NIACE INVITATION TO TENDER

Adult Learners’ Week 2014 Outreach Coordination in the Midlands Region

Summary

NIACE (The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education) in England is seeking to invite tenders to project manage the outreach programme for Adult Learners’ Week (ALW) across the Midlands Region. This could be delivered by an individual, organisation or consortium. If delivered by an individual, this will be on the understanding that the individual is a self employed consultant and would not be an employee of NIACE).

Delivery of outreach coordination will require:

  • Knowledge and understanding of adult learning and skills to deliver the programme.
  • Successful strategies to maximise the reach and impact of Adult Learners’ Weekin the region, using NIACE’s themes of Learning Life Skills, Learning for Work and Learning with Family and Community.
  • Delivery mechanisms to increase awareness through partnerships, engaging organisations and individuals in key activities.
  • Identified framework to make the case for adult learningthrough promotion and advocacy.
  • Adherence to specific objectives ofthe Adult Learners’ Week outreach campaign, as defined by NIACE.

These aspects identified above are fundamental for the delivery of this programme.

Project Description
NIACE is seeking to form a partnership to extend outreach coordination and bring a new direction to activity across the Midlands Regionduring 2014.

We have defined five key strategies for Adult Learners’ Week Outreach Coordination, reflecting the overarching focus of the national outreach campaign:

  1. To reach a wider and more diverse audience
  2. To make the case for adult learning
  3. To engage a more diverse range of partners
  4. To integrate specific Adult Learners’ Week themes in activity across the region
  5. To deliver outstanding regional events

These strategies will provide the basis for all project activity, using a variety of mechanisms and tools to deliver impact.

Geography of the project

The Outreach Coordination delivery will engage organisations across the Midlands Region, in the following counties:

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Invitation to tender: Adult Learners’ Week 2014 Outreach Coordination – Midlands Region

East Midlands

  • Lincolnshire
  • Leicestershire
  • Rutland
  • Nottinghamshire
  • Northamptonshire
  • Derbyshire

West Midlands

  • Worcestershire
  • Shropshire
  • Staffordshire
  • Herefordshire
  • Worcestershire
  • Warwickshire

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Invitation to tender: Adult Learners’ Week 2014 Outreach Coordination – Midlands Region

Consultant / organisation role

Outreach Coordination contacts are contracted to act as the ambassadors for Adult Learners’ Week across their area, carrying out specific project activity as part of the contract in order to deliver the vision and mission of Adult Learners’ Week 2014.

In addition to delivering the overarching strategies for Adult Learners’ Week, Outreach Coordination contacts will be responsible for the following:

  • Acting as the key point of contact for Adult Learners’ Week in the region.
  • Responding to queries by email, phone and face-to-face.
  • Building a network of contacts and partners for Adult Learners’ Week in the region.
  • Communicating Adult Learners’ Week messages to a range of audiences,using a variety of tools, techniques and communication channels.
  • Generating press and media activity surrounding Adult Learners’ Week.
  • Promoting nominations for the Adult Learners’ Week Awards, and providing support for completing nominations.
  • Encouraging organisations to deliver learning events and providing information,resources and support to secure engagement.
  • Delivering promotional events, and organising stakeholder meetings.
  • Co-ordinating and deliveringhigh-profile engagement events, including the Adult Learners’ Week Awards Ceremony in the region.
  • Providing evidence of the impact of Adult Learners’ Week in the region throughout 2014.

Outreach Coordination will operate in partnership with the NIACE Adult Learners’ Week Team to deliver activity. Contractual requirements will includeproduction of a project and targeting plan on the startat the contract, and monthly reporting on progress against the objectives.

Programme timetable

Date / Activity
Phase one commencing October 2013 / Launch of Adult Learners’ Week 2014, including nominations for the Adult Learners’ Week Awards.
First phase of Adult Learners’ Week engagement activity. Promotion of Adult Learners’ Week Awards, encouraging individuals and organisations to nominate, and building relationships with partner organisations.
Begin to raise awareness of events and encourage participation in the Adult Learners’ Week photo competition TBC.
Deadline for receipt of Adult Learners’ Week Award nominations.
Phase two / Second phase of Adult Learners’ Week engagement activity. Continue to build partnerships and encourage partners, organisations and individuals to hold events. Build publicity and engagement in the run up to Adult Learners’ Week.
Adult Learners’ Week Awards selection process, including short listing and selection panels in compliance with national framework.
Preparation and delivery for the Adult Learners’ Week Awards Ceremony in the Midlands Region, including event management engagement and support of winners, production of winners’ profiles following standards outlined by NIACE
Adult Learners’ Week 2014
Thousands of events, regional award ceremonies and publicity across the region.
Adult Learners’ Week National Award Ceremonies to be held.
Phase three / Collation of evidence to show the impact of Adult Learners’ Week in the Midlands Region and submission of final report.

