Skills Funding Agency: changes to the provider registration process
In order to simplify the existing procurement arrangements the Skills Funding Agency is introducing an Approved College and Training Organisation Register (ACTOR) to replace the current Qualified Provider Framework (QPF).
ACTOR will simplify the previous provider registration process employed by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) with a single stage process with fewer questions, which will all be closed, multiple-choice questions that would have been part of the ITT stage. This means that organisations will have a more streamlined process to go through in order to be considered for funding and that, once organisations are registered on ACTOR, they can be considered for new contracted provision without the need for individual tenders.
All providers that are registered on the QPF on 10 September 2010 will be automatically migrated onto ACTOR.
What do organisations need to do:
Providers who have been told that they were successfully registered on the QPF and have refreshed their pre-qualifying documents via the Skills Funding Agency’s e-tendering portal since 11 September 2009 need do nothing until after ACTOR goes live during October 2010.
Providers who hold contracts with the Skills Funding Agency but have never been registered on the QPF need do nothing until after ACTOR goes live during October 2010.
Providers currently successfully registered on the QPF that have not refreshed their pre-qualifying documents via the Skills Funding Agency’s e-tendering portal since 11 September 2009 should do so before 10 September 2010. If these providers do not refresh their details, then they cannot be automatically migrated across to ACTOR and will then have to complete the full ACTOR application.
To access the the Skills Funding Agency eTendering Portal please visit: https://lsc.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.shtml
For instructions on responding to the Skills Funding Agency Procurement opportunities please visit: https://lsc.bravosolution.co.uk/web/help.htm
Once ACTOR is available, all providers migrated to ACTOR will be expected to enter ACTOR before 31 December 2010 and respond to questions regarding the programmes and provision for which they wish to be considered for funding.
Organisations that have previously been unsuccessful in their application for registration on the QPF should wait until the launch of ACTOR in October 2010. At this time they will have the opportunity to respond to the new questionnaires covering the areas in which they wish to be considered for funding. When answering these questions they should ensure that they pay attention to the details supplied in their debrief note explaining why they previously failed.
Organisations that have previously never sought funding from the Skills Funding Agency should wait until ACTOR is launched in October 2010. At this time they will have the opportunity to respond to the new questionnaires covering the areas in which they wish to be considered for funding.
If you have any queries about the content of the email above, please get in touch with a member of the European Team at North West Network.
North West Network, 2nd Floor, Albert House, 17 Bloom Street, Manchester, M1 3HZ
Tel: 0161 236 6493, Fax: 0101 228 6137, info@nwnetwork.org.uk, www.nwnetwork.org.uk
