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Winning a bigger buck for the bang

02/06/2010

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About the training programme

The sector currently delivers over £12 billion worth of public services for the various tiers of government. Much of this money comes to the sector in grant funding. That is changing. We live in a time of spending cuts, changing governmental policies and an increased demand on the third sector for service provision. New initiatives like World Class Commissioning, the Personalisation of Public Services and changes to local authority structure are changing the commissioning environment.

The impact of this is particularly challenging for smaller VCS organisations, many of whom lack the resources or the experience to bid for and win contracts or perhaps to engage with the commissioner in the consultative stages when the tender specification is being developed. Smaller organisations also have a difficult job keeping abreast of changes to legislation and policy and adapting to changes.

This shows the crucial role a strong second tier infrastructure sector can play in developing and expanding the capacity for the front-line to win government contracts and secure sub-contracts, with larger organisations.

Our programme comprises five different training topics, delivered by experts in these particular fields. You can book onto all five events and get a major grounding in procurement and commissioning or you can pick and choose the most relevant topics to you and expand your existing expertise. The aim of the programme is to help give you the skills you need to support the groups you work with. To help them to develop opportunities and to win the contracts they need to keep on delivering their vital work!

 

Who is it for?

If you are involved in providing development support to front line third sector organisations, this programme will develop your skills and knowledge base to ensure they are successful.

If you work for one of the following types of organisation, this programme has been designed for you!

  • Local VCS Infrastructure Bodies
  • Social Enterprise Support Networks
  • National and Regional Networks who provide technical support to specific sub-sectors (eg waste, arts, social care)
  • National staff of federal charity structures who support to local branches
  • Development and Community Trusts in their role as support provider and community anchor
  • Rural Community Councils

 

What Will You Learn?

1. How to Successfully Approach Commissioning and Procurement Processes

  • Increase your understanding of the commissioning cycle and procurement regulations and how to influence commissioning decisions.
  • Increase your understanding of the functions of and information required by the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire and Invitation to Tender.
  • Learn where to find information and support on how to write winning responses.
  • Ensure you are able to apply what you have learnt to your own situation and are better equipped to support smaller organisations in going for and winning contracts.

 

2. How Big Is Your Bang? Setting Targets and Measuring Benefit

  • Increase your knowledge and understanding of performance approaches relevant to commissioning.
  • Increase your knowledge of the range of tools and techniques that can be used by frontline organisations to demonstrate effectiveness and quality.
  • Increase your confidence in giving advice and support to frontline organisations on quality, planning, monitoring and evaluation in a commissioning context.

 

3 Influencing Commissioning Processes

  • Increase your understanding of where and how you can influence the commissioning cycle including:
  • Develop your understanding of what drives commissioners; what they are looking for and the delivery pressures they are under.
  • Increase your ability to clarify your ‘offer’ to commissioners and how to develop a marketing strategy based on this.
  • Increase your capability to establish and maintain productive relationships with commissioners.

 

4 How to Negotiate During Commissioning Processes

  • Increase your understanding of the key skills required in order to achieve genuine ‘Win – Win’ outcomes to negotiation.
  • Increase your skills to assist third sector organisations in tactically managing and engaging with Commissioners during negotiations and re-negotiations.
  • Build your understanding of the wider picture in which opportunities might arise.
  • Increase your ability to help third sector organisations develop their own unique selling points (USP).

 

5 Financial Planning and Budgeting to Win

  • Increase your understanding of financial processes and issues relevant to procurement and commissioning like full costs recovery, and ensuring value for money from overheads.
  • Improve your confidence in supporting and advising clients on these matters.
  • Increase your understanding of the financial value that is within public sector contracts and also what it will cost to respond to a specific tender opportunity.
  • Increase your understanding of how to help groups source finance to invest in the services they deliver.

 

For more information about the specific training events we are running, please go to: http://www.acevo.org.uk/Page.aspx?pid=1043

 

Schedule of Events

Each course is designed to either attend individually or as a complete programme. We are running four cohorts of training, one in Taunton, one in Manchester, one in Lincolnshire and one in Newcastle. If you are booking the entire programme you can mix and match the location if necessary.

 

Seminar

South West

(Taunton)

North West

(Manchester)

East Midlands(Lincolnshire)

North East (Newcastle)

1) How to Successfully Approach Commissioning and Procurement Processes

2nd September 2010

21st September 2010

7th October

14th October

2) How Big Is Your Bang? Setting Targets and Measuring Benefit

5th October 2010

12th October 2010

4th November 2010

11th November 2010

3) Influencing Commissioning Processes

2nd November 2010

9th November 2010

2nd December 2010

9th December 2010

4) How to Negotiate During Commissioning Processes

7th December 2010

14th December 2010

13th January 2011

20th January 2011

5) Financial Planning and Budgeting to Win

11th January 2011

18th January 2011

3rd February 2011

10th February 2011

 

 

Our Training Providers

 

We have assembled a team of nationally recognised experts to deliver our training programme:

  • Voluntary Action Sheffield:VAS is one of the most dynamic VCS infra-structure bodies in
  • the country. They have a wealth of experience in helping local groups win contracts and are
  • a major training provider.
  • Sheffield City Council: Procurement officers from Sheffield City Council working in partnership with Voluntary Action Sheffield, ensure you are getting a procurement officers perspective of what is required from procurement processes.
  • Charities Evaluation Services: Charities Evaluation Services is the UK's leading provider of support and advice on quality and evaluation systems for the voluntary sector.
  • GK Partners: GK Partners are nationally recognised specialists in third sector business models with an impressive track record of delivering finance and governance training to the third sector. They currently deliver the Greater London Assembly Access to Finance programme for SMEs specialising in ‘value driven businesses’ and help third sector organisations raise over £2.5 million per year in loans, grants and other financial options.
  • Zurich: Negotiation is a key part of all Zurich’s activities, aiming to ensure all clients and parties achieve a ‘Win-Win’ outcome. The trainer is a qualified Chartered Public Finance Accountant with extensive local authority experience, before heading up consultancy negotiations with Zurich’s key accounts.

 

Regional Partners:

 

This programme is supported at the regional level by:

  • South West Forum, Lincs2gether Project
  • The Commissioning Support Service

 

This programme has been developed by the ACEVO Commissioning Support Service. You can contact the service for advice and support on all aspects of involving the third sector in commissioning and procurement processes.

 

Tel: 020 7280 4937

Email: commissioning.support@acevo.org.uk

Web: www.acevo.org.uk/commissioning