Castles and Princes of Wales Packages -Heritage Tourism Project

Descriptions

Details of Castles and Princes of Wales PackagesDescriptionCastles and Princes of Wales (C&P) forms part of the strategic Heritage Tourism Convergence Fund Project. Proposals are sought for the following elements within the C&P theme:1.Princes of Gwynedd;2.Princes of Deheubarth;3.Owain Glyndwr;4.Edwardian Castles;5.Lords of the Southern Marches.Heritage Tourism Project (HTP)–Overall aim and backgroundThe objective of the HTP is to maximise the economic value of heritage through increasing the volume, length and value of visitation relating to heritage whether cultural, built or landscape. It is a vehicle for delivering customer-focused heritage interpretation and improved heritage destinations, intended to make the Welsh historic environment more intellectually accessible and more enjoyable to visit - for tourists and local residents alike, through meaningful, authentic heritage experiences delivering a lasting sense of what makes Wales special. The various elements of the HTP will be given coherence and context by a pan-Wales heritage interpretation plan.Cadw will be working with communities, heritage partners and the tourism sector across Wales to develop heritage tours, trails and events packages to present visitors with a more integrated range of heritage tourism experiences and to ensure that the Heritage Tourism Project benefits the wider community and tourism industry. The intention is to widen the experience beyond individual heritage sites and to connect with the local community and the surrounding area, as well as to link to broader interpretive stories and themes. General requirementsEach proposal should seek to include a ‘must see’ gateway site which will provide the historical & environmental introduction and context that will encourage visitors to visit other related sites and activities and so explore the interpretative themes further. Proposals may be made for sharing sites between different projects within C&P.Within C&P, each proposal will serve to maintain the principles of the Welsh Assembly Government’s Sustainable Tourism Framework for example through providing advice to visitors on travel to the sites, including promoting the use of public transport. Each proposal will need to deliver improved access, interpretive infrastructure, visitor facilities improvements and tours, trails and events. Promotional and marketing activity should integrate with the marketing destination framework for the relevant locations. Marketing action can be included where it is directly related to promoting the funded actions.Each proposal must connect with relevant existing community heritage and tourism activities and encourage exploration of publicly accessible sites that connect with the themes. Each proposal should improve access to sites not yet readily available to the public, and should act to raise awareness of the relevant aspect of the heritage of the Castles and Princes of Medieval Wales.If the proposal includes a museum, or a facility for displaying or preserving historic artefacts, Museum Accreditation must be achieved during the funding period. Museums not capable of achieving Accreditation are unlikely to have long-term viability.Bidders will have to identify and check the availability of sites, artefacts and memorabilia suitable for their proposals. The deliverer will need to confirm that they have the authority to deliver their activity at that site, and that they have the authority to access and use the artefacts and memorabilia identified in their tender, especially if this pivotal to the delivery of the activity.Each proposal will need to focus upon:•improving physical and intellectual access to heritage sites to attract a wider range of visitors, including visitor facilities improvements, interpretive elements such as panels, audio tours and downloads, events and guided tours; •marketing, promotion, referrals and product packages; •using iconic sites as gateways to other ‘hub’ attractions for regional heritage attraction development;•undertaking access and safety improvements at sites;•developing and implementing pan-Wales heritage interpretation themes and stories.There are acknowledged issues to which C&P will aim to address:•inaccessibility of sites –logistics of access, awareness;•dated and intellectually daunting interpretation;•insufficient provision for family visit;•unappealing visitor environment;•UK market perceptions.The activities will need to operate from a number of angles – thematic, spatial and chronological. In order to maximize the benefits in the Convergence Area, in exceptional circumstances, appropriately justified activity on a limited scale may be permitted immediately adjacent to the Convergence Area in connection with Owain Glyndwr in relation to Machynlleth and Sycharth, which are key to an understanding of his story. Any such out of area activity will only be eligible for funding if it predominantly benefits the eligible area of the Convergence area, its inhabitants or workforce. The proportion of benefits accruing to the Convergence Area must be independently verified. The maximum eligible expenditure for a project which includes ‘out of area’ expenditure is determined pro-rata to the proportion of benefits which will accrue to the Convergence Area. This will require a separate section within the tender as any request for out of area spend must present a robust business case with need and demand, financial summary, outputs, etc.TargetsBy the end of December 2013, each of the five individual C&P elements will be expected to have delivered the following Princes of Gwynedd: 6,000 Additional tourism visits; 7.0 Full-time equivalent jobsPrinces of Deheubarth: 6,000 Additional tourism visits; 7.0 Full-time equivalent jobsOwain Glyndwyr: 4,000 Additional tourism visits; 5.0 Full-time equivalent jobsEdwardian Castles:5,500 Additional tourism visits; 6.3 Full-time equivalent jobsLords of the Southern March: 6,000 Additional tourism visits; 7.0 Full-time equivalent jobsFull-time equivalent jobs and directly created jobs are key targets for this Priority and Theme. However, you may also record separately the indirect jobs created through the indirect multiplier effect of employment supported by visitor spending created by the project in line with the methodology set out for the HTP as a whole.Particulars about C&P projects The key stories about the history and heritage of the Castle and Princes of Wales will need to be presented effectively, coherently and authentically. The success of the various elements within C&P and the overall HTP hinges upon an integrated presentation of heritage sites and the development of meaningful and memorable storylines, making connections between sites, places, people and communities. The HTP will be linked to the development of a pan-Wales interpretation plan, presenting key themes of Welsh heritage at national, regional and local levels. The first tranche of interpretation plans for the elements within C&P have been commissioned and will be completed in June. The interpretation plans will suggest storylines and the best place(s) to tell them. However, not all the locations for HTP proposals nor the type and nature of activities and events will be pre-determined by these plans. Tendering organisations can put forward proposals for implementation packages that complement but are not necessarily highlighted in the relevant interpretation plan. 1)Princes of Gwynedd. This story covers the interconnected story strands relating to the native princes, the Norman and Plantagenet settlement and eventual conquest by Edward I and the 15th century rebellion led by Owain Glyndwr . 