MI information on providers in relation to Skills Bank delivery? I.e. completions, sectors they ve delivered in? Customer ratings etc. The Skills Bank will share data with framework providers. 35) Please could you confirm which sized employers are eligible for the Growth Funding and whether or not public sector employers are eligible to apply? The Growth Fund is open to all sizes of employer. Skills Deals are made on the basis of aid growth in the region, if a public sector organisation can demonstrate how skills training can lead to growth, they would be considered for a Skills Deal. 36) Do LEP priority sectors affect selection Skills Deals in LEP priority areas are more likely to be able to evidence a strong growth story but there is no specific bias in the assessment. 37) Many of my colleagues re unclear if any national bench mark caps apply. Are these specific to FE or do they apply to HE as well? Currently we are only able to fund up to level 4 training. Whilst other levels may become available later in the project, we are using FE benchmarks at this point. 38) A number of the fields do not seem to apply to HE. Will we be able to obtain some guidance on completing fields? Will N/a suffice in some cases? N/a will suffice where you are unable to answer. 39) We are assuming some of the provision might not go forward if the deal cannot be done. Will it also be possible to add additional provision post bid? It will be possible to add new provision post bid. 40) My understanding is that if a learner has already had one funded learning intervention through ESF funding they were unable to have any more training funded through ESF monies. We held a sub-contract to deliver funded training through ESF Skills Support for the Unemployed, if a learner had already had one ESF funded intervention they were in-eligible to access any further ESF funding. Could you clarify whether this is still the case? The Skills Bank does not just use funding through ESF, there are other funding streams such as Growth Funding. Learners will only be eligible to be funded once per funding stream through the Skills Bank programme. 41) By having a UKPRN number would we be eligible to apply and just put the same number for our ROTO number? Providers will need to be listed on the Register of Training Organisations. If providers are not listed on ROTO then they are not eligible to bid at this time.

7 42) Even if I could find a price for a course e.g. the one below (which I cannot!), would this answer the question as to the rate paid to providers such as us? I presume there is a margin etc to be added. Award in Leadership and Management (QCF) You can find the courses you wish to list by doing a keyword search for the course name, clicking on the most appropriate course and selecting the funding tab. Prices cannot exceed those stipulated on the SFA register of training courses. 43) The link provided in the document to explain rates for courses doesn t seem to be relevant to rates, have we missed something here? You can find the courses you wish to list by doing a keyword search for the course name, clicking on the most appropriate course and selecting the funding tab. 44) The sections have a pass/fail but then say they are optional at the bottom, can you please clarify what is and is not a killer question? E.g. we have no Health and safety Certificate as per C6, and have no Ofsted rating as per Q7. Providing accompanying notes for each question is optional. The completion of all questions is required as failure to answer a question will result in a fail. For C6 we require a copies of relevant organisational level certification or accreditation for example ISO. Where a company does not have any certification or accreditation, a copy of their Health and Safety Policy should be provided. For C7 this is confirmation that you have completed Q4.1 with either the OFSTED grade and date of inspection or N/A if you do not have an OFSTED rating. 45) We are a recently formed (15 months) micro SME and cannot provide 3 years worth of accounts and do not have a turnover of > 100k. We require only the most recent set of annual accounts (this will contain most recent financial position plus prior year financial position as comparison). The accounts should be submitted with the tender. A turnover of 100k is a requirement to be eligible to bid at this time 46) What does where relevant mean in Q1.4? The words 'where relevant' should be ignored in this instance. 47) We specialise in procurement and commercial negotiation training, and have given courses in both the Public and Private sectors to various levels of staff. We are unclear from the ITT whether indeed this Skills Bank is something that we should be bidding for, or are you aiming it at educational institutions? We are intending to develop a broad training provider network as possible. As such this is not limited to educational institutions and we would encourage all providers who meet the criteria to bid. 48) Could you clarify how the ITT response requirements works for privately run, bespoke, in-house company training like what we offer. As part of the ITT, companies that intend to offer bespoke training provision should complete the course catalogue with the types of courses and provision they would be able to offer. 49) Also, the national benchmark of pricing for similar courses does not provide any indication of course for such courses. So we would need some guidance on how this would be applied to our tender response.

8 Where national benchmarks do not provide course costs, national and /or industry accredited courses / qualifications should be used along with their associated costs. 50) Can this fund be used to fund bolt on QCF units onto an Apprenticeship framework? Whilst the Skills Bank is unable to fund full apprenticeship frameworks, it is able to fund individual QCF components and courses which are a combination of units. Any such offerings will need to be stipulated in the course catalogue 51) Will providers be expected to base costs / prices be based on the Simplified Funding Rates? Providers will be expected to base their prices on the funding rates on the SFA hub. The link to find these courses can be found in the ITT document. 52) Will providers be paid through On-Programme Payments (OPP) i.e. through the duration of the programme or will payments be only made if the learner completes the programme This will depend on the nature of the Skills Deal and will be decided on a deal by deal basis depending on the length. The contribution of the employer will be expected to be paid before the training commences. 53) Will providers have to demonstrate that they have received an employer contribution at the start or the end of the programme to release payment Yes, the Skills Deal will be agreed on the proviso that the employer contribution is paid before training commences. 54) In the Skills Bank Tender Bid Template Q1.4 at row 85 of the spreadsheet refers to organisations having to have a turnover of over 100,000 to apply to be on the Framework Agreement supplier list. My company has an annual Turnover of approximately 50,000. Can you confirm therefore that I would be precluded from bidding to be a supplier or have I misinterpreted this requirement? A turnover of 100k is a requirement to be eligible to bid at this time. 55) If I have understood the tender process correctly and I can t submit a tender bid due to the turnover size, can you advise me whether other companies who are successful in the bid will be able to offer subsides/funded ILM qualifications and what the likely subsidy will be? The Skills Bank will decide on the level on Employer contribution required on a case by case basis. 56) Could you please clarify if e-learning/vle methods of delivery are eligible under the Skills Bank? Yes, these methods are eligible. 57) Can this funding be used to deliver units of NVQ L5 (or higher courses)? These courses are not currently fundable but they may become fundable in the future.

9 58) Hi we are looking at ITT for the Sheffield City Region Skills Bank, but I see that the support is limited to SME businesses. First, am I correct in saying this? No this is not correct. Businesses of all sizes are eligible for support through the Skills Bank. 59) Second, I have been approached by an employer in the region, ~30 employees but part of a larger business that is not a SME, have you support for this business? Businesses of all sizes are eligible. Businesses will be required to complete the eligibility checker and register on the Skills Bank. 60) Annex 1.II: Course Catalogue - this appears to be a "protected" spreadsheet. Can you advise the password to unprotect please? The protection attached to this sheet is intentional as some of the cells have validations attached to them to restrict the values that can be entered. The course catalogue can still be completed in full with these validations attached. 61) Can you tell me if the Skills Bank will fund employers based ESOL type courses? These courses are eligible to be funded, subject to the growth requirements being met. 62) For Stage 3 [Selection Checks], question 4 what you mean by the ROTO number (register of training organisations) please, because the only number that is shown on the online Skills Funding Agency s ROTO register of training organisations is the UKPRN number, which is the same number that you request under Section 1 [Provider Information], question PL25 (UKPRN). Please provide your UKPRN again as confirmation that you are on ROTO in this section. 63) Is there an updated tender spreadsheet and if so, where can I find it please the one on your blog does not accept the Ofsted date and rating in Q4.1 An updated version of the bid template (version 2) is posted on the website for you to download which resolves this issue. 64) Will you run another framework commissioning round for additional providers during the 2 year window? We have the ability to do so if we should choose, however no decision has yet been made on further rounds of procurement. 65) Are you expecting providers to deliver multiple courses i.e. over 20 or can they apply to deliver a specialist few i.e. 2 or 3? It is up to each provider to decide how many courses they want to offer. There is no minimum or maximum requirement. 66) Please can you outline how the non-payment for a non-completer works? I.e. if a group of 10 with 50% contribution from the employer for a 1,000 each course, will you not pay the completion at the rate of the 500 you contribute not the full 1,000 as the employer will have paid the other 500?

10 The process for non-completion will be determined on a deal by deal basis. Please note however that rules surrounding clawback do apply as this is public funding. 67) We can t edit the PDF to complete the first paragraph, please could you provide an editable version? The PDF is not editable. It is unclear what is meant by 'first paragraph'. 68) I am currently completing the ITT for Skills Bank Sheffield, on the tender template it asks for health and safety certificate on question C.6 and Q.2 can you please clarify what is needed for this? As we have health and safety policies and have had health and safety audits, but we do not have certificate of such? We require a copy of relevant organisational level certification or accreditation for example ISO. Where a company does not have any certification or accreditation, a copy of their Health and Safety Policy should be provided. 69) Also for question Q.4 it asks for a ROTO number- we are registered with SFA and are on the ROTO but we do not have a number? Is this the same as the UKPRN number? Please provide your UKPRN again as confirmation that you are on ROTO in this section. 70) How would we register to be a member of the Skills Bank Framework please? You will need to complete the ITT and tender bid template. These can be find using this link 71) Has a revised version of the ITT spreadsheet been issued and if so please could you share the link to that revised document? (There is a problem with the original Tender Bid Template in relation to Q4.1 (OFSTED rating) which does not permit the responder to insert an Ofsted grade AND a date of the most recent inspection). Yes, version 2 of the tender bid template can be found at this link The issue with Q4.1 has been rectified in this version. 72) QC.6 Please can you confirm whether the attached (commercial in confidence) Health and Safety documents are sufficient to answer the question re: relevant Health & Safety certificates (linked to Q2). The guidance states to achieve a pass you must submit in the required format and signed, otherwise fail We are unable to score evidence requirements prior to the closing of the tender and full submission of required documentation. However, as way of clarification, we require a copies of relevant organisational level certification or accreditation for example ISO. Where a company does not have any certification or accreditation, a copy of their Health and Safety Policy should be provided. 73) Do you have a copy of the template of questions that employers will be asked reference online eligibility? We are unable to provide this information at this time. Please note however, normal funding rules apply with regards to SFA and ESF funding.

11 74) Will there be a % search on words for employers to choose courses or units that they require to meet their skills needs? Tagging of courses will be enabled on the course catalogue to enable key word searched to take place. 75) You mentioned that for employers who may wish to have longer courses that there could be staged payments will this be the case? This will be decided on a deal by deal basis. Where courses are over a prolonged period of time, staged payments will be considered. 76) Will there be windows to change course offer and prices or will the provider be given a log on to change at their convenience? We will encourage providers to update the course catalogue regularly. Providers will be able to log into the portal to do so. 77) Can we respond to the tender in our own right as well as being a sub-contractor in someone else's tender application? Yes, a tenderer can bid in their own right as well as being a sub-contractor in someone else's tender application. However, if the tenderer was successful on both applications, they would have demonstrate capacity to deliver on both contracts, that there was no conflict of interest and that the daily rates were consistent both contracts. 78) Are all qualifications and levels available for funding via this route e.g. would an individual who is over 24 years of age be able to complete a Level 3 qualification? Different funding streams allow for different eligibility of learners. As such each decision relating to a Skills Deal will be made on a case by case basis. 79) What documentation needs to be completed? Will this be similar to an Individual Learner Record? Full guidance will be provided to all providers on the framework. An ILR does need to be submitted so this information will be required. 80) Could you please confirm if non-accredited courses would be funded/cofunded? (The course catalogue lends itself to only accredited QCF units/qualifications). At the Bidders meeting earlier in the week I am sure it was mentioned that non-accredited training courses would be eligible. Non SFA accredited courses will be considered for Skills Deals. Appropriate national and /or industry accredited courses / qualifications should be used along with their associated costs. 81) The ITT states that we have to complete the first paragraph of the NDA wig name and consonant number. Therefore we will require an editable version A hard copy should be signed and returned in line with the guidance in the ITT. A version of the NDA with blank spaces has been uploaded to the webpage. 82) Am I correct in thinking that for the skills bank I would only need to respond to the due diligence element which would get my company on the register rather than

12 the capability element which would allow me to bid directly for SFA contracts (which we are not interested in doing). The Skills Bank requirement is that the provider is on ROTO. There are no further stipulations with regards to SFA contracts for this tender. 83) Section 1.4 states that Where the Bidder relies on the capability and/or capacity of other entities (e.g. proposed subcontractors and/or consortium partners), they must make this clear in their tender submission, indicating where this is the case and clearly explaining their role. can you please advise where this detail should be included within the ITT template? Also, how and when should bidders obtain written consent from PwC to subcontract as detailed in Section 4.4? The detail relating to the capability and/or capacity should be included the responses to Q4.1-Q5. Written consent will be required during the contracting stage. 84) For the course catalogue all information in the template must be included if a course is not accredited it won t have a QCF value so how do we answer this within the template? N/A? Yes, where a QCF value is not applicable, you should mark N/A 85) For online courses which are delivered on a 1-1 basis how can we enter a price for and 20+ learners? These price brackets indicate price per learner, if the price will be the same regardless of the number of learners who may undertake the training, this should be reflected in these columns 86) T&C s 5 Intellectual Property how does this clause apply to our own online courses for which we own the IP? These Terms and Conditions are a 'flow-down' of the terms and conditions set out by the Skills Funding Agency, they indicate that we will own the intellectual property for anything created under this agreement. 87) Can we invoice the employer prior to the course starting? Yes, employer contributions should be collected before training commences. 88) Can we invoice any portion of the training at the start of the course e.g. a start payment? With regards to invoicing for the Skills Bank element of payment, this will be decided on a deal by deal basis. 89) Schedule 1-11 states if a Learner does not attend and complete a Skills Bank Course, no payment shall be made from the Grant attributable to that Learner. Given this clause, if a learner changes their mind and withdraws partway through the course and fails to complete the training can still invoice the Skills bank or /and the employer for training undertaken? The process for non-completion will be determined on a deal by deal basis. Please note however that rules surrounding clawback do apply as this is public funding.

