Invitation to Tender Level 2 Certificate in Spectator Safety: Employer Led Skills Project (ELS)

Invitation to Tender

European Social Fund – Employer Led Skills Project (ELS)

Specification Reference: Level 2 Certificate in Spectator Safety

ESF Priority Axis:  Priority Axis 2: Skills for Growth

ESF Investment Priority 2.1: Enhancing equal access to lifelong learning

Area: Cornwall and Isles of Scilly (C&IoS)

Opens: 21^st February 2022

Closes: 4^th March 2022

Contents

1. About Cornwall Marine Network
2. About the ITT
3. Specification Requirements
   1. Budget
   2. Location
   3. Timescale
   4. Objectives
   5. Audit
   6. Selection
4. Cross Cutting Themes
5. Application Process & Prioritisation Methodology
6. Timetable
7. Submission Requirements
8. General Information

• About Cornwall Marine Network

Cornwall Marine Network (CMN) is a not for profit company, limited by guarantee, set up in 2002 to help marine businesses improve their prosperity and sustainability. In the last 15 years it has worked to secure project funding to deliver a range of services to its now more than 300 member businesses and has successfully delivered more than 100 business support projects to its marine member businesses since 2005, creating more than 3,000 new jobs and seeing the key to the current and future success as continuing to support members through innovative training, marketing initiatives and business support including productivity and innovation improvements. CMN has extended this effective role to include services to other sectors through a network of Delivery Partners.

• About this Invitation to Tender

CMN has secured project funding through the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF), known locally as the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Growth Programme, from the European Union’s European Social Fund for a project named Employer Led Skills (ELS).

One of the dominant contributory factors to the region’s productivity and economic growth is the level of education, training and skills within the working age population. The ELS project seeks to address a range of issues concerning the development and upskilling of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly’s (IoS) workforce. It aims to help businesses to develop and grow, become more resilient and more productive.

In order to effectively respond to the needs of employers across Cornwall and the IoS, CMN is procuring various pieces of training as required by individual businesses.  This particular specification is responding to the need of a local business requesting the Level 2 Certificate in Spectator Safety qualification.  Further to this a Basic Life Support qualification would be liked as well.

• Specification Requirements:

1. Budget: CMN expects to allocate up to £70,000 of ESF for this tender in order to facilitate the training of up to 150 employees. CMN reserves the right to increase or decrease this allocation by up to 15% subject to the quality of the proposals received and demand for training and support from employers.
2. Location: West Cornwall, blended learning approach with some face-to-face and some online delivery.
3. Timescale: Training to commence in March 2022.
4. Objectives: This section provides an overview of what is expected from all training providers and must be evidenced as part of their application. At the end of this specification document a template is provided for completion by all those wishing to submit a proposal for consideration.  All submissions must be completed using the provided template.
5. CMN is looking for a training provider who can deliver:
   • Level 2 Certificate in Spectator Safety qualification (RQF)
   • Basic Life Support qualification
   • a programme of approximately 12 courses delivered in the West of Cornwall, commencing in March 2022 for up to 150 participants

1. The successful Training provider will:
   • be qualified to the appropriate specialist level and able to confidently deliver and assess the qualifications requested
   • have the capacity to deliver the programme within the timescale, and at the volume, required
   • offer good value for money
   • hold appropriate levels of insurance (professional, indemnity, public liability)
   • have demonstrable experience of delivering high quality training packages
   • have up to date training on safeguarding and PREVENT
   • hold a recent and relevant DBS, or apply for a DBS check and provide a copy to CMN

• Applicants must outline their experience and skills against the points identified above in their tender application using the template provided.

1. Audit – All payment claims will be subject to audit by CMN and other bodies such as DWP, which is the Managing Authority for ESF funds in England.

1. Selection – All submissions will be scored in line with the criteria specified in section 5g below.

• Cross Cutting Themes – All applications received under this specification should demonstrate how the cross-cutting themes will be addressed in their training and development. The cross-cutting themes for ESF are ‘gender equality and equal opportunities’ and ‘sustainable development’.

 

• Application Process & Prioritisation Methodology:
  1. Procurement – Robust and transparent procurement is required to ensure that CMN considers:
     1. value for money;
     2. maximises the efficient use of public money; and

• maintains competitiveness and fairness across the European Union.

1. This specification identifies specific requirements for all applicants to consider in respect of their proposals. CMN will appraise proposals against these requirements.
2. This specification is being assessed in a ‘single stage’ process.
3. CMN will check applicant eligibility; activity and expenditure eligibility; and the fit with the specification as initial gateway criteria. Proposals that pass this stage will then be considered against the following points: Strategic fit; Value for money; Management & control; Deliverability. The assessment and any prioritisation will be undertaken using only the information supplied as part of the application process.
4. Questions can be addressed to CMN by email to anne-marie.sefton@cornwallmarine.net. All questions and answers will be published for the benefit of all potential applicants on the CMN website.
5. CMN will also complete a Financial Due Diligence exercise and ask applicants to provide:
   1. Proof of trading – financial accounts/statements
   2. Proof of Existence – Certificate of Incorporation, VAT Registration Certificate, etc.
6. Evaluation Methodology:
   1. As a deliverer of public funds, CMN will advertise this tender in accordance with public contracting regulations.
   2. The decision to award the contract will be based on a number of criteria:

Criteria	Score (0=not addressed, 5=Fully addressed)	Weighting (%)
Best value for money	0-5	20
Understanding of the brief, including clarity and credibility of the proposal.	0-5	20
Proposed delivery model addresses the objectives outlined above.	0-5	20
Quality of the approach to the work.	0-5	20
Capabilities and experience of delivering similar programmes	0-5	20
	Max. 25 points	100

• Each proposal will be checked for completeness and compliance with all requirements.

1. During the evaluation of proposals, CMN reserves the right to seek clarification in writing from applicants to assist it in its consideration of the service procurement.
2. CMN is not bound to accept the lowest price or any proposal. CMN will not reimburse any expense incurred in preparing proposals.

• Timetable: The anticipated timetable for submission of the tender is set out below.

Milestone	Date
Issue Invitation to Tender	Day 0 (Monday 21st February 2022)
Final date for receipt of clarifications	5pm Friday 25th February 2022
Final date for response to clarifications	5pm Monday 28th February 2022
Deadline to return proposals to CMN	5pm Friday 4th March 2022
Evaluation of proposals by CMN – commencement	Monday 7th March 2022
Successful and unsuccessful quoting organisation/s informed	From Wednesday 9th March 2022

• Submission Requirements:

1. Any questions or points of clarification to be directed by email to

anne-marie.sefton@cornwallmarine.net by 5pm Friday 25^th February 2022

1. Please submit the proposal template by email, post or in person by 5pm on Friday 4^th March 2022
2. Proposals must be submitted through full completion of the attached template. Any proposals not submitted in this way will not be assessed.
3. If submitting electronically, please send by email to anne-marie.sefton@cornwallmarine.net with the following wording in the subject box: “ELS – Spectator Safety – Strictly Confidential.”
4. Applicants are advised to request an acknowledgement of receipt when submitting by email.
5. If submitting by post or in person, the proposal template must be enclosed in a sealed envelope, marked as follows:
   “ELS – Spectator Safety – Strictly Confidential.” Anne-Marie Sefton, Projects & Training Coordination Manager, Cornwall Marine Network, Maritime Business Centre, Units 7a & 7b Falmouth Business Park, Bickland Water Road, Falmouth, TR11 4SZ
6. In you are delivering the proposal by hand or courier it should be delivered to Reception at Cornwall Marine Network during normal working hours (9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday) and an official receipt obtained.
7. Please ensure you cover all the elements of the specification objectives and your costings should be inclusive of VAT (where this element applies)

• General Information: All proposals must consider all of the following points as pre-requisite if the proposal is to be considered;
  1. Equality and Diversity – CMN is committed to providing services in a way that promotes equality of opportunity. It is expected that the successful applicant will be equally committed to equality and diversity in its provision and will ensure compliance with all anti-discrimination legislation. You will be required to comply with CMN’s Equality & Diversity policy and practices if successful in securing this contract.
  2. Environmental Policy – CMN is committed to sustainable development and the promotion of good environmental management. The successful applicant will be committed to a process of improvement with regard to environmental issues. You will be required comply with CMN’s Environmental policies and practices if successful in securing this contract.
  3. Indemnity and Insurance – The successful applicant must effect and maintain with reputable insurers such policy or policies of insurance as may be necessary to cover the provider’s obligations and liabilities under this contract, including but not limited to:
     1. Professional indemnity insurance with a limit of liability of not less than £5 million.
     2. Public liability insurance with a limit of liability of not less than £5 million.

• Employers liability insurance with a limit of liability of not less than £5 million (if appropriate)

1. All insurances shall cover for any one occurrence or series of occurrences arising out of any one event during the performance of this contract.
2. If applicants do not hold the stated level of insurance, CMN will discuss levels of insurance on a case by case basis, as relevant to the content of training being delivered.

1. Exclusions – CMN shall exclude the applicant from participation in this procurement procedure where they have established or are otherwise aware that the organisation, to include administrative, management or supervisory staff that have powers of representation, decision or control of the applicant’s company, has been the subject of a conviction by final judgment of one of the following reasons:
   1. Participation in a criminal organisation
   2. Corruption

• Fraud

1. Terrorist offences or offences linked to terrorist activities
2. Money laundering or terrorist financing
3. Child labour and other forms of trafficking in human beings

1. Document Retention – All documentation (electronic and hard copy) produced as part of this contract will need to be returned to CMN at the end of the contract so that we can retain them for future reference/audit. The provider will not be expected to store these documents for future reference.
2. Disclaimer
   1. The issue of this documentation does not commit CMN to award any contract pursuant to the quoting process or enter into a contractual relationship with any provider of the service. Nothing in the documentation or in any other communications made between CMN or its agents and any other party, or any part thereof, shall be taken as constituting a contract, agreement or representation between CMN and any other party (save for a formal award of contract made in writing by or on behalf of CMN).
   2. CMN reserves the right to terminate the agreement if concerns over quality or integrity are identified and substantiated.

• Providers must obtain for themselves, at their own responsibility and expense, all information necessary for the preparation of their quote responses. Information supplied to the providers by CMN or any information contained in CMN’s publications is supplied only for general guidance in the preparation of the quote response. Providers must satisfy themselves by their own investigations as to the accuracy of any such information and no responsibility is accepted by CMN for any loss or damage of whatever kind and howsoever caused arising from the use by providers of such information.

1. No representation by way of explanation or otherwise to persons or corporations quoting or desirous of quoting as to the meaning of the Invitation to Quote, contract or other quote documents or as to any other matter or thing to be done under the proposed contract shall bind CMN unless such representation is in writing and duly signed by the CEO of CMN. All such correspondence shall be returned with the quotation documents and shall form part of the contract.
2. Payment terms – as per CMN’s payment terms: External training providers will be paid through an invoice system with payment made within 30 days of receipt of the invoice.
3. CMN reserves the right to vary or change all or any part of the basis of the procedures for the procurement process at any time or not to proceed with the proposed procurement at all.

Please Click Here to download the application form