Vocational Education and Training Provision
Vocational education and training (VET) plays a key role in developing skilled workers. Effective procurement practices help ensure high-quality VET programmes that meet industry needs.
VET programmes offer practical skills training for specific careers. They include apprenticeships, work-based learning, and courses at further education colleges.
Key education and training providers are:
- Further education colleges
- Private training organisations
- Employers offering apprenticeships
Training qualifications range from entry-level certificates to higher national diplomas. Popular fields include construction, healthcare, and IT. The government funds many VET courses, with additional support from employers. Quality assurance is crucial! Ofsted inspects training providers to ensure high standards. Awarding bodies like City & Guilds oversee qualifications.
Within a tender submission you need to make it very clear why you are the best option for any buyer. This often comes down to win themes.
Why is VET so important?
Many UK VET contracts focus on employability for underrepresented or disadvantaged groups, such as young people, long-term unemployed individuals, or those facing barriers to work. Securing these contracts enables you to make a positive social impact by reaching more learners and supporting them on pathways to meaningful employment. This not only boosts the quality of jobseekers, but provides an economic boost by securing full-time work in place of social support structures.
In terms if industry-specific benefits, the opportunity to broaden your learner base may also open doors to other community initiatives and funding, enabling your organisation to grow its presence and influence organically!
How to Win Vocational Educational & Training Tenders
Bid research
First, you’ll want to know where to find relevant opportunities. Our software, Tender Pipeline is the perfect tool for researching and selecting tender opportunities in all industries, including VET. It’s worth setting up alerts on the system, using our filter system. This way, you'll be notified of any opportunities that fit your criteria and you can move quickly when a relevant opportunity comes up. Use targeted keywords in your searches—terms like “vocational training,” “apprenticeships,” or “skills development”—to ensure you’re picking up on all the potential leads.
Check the terms and specification
When you find a tender that interests you it's important to have a structure and not charge ahead. Read through the specifications carefully to make sure your training can meet their specific needs. Often, clients will include details about the types of learners they’re targeting, the outcomes they want to achieve, and any delivery constraints. The evaluation criteria are also key here, as they reveal what the client values most—this could be experience, innovative delivery methods, or simply competitive pricing. Pay close attention to these, as your application should clearly reflect how you meet these requirements. Eligibility is also important; some tenders require specific accreditations or experience, so be sure you qualify or consider partnerships with providers who do.
Bid writing - developing tender and framework responses
When it comes to writing the tender itself, follow the format closely. Stick to any word limits and make sure your points are clear and concise.
Plain language is usually best, avoid jargon and write in a way that speaks directly to the client’s priorities. Use headings and structured sections where possible, as this will make your submission easy to read. It’s also important to provide evidence for any claims you make
If you’ve achieved high learner satisfaction rates or strong employment outcomes, include that data to support your claims. And don’t skip proofreading — submissions with typos or unclear sections can make a poor impression, so check everything carefully.
Thornton & Lowe is a highly successful bid management consultancy, providing a range of bid writing services. If you need a bid writing quote or advice, please contact us today.
Speak to an expert!
Contact usSuccessful Bid Writing Clients
As a training provider, finding new income streams is absolutely vital. It's how you fund better education, groundbreaking research, and future growth. One brilliant way to bring in extra cash is by bidding training and education tenders.
The thing is, when you go for these tenders, they are competitive, and you need to ensure both your pricing and bid response maximises the scores available. It can be tough for new to procurement and tender management, and you need solid systems in place to really compete, as well as working efficiently.
That's where our bid writing courses come in. We've worked with loads of colleges and universities, as well as private training providers, helping them boost their bidding skills and win more tenders.
Take Barking & Dagenham College, Bradford College, and Coventry College - they've all come to us to sharpen their bid writing. Dudley College of Technology, Leeds City College, and Leicester College have sat in our classrooms too!
New College Stamford, Northbrook College, and Solihull College & University Centre? Yep, they've learned from us. Sussex University - also yes! And the University of Lincoln.