13 90) What happens if a learner is on course then leaves the employer for whatever reason, can they complete the course and can we still invoice the employer and skills bank or must they withdraw? The process for non-completion will be determined on a deal by deal basis. Please note however that rules surrounding clawback do apply as this is public funding. 91) If a learner fails to pass the examination at the end of the course can we still invoice the Skills Bank for the training supplied? The process for non-completion will be determined on a deal by deal basis. Please note however that rules surrounding clawback do apply as this is public funding. 92) Are we paid quarterly or at the end of the course? This will be determined on a deal by deal basis depending on the course. 93) Could you please clarify what information is required for the robust financial standing point. Full explanations of what is required are provided in the tender bid template. 94) Also, do NDA s need signing before the deadline 14th March or is this upon contract award? Yes, the requirements regarding the completion and return of the NDA are stipulated in the ITT document. 95) If a training provider is outside the SCR area and are able to develop skills that are required by the employer are they able to submit a tender to be on the framework. Yes this is permissible. 96) We have applied to be on ROTO during the current window with the SFA but won t hear the outcome till May. Do you have to be on ROTO at the time of the submission to PwC? We require all organisations to be on the Register of Training Organisations. If you are not currently on ROTO then you will be ineligible to bid at this time. 97) If you could provide more information about the national benchmark that would be much appreciated. Information around where to find information on the national benchmarks is included in the ITT document. If you have specific questions, these should be submitted via to this address. 98) I attended the Skills Bank Bidders Day last week and I m still a bit unsure as to whether we, if successful, could sub-contract to a smaller company who were not on the RoTO? The initial answer was yes but then it got a little confusing. Can you please confirm? It is up to the prime contractor to ensure the quality and value for money of all training delivered, this includes any potential supply chain they choose to use.

14 99) I have been asked if an employer wishes to improve their employees English and Maths, would this be funded? Details of individual courses will not be provided at this time. 100) Can NVQs be submitted in the catalogue of training products? You may add any courses that you see as being fit for the delivery of this project. 101) Does the course catalogue apply to HEI provision? Yes, all providers need to complete the catalogue 102) If yes to question 1, does this indicate the number of credits on the basis of 1 credit = 10 hours learning or is it just the QCF level, i.e. 3 or 4? The QCF value relates to the number of credits. 103) If it is the former, what are the implications arising out of the recent After the QCF: a new qualifications framework consultation that indicates qualifications must have a size, expressed in terms of Total Qualification Time (TQT)? The course catalogue will be refreshed on an ongoing basis in order to allow providers to best reflect information in line with current policy and qualification types 104) Can we deliver these on behalf of qualifications under the Skills Bank funding, or is it just those that we as an organisation are approved to deliver ourselves? YES this is permissible, however, if the tenderer was successful you would need to ensure the quality of all courses offered. You will also need to be able to demonstrate capacity to deliver on all courses offered, and that the daily rates are consistent for all parties offering this course. 105) In the event the contract is terminated with 30 days notice, can we recover our costs? Costs are associated to individual Skills Deals and as such decisions relating to Skills Deals will be made on a case by case basis. 106) Who would lead on employer engagement, would it be PwC or ourselves? The Skills Bank will lead on employer engagement. 107) Can we tender for these unitised programmes as well as full NVQ diplomas? Yes, individual components and modules can be offered 108) Can we enter Health and Safety and compliance qualifications onto the framework Eligibility of all qualifications will be assessed on a case by case basis. Please note that qualifications pertaining to legal compliance will only be eligible in exceptional cases.