Commissioning Process Q&A
Given the amounts of each contract, it must be complicated to apply?
We have tried to make the process as simple as possible but we do need to hear from all bidders about who they are, what they plan to deliver and how they plan to involve older people. We have provided the bid completion form so that everyone is asked the same questions and are given some structure for their bids. The evaluation model is included in the appendix and this gives you the criteria we look at when reviewing the bids. All documents needed are on the BAB website so make sure you have a look at all appendix documents before beginning your bid.
£880,000 is a large amount of money, and the application process will be more familiar to larger organisations. How do smaller organisations and groups get involved in what might seem a daunting process?
We have tried to make the process as easy as possible but we must also ensure that the project can be delivered by the successful organisation. BAB champions collaboration in all parts of the programme and would welcome joint bids from a number of organisations. We do require a lead partner to hold the contract with, but we ask for the partners to be named in the bid and all partners should be present if you are invited to present interview stage.
We are hosting some collaboration events on 11th October to encourage collaboration and you can share your interest in collaboration on our noticeboard.
How is financial security accessed?
In the bid submission form we ask about your organisations’ policies and accounts and will consider these as part of the selection process.
If it became apparent a programme was unsuccessful 6 months after starting, how should this be managed?
A-We check in with delivery partners each month to ensure things are on track and we also ask for quarterly reports that set out budget and expenditure. We will work with partners if there any issues around delivery to try and find a solution that supports the organisations and keeps the project delivering.
B- We use the test and learn approach and are always keen to support delivery partners in developing the projects based on evidence and Learning. If a project isn’t meeting its outcome, we would want to work with partners to consider why it isn’t and what could be done to either adapt the outcomes or change the delivery.
How many applications have you had so far?
That’s a secret! We welcome bids from any interested organisations but we don’t share information about who has bid and how many people have bid for each contract. Any information about delivery partners that may be interested in bidding might be on our noticeboard if they have shared that they are looking for a collaboration.
The Building Blocks Commissioning Collaboration Workshop is taking place on 11th October. I’m unsure if I should attend the morning session or the afternoon session. Both feel relevant. How do I decide which session to go to?
We have allocated contracts across two sessions in order to get people with a similar interest together. You are welcome to try and come to both if you feel that it would be useful but you can also use the BAB noticeboard to discuss collaboration if you would like to.
We are an organisation that could potentially collaborate with different organisations on more than one project. Is our organisation allowed tocollaborate with multiple tenders on separate projects?
If you and your partner organisations are comfortable with you collaborating on more than one bid then BAB would have no problem with this. If your bids are invited to present to the panel then you will be expected to be part of both presentations.
The deadline is in 8 weeks time, this is a short time frame. With so many applications being made in a short space of time, it would be beneficial to know how the reviewing process will be managed.
When working with partners to develop the BAB application to Big lottery, we set out a selection of delivery partner policy and agreed to give 8 weeks for bids of this size. After the deadline, we will review all bids receive and the selection panel will make a decision about which bids are appointable and a shortlist will be drawn up in December 2017.
Shortlisted bidders will be invited to present their proposed models to the panel in January 2018.
Is it possible toreceive funding for an existing model?
Bristol Ageing Better is a programme that focusses on developing new initiatives to tackling isolation and loneliness. The aim of this round of commissioning is to develop new approaches to tackling isolation and loneliness around a range of different themes.
If you are planning to bid for funding for an existing model, we would want you to evidence why this is new or different to your current delivery and how you think it would meet the outcomes of the programme.
I am applying for funding with a specific risk group in mind. When I apply should I specify which risk group I have in mind?
BAB has identified 8 groups who are most at risk of loneliness and we are always keen to find new approaches to supporting these groups. In most cases we would encourage projects to be open to any older people but we would welcome consideration of how you might best engage specific at risk groups or provide reasonable adjustments.
I want to make an application by myself. How do I go about doing this?
Complete the bid submission form. We do encourage collaboration and some of the service specifications require relationships, connections and experience of working in specific geographical areas or with different groups of people. If you feel that you can evidence this on your own then please do feel free to bid.
BAB emphasises a ‘test and learn’ approach to developing a programme. What does this mean and how can I incorporate it into my application?
Big Lottery require BAB to use Test and Learn approaches and this basically means learning from what you do and adapting your approach based on this learning. It always good to have detail about how a project will be delivered in a bid, but there also needs to be some flexibility that allows a change in delivery depending on the learning that comes through from your work.
Who makes the decisions?
There is a selection panel for each contract and this will comprise of BAB representatives, older people and (where appropriate) people with specialist knowledge. We ask all panel members to sign a conflict of interest form and we will make every effort to have a panel who are independent and not connected to any bidders.
When does the project need to start/ end?
BAB finishes on March 31st 2020 and so all of our funded projects need to finish by then. We expect all of these contracts to have started by at least March 31st 2018 and they are all two year contracts.