Pre-Qualification Questionnaire NWDA00276a
Mentoring
RETURN DATE FOR SUBMISSION Not later than 12.00 am on 5 October 2009
Issued 18/09/09
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CONTENTS 1.
2.
3.
4.
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1.1
Purpose of the document
1.2
Scope of the requirement
1.3
Objectives of the requirement
1.4
Outline timetable for the procurement
1.5
Consortia and sub窶田ontracting
1.6
Queries about the procurement process
1.7
Supplier/organisation contact point
EVALUATION APPROACH 2.1
Procurement Process
2.2
Evaluation Criteria
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE RETURN OF THE COMPLETED PQQ DOCUMENTATION 3.1
Instructions for Completion
3.2
Important Notices
3.3
Freedom of Information legislation
PRE-QUALIFICATION QUESTIONNAIRE A.
Organisation identity
B.
Organisation information
C.
Compliance with EU legislation/UK procurement legislation
D.
Quality assurance
E.
Management Information and Reporting
F.
Financial and economic capacity
G.
Insurance
H.
References
I.
Disputes
J.
Business capability
K.
Technical capacity
L.
Prime Contractor
M.
Conflict of Interest
N.
Form completed by
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5.
APPENDIX A
6.
APPENDIX B
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1.
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
1.1
Purpose of this document
1)
This PQQ is the first stage of the tender process and responses to this PQQ will enable the Agency to assess the ability, competence and financial standing of any Suppliers.
2)
Selected organisations will be invited to participate further in the second stage of this process (Invitation to Tender).
3)
This is a competitive procurement conducted in accordance with the Restricted Procedure under the EU Procurement Directives and as implemented in English Law in the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (SI 2006 No.5) and such other UK regulations implementing its provisions as may be made from time to time.
4)
Please read this PQQ carefully before attempting to answer any questions. All parts of the Questionnaire must be completed and supporting information and evidence must be supplied where appropriate or requested. Failure to furnish the required information, make a satisfactory response to any question, or supply documentation referred to in responses, within the specified timescale, may mean that Suppliers will not be invited to participate further.
1.2
Scope of the requirement This procurement exercise seeks to establish a network of between ten and twelve providers to deliver mentoring services to individuals in a group based setting across the Northwest region. These can be single organisations, partnerships, joint ventures or consortiums. The Agency will be seeking to select a range of delivery organisations able to deliver as per the specification. The Agency will also give due regard to relevant Equality legislation and ensure that third sector Suppliers are afforded equal or equivalent opportunities.
1.3
Objectives of the requirement
1)
In the Northwest (NW) there is a need for improved business competiveness and productivity. This can be addressed through the improvement and development of leadership skills and innovation to support business change and growth. Mentoring is an ‘enabler’ of this development as it: • Improves business performance and contributes to GVA • Supports business change and accelerates business decision making • Develops confidence and integrity – enabling leaders to become more pro-active and solutions focused, which across a whole team has a cumulative effect leading to culture change and the release of potential throughout the wider workforce • Improves staff retention and encourages effective succession planning According to the European Mentoring and Coaching Council “mentoring is the help by one person to another in making significant transitions in knowledge, work or thinking.” In the workplace it typically relates to a relationship where a more experienced colleague uses their knowledge and experience to support the development of a less experienced mentee. There is an increasing recognition amongst development professionals of the value of
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mentoring for business leaders as a means of encouraging their own development and with it, the growth and performance of their businesses. The Leitch report identified deficiencies in leadership and management capacity as a major weakness within the UK against major competitors. The ‘Enterprise: Unlocking the UK’s Talent 2008’ acknowledges that there are many ways in which entrepreneurs can develop skills and knowledge within their business. A recent consultation run by BERR states that “the advice businesses most value comes from people they feel have real experience which they are willing to share, i.e. mentors.” Evidence underpinning the NW Leadership & Management Framework for Action (see Appendix B) indicates that the region is, in turn, relatively disadvantaged against the national average. Findings from a feasibility study of mentoring in the NW highlighted the disparate supply of mentoring provision in the region. There is limited take-up due to: • Lack of understanding of the benefits and value of mentoring • Lack of mentoring services in the NW to meet demand and potential demand • Lack of information on what mentoring is and how to access it due to lack of coordination • A belief that mentoring is expensive 2)
To address these market failures and encourage inspirational mentoring as part of the business culture in the NW, the Agency has developed the Mentoring Programme. The programme is a large scale region-wide quality programme that takes a cohesive and integrated delivery approach. This will ensure effective engagement of businesses by establishing a comprehensive and specialised network of providers and accredited professionals to deliver a fit for purpose service. The Mentoring Programme commenced in February 2009 and has three key elements; 1:1 voluntary mentoring, mentoring to individuals in a group based setting and e-mentoring. Through the programme businesses will be able to access a suite of mentoring interfaces that allow them to receive practical long-term support from experienced entrepreneurs and business leaders through the effective transfer of knowledge and valued experience.
