Clarifications

As this is message you are receiving is a technical question regarding the DPS platform, please contact our Service Provider (support@nqc.com) for assistance.

Yes, the guidance states 'Contracts for supplies or services should have been performed during the past three years. Works contracts may be from the past five years.' and does not specify the contracts have to have completed.

Yes. Although, please see 'RM6219 - DPS Joint Schedule 1 - Definitions v1.0' for "Subcontractor" and "Key Subcontractor" respectively to determine which is applicable to the circumstance. Where concerning a "Key Subcontractor" please see 'RM6219 - DPS Joint Schedule 6 - Key Subcontractors v1.0'.

It is unclear what this relates to. Please clarify if this is relating to financial assessment, proof of performance, capacity, etc.

Please select 'yes' and proceed without uploading evidence. You will be contacted by the DPS Onboarding Team due to not providing the certificate. You can then outline you are in the process of obtaining a CE certificate, and the DPS Onboarding Team will await the receipt until appointing your organisation if your application is successful.

Product Liability cover is not mandatory for appointment to the RM6219 Learning and Training Services DPS. You can safely answer "No" to Question 143 (Product Liability Insurance) within Part 3 of the standard Selection Questionnaire (SQ) without risking rejection or failing your application.

Referring to the guidance tab in Attachment 1f, the following is stated: 'You must complete a new Pricing Matrix for each Learning Category you are able to deliver Standard Off The Shelf Courses for'.

Yes, this is within the scope of the RM6219 DPS. Best practice would be to issue a Capability Assessment (see documents for template) to ensure the suppliers invited to tender have the appropriate capability to provide the service required.

Equivalents can be assessed on a case-by-case basis, but they need to cover all 5 of the controls covered by Cyber Essentials. Minimum insurances need to be in place in order to be appointed onto the DPS.

For queries relating to specific requirements / procurements ran by individual Contracting Authorities / "Buyers", you will need to contact them directly. GCA does not have sight of all procurements are Contracting Authorities / "Buyers" can use their own organisation's e-procurement tool to undertake procurements.

The relevant schedule for this question is DPS Schedule 9 covering Cyber Essentials. Para 2.5: "The Supplier shall ensure that all Sub-Contracts with Subcontractors who Process Cyber Essentials Scheme Data contain provisions no less onerous on the Subcontractors than those imposed on the Supplier under this Contract in respect of the Cyber Essentials Scheme under Paragraph 2.1 of this Schedule." Essentially, if subcontractors process data that is relevant to the cyber essentials scheme using their own systems, they would need their own CE certificate. If a trainer is using your own systems following your own data security processes, and their use is included in your CE application and certificate, then they would be covered under your CE certificate.

From looking at the Selection Questionnaire and DPS Questionnaire, there isn't a question about complaints handling, although it is a requirement of the services delivered through call-off contracts under the DPS agreement. The documents referred to above state that buyers can agree to a different complaints requirements. So you should be able to apply and if needed ask buyers to agree to different complaints requirements at the call-off stage.

This commercial agreement is for public sector organisations to use. Any subcontracting opportunities would be conducted by suppliers using their own processes.

If subcontractors change while a supplier is appointed, you can inform CCS of these changes. "Attachment 4 - RM6219 Additional Sub-Contractor(s)" can be used to input additional subcontractors, which is accessed from the bid pack.

We can see your company has progressed to the next section.

There is no deadline for the selection questionnaire to be completed, suppliers can join the DPS at any time before the expiry date of 27th October 2028.

The learning categories are broad category / subject headings to help buyers shortlist their potential training needs. You can review the learning categories on the RM6219 webpage to help select which your training best suits under.

The evidence upload questions only apply upon request. Some or all may be requested if a supplier doesn't meet the D&B Threshold of 50. More information would be provided if evidence is requested.

Yes - that's correct, and it refers to the D&B failure score.

As detailed in the "Read First" document in the Bid pack, you are only required to upload/provide these documents when requested.