ID 5828340 - DfE - Skills for Life and Work Programme 2025

Department for the Economy
Northern Ireland
Open procedure
15 August 2025 to 31 July 2027

Delivery of the Skills for Life and Work Programme, providing vocational training to young people to facilitate progression into further education or employment. The contract requires the provision of tailored support for participants with disabilities and mental health challenges, with specific funding ring-fenced for these requirements. The programme operates on a recruitment basis with a run-off period to accommodate training entitlements, and providers must manage participant progression pathways and partnership engagement.

Open the official notice

Awarded value: £195m; As published
Published: 19 May 2025; Find a Tender
Awarded: 14 August 2025; D.F.P.F. Ltd, Clanrye Group, NOW Project and 17 more
Contract length: 23 months; Ends 31 July 2027

What the buyer is asking for

Provision of vocational education, training, and employability support services for young people, including those with disabilities and complex learning barriers.

Lifecycle

Publishedon Find a Tender
19 May 2025
Contract awardedto D.F.P.F. Ltd, Clanrye Group, NOW Project and 17 more
14 August 2025
Contract starts
15 August 2025
Contract ends
31 July 2027

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See the NEET programmes market: prices, buyers and who wins →

The buyer

Type: Other public body
NEET programmes contracts, 24 months: 1
Open NEET programmes tenders: 0
Typical NEET programmes contract: £195m

See everything Department for the Economy buys →

How it compares

1,950× the typical NEET programmes contract (£100k).

Cite this contract

Link: https://bidskim.com/tender/321920/id-5828340-dfe-skills-for-life-and-work-programme-2025
Buyer reference: ID 5828340
Open contracting ID: ocds-h6vhtk-0517ac
Source: Find a Tender
Last checked: 12 October 2026

Department for the Economy. ID 5828340 - DfE - Skills for Life and Work Programme 2025. Contract award, 19 May 2025. BidSkim, https://bidskim.com/tender/321920/id-5828340-dfe-skills-for-life-and-work-programme-2025 (accessed 12 October 2026).