3)
This procurement exercise is to establish a network of providers to deliver mentoring services to individuals in a group based setting, through a 3 year £2M initiative (of which £1m will be funded through ERDF grant, subject to final approval, and £1m through NWDA matched funding), under which groups of six to eight mentees (clients) from individual micro businesses will meet monthly or bi-monthly over a three to nine month period. Clients will choose to undertaken a series of either three or six group sessions, with each session lasting approximately 3 hours and covering an agreed business or leadership development topic area. It is expected that during the series of sessions each group will experience a combination of the following group based mentoring delivery methods and techniques; •
Role Model – group sessions at which a ‘role model’ (who will be a recognised senior business leader) will share their experiences with the group around a relevant business topic followed by a facilitated group discussion around the client’s needs
•
Leadership and Development – group sessions based around key areas of leadership and management development, with topics being shared and discussed on an ad-hoc basis by clients during a session
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•
Competency Development – group sessions with directive facilitator input focussing on the specific competency needs of the client group, with pre identified and agreed topics
•
Creative Techniques – creative group sessions using a variety of creative techniques and tools to deliver leadership and development or competency development based session
Delivery will be through facilitation by an accredited mentor - the successful providers will be required to have a minimum of four accredited mentors available to undertake delivery (mentors should be accredited to a recognised coaching & mentoring body and have a minimum of one year’s post accreditation delivery experience). The objective of the group sessions will be to help the clients: •
Address and set business development goals
•
Build skills and competences to achieve these goals
• Work on business issues that are currently facing them within a peer mentoring and learning environment • Share their good leadership practice and techniques, together with their approaches to effective leadership • Supporting innovation and enterprise, releasing the potential of the leaders and supporting them to release the potential of their wider workforce • Improved business performance 4)
It is anticipated that approximately 2200 individuals from businesses will be engaged through the Mentoring programme over the next 3 years, specifically (but not exclusive) to those micro-businesses that have an annual turnover of up to £500,000 or up to 10 employees, with priority being given to businesses in the Regional Economic Strategy (RES) priority sectors. Indicatively, it is estimated that the following number of mentoring groups will be established within each sub-region (although these numbers may be subject to variation depending on demand levels within each sub-region):
5)
Sub-Region
Indicative number of groups to be established per Sub-region
Indicative Number of Providers per Sub-Region
Cumbria
Between 45 and 55
2
Greater Manchester
Between 70 and 80
3
Lancashire
Between 45 and 55
2
Merseyside
Between 45 and 55
2
Cheshire
Between 45 and 55
2
The delivery structure for the Mentoring programme will be: • Central Project Management Team (CPMT) – accountable body for overall programme coordination and delivery; budgets; marketing and promotion; quality assurance; and monitoring and evaluation • Delivery and Quality frameworks – developed by the CPMT
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• Core delivery – third party providers to be appointed via this procurement exercise – see key deliverables below • Impact Monitoring and Evaluation – formative and summative evaluation will be an integrated element of the Mentoring programme, with regular reporting to the Northwest Leadership & Management Steering Group. 6)
The Mentoring programme will be delivered through a network of providers, each of whom will be responsible for the following key deliverables: • Client Recruitment – identifying and recruiting businesses onto the programme • Relationship Management – building, maintaining and managing relationships with businesses and their mentors • Activity Delivery – managing the delivery of programme activities to groups (in accordance with prescribed delivery and quality frameworks) • Networking – participating and contributing to a Mentoring providers network (including networking events, meetings, sharing best practice and other activities) • Management Information – providing MI and updates as prescribed by the Mentoring Central Project Management Team
7)
Bidders Conference - shortlisted suppliers will be invited to attend a pre-tender briefing meeting to be held during early November to discuss the Agency’s requirements and the tendering process.
1.4
Outline Timetable for the procurement Return of Pre-Qualification Questionnaire Bidders conference Anticipated Invitation to Tender issue date Anticipated Invitation to Tender return date Presentations and clarification meetings Anticipated contract award date Commence service delivery
05/10/09 Mid Nov’09 24/11/09 15/12/09 27/01/10 to 29/01/10 18/02/10 01/03/10
1.5
Consortia and sub-contracting
1)
The Agency is seeking expressions of interest from organisations/consortiums capable of delivering all of the key elements of the Mentoring programme, i.e. participant recruitment, relationship management, networking, activity delivery and management information.
2)
Where a consortium or sub-contracting approach is proposed, all information requested should be given in respect of the proposed prime contractor or consortium leader. Relevant information should also be provided in respect of consortium members or sub-contractors who will play a significant role in the delivery of services or products under any ensuing contract. Responses must enable the Agency to assess the overall specialist service proposed.
3)
Where the proposed prime contractor is a special purpose vehicle or holding company, information should be provided of the extent to which it will call upon the resources and expertise of its members.
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4)
The Agency recognises that arrangements in relation to consortia and sub-contracting may be subject to future change. Service providers/organisations should therefore respond in the light of such arrangements as are currently envisaged.
5)
The Agency intends seeking independent financial and market advice to validate information declared or to assist in the evaluation.
1.6
Queries about the procurement process The Agency will not enter into detailed discussion of the requirements at this stage. All questions must be addressed to Tender.Board@nwda.co.uk and be received at least 5 working days before the submission date, otherwise a response cannot be guaranteed. All queries should include the key contact name and contact details of the individual Replies will be given no later than 28 September 2009. If the Agency considers any question or request for clarification to be of material significance, both the query and the response will be communicated on the Agency`s website, www.nwda.co.uk/tenders in an anonymous form. It is the responsibility of Suppliers to check this website for information on a regular basis.
