Jobcentre Plus Support Contract PQQ results released

I don't know this one, but suspect it's lurking in the ITT or PQQ documentation. I'm way too overloaded catching up on conference coverage to go through it now, but it would be very odd to remove the job outcome payment that was sitting in the Programme Centre model. Anyone else?

The ITT packs haven't been released on the DWP website, presumably to stop people from accidentally bidding when they haven't passed PQQ. It would be handy to see them - the FND ones were released after all.

100% service fee, as discussed above. Don't know if this means a flat monthly fee, a profile payment based on predicted starts, or payment per actual start. I'll get in touch with the procurement manager and ask if they can publish or send the ITT pack, with warnings / read only status and anything else that will help people to realise it's for PQQ winners only.

Update 30/6 - The DWP have sent through the specification from the ITT. That's the only part they're planning to make public. I'll put up a page describing the different services at some point, but for now I've attached it at the bottom of the original story (above this).

It looks like they're creating a new section of the site for JCP Support Contracts, and the reason the links aren't working is that it's still in progress. I wouldn't draw too much from it just yet.

I've switched a couple of comments round here, to keep the discussion of fraud from spilling over into this topic as well. I've asked Angus Knight and i2i for clarification on the above point, but in the meantime suggest that like all things on the internet you take the discussions here with a pinch of salt.

Well, it took over three weeks from the initial allegation above to the email reproduced here, but i2i have confirmed to their subcontractors that they've withdrawn from the joint Support Contract bidding:

From: Matthew Gore (Managing Director i2i)

To: All Partners of i2i

Date: July 30th 2009

Subject: i2i & Angus Knight SPV for DWP JCP Support Contract 2009

Concerning Areas
1. Birmingham & Solihull
2. Black Country
4. Coventry & Warwickshire; Marches; Staffs
8. Leicestershire & Northampton
9. Nottinghamshire
12. South Yorkshire; Derbyshire

It is with deep regret that I am writing to inform you that i2i & Angus Knight have withdrawn from the DWP JCP Support Contract 2009 Competition on the afternoon of July 30th 2009 in the six areas shown above.

This decision was made in entirety by the board of Angus Knight Pty Ltd.

I would like to thank you for your overwhelming support and commitment to the partnership and offer my sincere apologies that you find yourself along with i2i in this difficult situation.

We would very much like to continue our relationship with you and as such will be contacting you directly to discuss. Should you require any further information then please do not hesitate to contact me directly at our York Head Office on [removed]

Note that this does not mention the i2i-only bid in '22. Cumbria and Lancs', which is presumably still going ahead.

There's probably been some fairly complex stuff going on behind the scenes, but it may be that the withdrawal of Angus Knight made it contractually impossible to continue with bidding - the DWP would be unlikely to regard i2i alone as being the same entity as i2i plus Angus Knight, so the PQQ passes would be invalid. I haven't had much luck getting in touch with Angus Knight or i2i today, but will update this if they've any further comment.

Yup, there's no compulsion on bidders to submit an ITT, although the DWP does ask them to send in a letter confirming their withdrawal. All of the areas in which i2i and Angus Knight were shortlisted had a fair few other bidders, and the DWP normally claims that PQQ passes are absolute rather than comparative in any case, so my guess is that it's unlikely anyone else will replace them on the shortlist.