Timescale

  • Tenders and application forms should be submitted by email to no later than 5pm on Friday 30 August.
  • Interviews will be conducted during week commencingMonday 16 September.
  • It is expected that those who have submitted a tender will be notified of the outcome of the process by Friday 27 September.
  • The contractor will be expected to commence work as soon as possible after that date and to meet with the relevant members of the ALW team at NIACE.
  • The contract period will run from 30 September 2013 – 30 July2014

Selection criteria

Representatives from NIACE will be evaluating the submitted tenders. Evaluation criteria, in no particular order, are as follows:

  • Feasibility of strategy
  • Plan for project delivery
  • Evidence of relevant knowledge and experience
  • Value for money.

The successful organisation / consultant is likely to have expertise in most or all of the following:

  • Ability to deliver a multi-media outreach programme to a range of audiences, including knowledge and understanding of the media.
  • Experience of building strategic partnerships across all ALW themes to promote learning and engage learners at local, sub-regional and regional level.
  • Up to date knowledge of current developments in adult learning across the Midlands Region.
  • Up to date knowledge of activity related to the skills agenda, preferably within the Midlands Region.
  • Ability to demonstrate a commitment to equality of opportunity.

Funding and submission

  • Up to £35,000 (including VAT and expenses) is available for this work over 10 months –30 September 2013 – July 2014

Tenders should include the following:

  • Completed cover sheet including details of a contact to whom queries may be directed.
  • CVs of those persons who would be undertaking this work and summary of relevant experience and knowledge to undertake the work.
  • A completed application form, including responses to the four questions.

Responses should be no longer than four sides of A4 (excluding cover sheets and CVs).

Tenders including the application form should be emailed in Word format to no later than 5pm on Friday 30 August.

Tenders will be submitted on the basis of doing so at no cost to NIACE and will remain valid for 90 days.

It is the responsibility of those submitting the tender to ensure that the email has arrived by the deadline outlined above. Tenders that are received after the 5pm deadline will not be considered.

NIACE reserves the right not to appoint any individual or organisation that submits for this consultancy and will not interview all applicants. A maximum of three people will be invited to interview from each organisation.

Interviews will be held at the NIACE Head Office in Leicester. NIACE will not cover travel costs or expenses incurred for applicants to attend interview.

Specific feedback on the tender will not be provided to unsuccessful applicants who do not reach interview stage.

NIACE’s decision is final.

Further information

Any queries regarding this tender should be directed to . Please note, we will only be able to correspond via email throughout the tendering process.

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by email by Friday 27 September.

Please see our terms and conditions before submitting a tender.

Thank you for your interest in applying for this contract. For more information about Adult Learners’ Week please visit

Adult Learners’ Week Outreach Coordination – Application Form

Please respond to the following questions, summarising how you would deliver Adult Learners’ Week Outreach Coordination. Responses should be no more than 4 –sides of A4 in total, with a minimum font size of 10 point.

  1. Drawing on your experience, what would be your strategy to engage new audiences in Adult Learners’ Week across the area? Please includeexamples of when you have successfully engaged hard to reach audiences in activity.

  1. Please outline the specific activity you would undertake to secure nominations and events activity.Please indicate how you would secure activity across the different parts of the area.

  1. Please describe how you would build partnerships and engage key stakeholders in Adult Learners’ Week. Please provide examples of successful partnerships that you have been involved in across the Midlands Region.

  1. What would be your strategy for delivering high - profile regional events? Please provide information about targeting, publicity, engagement, and evidence of impact.Briefly, provide information about regional events that you have previously managed.

Thank you for taking the time to complete this application form. Please submit this application form along with a contact sheet and CV to

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Invitation to tender: Adult Learners’ Week 2014 Outreach Coordination – Midlands Region