2)Princes of Deheubarth. A key story strand is that of the Princes of Deheubarth and while the headlines of that story will inevitably focus on the story of the Lord Rhys 1155-1197, the story needs to be told in the context of the earlier history of Deheubarth as a wider geographical area, as well as the more tightly defined kingdom of the 12th century and its rapid decline after the death of the Lord Rhys. The lives of Rhodri Mawr and Hywel Dda are key to the emergence of Welsh nationhood.3)Owain Glyndwr (c.1355 - c.1415). A key story strand is that of Owain Glyndwr himself and of his rebellion, but there is a need to be aware of the wider historical context and of the considerable significance of Owain Glyndwr in contemporary Welsh culture and thinking. 4)Edwardian Castles. A key story strand is that of the conquest of north Wales by King Edward I, which counterpoises the story of the native Princes of Gwynedd. The story of the Edwardian conquest also needs to be told in the context of the subsequent use of the castles, and the great events in which they played a part, e.g., the revolt of Owain Glyndwr in the early 15th century and the English Civil War of the 17th century. 5)Lords of the Southern March. A key story strand is that of the conquest of south Wales by the Norman Barons of the 11th and 12th centuries and their subsequent advance from south east Wales in the last decades of the 12th century and the rise of major lords in the ‘southern March’ during the early 13th century. Organisations can bid to deliver one or more of the above five elements. Proposals may also be submitted for combining individual elements. Due to the potential overlap and cross-theme content of the individual elements within C&P it is important that each proposal recognises the potential impact of this and engages in dialogue, liaison and negotiation with other potential organisations and/or consultants that may be engaged in this area. FundingThe proposals for individual elements should cost no more in total than shown below. Maximum gross eligible costs £000Princes of Gwynedd 450Princes of Deheubarth450Owain Glyndwr 300Edwardian Castles 400Lords of the Southern March450The source of the financial package for the proposal is a combination of Welsh Assembly Government and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Convergence Programme. All proposals must deliver an element of match funding. ERDF monies will be up to a maximum of 45% of gross costs. Targeted Match Funding (TMF) will also potentially be available through Cadw. The TMF is a fund of last resort; applicants will therefore be required to demonstrate that all possible efforts have been made to secure match funding from other sources before TMF is approached. Match funding does not have to be formally in place by the time organisations submit their Expression of Interest, but there should be a strong indication of where the match funding is coming from. It will be a condition of the contract for each proposal that the match funding is in place. Convergence Selection criteria will include funding capability. Sites that have benefited from European Funding in the past can be included so long as the C&P proposal adds value to the previously funded project and is not a top up or continuation funding. As this is a procurement contract involving match funding it should be noted that, although any type of organisation may bid, the European Structural Funds are making a contribution towards the total eligible costs of delivering an activity. ‘Profit’ is by definition an amount over and above the actual cost of the delivery and is therefore not eligible. Financial support will be available until no later than December 2013. The Heritage Tourism Project aims to deliver sustainable activities. Deliverers would need to demonstrate that their proposal would be sustainable and would continue after the Convergence Funding stops.Monitoring and evaluationCore monitoring information will need to be provided to Cadw on a consistent basis in line with that collected across the Heritage Tourism Project and the other strategic projects in Wales, funded under the EU Convergence theme of Environment for Growth (E4G). Cadw will provide the deliverer with a standard set of tools that will include but not necessarily be limited to:•a reporting schedule;•core visitor questions/questionnaires that capture key data including visitor data and travel patterns;•electronic forms to ensure information is provided in a digitally consistent format. Common monitoring and evaluation (M&E) procedures across E4G will result in a far better understanding of the economic, social and environmental benefits of individual projects; the seven strategic E4G projects; and E4G as a whole.As part of this M&E approach, Cardiff University (Welsh Economy Research Unit) have been asked to deliver a central management service, which will provide:•A set of monitoring forms to be completed for each project element •A comprehensive M&E guidance pack;•Off-site workshop days for project managers and other stakeholders (Autumn 2010 and Spring 2011);•A central website offering advice and useful materials;•Centralised data analysis and reporting, including summary reports for individual sites. The support site for monitoring and evaluation of the HTP and the other strategic E4G projects is at http://www.e4g.org.uk/homepage.aspx. This includes details of the first workshop held in March 2010, monitoring forms and guidance pack.Sources of further information•Heritage Tourism European Funding Project website (including Heritage Tourism Project Business Plan); http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?id=292•Heritage Interpretation Plans for the various elements of the C&P theme which are due to be available by end May. [These will be available on request and will also appear on the HTP pages of the Cadw website.]•Schedule of Frequently Asked Questions [These are available on request and will also appear on the HTP pages of the Cadw website.] The following procurement workshops are to be held •Thursday 24 June pm in the Engineering Centre for Manufacturing and Materials (ECM²) in Margam, Port Talbot •Tuesday 29 June pm in Glasdir, Llanrwst The workshops will offer the opportunity for any interested parties to learn more about the Castles and Princes implementation packages on offer and the HTP generally. They will cover the scope of the individual packages, procurement issues, advice on how to tender and the help available to tendering organisations from the Spatial European Teams and the Welsh Assembly Government’s Supplier Development Service. There will also be ‘networking’ opportunities at the workshops.If you are interested in attending, please email Cadwhtp@wales.gsi.gov.uk –