1. Regional Network Update November 2016

2. Key changes since August 2016:
Levy funding in an employer’s DAS account will now expire in 24 months
16-18 year olds – providers will now receive an additional payment equivalent to 20% of the maximum funding band cap for frameworks only on top of original incentives
Disadvantage uplifts retained for frameworks only for one year (revised and simplified system)
Disadvantage uplifts:
£600 for training on a framework for an apprentice who lives in the top 10% of deprived areas (as per the Index of Multiple Deprivation)
£300 for any apprentice who lives in the next 10% of deprived areas (the 10 – 20% range)
£200 for those in the next 7% (the 20 – 27% range)
Payments will come direct from the Government and will not be deducted from an employer’s digital account

3. Prime providers must directly deliver some element of any standard or framework but there is no longer a fixed percentage set
Organisations that only deliver sub-contracted delivery will not have to apply if the aggregated value of their delivery is less than £100,000
Parent company guarantees will now be accepted as part of financial due diligence

4. New Documents (Issued 25th October 2016)
A total of 12 documents were released as follows:
Apprenticeship funding in England from May 2017
Apprenticeship frameworks: funding bands from May 2017
Apprenticeship standards: funding bands from May 2017
Supporting quality and employer choice through a new register of apprenticeship training providers
Apprenticeship funding: how it will work
Equality analysis: apprenticeship funding policy from May 2017
Costs and behaviours in the 16 to 18 apprenticeship system: a report by Frontier Economics and CFE Research
The apprenticeship levy: how will employers respond?
Apprenticeship funding: rules and guidance for levy-paying employers
Apprenticeship funding: draft rules for employer-providers
Apprenticeship funding: draft rules for training providers
Draft apprenticeship performance management rules 2017 to 2018 

5. Maths and English
Maths and English delivery will be paid directly to the provider by the SFA - £471 for each qualification up to Level 2
Maths and English higher than Level 2 will be subject to a price negotiation with the employer, and will be funded by the employer from their DAS account or as part of their co-investment contribution as appropriate
Full guidance pages 23 – 25 (Apprenticeship Funding: draft rules for training providers)

6. End Point Assessment (EPA)
The Apprenticeship Assessment Organisation (AAO) is to be contracted by the provider, not the employer, but the employer must approve them
The AAO must be selected before the apprenticeship starts
Negotiated prices with an employer must include potential price of any retakes of exams or assessments
Full guidance see pages 25 – 26 (Apprenticeship Funding: draft rules for training providers)

7. Sub-contracting
Subcontractors to complement delivery must be agreed with the employer at the start of the apprenticeship
The main provider must directly deliver some of the apprenticeship training/and or on-programme assessment associated with each employer’s apprenticeship programme
There must be a written agreement in place with each employer where subcontractors are used
Full guidance - see pages 27 – 32 (Apprenticeship Funding: draft rules for training providers)

8. Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP)
Register will open four times per year for new applications and will be refreshed annually
For those wishing to apply to the register, please see the following further documents:
Register of apprenticeship training providers: application instructions
Find apprenticeship training: how to submit data 

9. RoATP Application overview
Register with UKRLP
To obtain a UKPRN to include on your application.
Register with ICO
Register with Information Commissioners Office (ICO) for education and training.
Register for an account on the bravo e-tendering portal
Read the registration guidance on our website.
Complete your application
SFA slide from webinar on 3rd November delivered by Samantha Rye – recording and slides available from the FA portal
Read Joining the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers – application instructions to help you.
Ensure you sense check your application and upload the right information.

10. RoATP Timeline Publication of RoATP SFA Evaluates Applications
Open for Applications
March 2017
Nov - Feb
25 October 2016
2016
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
2016
July
Today
25 November 2016
May 2017
Close for Applications
Delivery can begin
SFA slide from webinar on 3rd Nov
March 2017
Launch of RoATP
Feedback to Applicants

11. Non-levy procurement
Details of the procurement round for delivery to non-levy paying organisations after 1st May 2017 have now been released.
The exercise is now open and closes on 25th November 2016
£100k min - £5 million max on awards in this round (starts only)
You must have applied to join the RoATP at the time you submit any ITT to this round
Results will not be known until March 2017
ITT indicates that further awards during the term of the contract are possible – for this reason the SFA have told us they do not consider the £5m figure to be a cap
SFA have also told us that they intend to extend existing contracts to cover carry in- providers are therefore not required to bid for carry over

12. Procurement timeline Activity Deadline Publication of ITT
25 October 2016
Applicant briefing by narrated presentation
From 25 October 2016
Last day to send clarification messages on the e-tendering portal
5pm on 23 November 2016
PQQ 28910: Main Route - Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers closes
5pm on 25 November 2016
ITT : Apprenticeship training delivery for employers not using the digital account closes
Notification of tender results
14 March 2017
Day 1 of mandatory standstill period
Day 10 of mandatory standstill period
24 March 2017
Contracts issued from
31 March 2017
Delivery commences
01 May 2017
SFA slide from webinar on 3rd November

13. SFA e-tendering portal
This is the ONLY means by which the ITT documents can both be accessed and responded to!

14. SFA YouTube presentations:
The SFA have published on YouTube two presentations which explain the process for registration and the invitation to tender, they can be accessed using the links below:
Register of apprenticeship training providers
Invitation to tender (ITT): apprenticeship training delivery for employers without a digital account 

