How to win: Executive Mayor’s Employment Fund (MEF)

About this contract

Croydon continues to experience above-average unemployment and persistent economic inactivity, despite being home to one of the largest working-age populations in London. The borough’s labour market is characterised by high youth unemployment in certain wards, concentrations of low-paid and insecure work, a significant proportion of residents with long-term health conditions, and marked inequalities in access to opportunity by geography, ethnicity, gender and disability. The MEF has been designed to respond to these challenges by investing in programmes that help residents to move into, remain in and progress within good work. The Fund is aligned with the Council’s emerging Employment and Skills Plan and Adult Education Skills Plan, which set out a long-term strategy for mapping the journey from learning to earning, identifying gaps in progression, and strengthening cross-sector partnerships to reduce economic inactivity and improve access to training, qualifications and meaningful work. The MEF also supports the Mayor’s Business Plan Outcome 2, which is that Croydon should be a place of opportunity for business, earning and learning. The purpose of the MEF is to support Croydon

How to win contracts like this

• ✓Answer against the marking scheme, not the question text — London Borough of Croydon scores each response, so map your evidence to the published criteria and weightings.
• ✓At £950,000, expect quality and social value to carry a large share of the score — price alone rarely wins services work.
• ✓Show recent, comparable delivery: name similar services contracts you've delivered for public bodies, with measurable outcomes.
• ✓Start early: it closes 11 September 2026 and a strong bid takes iteration.

BidWriter drafts your responses from your company profile, scores them against the marking scheme, and tracks your whole pipeline. Free to start — no card needed.

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