Sector Priorities Fund Pilot Advocate Procurement

Descriptions

The Sector Priorities Fund Pilot Programme (herein referred to as the SPFP Programme) is designed to take forward strategic project activity with Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) in order to realise key policy recommendations outlined in “Skills that Work for Wales: A Skills and Employment Strategy and Action Plan”. The overarching aim of the SPFP Programme is to provide the evidence base on which to inform and influence policy and delivery systems in Wales to enable mainstream training programmes supported by the Welsh Assembly Government to become more demand-responsive. That is, policy and delivery systems are more reflective of the training and skills needs articulated by employers across sectors of the Welsh economy.Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) will be at the core to directing and managing project activity and will submit project proposals to be supported via the SPFP Programme funding. SSC strategic projects will be underpinned by evidence of employer-demand gained primarily through their Sector Skills Agreements (SSAs) and Sector Qualifications Strategies (SQSs), and will pilot activity aimed at feeding intelligence to inform the 2011 Sector Priorities Fund identified in “Skills that Work for Wales”.The main objectives of the SPFP Programme are to:•Feed intelligence to support the development of the 2011 Sector Priorities Fund described in “Skills that Work for Wales”.•Facilitate the development of strategic and sustainable partnerships between SSCs and the training provider network in Wales, particular those operating as part of the Further Education (FE) and Higher Education (HE) sectors.•Support SSC partnership and collaboration.•Test demand for innovative training solutions targeted at employers and the application of a fee contribution to training.•Raise skills levels of individual participants to support their onward career progression.•Raise awareness with employers of their requirements under equal opportunities and support the development of skills training for environmental sustainability, in line with ESF Cross-Cutting Themes.•Provide strategic linkages and mutual alignment of other ESF supported projects and programmes targeted at a specific sector (or sectors) of the Welsh economy, in order to maximise the investments being made.The Advocate Team sits as a key resource to supporting the delivery of the above objectives by ensuring the outcomes of the SPFP Programme are circulated as widely as possible, and that the right partnerships are developed with key stakeholders in order to facilitate a change to becoming more demand-responsive. A critical element to the Advocate Team is to ensure appropriate communication and dialogue occurs when other ESF supported projects are developed by training providers in Wales (particularly those being taken forward by the FE and HE sectors).The SPFP Advocate Team consists of 11 full-time positions made up of 7 Sector Advocates and 4 Regional Provider Network Advocates and is a critical resource to ensuring the SPFP Programme is capable of meeting its desired aim and objectives. This procurement exercise represents the best method for sourcing the Advocate Team positions and ensures all stakeholders with an interest in the education and training sector in Wales have the opportunity to be involved in this innovative programme of work.What is essentially being requested is for organisations to fill the proposed Advocate Team positions until the 31st December 2011. In return, organisations will receive a reimbursement to cover existing salary commitments and other overhead costs, subject to specific terms and conditions and compliance with European funding rules. In total it is estimated that the Contract to provide just one of the 11 Advocate positions could be up to £52,500 per annum, based on annual individual working full-time (where full-time is defined as 37 hours a week for 221 days a year, excluding annual leave and public holidays). For the proposed Contract period of the 1st August 2010 to the 31st December 2011, this represents a possible reimbursement to successful organisations of up to £74,375 per Advocate Team position, again based on full-time working. It is recognised that not all organisations will be able to commit resources for the full 221 days per year. In recognition of this, organisations will be able to offer support between a range of 128 to 221 working days per annum. The Advocate Team itself, consists of 7 Sector Advocates and 4 Regional Provider Network Advocates (11 positions in total) which will operate as part of the SPFP Programme to provide support in the delivery of its strategic aim and objectives. The Sector Advocates and Regional Provider Network Advocates will have distinct roles:Sector Advocates (x7)Will be positioned at a more operational level, taking an internally facing role to support SSCs in achieving the delivery of the SPFP programme.Advocates will allow intelligence emerging through outcomes of the SPFP programme to get to grass roots level and bridge the gap between policy and strategy at an SSC level. It is anticipated that Sector Advocates will also inform of the sectoral dimension to other WAG or ESF funded programmes, therefore strengthening partnerships between SSCs and training providers in Wales.Sector Advocates will have no spatial dimension to their roles as SSCs operate on a national basis.Therefore the 7 Sector Advocates will be appointed though one lot.Regional Provider Network Advocates (x4)Will be aligned at a strategic level and will be predominantly externally focussed, working with delivery partners to achieve the partnerships required to facilitate the long term aim and objectives of the SPFP programme.Advocates will allow intelligence emerging through outcomes of the SPFP programme to inform delivery and partnership development at training provider level.Regional Provider Network Advocates will be split across the four regions of Wales and will work across these regions to develop and formalise partnerships between the SPFP programme and training providers and will link with SSC Advocates to communicate key outcomes from the SPFP programme.The Provider Network Advocates will cover four regions split as below:- South East Wales (Monmouthshire, Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, Newport & Cardiff).- South Wales (Bridgend, Vale of Glamorgan, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Merthyr Tydfil & Caerphilly).- South West & Mid Wales (Neath Port Talbot, Swansea, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion & Powys). - North Wales (Isle of Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire & Wrexham).The Regional Provider Network Advocates will be appointed through 4 lots, one lot for each of the above regions.Successful organisations for both Sector Advocates and Regional Provider Network Advocates will be able to demonstrate the following:a) Awareness of the skills infrastructure in Wales and supporting the policy priorities of the Welsh Assembly Government as identified in "Skills that Work for Wales".b) Experience of supporting projects targeted at post 16 skills and training needs or experience of working directly with employers in supporting their skills and training needs.c) Awareness of the role Sector Skills Councils play in terms of articulating the skills need of employers.Where an organisation wishes to support more than one Advocate Team position, they will be required to indicate which lot they are applying for within the PQQ.The awarding Authority reserves the right to request parent company and/or other guarantees of performance and financial liability.Payment terms will be indicated in the contract documents. Tenders to be priced in sterling. Payment made in sterling only.No special legal form required but joint and several liability assumed by all group bidders before acceptance.The Authority reserves the right to consider variant bids.The Authority reserves the right to split the requirement into lots.The contract will have an option to extend the duration up to a period of a further 6 months.Companies expressing an interest must complete and publish the online PQQ by 1200hrs 2nd July 2010. All correspondence must quote Contract Number C85/2009/10.You may find it helpful to contact your regional business advisory network to seek general advice and guidance if you are considering tendering for this and future public sector contracts. Potential bidders based in Wales can access services at http://www.business-support-wales.gov.uk/tender_wales.aspx