FND phase 2 shortlists have been published

The DWP have published the FND phase 2 shortlist and specification. Both documents are available as (Crown copyright) pdf attachments at the bottom of the story. The major points are:

• A very high number of PQQ passes in each area, with between 10 and 23 bidders at ITT stage instead of the 5-10ish of previous rounds. Apparently, bidders have been given some kind of limit on the number of contracts they can bid for or be awarded, so this number may end up lower when it comes to bids submitted
• The entire FND2 bid process is in doubt, as the Conservatives have promised to cancel FND2 and replace it with the Work Programme. The Work Programme is probably impossible to implement immediately in any case, but the FND2 has significant leeway to be 'flexed' into a new shape, both because of the number of bidders, and because the specification allows delivery requirements to be changed
• A standard application template for use by potential subcontractors when sending details to primes. This won't make the in-depth phase of subcontracting much easier (in fact, the increased room for responses may increase the amount of material required from subcontractors by primes), but it will make it a lot quicker to send initial sifting information to multiple primes

New entrants

Tons of new entrants have popped up, some of whom are surprisingly specialised.

• Multi-area entrants - Autism Plus, Balfour Beatty, Barnun, PeopleServe, C-Employment, Community Links, EAGA, EDS, G4S, i2i, JHP Group, Manchester Solutions, Mancom, Sarina Russo, TBG, Triage, Vertex and Wise CDG (an SPV of Wise Group and CDG)
• Single area entrants - Armstrong Learning, BEST, CCP, Cheshire Training Associates, Into Work Glasgow (led by Wise Group), Kennedy Scott, Links In 2 Work (led by Working Links), MBW Training Services, Opus (led by Acton Training Centre), Paragon International Concord (led by Twin Training), Regenerate (led by Glasgow South West Regeneration Agency), St. Helens Chamber, Standguide, Twin Training, Wise Ability, and Working Progress

Back for more

Many of the most familiar names are represented in both phases 1 and 2 - A4e, Calder, CDG, ESG, Manpower, Pertemps (PPDG), Prospects, Reed in Partnership, Remploy, Seetec, Serco, Shaw Trust, Skills Training UK, TNG, Wise Group, Ingeus (formerly WorkDirections), and Working Links are all present and correct.

Rebrands

A number of providers have changed name in the gap between FND1 and FND2:

• Mentor have changed to FourstaR
• WorkDirections have changed to Ingeus
• TWL Training's sister company Intraining has taken over bidding duties
• Max Employment in FND1 has become Maximus in FND2
• Pinnacle PSG have passed on bidding to Pinnacle People

Leavers

• Mystery guests - GSL, Reliance Secure Task Management, and Re: Gen all vanished without trace after phase 1, although it's far from certain that they even submitted bids in the end. Re: Gen was a trading name for Amey, another of the large public services providers
• Local providers - Dudley MBC, Silex, Birmingham Faith in Action, Connexions Staffordshire, and DASH Training are all focused on delivering in phase 1 areas, making their absence in phase 2 unsurprising. It's worth noting that DASH Training became part of Cardiff ITEC Training after phase 1
• RBLI are not involved this time, after withdrawing from their Kent, Surrey and Sussex bid in FND1
• Peabody Trust aren't in the second round, and only bid for Central London in FND1

The bid process

The final tenders are due for submission in the first week of January. The bid format and questions are roughly the same as in previous rounds. Bravosolution's e-tendering system is being used rather than physical submission of bids, with each question being submitted as a Word document rather than the previously favoured e-tendering approach of entering text in a very small box with a miniscule character limit. The responses actually have much higher page limits than previously, presumably to allow more room for subcontractor details.