1.7
Supplier / Organisation contact point Section 4.A requires Suppliers to provide a single point of contact in their organisation for their response to the PQQ. The Agency shall not be responsible for contacting the Supplier through any route other than the nominated contact supplied. The Supplier must therefore undertake to notify any changes relating to the single point of contact promptly to Tender.Board@nwda.co.uk.
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2.
EVALUATION APPROACH
2.1
The number of potential suppliers to be taken forward to ITT stage is not fixed. However, this number is likely to be between 15 to 20 shortlisted suppliers. The Pre-Qualification Questionnaire will be scored as indicated below. Only those Suppliers who are shortlisted following the PQQ evaluation will then be invited to tender.
2.2
Evaluation Criteria The objective of the selection process is to assess the responses to the PQQ and select suitable Suppliers to proceed to the next stage of the procurement. Selection criteria will be based on the supplier’s financial and technical capability and capacity to perform the contract: a) Supplier Acceptability – status of supplier (in relation to Regulation 23(4) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (SI 2006 No 5)). b) Economic and Financial Standing – the supplier must be in a sound financial position to participate in this procurement as set out in Regulation 24 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (SI 2006 No 5). This may entail independent financial checks. c) Supplier Track Record - The supplier must be able to demonstrate a successful track record of providing similar services to those listed in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) notice as set out in Regulation 25 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (SI 2006 No. 5). d) Supplier capacity and capability – Assessment of the totality of resources and core competences available to the supplier(s) in the delivery of this service. Where sections are scored, the following scoring methodology will apply to each of the questions asked: 0 - No evidence of knowledge, experience or track record / capacity 1 - Minimal experience / Poor response / limited capacity 2 – Demonstrates adequate capacity and experience 3 – Good track record, experience and sufficient capacity 4 – Excellent experience, track record and capacity to meet or exceed requirements The Pre Qualification questionnaires (PQQ’s) will be assessed as follows: Section
Assessment
Section A + B Organisational Identity and Information Section C
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This section is for information only to ensure the Agency has the supplier’s correct details. (FI) This section will be assessed on a pass/fail basis. If an applicant cannot confirm any of
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Section
Assessment
Compliance with EU and UK Procurement legislation
the statements, the Agency reserves the right to disqualify the applicant.
Section D
This section will be scored.
Quality Section E
This section will be scored.
Management Information & Reporting Section F
This section will be assessed on a pass/fail basis for the level of economic and financial capacity required by the Agency to deliver the contract. If any applicant does not demonstrate it can meet the minimum threshold, it will not be considered further.
Financial Information
i) The Bidder(s) must have positive net current assets. To assess this, the Current Ratio (current assets divided by current liabilities) obtained from the audited accounts must be equal to 1 or more. ii) The balance sheet must also show that assets exceed liabilities. iii) The Auditor’s opinion in the Report to the Accounts must be unqualified. iv)The filing of accounts at Companies House must not be overdue. Section G
This section will be assessed on a pass/fail basis for the insurance level(s) required by the Agency to deliver the contract.
Insurances Section H
This section will be considered along with Sections I & J
References Section I
Responses to this Section will be assessed to determine the supplier’s ability to deliver the contract. This section will therefore be assessed on a pass/fail basis.
Disputes Section J & K Business Capability and Technical Capacity
These sections will be scored., with the exception of J(3) which will be assessed on a pass/fail basis against the minimum specified requirement of 4 accredited mentors with a minimum of 1 years post accreditation experience to undertake delivery
Section L
This section is for information only (FI)
Prime Contractor
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Section
Assessment
Section M
Responses to this Section will be assessed to determine the supplier’s ability to deliver the contract. This section will therefore be assessed on a pass/fail basis
Conflict of Interest
For this PQQ the detailed Evaluation Criteria for the assessment is as follows: Questions A Organisation Identity
Weighting FI
B Organisation Information B (1) Is your organisation a SME?
FI
B (2) Organisational Type?
FI
B (3) Enclosed organisation structure
FI
B (4) Are you a subsidiary/holding/parent company?
FI
B (5) Executive Directors / Partners
FI
B (6) Brief History
FI
C Public Contracts Regulations
Pass/Fail
D Quality Assurance
20%
E Management Information and Reporting
10%
F Financial
Pass/Fail
G Insurance
Pass/Fail
H References
15%
I Disputes
Pass/Fail
J Business Capability J (1) Membership of professional or trade bodies
3%
J (2) Policy documentation
Pass/Fail
J (3) Details of accredited employees/associates
Pass/Fail
K Technical capacity K (1) Experience in providing group based mentoring services to SMEs K (2) Experience in recruiting and selecting participants K (3) Experience in delivering mentoring programmes as part of a wider network of providers K (4) Experience in managing relationships with multiple groups of clients K (5) How your organisation is able to put the required service in place to go live in March 2010 L Prime Contractor/ Subcontracting M Conflict of interest
12% 8% 8% 4% FI Pass/Fail
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20%
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The following weighting definition applies: Number - % weighting FI – is perceived as For Information Only Pass/Fail – are perceived as mission-critical requirements and thus will not attract a score but will determine whether a Supplier remains in the process *Note: References will be evaluated based on the calibre (organisations and relevance) in addition to actual references sought.
