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

Development Of Armed Forces Training Packages For LA Members And Staff

2.2

Description of the goods or services required

The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise from the Nation that those who serve or have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly. For communities, the Armed Forces Covenant is a promise of mutual support between a civilian community and it’s local armed forces community.

The WLGA has recently received funding from the MOD Covenant Fund, under the Strengthening Local Government Delivery of the Covenant Priority, to fund a national project to support the successful delivery of the Armed Forces Covenant at a local, regional and all-Wales level to achieve improved outcomes for the Armed Forces Community. It will develop a number of resources for use by local authorities to help increase understanding, improve consistency of message and avoid duplication in delivering Covenant commitments.

Four regions in Wales have also received funding from the MOD Covenant Fund and this national project will compliment the work being undertaken by local authorities regionally and will need to link appropriately

The objective of this piece of work is to help raise awareness of the Armed Forces Covenant and issues affecting the Armed Forces Community by:

• Developing training packages available in different formats and including trainer notes which are aimed at different audiences namely: elected members, local authority frontline staff, and local authority departmental leads; and

• Providing 4 ‘Train the Trainers’ sessions across Wales to support the roll-out of training.

NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Sell2Wales Web Site at http://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=69139.

2.3

Notice Coding and Classification

2.4

Total quantity or scope of tender

We are looking for tenders to deliver against the following requirements:

• Training packages will be provided as both face-to-face training and e-learning.

• Face-to-Face training packages will be a combination of longer sessions (2 hours – half a day) for members and key frontline staff and shorted sessions (20-30 mins) for other members of staff which are capable of being delivered as part of staff meetings etc. E-learning packages will be shorter ‘module’ based packages of approximately 30 minutes in duration.

• Training packages will raise awareness of the Armed Forces Covenant and issues faced by the Armed Forces Community generally. They will cover such matters as what an Armed Forces Covenant is; what does disadvantage mean; what veteran support exists, and how we can work together with the Armed Forces Community. (The LGA/FMIT report ‘Our Community – Our Covenant: Improving the Delivery of Local Covenant Pledges’ is a useful reference).

• Training will clarify Local Authorities’ role and responsibilities in relation to the Covenant and the benefit of meeting the needs of the Armed Forces Community as well as making reference to the role of key partners e.g. health.

• Training packages will be set within the context of Wales.

• Training packages will provide a consistent all-Wales message, which will be capable of being localised as necessary by local authorities.

• The contractor will engage with the Armed Forces Community in the development of the training packages.

• The contractor will engage with lead officers (details to be provided by the WLGA) from the four regional bid areas to ensure that the training packages developed are complimentary to training packages being developed regionally for local and/or regional use.

• It will be important that the training packages build on and/or compliment existing available resources (e.g. the Royal British Legion’s work in this area) rather than duplicating products. This could mean for example utilising existing products and making them suitable for the Welsh context.

• Training packages will need to be fully bilingual.

• The four Train the Trainer sessions will be held in appropriate locations across Wales to ensure maximum attendance by local authorities. They will also need to be bilingual.

• Tenders will be inclusive of all costs including travel.

• The contractor will provide regular updates to the contract manager.

As a guide only a total cost of approximately £20,000 (excluding VAT) inclusive of all expenses and disbursements is envisaged for completion of the project. Invoices submitted for payment on completion

3 Conditions for Participation

3.1

Minimum standards and qualification required

Tenders for this work should evidence:

• A track record of similar work

• Ability to work collaboratively and flexibly with a range of stakeholders

• An understanding of the Armed Forces Community and the Armed Forces Community Covenant

• An understanding of services and stakeholders involved in the Armed Forces agenda

Breakdown of Costs:

• Bidders are required to provide a full bread down of costs (excluding VAT) including:

• The total cost for the whole commission including expenses

• Breakdown of days per team member

• Staff rate/cost per individual

• Travel and Subsistence Rates

Submission:

Bidders should inform the WLGA of their intention to submit a proposal by 21 July 2017. The intention to submit a proposal should be notified by email to Rachel.Morgan@wlga.gov.uk

Tenders should be submitted to the WLGA at the address shown at the end of this brief and received no later than 10 August 2017.

Proposals must be submitted by post in a sealed envelope marked as ‘WLGA Armed Forces Training PROPOSAL – CONFIDENTIAL’.

Proposals should be addressed and sent to:

Nathan Gardner

WLGA

Local Government House

Drake Walk

Cardiff

CF10 4LG

Tenders must be received by 10 August 2017

The contract is managed by the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA).

The contract for this work will be with the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) and the contract manager will be Rachel Morgan on behalf of the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA).

The work will be conducted in accordance with the WLGA ‘Terms and Conditions for Supply of Consultancy Services’, a copy of which is attached/included with the invitation tender.

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

Welsh

4.6

Tender Submission Postbox

5 Other Information

5.1

Additional Information

This tender process will be conducted as an open procedure with the successful bid being assessed on the basis of the Most Economically Advantageous Tender.

The bids will be assessed on the basis of an 80/20% quality/price split using the following breakdown:

a) The experience and track record of the applicant – 20%

b) The availability and capacity of the applicant within the proposed timescale – 20%

c) The integrity and innovation of the proposed methodology and project plan – 40%

d) Price – 20%

Please note that a requirement of all tenders will be to engage in dialogue in the Welsh language where requested and in accordance with the WLGA Guidance on the Welsh Language Standards. Please see http://wlga.wales/welsh-language-standards

Evaluation will be undertaken in two phases (phase 2 will be an optional interview phase to be implemented at the discretion of the WLGA):

Phase 1: All submissions will be assessed against criteria above to distinguish the rankings.

Phase 2: An optional clarification interview phase may be applied at the discretion of the WLGA, to clarify matters of detail and ensure that bids have been correctly understood and no misinterpretation exists, in order to clearly distinguish the correct rankings.

Phase 2 will only be applicable to a maximum of six of the top ranked bidders. Bidders will only be invited to clarification interview if necessary.

In most circumstances such clarification will be sought firstly by written communication, in accordance with the WLGA procurement procedure riles.

Bidders will be expected, if required, to be available for interview during the week commencing 21 August 2017 at Local Government House, Cardiff CF10 4LG.

If you require any further information or clarification contact Rachel Morgan.

Email: Rachel.Morgan@wlga.gov.uk

(WA Ref:69139)

5.2

Additional Documentation

5.3

Publication date of this notice