CONTRACT NOTICE – NATIONAL

1 Authority Details

1.1

Authority Name and Address

1.2

Address from which documentation may be obtained

1.3

Completed documents must be returned to:

2 Contract Details

2.1

Title

Review of the ESOL Policy for Wales

2.2

Description of the goods or services required

Welsh Government wishes to commission a review of our ESOL policy for Wales. The review will assess the availability and adequacy of ESOL provision and make viable recommendations for how ESOL provision can be improved. Specifically the review will:

1. Provide a detailed mapping of current ESOL provision in Wales;

2. Determine how well formal ESOL provision in Wales offers adequate and timely support to learners; to include an assessment of:

- What works well in the provision of ESOL and ESOL+ in Wales, and what gaps exist in this provision;

- What challenges/barriers and/or facilitators exist in the provision of ESOL in Wales;

- How well ESOL provision is offering adequate and timely support to those subject to varying immigration statuses, to those facing particular vulnerabilities, such as migrants that are children, LGBTQ+ and/or disabled, and to those based outside of the dispersal cities;

- Whether the types of ESOL provision in Wales are adequate in terms of their quality, appropriateness, availability and flexibility;

- The impact of remote learning and digital exclusion on access to ESOL provision;

- the extent to which more informal, participatory forms of learning support the real-life language needs of adult forced migrants;

- How the progress and outcomes of ESOL learners, and their demographic characteristics, are monitored and measured over time and how anonymised data can be shared for transparency and accountability;

- Whether ESOL providers are developing bespoke ESOL provision to support people into work (or maintain work) and how ESOL Provision is aligned with vocational training.

- Whether ESOL providers are developing bespoke ESOL provision for other specific purposes, such as community orientation or to support passing driving tests.

- Available provision to learn Welsh as well as well as, or instead of, English where appropriate, and the take-up of the Welsh provision.

- Where the take up of Welsh language teaching provision is high or low, to capture possible reasons for these variances.

- Whether funding for ESOL provision being used in the best possible way to achieve maximum efficiency and outcomes;

- The role of the Welsh Government, Local Authorities, Institutions, and public service partners in providing a strategic and co-ordinating lead to ensure sufficient, quality ESOL provision in Wales.

3. Determine whether there is sufficient access to other opportunities to develop language skills in informal and social settings, such as Friends and Neighbours (FAN) who run groups to develop conversational English or Welsh), and whether partnerships between formal ESOL Providers and Hubs and informal ESOL Providers are effective.

4. Propose viable, evidence informed actions/recommendations for future policy development which could improve ESOL provision in Wales and address the gaps identified in the review.

NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Sell2Wales Web Site at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=117387.

2.3

Notice Coding and Classification

2.4

Total quantity or scope of tender

Sound subject knowledge will be required to address the aims/objectives outlined in this specification. It is expected that the successful contractor will possess demonstrable knowledge of ESOL and factors affecting the provision of ESOL in Wales.

It will also be necessary for the successful contractor to possess the skills required to conduct interviews to collect the necessary information, and analyse, synthesise and report on a range of findings. Demonstrable policy expertise and knowledge is expected so that the successful contractor is able to provide coherent and practical policy recommendations as part of their final report. Given the wide range of knowledge and skills required bids involving a sub-contracting or consortium approach will be considered.

The methodology will be agreed in detail during the inception stage of the project based on outline proposals submitted by the successful bidder. There will also be opportunities for the Client to review the methodology through ongoing contract monitoring meetings. The following paragraphs provide an indication of the methodological approach anticipated for this work but contractors are advised to provide their own proposals in their tender.

It is expected that the majority of this review will consist of interviews with stakeholders to gain a wide range of viewpoints. Groups of interest would include:

- key partners and organisations representing Migrants, including Welsh Refugee Coalition, other migrant support groups and Wales Strategic Migration Partnership;

- ESOL learners;

- ESOL teachers;

- a wide range of ESOL providing organisations from informal groups such as Friends and Neighbours groups to formal education providers such as educational institutions like colleges, schools and other areas like workplace ESOL provision.

An appropriate sample would need to be collected ensuring there is balance and representation across the whole of Wales. Data in both rural and urban settings should be captured taking into account that there will be different challenges presenting in rural areas with fewer ESOL learners compared to the challenges of providing ESOL in areas like Cardiff with many ESOL learners due to a higher proportion of migrants for reasons such as being an asylum dispersal area. Bidders are expected to justify the methods and modes of data collection they recommend in their proposal, as well as their sampling and recruitment strategies. This will form part of the evaluation criteria.

Bidders should identify potential ethical concerns related to the review and detail how they will deal with and mitigate these concerns. In doing so, bidders are encouraged to use and reflect on available ethical guidelines.

Bidders must ensure that their proposed project team has expertise in understanding ESOL policy for Wales and the importance of ESOL for migrants to aid integration and joining the labour market. Bidders should demonstrate appropriate knowledge of migrant policy in Wales.

Bidders are encouraged to outline approaches to identify gaps and weaknesses with the current policy and how this affects provision. Bidders should examine the review findings and put forth viable recommendations to inform policy development for the Welsh Government and other relevant stakeholders. The review must be informed by evidence and provide detailed recommendations with accompanying reasoning.

Bidders are required to have an understanding of, and ability to meet, project timetable and dependencies/risks. As part of you proposal, we require a project management plan (including a timetable detailing key milestones; an outline of a robust management, delivery and reporting structure; detailed risk register).

3 Conditions for Participation

3.1

Minimum standards and qualification required

4 Administrative Information

4.1

Type of Procedure

Single stage

4.2

Reference number attributed to the notice by the contracting authority

N/a

4.3

Time Limits

4.5

Language or languages in which tenders or requests to participate can be drawn up

4.6

Tender Submission Postbox

5 Other Information

5.1

Additional Information

(WA Ref:117387)

5.2

Additional Documentation

5.3

Publication date of this notice