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3.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR RETURN OF THE COMPLETED PQQ DOCUMENTATION
3.1
Instructions for Completion
1)
Responses should be returned by no later than the date and time stated on the front of this PQQ.
2)
PQQ’s must be submitted in paper format in three original hard copies. The complete PQQ must also be supplied in electronic format (CD-Rom, DVD etc). N.B. Memory sticks are not permitted. The electronic format must contain exactly the same proposal as the paper version enclosed. PQQ’s must not be submitted via e-mail or fax unless specifically requested.
3)
If the Agency considers any question or request for clarification to be of material significance, both the query and the response will be posted on the Agency's website at www.nwda.co.uk/tenders in an anonymous form. It is the responsibility of Suppliers to check this website periodically before the submission date to check for any updates and to incorporate these updates into its submission. All questions must be addressed to Tender.Board@nwda.co.uk and be received at least 5 working days before the submission date, otherwise a response cannot be guaranteed.
4)
Documentation must be returned to: Tender Board, Northwest Development Agency, Renaissance House, Centre Park, Warrington, Cheshire, WA1 1QN. A direction map can be downloaded from the Agency’s website: www.nwda.co.uk About NWDA, Office Locations, Cheshire Office.
5)
The PQQ address label must be used for the return of documentation. Envelopes/packages should be plain and must not show any reference to the Supplier's identity. The PQQ address label must be placed on the front of the return envelope. Documentation without the label or in envelopes, which in any way identify the Supplier, may be rejected.
6)
The date and time for return of the documents is shown on the label and in the PQQ. Documents must be returned no later than the date and time stated. Completed documents will be received up to the time and date stated. It is the Supplier's responsibility to ensure that their documents are received on time. The Agency does not undertake to consider documents received after that time unless there is sufficient evidence to pre-suppose its due delivery.
7)
Documents must be returned either by post, or by hand to the reception desk ensuring that a member of staff notes the time and date of receipt. Documents delivered otherwise may not arrive on time.
8)
The Agency does not acknowledge receipt of documents and accepts no responsibility for loss or non-receipt of applications.
9)
Submissions may be rejected if any of the requested information is not completed and/or supplied. If any of the requested information is missing or is incorrect, the proposal may be rejected on that sole basis and the submission will not be evaluated further.
10)
Suppliers must not try to obtain any information about any other party's submission or proposed submissions before the contract is awarded.
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11)
Suppliers must not arrange with any other party the submission of any documentation, except in the cases where sub-contracting and/or joint ventures are applicable.
12)
All responses must be in English.
13)
All PQQ responses (or supporting and supplementary documentation) should be presented in the same order as, and must be cross-referenced to, the relevant question. Any separate sheets must be appended in the PQQ response document.
3.2
Important Notices
1)
The information in this document provides an outline of the EU restricted procedure that the Agency intends to follow, although it reserves the right to amend this process or cancel the procurement at any stage without prior consultation. Under no circumstances will the Agency or its advisers be liable for any costs or expenses incurred by Suppliers during the procurement process. Expressions of interest are only sought from organisations that are agreeable to these arrangements.
2)
The information provided is intended only as an explanation of the Agency’s requirements and is not intended to form the basis of a Supplier’s decision on whether to enter into any contractual relationship with the Agency. The information provided shall not form the basis of or be relied on in connection with any contract.
3)
Whilst all materials supplied have been prepared in good faith the information provided has not been independently verified and does not purport to be all-inclusive or to contain all the information that a prospective supplier may require. Suppliers are responsible for making such checks and investigations as they consider appropriate. The supply of the information provided to Suppliers does not constitute an obligation to give further information or to update the information provided or to correct any information that is incomplete or inaccurate.
4)
None of the Agency’s directors, officers, employees, representatives, agents or advisers (together the “Issuers”) make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of the information provided. Neither do they make any representation or give any warranty, express or implied, with respect to this document or any matter on which it is based (including, without limitation, any financial details). Any liability is therefore expressly disclaimed.
5)
Neither the Agency nor the Issuers shall be liable for any loss or damage arising as a result of reliance on the information provided. The subject matter of this document shall only have any contractual effect when it is covered and contained in the express terms of an executed contract.
6)
The issue of this document in no way commits the Agency to award any Contract pursuant to the bid process nor does it constitute an offer to enter into a contractual relationship.
7)
Save as provided below, in no circumstances shall the Agency or the Issuers incur any liability whatsoever or be liable for any expenses incurred by applicants at any time. Any and all liability in relation to this document is hereby expressly disclaimed and excluded to the maximum extent permissible by law. The exclusions of liability contained in this paragraph do not exclude liability for death or personal injury caused by the Issuers’ negligence and/or to fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation by the Issuers.
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8)
The information provided is not, nor is it to be taken as, the giving of investment advice by the Agency or any of the Issuers nor is it an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity.
9)
The Agency does not bind itself to accept any PQQ or Tender.
10)
It should be noted that any information given at this stage by the Supplier will be subject to verification at later stages of the procurement process. If any error, omission or misrepresentation is discovered, the Agency reserves the right to disqualify the Supplier from further participation in the process, no matter what stage the process has reached.
