The list of preferred bidders for the first round of Flexible New Deal contracts to provide welfare-to-work services.

“The Department of Work and Pensions has appointed a diverse mix of organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors, combining existing providers with new entrants to the UK welfare-to-work market,” said Amanda McIntyre, director of the Employment Related Services Association, which represents independent providers of welfare-to-work services.

“This should bring new approaches towards supporting people into work, so long as providers are given the freedom to innovate.”

The preferred bidders for the first round are:

• A4e  - Contract package area includes Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, Norfolk and Lincolnshire & Rutland; Central London, Lambeth Southwark & Wandsworth; North and East Yorkshire and Humber and Tees Valley; South Yorkshire and Derbyshire; Black Country
• Calder Holdings BV - Central London, Lambeth Southwark & Wandsworth
• Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council - Black Country
• Max Employment UK - Surrey, Sussex and Kent
• Mentor Employment & Skills - Birmingham and Solihull
• Pertemps People Development Group - Coventry and Warwickshire, The Marches and Staffordshire
• Remploy - South Yorkshire & Derbyshire
• Seetec - Birmingham and Solihull
• Serco - Coventry and Warwickshire, The Marches and Staffordshire; Greater Manchester Central and Greater Manchester East and West; North and Mid Wales and South East Wales
• Skills Training UK - Surrey, Sussex and Kent
• The Wise Group - Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders, Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire, Ayrshire Dumfries, Galloway and Inverclyde; Leicershire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire
• Work Directions - Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders, Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire, Ayrshire Dumfries, Galloway and Inverclyde; Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire
• Working Links - Devon and Cornwall; Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire; North and East Yorkshire and Humber and Tees Valley; South Wales Valleys and South West Wales