Solent Skills Bootcamp Framework
Framework Description
Portsmouth City Council's Solent Skills Bootcamp Framework, run on behalf of the Solent Growth Partnership, appoints training providers to deliver employer-linked Skills Bootcamps across the Solent from Level 2 to Level 5. It began with Lot 1 Hospitality and has grown through reopening waves to cover construction specialisms, welding, facilities management and AI business transformation, with Lots 22 and 23 added at the March 2026 reopening. It runs until 11 June 2033.
Context & Use Case
The council commissions bootcamps under the Skills for Life Programme, funded by the Department for Education, to fill skills gaps in growth sectors. Providers design short, practical courses with local employers, so participants move into jobs or progress in work. Because the framework reopens in waves, the council can add lots as employer demand shifts without starting a new procurement.
Scope of Services
Lot 1: Hospitality Construction specialisms Welding Facilities management AI business transformation Level 2 to Level 5 bootcamp design and delivery with employers
Lots
Lot 1 Hospitality (plus 17 further lots including Construction, Welding, Facilities Management, AI Business Transformation across Lots 19-21 added via subsequent waves)
Who Can Apply
Suits training providers and colleges that can design bootcamps with employers and deliver at Level 2 to 5 in the sectors covered. The framework reopens in waves; the March 2026 window, which invited bids for Lots 1, 19 and 21 and new Lots 22 and 23, has passed, so check the framework page for the next reopening.
Buyer Benefits
The council gets a ready pool of providers for each priority sector, so it can launch bootcamps quickly when funding or employer demand appears. Employer-linked course design means training leads to real vacancies, which is the outcome the council is paying for, and staged reopenings keep the provider base fresh.
Next Steps
Check the procurement record on Find a Tender for each wave's notices to see which lots exist and what each requires. Before the next window, line up employer partners willing to commit to interviews or jobs, build outcome data from past bootcamps or similar short courses, and map your curriculum to the levels and sectors in the lots you want.
How Athena Can Help
Skills bootcamp bids are won on employer commitment and outcomes. Athena's registration support for training providers can watch for the next Solent reopening and prepare your application, from lot selection to compliance checks.
Our training sector bid writers present employer partnerships, curriculum and progression data clearly against the scoring criteria, and our public sector bidding advice helps you decide which lots are worth bidding for and how to price each bootcamp.