11)
Responses will be evaluated in accordance with the procedures set out in Section 2. In the event that none of the responses are deemed satisfactory, the Agency reserves the right to consider alternative procurement options. 3.3
Freedom of Information Legislation
1)
The Agency may be obliged to disclose information provided by Suppliers in response to this PQQ under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, all subordinate legislation made under this and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (“the Freedom of Information Legislation�).
2)
Suppliers should be aware that the information they provide could be disclosed in response to a request under the Freedom of Information Legislation. The Agency will proceed on the basis of disclosure unless an appropriate exemption applies. Suppliers should be aware that despite the availability of some exemptions, information may still be disclosed if the public interest in its disclosure outweighs the public interest in maintaining the exemption. No response to this PQQ should be covered by a general statement regarding its overall confidentiality; instead any specific areas of confidential information should be highlighted in accordance with paragraph 3 below. The Agency accepts no liability for loss as a result of any information disclosed in response to a request under the Freedom of Information Legislation.
3)
Suppliers should highlight information in their responses which they consider to be commercially sensitive or confidential in nature, and should state the precise reasons why they consider this.
4)
The Agency will use reasonable endeavours to consult with Suppliers over the release of information which is highlighted by them as commercially sensitive or confidential.
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4.
PRE-QUALIFICATION QUESTIONNAIRE
A
ORGANISATION IDENTITY
Name of the company (prime or single contractor) in whose name the tender would be submitted Contact name (Single point of Contact): Address:
Telephone number: Facsimile number: E-mail address: Company Registration number, date of registration and registration address: VAT Registration number: Website address (if any)
This PQQ is submitted as an initial request to be considered for: Please indicate the sub-regional areas you wish to be considered for in order of preference, i.e. 1st, 2nd, 3rd or Not Applicable etc. Sub-region
Order of Preference
Delivery within the Cumbria sub-region Delivery within the Greater Manchester sub-region Delivery within the Lancashire sub-region Delivery within the Merseyside sub-region Delivery within the Cheshire sub-region N.B At the ITT stage shortlisted suppliers will be invited to tender to deliver services in one sub-region only.
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B
ORGANISATION INFORMATION
(1) Is your organisation a Small to Medium Enterprise (SME) as defined in Section 382 & 465 of the Companies Act (2006)? (2) Is your organisation:
Y/N
i) a public limited company?
Y/N
iii) a sole trader?
Y/N
ii) a limited company?
Y/N
iv) a partnership?
Y/N
v) a limited liability partnership?
Y/N
vi) Black, Asian, Minority Ethic (BAME ) owned?
Y/N
(3) Please enclose and confirm in the box opposite that you have provided a copy of your Organisational structure with this completed questionnaire
Y/N
(4) Is your company a subsidiary of another company, a holding or a parent company?
Y/N
Address for the organisation’s holding or parent company, country of origin and registration number (if applicable) Address for the organisation’s ultimate parent company, country of origin and registration number (if applicable) (5) Executive Directors/ Directors/ Partners or any other person who has powers of representation, decision or control of the Organisation Name
Responsibility
Shareholder Y/N
% Shareholder
(6) Brief history of your organisation outlining the services provided, that are relevant to the delivery of this contract (not more than 200 words):
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C
COMPLIANCE WITH EU LEGISLATION/ UK PROCUREMENT LEGISLATION
Regulation 23 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 applies to the current tendering competition. Applicants must provide full details in respect of whether: i. Any matters referred to in Regulation 23 (1) (being grounds for mandatory exclusion) apply to the applicant, and in the case of a consortium applicant, to any of its constituent members, or to any of its or their directors, or to any other person who has powers of representation, decision or control of the applicant or, in the case of a consortium applicant, any of its constituent members?
Y/N
ii. Any of the matters referred to in Regulation 23(4) (being grounds for discretionary exclusion) apply to the Applicant, and in the case of a consortium applicant, to any of its constituent members?
Y/N
The Agency may seek evidence at a later date, in confirmation of your answer. For convenience, the text of Regulation 23 can be found in Appendix A
D
QUALITY ASSURANCE
(1) Please provide details of your measures for ensuring quality and enclose relevant extracts of your quality assurance manual / procedures which identify how you record, monitor and audit services similar to those to be provided under this contract. If you have quality assurance accreditation, please provide details and enclose a copy of a relevant valid certificate in support of your response.
E
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION & REPORTING
(1) Under this contract Providers will be required to produce a number of management information reports providing statistical analyses of areas such as client engagement and session attendance numbers. Please provide evidence that you are able to provide such reports, including examples of where you have produced this type of information previously:
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F
FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC CAPACITY
The following financial information is required. (1) A copy of the most recent audited accounts for your organisation that cover the last two years of trading or for the period that is available if trading for less than two years. (2) A statement of the organisation’s turnover, Profit & Loss and cash flow position for the most recent full year of trading (or part year if full year not applicable) and an end period balance sheet, where this information is not available in an audited form at (1). (3) Where (2) cannot be provided, a statement of the organisation’s cash flow forecast for the current year and a bank letter outlining the current cash and credit facility position. (4) If the organisation is a subsidiary of a group, (1) to (3) are required for both the subsidiary and the ultimate parent. Where a consortium or association is proposed, the information is requested for each member company. (5) A separate statement of the organisation’s turnover that relates directly to the supply of this service for the past two years, or for the period the organisation has been trading (if less than two years). (6) If applicable, parent company and/or other guarantees of performance and financial standing may be required if considered appropriate. Confirm your organisation’s willingness and ability to arrange for a collateral warranty, parent company guarantee and /or performance bond if called upon.
