The client

Novus, a leading prison education provider, joined forces with Gower College Swansea to form Novus-Gower – a joint venture delivering high-quality education and skills services across custody settings in Wales. Novus-Gower reached out to 50 Degrees for solution design and bid writing support following the launch of a competitive procurement to deliver learning and skills services at HMP Parc. One of the largest and most complex custodial facilities in Wales, HMP Parc presented an opportunity for Novus-Gower to grow its influence within the prison education sector.

The challenge

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) set ambitious expectations for the procurement at HMP Parc, demanding a fully outcomes-led approach, continuity of provision, and seamless integration between education, rehabilitation, and resettlement. Bidders were required to participate in a structured dialogue process and demonstrate clear innovation, value for money, and adaptability across all aspects of the service model – including the critical Employers and Learning Partnership Services (ePLS) strand.

What we did

50 Degrees provided end-to-end bid support to Novus-Gower, acting as a trusted partner across key phases of the procurement. This included:

Solution Design and Development: engaging with subject matter experts (SMEs) within Novus and Gower College Swansea to gather insights into potential service innovations and co-develop a compelling solution tailored to HMP Parc’s complex population and resettlement needs. This included designing a new, joined-up curriculum which focused on employer engagement, progression pathways, and community integration

Dialogue Preparation and Support: developing engaging presentation materials and attending key sessions with MoJ to help guide the conversation. We worked closely with Novus-Gower’s team to prepare them for competitive dialogue, supporting them to better articulate their strategic vision and respond to commissioner priorities with clarity and precision

Bid Writing: crafting top-scoring narrative responses which accurately captured the strength of Novus-Gower’s partnership, their innovative approach to ePLS and the curriculum, and their alignment with MoJ’s long-term education and rehabilitation aims