Turing Scheme

(asked on 31st January 2022) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential disruption to student mobilities as a result of Capita taking over the delivery of the Turing Scheme mid-way through the academic year 2021-22 starting in April 2022.


Answered by
Alex Burghart Portrait
Alex Burghart
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
This question was answered on 7th February 2022

The first year of the Turing Scheme is currently being delivered by the British Council and Ecorys under contractual arrangements that expire on 31 March 2022. A competitive procurement exercise was necessary to appoint a delivery partner for the remainder of the first year and for the second year of the programme. Capita has been appointed as the supplier to administer the completion of the first year of the Turing Scheme from April 2022 and the second year of the scheme until December 2023.

Bids for the Turing Scheme contract were evaluated on the answers to questions relating to quality and social value, compliance with a range of financial and corporate information tests, and cost. Bids were reviewed by a panel with knowledge relevant to the services required. Scores were moderated and weighted in line with the published evaluation model. The outcome of the panel review was taken to the Turing Scheme Procurement Board, and they approved the recommended outcome. Capita received the highest overall score and provided the best plan to continue opportunities for students to study and work abroad.

The costs for delivery of the contract have been agreed between Capita and the department. The use of continuous improvement is for the purpose of looking at how services can be improved without undermining Capita’s performance of the contract. It is common practice to consider how service improvements can improve service delivery efficiencies and where there are cost benefits of doing so, value for money will always be evaluated.

The department is currently working closely with the British Council, Ecorys and Capita to transfer all existing Turing Scheme projects granted funding and minimise any potential impact to the delivery of the first year of the programme. Until 1 April 2022, the British Council and Ecorys will continue to administer the scheme and will provide ongoing support for activities.

Beneficiaries will be contacted directly about next steps regarding ongoing support of their activities and should continue to communicate through the sector-specific helpdesk service if guidance or assistance is required.

We are confident that Capita have the capacity and skills to deliver the Turing Scheme. They have more than 35 years’ experience of supporting more than 180 local authorities and 21,000 schools, as well as being one of the largest IT providers to the UK education system. They will combine their capabilities in digital grants management, education, and complex programme management to deliver opportunities for students to study and work abroad.

In addition to preparations to transfer delivery of the first year of the Turing Scheme, the department is in continuous contact with Capita to plan for and receive updates on preparations for a successful launch of bids for the second year. I also personally met with Capita on Thursday 27 January, and they have assured me they are well prepared to administer the programme.

For the evaluation of the first year of the Turing Scheme, the department appointed IFF Research as its evaluation partner on 18 November 2021. Information regarding the appointment is available on the contracts finder service on GOV.UK at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/e4fc6e5f-13d3-4d01-a815-27a18ebe6a88.

In response to the buyer’s research board, the evaluation process and the data which will be required to support it has been approved by the research board and by the data protection team. The individual members of the research board are subject to data protection legislation and as such individual names cannot be released.

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