Y/N
(7) Has your organisation made any application for third party funding – including State Aid assistance – in relation to the services you are intending to provide?
Y/N
G
INSURANCE
Please confirm that your organisation’s insurance cover meets the Agency’s requirements below. Policy
Value
Employer’s Liability
£5m
Public Liability
£5m
Professional Indemnity* delete as appropriate
£5m
If not, please indicate that you will arrange for this insurance cover if successful in this tender.
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Y/N
Y/N
H
REFERENCES
Note: the Agency may elect to contact any of the given companies for a reference at any stage of the tendering process. Your permission to do so will be assumed unless you explicitly state any objections. Please provide details of three major recent contracts you have been awarded for the provision of services similar to those required by the Agency Customer name and address
Contact name and Telephone number
Date contract awarded & duration of contract
Contract reference and brief description of service undertaken, including contract value
Names of subcontractors and/ or consortium members and their role
1. 2. 3.
I
DISPUTES (1) In the last 3 years, has your organisation failed to complete a contract on time or at all, or where there have been claims for damages, or where damages have been deducted or recovered? YES/NO
If Yes, please provide the following details relating to the claim: Customer name and address (postal & e-mail)
Contract reference and brief description of services provided
(2) Has your Company had a contract terminated or your employment determined under the terms of a contract within the last 5 years? Customer name and address (postal & e-mail)
Contract reference and brief description of services provided
Date of claim/ contract termination
Y/N
Reason for claim
If Yes, please provide details below:
Date of claim/ contract termination
Reason for contract termination
(3) Has your Company had a contract that was not renewed due to failure to perform to the terms of a previous contract within the last 5 years?
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Y/N
If Yes, please provide details:
(4) Has your organisation been involved in any court action and/ or significant employment tribunal over the last 3 years?
Y/N
If Yes, please provide details:
(5) Are there any court actions and/ or significant employment tribunal hearings outstanding or pending against your organisation?
Y/N
If Yes, please provide details:
J
BUSINESS CAPABILITY
(1) Ideally suppliers will be CIPD accredited. Please provide information and evidence that demonstrates to which Mentoring and or Coaching professional or trade bodies your organisation belongs:
(2) Please confirm that your Organisation complies with the legal obligations of the following Acts, Equal Opportunities, Disability, Sex Discrimination, Race Discrimination and Age Discrimination and enclose a copy of your Organisations Policy statements which demonstrates compliance with the Acts. (3) The service requires that the successful Tenderer will have a minimum of four (4) accredited mentors with a minimum of one year’s post accreditation experience to undertake delivery. Please provide below details of the suitably accredited personnel whom you propose to utilise in the delivery of the services, together with copies of their CVs, including proof of current relevant accreditations held. Name
K
Relationship (Employee/Associate)
Core Skills & Experience
TECHNICAL CAPACITY
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Professional Qualifications / Details of / Proof of relevant Mentoring Accreditations held
Responses to each question must be limited to a maximum of 250 words per question. (1) Outline your organisation’s (or partnership/consortium) experience in providing group based mentoring services to SMEs, including examples of two programmes you have previously delivered (examples should provide details of the size, scale and duration of the programme delivered):
(2) Outline your organisation’s (or partnership/consortium) experience in recruiting and selecting clients to take part in group based mentoring programmes during the last two years:
(3) Outline your organisation’s (or partnership/consortium) experience in delivering mentoring programmes as part of a wider network of providers (identifying what joint benefits and economies of scale were achieved, together with details of any issues or problems that might have been experienced and how these were resolved):
4) Outline your organisation’s (or partnership/consortium) experience of managing relationships with multiple groups of clients as part of a mentoring programme (identifying the key issues that were experienced and how these were dealt with):
(5) The services are required to commence delivery from March 2010, please outline your Organisations capacity to enable delivery of the services on the specified start date.
L
PRIME CONTRACTOR/SUBCONTRACTING
(1) Please select either a or b and answer as applicable a) Your organisation is bidding to provide all the services required
Y/N
b) Your organisation is bidding in the role of Prime Contractor and intends to subcontract some of the services to third parties or to form a partnerships/joint ventures/consortium with third parties to deliver the services
Y/N
(2) Please identify the % of the contract you propose to sub-contract: (3) If your answer to 1 is (b), please identify proposed subcontractors/ partners /consortia members for the bid (if currently known) below: Organisation name
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Organisation address and contact details
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Elements of the service provision you propose to subcontract/ allocate to partner/consortia and details of legal arrangements between partners (if known)
M
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
(1) Are you aware of any conflicts of interest between your company and the Agency? * Where there is any indication that a conflict of interest exists or may arise, then it shall be the responsibility of the Supplier to inform the Agency, detailing the conflict in writing as an attachment to this PQQ. The Agency will be the final arbiter in cases of potential conflicts of interest. Failure to notify the Agency of any potential conflict of interest will invalidate any verbal or written agreement A Conflict of interest is where a person who is involved in the procurement has or may be perceived to have a personal interest in ensuring that a particular supplier is successful. Actual and potential conflicts of interest must be declared by a person involved in a tender process.
