Our work with subcontractors

Liverpool John Moores University engages with subcontractors in certain subject areas to ensure that apprenticeship programmes suit the needs of the apprentice, the employer and, where appropriate, professional and regulatory bodies.

The University works with subcontractors in cases where additional training providers and/or employer-providers have expertise that will enhance the delivery of the apprentice's training and apprentice experience.

When acting as the main provider within an apprenticeship, the University will provide governance and quality assurance for all delivery under the apprenticeship, and hold the contractual and financial relationships with the employer and the ESFA.

The assessment and approval of any apprenticeship subcontractors is managed via the University's Quality Management Processes and Academic Framework. In line with ESFA guidance, specific apprenticeship subcontracting legal agreements are used. These processes ensure that the university conducts due diligence with all potential delivery subcontractors and that robust contractual arrangements are in place to ensure high quality delivery that meets the expectations of all parties.

The use of delivery subcontractors is agreed with apprentice employers prior to the commencement of the apprenticeship programme, and is captured in the training services agreement. The training services agreement documents the elements of the apprenticeship delivered by the agreed subcontractor(s) and provides transparency as to the costs of the subcontracted delivery. These records are available for review by the ESFA as required.

The use of delivery subcontractors, and the value of each subcontract, is reported by the University in line with ESFA guidance.

Where any element of the programme is subcontracted to the employer or another provider, they must be either a Main Provider on ESFA’s Register of Apprentice Training Providers, or a registered Employer Provider.

In all these cases, the decision to subcontract will be discussed with the employer before entering into a subcontract arrangement and will be recorded in the legal contract for services with the employer. In line with ESFA funding rules, the University will submit a subcontractor use declaration to ESFA at least twice each year summarising the value of any sub-contracted provision paid for in the previous period. The University will also publish a summary of payments made to subcontractors in the previous year on its website each year.

The university subcontracts to Merseyside Police as part of the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship. The charges made under this subcontract are notified to the ESFA. The university does not retain any fees under this subcontract that re not directly related to the delivery of training and assessment. The University normally retains a maximum of 20% of funding delivered through subcontractors for a standard subcontracting agreement. This retention is calculated to cover day-to-day management of subcontracted delivery, monitoring of apprentice progress, collecting and updating due diligence, ensuring audit compliance, dealing with partner queries, coordinating self-assessment processes, quality and compliance monitoring, as well as other similar services as needed. The University will assess each sub-contractor prior to any agreement with that sub-contractor and an open rationale will be used to determine the level of management fee retained by the University.

Payment to Employer Providers will be made to cover direct costs only as required in the ESFA funding rules. Employers subcontracted to deliver part of an apprenticeship must evidence the direct costs of their delivery in order to claim payment. Where applicable, these payments will still be subject to a 20% charge for the management and quality assurance of the subcontracted delivery.

For further information please refer to the Apprenticeship Subcontractor Policy, or email the Degree Apprenticeships Team at degreeapprenticeships@ljmu.ac.uk.