15. Non-levy paying employer
How the Levy will work
Government
Training Provider
Paid by SFA and balance by employer
HMRC collect levy (PAYE)
Employs Apprentice. Commits to training
Provides training to apprentice
Timely data on training
Employer views funds in digital account to spend in England
Check training is complete
If funding unlocked: Pay provider
Registers with SFA
Employer and Provider Identity Assurance
Pass data on levy payments from HMRC to BIS
Unused levy funds expire after 24 months
Receives training for apprentice
SFA draws down levy funds monthly
Offers apprenticeship training
10% Top up
Levy paying employer
Employs Apprentice. Commits to training
Receives training for apprentice
Employer pays for proportion of cost direct to training provider
SFA pays proportion to the training provider
Non-levy paying employer
Provides info via ILR to SFA that training has taken place & that employer has made contribution
SFA slide

16. Funding bands
Number
Band limit 1
£1,500 2
£2,000 3
£2,500 4
£3,000 5
£3,500 6
£4,000 7
£5,000 8
£6,000 9
£9,000 10
£12,000 11
£15,000 12
£18,000 13
£21,000 14
£24,000 15
£27,000
Every apprenticeship will be placed in a funding band The upper limit of each funding band will cap the maximum:
amount of digital funds an employer who pays the levy can use towards an individual apprenticeship.
that government will ‘co-invest’ towards, where an employer does not pay the levy or has insufficient digital funds
Employers can negotiate the best price for the training they require
If employers want to spend more than the funding band limit, using their own money, then they will be free to do that.
Funding bands do not have a lower limit.
SFA slide

17. Additional support in areas of disadvantage
Funding bands for frameworks
We will allocate each individual framework pathway to:
the nearest funding band based on the current rate of funding the government pays providers for training adult apprentices but with some extra support…
16-18 uplift
Transitional support of 20% of funding band maximum paid directly to training providers
Also applies to year olds formerly in care or have Education and Health Care plan
STEM Support
For all STEM framework pathways we will increase the current government-funded adult rate by 40% at Level 2 and 80% at Level 3 and above, and then allocate these frameworks to the nearest funding band.
SFA slide
Additional support in areas of disadvantage
Training providers receive:
An additional £600 for training an apprentice from top 10% of deprived areas, £300 for next 10% range and £200 for the next 7% range

18. Funding bands for standards
Apprenticeship standards are employer-designed and offer employers and apprentices a more robust and relevant training experience.
Recognised in the funding system by allocating higher funding bands to apprenticeship standards, relative to equivalent frameworks, where appropriate.
Existing apprenticeship standards have been allocated to new funding bands according to the following principles:
Principles
Lower cost standards should be allocated to the nearest funding band
Those standards currently assigned to the widest and highest cost funding band will be allocated to a new band within this range. Taking into account:
Actual prices employers have negotiated with providers.
Evidence from Trailblazer employers on the estimated costs eligible apprenticeship training
The funding bands set for equivalent frameworks
The level and nature of the training, and consistency across similar types of apprenticeship standard.
SFA slide

19. Funding rules Prior qualifications
Cross-border funding
Applying a single test for funding through the English system: based on whether the apprentice’s main place of employment is England.
‘Workplace’ is where the apprentice is expected to spend the majority of their time during their apprenticeship.
Prior qualifications
Now and in the future, you can train any individual to undertake an apprenticeship at a higher level than a qualification they already hold.
From May 2017, an individual can be funded to undertake an apprenticeship at the same or lower level to acquire substantive new skills
Transferring funding
During 2018 we will introduce means for employers to transfer up to 10% of the levy funds to another employer with a digital account, or to an ATA.
New employer steering group to design this system so that it meets their needs
SFA slide

20. The Digital Apprenticeship Service
NOTE
Employers who don’t pay the levy will not need to use the digital apprenticeship service to pay for apprenticeship training and assessment until at least 2018.
SFA slide

21. Future Apprenticeships Support Programme
Theme
Support
Employer engagement and business development
A package of support (two one-day workshops, a webinar and resources) to maximise opportunities and develop consultative sales skills
Organisational action planning and change management
Two one-day workshops plus follow up activities looking at team structures, skills requirements, systems and processes (including contracting and invoicing)
Delivering apprenticeship standards
Face-to-face and online support from technical subject specialists and end point assessment organisations helping to prepare staff to deliver specific standards

22. Future Apprenticeships
Theme
Support
Provider Readiness Groups (PRGs)
Self-managed PRGs for standards through the Future Apprenticeships portal
Information sharing
One day ‘everything you need to know about apprenticeships’ workshops
A series of webinars covering key policy updates
End Point Assessment
Support for individuals and organisations wanting to deliver high quality end point assessment.
A series of sector focussed professional dialogues to inform CPD materials and workshops for organisations looking to deliver end point assessment.
Innovative Apprenticeship Delivery
X 3 Masterclasses to be delivered January - March 2017

23. NEW! End Point Assessment Workshops
For organisations considering becoming an AAO or getting involved in delivering end-point assessment for apprenticeship standards and who would like the opportunity to discuss the detail, issues and opportunities to help to decide
One day workshop and follow up call with action planning – for dates and booking please click the link below:
Delegates should be in a leadership position that will allow you to understand how the opportunity to get involved with end-point assessments fits with your organisation’s strategy

24. Future Apprenticeships
More information (including dates and booking details) is available on the Future Apprenticeships website