N
FORM COMPLETED BY:
Signature
Name
Position
Date
Telephone number
E-mail address
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Y/N
APPENDIX A STATEMENT RELATING TO GOOD STANDING STATEMENT RELATING TO GOOD STANDING — GROUNDS FOR OBLIGATORY EXCLUSION (IN ELIGIBILITY) AND CRITERIA FOR REJECTION OF CANDIDATES in accordance with Regulation 23 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (as amended) NWDA00276a - Mentoring We confirm that, to the best of our knowledge, the Potential Provider is not in breach of the provisions of Regulation 23 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (as amended) and in particular that: Grounds for mandatory rejection (ineligibility) The Potential Provider (or its directors or any other person who has powers of representation, decision or control of the named organisation) has not been convicted of any of the following offences: (a)
Conspiracy within the meaning of section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 where that conspiracy relates to participation in a criminal organisation as defined in Article 2(1) of Council Joint Action 98/733/JHA (as amended);
(b)
Corruption within the meaning of section 1 of the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act 1889 or section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906 (as amended);
(c)
The offence of bribery;
(d)
Fraud, where the offence relates to fraud affecting the financial interests of the European Communities as defined by Article 1 of the Convention relating to the protection of the financial interests of the European Union, within the meaning of: (i)
The offence of cheating the Revenue;
(ii)
The offence of conspiracy to defraud;
(iii)
Fraud or theft within the meaning of the Theft Act 1968 and the Theft Act 1978;
(iv)
Fraudulent trading within the meaning of section 458 of the Companies Act 1985;
(v)
Defrauding the Customs within the meaning of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 and the Value Added Tax Act 1994;
(vi)
An offence in connection with taxation in the European Community within the meaning of section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 1993; or
(vii)
Destroying, defacing or concealing of documents or procuring the extension of a valuable security within the meaning of section 20 of the Theft Act 1968;
(e)
Money laundering within the meaning of the Money Laundering Regulations 2003; or
(f)
Any other offence within the meaning of Article 45(1) of the Public Sector Directive. Organisation’s name Signed Position Date
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Discretionary grounds for rejection The Potential Provider confirms that it: (a)
Being an individual is not bankrupt or has not had a receiving order or administration order or bankruptcy restrictions order made against him or has not made any composition or arrangement with or for the benefit of his creditors or has not made any conveyance or assignment for the benefit of his creditors or does not appear unable to pay or to have no reasonable prospect of being able to pay, a debt within the meaning of section 268 of the Insolvency Act 1986, or article 242 of the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, or in Scotland has not granted a trust deed for creditors or become otherwise apparently insolvent, or is not the subject of a petition presented for sequestration of his estate, or is not the subject of any similar procedure under the law of any other state;
(b)
Being a partnership constituted under Scots law has not granted a trust deed or become otherwise apparently insolvent, or is not the subject of a petition presented for sequestration of its estate;
(c)
Being a company or any other entity within the meaning of section 255 of the Enterprise Act 2002 has not passed a resolution or is not the subject of an order by the court for the company’s winding up otherwise than for the purpose of bona fide reconstruction or amalgamation, nor had a receiver, manager or administrator on behalf of a creditor appointed in respect of the company’s business or any part thereof or is not the subject of similar procedures under the law of any other state;
(d)
Has not been convicted of a criminal offence relating to the conduct of his business or profession;
(e)
Has not committed an act of grave misconduct in the course of his business or profession;
(f)
Has fulfilled obligations relating to the payment of social security contributions under the law of any part of the United Kingdom or of the relevant State in which the organisation is established;
(g)
Has fulfilled obligations relating to the payment of taxes under the law of any part of the United Kingdom or of the relevant State in which the economic operator is established;
(h)
Is not guilty of serious misrepresentation in providing any information required of him under this regulation;
(i)
In relation to procedures for the award of a public services contract, is licensed in the relevant State in which he is established or is a member of an organisation in that relevant State when the law of that relevant State prohibits the provision of the services to be provided under the contract by a person who is not so licensed or who is not such a member.