Our courses and bid writing support are all about giving you practical skills that you can actually use in the real world of tendering. We'll teach you the ins and outs of procurement, show you how to manage the whole tender process, and give you the tools you need to create winning bids.
Bid Writing Courses for Education & Training Providers
“Training was excellent. Really enjoyed the day. We've since been successful with sizeable contract. The bid adopted many features picked up in the training Charles delivered a few weeks ago!” Sarah Notman, Programme Manager, Trinity College London
“Training was excellent. Really enjoyed the day. We've since been successful with sizeable contract. The bid adopted many features picked up in the training Charles delivered a few weeks ago!” Allan Milne, Head of Work Based Learning, Salford City College
“I feel like I have learned a lot today and can put ideas in to practice” Linda O'Donnell, Head of Business Development, Shipley College
“I attended the 2 day bid writing masterclass in Jan 2020. The course was very useful and provided a great insight into the world of bidding. The structure of the course included both interactive and practical activities which helped me better understand how to write a more compelling bid. Charles's knowledge and experience in bidding was shown throughout the course and he was always up for a laugh which made the course feel very relaxed. Thank you Charles!” Leon Khan, Bid Writer, Bradford College
For full details see our bid writing courses page.
What Makes Your Training Service Different?
One of the best ways to stand out in a competitive tender process is to clearly showcase your unique value. In your proposal, articulate what differentiates your training programme from others, such as innovative methods or equipment, industry-relevant qualifications, or partnerships with local employers or employment agencies. You can also mention any existing training contracts or frameworks to bolster your credibility!
Unique aspects could also include your approach to blended or online learning, mentorship, or soft skill development. Make it clear how your unique methods contribute to better learner outcomes, which ultimately helps the contracting organisation achieve its own objectives - always keep this in mind.
A focus on outcomes and impact with the buyer
An outcome-focused approach is especially valued in UK VET tenders, where impact and measurable results often carry significant weight in the evaluation process. When preparing your proposal, outline not only your approach to training delivery but also how you will track, measure, and report learner outcomes.
Some tenders may specify metrics like progression into employment, learner satisfaction, or qualification attainment, so it’s beneficial to mention any systems or tools you use to monitor these areas. Including details on past performance metrics, such as the percentage of learners who gained employment post-training, can make your proposal more compelling and trustworthy.
Bid Writing Tips for Training and Education Tenders
Start with compliance
Compliance is an essential element of your education tender responses and should form a theme throughout the whole bid and your approach to tendering. It comes down to following their instructions. Use the tender documents as a tool to create a bid compliance framework! This can be used to draft tender responses, as well as your bid review process.
It’s important to demonstrate (and back up with examples!) that your training programmes meet UK compliance and quality standards. UK education contracts often require providers to comply with Ofsted or other regulatory bodies' standards, meet apprenticeship frameworks, or hold certifications relevant to the field.
Highlighting your compliance with these standards assures evaluators that you uphold best practices and regulatory requirements. When possible, include evidence such as inspection reports, quality assurance frameworks, or references to your adherence to vocational training standards.
Innovation is still a must
Vocational education and training tenders often bring opportunities for innovation and development within your organisation. With contract funding, you may be able to invest in areas like digital training platforms, virtual learning environments, or advanced tools and equipment.
Many VET contracts encourage providers to implement creative solutions that enhance learner engagement and outcomes, giving you room to pilot new ideas and improve your programme offerings. Investing in such innovations helps you remain competitive and adaptable to the changing educational landscape. Your social value tender responses are also another area to bring innovation and set your organisation apart!
Next Steps
With thorough preparation, a clear strategy, and a focus on outcomes, your organisation can position itself as a strong candidate to education and training contracts!
As a provider of training ourselves, we are well-versed in the planning, preparation and delivery of Vocational Educational & Training bids. If you would like to discuss how Thornton & Lowe can help you to win your next tender, get in touch using the contact form
