CONTRACT NOTICE – NATIONAL

1 Authority Details

1.1

Authority Name and Address

1.2

Address from which documentation may be obtained

As in 1.1

1.3

Completed documents must be returned to:

As in 1.1

2 Contract Details

2.1

Title

Initial, Mid term and Final Evaluation of the Intensive Learning Academy

2.2

Description of the goods or services required

The University of South Wales (USW) Leading Digital Transformation Intensive Learning Academy (ILA) Programme invites tenders for Project Assurance support and evaluation. Evaluation is recognised by funders, stakeholders and management as an important part of an operational and strategic reporting and development process. It is believed that the best results of the evaluations, particularly the inception and mid-term, can indicate how performance and reach can be improved. The final evaluation will be required to show the impact of the programme with the sectors we work with.

Underpinned by the concept of theory-based evaluation, evaluations are being commissioned during the early stages of an operation. It is anticipated that data other than that collected to support the formal output indicators will need to be gathered, in order to demonstrate outcomes and impacts in the short, medium and longer term.

In order to deliver this, evaluations are being commissioned as a baseline from which to measure progress against through to an interim formative evaluation and longer-term outcomes and impacts through summative evaluation. The initial evaluation will focus on evaluating the Intensive Learning Academy (ILA) during the initial and mid-term evaluative phase, which will inform a final evaluation to be undertaken nearer to the operation’s end date (31st March 2024).

As part of the bid for this contract, potential contractors should primarily outline the rationale and methodological approach to the initial evaluation in sufficient detail. However, the contract is for complete evaluation, and bidders will also be required to provide an indicative rationale and approach, including aims and objectives, timescales and costs allocated with each element of the contract.

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=119255.

The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.

Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.

2.3

Notice Coding and Classification

2.4

Total quantity or scope of tender

The aims of the initial evaluation are to:

i) provide an independent and objective oversight of the likely future performance of the Leading Digital Transformation ILA (project assurance) and detail any recommendations to better ensure successful delivery of the programme;

ii) assess the current monitoring systems for the operation to ensure they allow efficient and effective delivery of the project and provide a firm basis through which data can be collected for evaluation purposes. The contractor should suggest additions to collection of monitoring data where relevant, and;

iii) explore and make recommendations on how use of the funding contributes to the Welsh Government’s well-being objectives contained in the Welsh Government’s Programme for Government; how the ILA can work in a sustainable way (sustainable development principle) in delivering its Purposes so as to ensure working in a preventative, integrated, long-term and collaborative way that involves people that reflect the diversity of Wales.

The aims of the mid-term evaluation are to:

iv) provide an independent and objective evaluation of the effectiveness and progress of the programme so far.

v) provide strengthened recommendations for change to achieve agreed outputs and document lessons to inform future delivery.

vi) assess whether monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are fit for purpose in measuring and accurately recording evidence of impact and achievement of outcomes over the first three years of delivery; and

vii) assess the effectiveness of approaches to evidence contributions to the Welsh Government’s well-being objectives, working in line with the sustainable development and equality and diversity principles.

The aims of the final evaluation are to:

viii) conclude on the achievements of the programme and provide lessons to inform any future delivery.

ix) assess if and how the programme delivered the impact and outcomes set at the start, how those we have worked with view their involvement in the programme and also to assess the longer-term impact of the programme.

x) assess whether monitoring and evaluation mechanisms have been fit for purpose in measuring evidence of impact over the period of the programme; and

xi) Assess how the programme has contributed to the Welsh Government’s well-being objectives.

3 Conditions for Participation

3.1

Minimum standards and qualification required

Interested parties must be able to:

Meet the aims and objectives as identified in the ITT document.

Undertake the requirements and meet the key deliverables as identified in the ITT document.

Meet the deadlines of the project in relation to timescales and deliverables as identified in the timetable in the ITT document.

Provide evidence of Insurance held:

Professional Indemnity £5M

Employers Liability £10M

Provide evidence of the successful completion of evaluations of a similar nature.

4 Administrative Information

4.1

Type of Procedure

Single stage

4.2

Reference number attributed to the notice by the contracting authority

1737

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

Submissions

Your tender submission must be uploaded to the Sell2Wales portal Postbox.

Your submission must be received by the closing time and date of midday, Thursday 17th March 2022.

You should allow adequate time for the loading of your documents so as to ensure receipt as the Postbox will electronically close at the deadline time and no further submissions will be accepted.

All queries in relation to the tender should be conducted via the Q&A function attached to this notice.

Answers to any questions received will then be uploaded to the portal for transparency.

Evaluation

Tender responses will be evaluated as per the evaluation criteria set out in the ITT.

(WA Ref:119255)

5.2

Additional Documentation

5.3

Publication date of this notice