Organisation’s name Signed Position Date
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APPENDIX B BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT Skills are one of the major determinants of productivity, nationally and regionally. Within this, leadership and management (L&M) is recognised as being crucial in delivering economic, efficient and effective performance. The Leitch report indicated that “Better skills will be needed at higher levels to drive leadership, management and innovation – these are key drivers of productivity growth.” The Northwest has a less qualified workforce and lower levels of enterprise and innovation than the national average - both important factors contributing to the regional productivity gap. The region has a lower proportion of its economically active population qualified to Level 4 or higher than nationally, and higher proportions with no and low qualifications; to achieve the national average the region would require 80,000 more people qualified to Level 4. This effectively means the ‘pool’ of potentially qualified more senior managers and leaders is smaller than it should be for the size of the economy. The recent baseline review for leadership and management confirmed that the region fares less well than the national average in terms of management capacity. Compared to the national average: • The region has fewer managers (13.9% compared to 15.3% nationally) • Employers face difficulties filling vacancies at this level • Leadership skills ‘lag’ the national average and we have a management skills gap of 78.5%, compared to an England average of 64.6% • There is less diversity amongst managers in the region compared to the national average, with 95.9% of managers and senior officials being white compared to 93.1% nationally, and with only 4.1% from non-white ethnic groups There is evidence of significant market failures around leadership and management skills development in the region, specifically: Imperfect Information - lack of awareness amongst some businesses/employers regarding the business benefits of L&M development, and also a lack of awareness of how to address L&M development needs - what to do, which advisors or providers to approach, which type of course or support required Responsiveness - an offer from suppliers that is not appropriate to business/employer needs, for example, provision that is not accessible owing to place or time of delivery, or too generic - this may also be due to an information failure, with suppliers unable to establish a good picture of need. It may also be due to a lack of capacity within providers to deliver to meet the needs Cost/value – businesses and unwilling or unable to pay due to costs (including financial and opportunity costs) being prohibitive, or the offer not being ‘valuable’ enough - this may of course be linked to one or more of the other issues listed above Addressing regional gaps in Leadership and Management (L&M) capacity is a Regional Economic Strategy (RES) priority and identified as a transformational action; RES Action 35 sets out to develop world class leadership and management. Objective 5, under Competitive People, in the Corporate Plan focuses on the need to develop leadership and management skills in the current Filename: tmpNoQVLK Date: 17 February 2013
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workforce. The LSC Statement of Priorities 08/09 & 10/11 (November 2007) states commitment to range of goals, including increasing the number of employers and individuals accessing leadership and management training – recognising that this is particularly important for the SME market. The more detailed strategic context for delivering this Action is set out in the Northwest Leadership & Management Skills Framework for Action. This was developed last year (commissioned by the Northwest Leadership and Management Advisory Group1) to provide a focus for key partners and stakeholders engaged in delivering leadership and management solutions, and to ensure stakeholders are collectively aligning funding and investment to address market constraints. The focus for the current year is therefore to implement actions to support this strategic framework; as per the Corporate Plan (Objective 5). The overarching vision for the Framework is to, “develop world class skills in leadership and management in the Northwest that have real impact on regional productivity and competitiveness”. The Framework has three main priorities for action: • Generating Demand – raising awareness and stimulating demand • Improving Supply – developing the right provision, encouraging responsiveness and accessibility • Measuring Impact – demonstrating the impact of L&M skills on business and the economy Within the Framework, we have developed three inter-related projects which will be channelled through the Business Link Integrated Brokerage service to provide a suite of leadership and management development opportunities for NW businesses. They will add strategic added value by ensuring large number of managers and leaders and their management teams will benefit from leadership development opportunities resulting in a new development and mentoring culture to support improved business competitiveness and releasing the potential of leaders and the wider workforce. The projects will also allow the provider base in the northwest to deliver fit for purpose, cost/value provision that is accessible and meets the needs of future business skill needs. The expansion of the Train to Gain Leadership and Management project is a clear demonstration of this commitment; the LEAD the Northwest Region project will provide an effective means of meeting the demand generated through the Train to Gain service, in which SME leaders will undertake individual training needs analysis with referral to relevant support. The three projects are: a) The Expanding Train to Gain projects, via brokers, acts as a gateway for large numbers of managers and leaders to understand and access the benefits of leadership and management development opportunities, by taking managers and their teams through an individual information, diagnostic and brokerage stage with the production of a personal development plan with the offer of a financial grant to take-up work-based learning. b) LEAD the Northwest Region is a structured formal project offering owner managers of micro businesses the opportunity to undertake a 10 month intensive leadership and management development programme. c) Mentoring for NW businesses is a suite of leadership development opportunities offered on an informal and flexible basis which will often compliment other business support interventions. This programme is for information purposes. By leveraging ERDF funding through the ERDF cluster programme, the scope and scale of the LEAD and mentoring projects will be enhanced on a pro-rata basis. 1
The North West Leadership and Management Advisory Group was established in January 2007 as an advisory and consultative group to ensure a NW Regional Action Plan for Leadership and Management is developed that is fit for purpose and to advise NWDA on the steps it should take to develop leadership, management, CSR and environmental skills in the region to deliver the RES, to monitor the delivery and effect of the action plan, and to recommend changes or new actions as appropriate.. It is chaired by Peter Hensman and currently includes representation from NWDA, NW LSC, NWUA, NLA, the Skills for Business Network and NWBLT.
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All three projects are mapped within the BSSP Skills Solution product area of the product portfolio as they fit within the T2G framework and eligibility guidelines. The marketing and promotion will be aligned with the marketing and branding guidelines issued by BERR later in the year and individuals will be signposted through the Integrated Brokerage as per the guidance of the new programme. Contracts and Monitoring and Evaluation Plans will be devised with a break clause included that will allow for further alignment with BSSP as the programme develops. IMPLICATIONS AND EFFICIENCY Project Expanding T2G
Outputs 9,200 businesses
LEAD the 2,000 businesses Northwest Region Mentoring for NW 3,500 Businesses managers Rigorous monitoring and evaluation of each of the projects will be undertaken on an annual basis and up to two years after the projects are completed to capture impact on GVA in terms of increase in sales turnover and increase in number of employees.
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