SUMMARY. Value: 4,400 including expenses and VAT

Transcription

1 INVITATION TO TENDER FOR RESEARCH AND MAPPING CONSULTANCY SERVICES FOR THE NORTHERN INCLUSION CONSORTIUM (NIC) APPLICATION TO BIG/ESF BUILDING BETTER OPPORTUNITIES TEES VALLEY TRANCHE 1 STAGE 2 BID. SUMMARY Value: 4,400 including expenses and VAT Deadline for Submission: Friday 5 th February 2016 at 1700hrs Contract Start Date: Monday 8th February 2016 Contract End Date: Thursday 31 st March 2016 at noon. INTRODUCTION The Northern Inclusion Consortium (NIC), is an established partnership of four of the North East s largest charities DISC, Groundwork, Changing Lives and Mental Health Concern. See for more information. Working with a broader set of delivery partners we bid to deliver the 8.8M Big Lottery/ESF funded Building Better Opportunities Programme in Tees Valley (please follow this link and click on Project Outline Holistic Support for further details - We are the only bidding organisation that has subsequently been invited to progress a second stage bid to deliver the programme. We have also had a 50K development grant agreed to resource the work required in developing this bid. There are three application windows. Our intention is to submit the final bid in mid-may As part of the development process the NIC wishes to commission research and mapping consultancy services to inform the design of the final delivery solution and to provide content within the bid. There is more information about BBO here:

2 The NIC is the lead organisation for this BBO Stage 2 bid, but would deliver the BBO programme in Tees Valley in close collaboration with partners who applied to the NIC through an EOI stage and who were named in the NIC Stage 1 application. The NIC Stage 1 bid will be made available on the award of this consultancy contract but unfortunately cannot be made available at this stage as there is still a competitive process in place. The funding for this consultancy contract is paid for through a Big Lottery Fund BBO Stage 2 Development Grant. The contract for services and invoicing will be between the NIC and the consultancy services provider and will be in the form of a contract. SPECIFICATION RESEARCH & SERVICE MAPPING Anticipated Contract Start Date: Monday 8th February 2016 Deadline for All Final and Approved Outputs: 31 st March 2016 Needs Analysis Research The output required is a section about needs analysis for potential customers. The specification sets out the sort of customers we will expect: The chapter is expected to be in the order of 8-15 pages long but may include appendices depending on the inclusion of graphical maps.the NIC would also expect to be given access to the raw data, analysis and graphics as they may be of use during delivery of the BBO programme. The chapter should set out the relative level of need in different local authorities, wards, neighbourhoods or other geographical areas including: Unemployment Long term unemployment Work programme leavers Economic inactivity Reason for economic inactivity Benefit type.

3 With disaggregation including: BME Health condition/disability Gender Age Childcare needs (ie family status) Lone parents. The chapter should include a narrative/discussion on the needs of different types of claimants, as well as the data analysis. A literature review and the mapping exercise should be used to consider whether there are key groups who need particular additional support in particular locations or with particular combinations of barriers to work. Research should also be conducted to understand where there are pockets of poor transport connections and childcare provision in Tees Valley that should be taken into account. This might be through literature review or interviews with NIC BBO Partners or other stakeholders you identify. Overall, the chapter should consider a wide range of complex data but make clear and justified conclusions about where and what sort of needs exist that will be addressed in the programme. The inception meeting will provide more detail of the sort of programme we currently anticipate will be delivered. A draft version will be required by Monday 21 st March While it is accepted that this may have significant gaps and not be formatted at this stage, it is important that the basic information is able to be shared with the bid writing team with sufficient time to impact on the design of the delivery solution. Identification & Mapping of Existing Services The NIC delivery of BBO and the Stage 2 bid needs to demonstrate how the programme will avoid duplication and refer individuals into existing services from public providers, mainstream programmes (eg local authority or NHS funded) and from the third sector. The main output the NIC requires is a handbook listing services noting the key details against each, for example: Who are the provider and funder? When did/does/will it operate? Who is it available for?

4 At what scale does it operate? What is a description of the service? Any strengths and weaknesses. Contact details and location(s). How has this information been sourced? The NIC are interested in using this information to understand the potential for duplication, opportunities for complementary working, inward referrals, outward referrals and also to understand the gaps. Any outputs which will help the NIC understand these factors from the mapped services would be desirable (eg a presentation or short paper). We are interested in services that are currently delivering, were recently delivering (eg within the last two years), or will soon be delivered (in the next four years). The NIC has a strong understanding of past, current and future national welfare to work programmes. While additional detail about the local delivery of these would be welcomed this should not form a large part of this exercise, which instead should focus on regional services, local services and even some neighbourhood services. We are interested in services delivered for working age men and women in Tees Valley, including details of services providing: Financial inclusion support (including fuel poverty support, debt counselling, and affordable credit) Digital inclusion support (including online benefit claims, digital access and digital skills) Training for unemployed people (excluding FE, HE and schools) Support to tackle unemployment and economic inactivity. We are interested in only the basic details of services providing: Health (particularly occupational therapy, counselling or similar therapies) Advice (including housing advice, benefits advice, childcare advice) Social work activities Food banks and local charitable trusts supporting those very vulnerable Training in FE and HE institutions. Any proposed methodology will be considered. It is anticipated that the mapping of services will be conducted through a combination of web search, literature review, and telephone surveys. Telephone interviews (or surveys) can be used as a way of identifying new relevant individuals or organisations to contact to progress the mapping further by expanding the number of services identified.

5 If an online survey is proposed as part of the solution it must be clear how the intended respondents will be reached without any additional requirement from the NIC or the Big Lottery Fund. The NIC will be able to provide addresses and telephone numbers details only for the partners in our BBO Stage 1 application for use in this contract. A draft version will be required on (to insert) although it is accepted that some of the less urgent details and formatting Submission of Quotation and Evidence of Relevant Knowledge/Experience If interested in providing the above services outlined above, please submit the following to joanne.luther@gmail.com by noon on Friday 5 th February Total costs to include your breakdown for each element of the work. This should include VAT if chargeable. No separate expenses payments will be made so please factor any expenses you may anticipate into your costs. Information on any days you would not be able to work due to other work or holiday commitments, as it is important that deadlines are met. A proposed methodology and evidence of knowledge, skills and experience that are relevant to this piece of work. Decision Process The decision on who we appoint to provide the mapping exercise will be based both on the costings (40%) and on the evidence of relevant, knowledge, skills and experience that is submitted (60%). If felt to be necessary, we will invite interested parties in for interview. We will advise all who bid for this piece of work on whether they have been successful or not at the earliest opportunity. If you have any queries relating to the tender document please do not hesitate to contact Joanne Luther, Project Manager on or by ing joanne.luther@gmail.com