INVITATION TO TENDER - Skills for Growth Strategy Sector Action Plan for Low Carbon

INVITATION TO TENDER

D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership is inviting submissions for the Development of the Skills for Growth Strategy Sector Action Plan for Low Carbon.

1. Background

D2N2 is the Local Enterprise Partnership for Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Our vision is a more prosperous, better connected, and increasingly resilient and competitive economy.

2. General Requirements

Skills are one of the four cornerstones of the Growth Plan and as such a Skills for Growth Strategy for D2N2 was commission, from which there is a requirement for the development of a suite of comprehensive Skills Sector Action Plans.

The D2N2 key sectors are:

Transport, Equipment Manufacturing
Medicine and Bioscience
Construction
Food and Drink Manufacturing
Visitor Economy
Low Carbon Goods and Services

Some Sector Action Plans have been commissioned under separate agreements; therefore this specification is to carry out the following:

Establish a D2N2 Sector Consultative Task Group for Low Carbon.
Produce Terms of Reference for the D2N2 Sector Consultative Task Group for Low Carbon and establish ownership / membership of members.
Develop a Skills Action Plan for Low Carbon.

3. Specification

There is a need to establish a ‘D2N2 Sector Consultative Task Group’ for each of the above sectors and for each group to help shape and develop a sector specific Skills Action Plan. Attendees of the six D2N2 Sector Consultative Task Groups will give their time on a voluntary basis. There is an expectation that each Group will be led by an employer and facilitated by the holder of this contract. Where there is a prevalence of the sector in either Nottingham or Derby there is an expectation that the Group will be hosted and employer led within that geographical area.

The Group will be instrumental in the creation of the sector specific Skills Action Plan, and through a series of meetings, up to four per year, the Group will be called upon by D2N2 to provide on-going advice, information and feedback during 2014-2015 as to the effectiveness of the implementation of their sector Skills Action Plan. The implementation of each sector Skills Action Plan and feedback to the D2N2 Skills Commission and D2N2 LEP Board will be coordinated by D2N2. Where there is already an established sector group the intention is for the D2N2 Sector Consultative Task Group to be a ‘skills sub group’, so as not to duplicate efforts. Terms of reference of the group outlining the need for on-going support, facilitated by the contract holder, working with D2N2, will be required as an output for this contract.

There is a requirement for each sector Skills Action Plan to include input from the following stakeholders via their D2N2 Sector Consultative Task Group:

At least 2 x large employers (251+ employees)
At least 5 x Micro / SMEs (anything up to 250 employees)
Sector Skills Council (or other sector specific organisation / body / membership)
Provider (FE, HE, Independent and School)

Each sector Action Plan must include for the whole of the D2N2 geographical area:

LMI, including expected employment figures for the sector for the forthcoming 3 years and the type of job roles required.
Mapping of existing skills being provided.

The employer perspective to:

Barriers to current skills provision.
Lack of skills provision.

Proposal for a new skills landscape for the sector:

Solutions to providing employer-led skills provision.
Solutions to addressing the mis-match of skills and employment.

The Action Plan will need to cover each of the Skills for Growth Six Key Priority Areas:

Priority 1: Develop sector growth agreements to make explicit ownership and shared responsibilities for investment, ICT, labour market intelligence and impact measures.
Priority 2: Improve business leadership, management skills and training needs analysis to help increase productivity and performance.
Priority 3: Promote and develop apprenticeships and traineeships to achieve higher level skills and improve social mobility.
Priority 4: Foster enterprise and the characteristics of entrepreneurial behaviour, career adaptability and resilience.
Priority 5: Raise the visibility of and access to career insights and specialist careers support for young people and adults to raise aspirations, participation, retention and achievement in learning and work.
Priority 6: Promote graduate recruitment and facilitate graduate retention in the region.

Reporting:

The contract will be managed by the D2N2 Skills Development Coordinator. Regular fortnightly feedback on the status of this contract will be required to be submitted.

Criteria for Selection:

The main criteria for assessment will be:

Overall strength of compiling the Action Plan, particularly with employer involvement.
Knowledge of the current skills agenda and potential barriers.
Ability to connect and work with the sector.
A range of methods to encourage members continued engagement with the Skills Agenda and the LEP.
Proving through the submission an understanding of the D2N2 Skills for Growth Strategy.
Commitment to fit with the tender timescales.
Value for money.
Additionality/added value.
Example Skills Action Plan.

Costing:

The costs for the project are:

Component	Total Cost (inclusive of VAT and expenses)
Establish a Sector Task Group for Low Carbon Terms of Reference D2N2 Sector Consultative Task Group for Low Carbon Skills Action Plan for the Low Carbon Sector	£8,000
Total Cost of the Project	£8,000

Timescale: