(Offre en anglais) British Council launches a call for tender Retour vers les opportunités

 Introduction and background

The core purpose of the British Council’s work in school systems is to improve learning outcomes through:

• Building a body of research that is publicly available on best international practice
• Providing and enabling consultancy on system improvement on a continuum from access to quality to innovation
• Providing services that support practitioners to deliver high quality education

In order to maintain and develop its position as a world leader in this area, the British Council has now developed a range of professional development assets that can be used in various ways by different programmes and country operations where we have an offer for schools. These assets will be closely aligned with the latest thinking of global leaders in educational discourse and the priorities of education systems worldwide.

Every country in the world needs a high quality, inclusive and equitable school system that develops young people who are able to:

• Live and work in a globalised economy
• Use their knowledge, skills and values to contribute responsibly locally and globally

In order to do so, there is growing consensus that school systems need to develop young people with certain core skills and competencies (often known as 21^st century skills or “Deep Learning” skills) which can be categorised as:

• Skills for living in, and contributing to, a fairer world: global citizenship and civic responsibility
• Skills for working: collaboration and communication
• Ways of thinking: critical thinking and problem solving
• Key tools – crucially ICT literacy

Specifically, the British Council’s work with schools will contribute towards the development of the following core skills and competencies in young people (see Annex 3 for further details):

• Creativity and Imagination
• Student Leadership and Personal Development
• Citizenship
• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Digital Literacy
• Collaboration and Communication

Young people who receive this high quality education and develop these skills we believe will best contribute to the future stability and prosperity of our global society.

See Annex 3 for further details of the Core Skills training packages.

Position

The British Council seeks to procure suppliers to deliver its new Core Skills Training Packages offer to teachers and school leaders in Tunisia for a period of 12 months (pending successful supplier performance, extensions for up to a further 2 years will be considered). We welcome bids from individual suppliers as well as from organisations offering individual trainers. Suppliers can specify whether they wish to be considered only for teacher training or only for school leader training, or for both teacher and school leader training.

The procurement of these services will involve a two stage process:

Stage 1 – prospective suppliers submit a completed tender response (Annex 1) and are assessed against the criteria stipulated within this document. The bid or bids that are awarded the highest score against the criteria specified will be shortlisted for this work (“shortlisted supplier”).

Stage 2 – The shortlisted supplier(s) will then go through a process of validation. This validation process consists of two phases – the first phase involves the completion of a Validation Questionnaire for each individual trainer being put forward as part of the bid that will be assessed (details of assessment criteria are outlined in Section 10 below). The proposed trainers that provide the evidence requested will then be invited to attend a local face-to-face validation event. Upon proposed trainers being validated at this event, the shortlisted supplier(s) will be appointed (“appointed supplier”) and awarded a contract for the delivery of the services. The validation training will be delivered in English so a minimum of B2 level is required by the trainers.Further details are included within this document.

The requirement has been broken into two separate lots as specified below. Providers may bid for one or more lots. Instructions on how to bid are contained in Annex 1: Invitation to Tender Response.

Context of Core Skills Training packages

The successful supplier will deliver training interventions for teachers and/or school leaders based on the British Council Core Skills training packages (see Annex 3 for further details of the Core Skills training packages). The introductory training packages are designed to be delivered over the equivalent of a working day. The in-depth training packages are designed to be delivered over 3 working days with a period of approximately 9 weeks between days 1&2 and day 3. In between these face to face training events, participants will be expected to deliver their agreed actions and participate in a number of “reflect, re-plan, do” meetings. The training packages are intended to inform and inspire teachers and school leaders to reflect on and makes changes to their practice, pedagogy and, where appropriate, curriculum.

This model of professional learning is intended to follow the principles of good practice, such as: being suitable intensity; spaced; modelled; including practical elements; provision of feedback; including peer review;  self-reflection.

Successful suppliers will be required to support and encourage teachers and school leaders to use a variety of means (including through online British Council forums) to collaborate and share experiences with their peers both locally and internationally.

Up to 30 participants are expected to participate in each training intervention. Numerous cycles per year could run concurrently or in succession.

The training packages will be delivered globally as part of the British Council’s schools offer in individual countries. In many territories, this will be under the Connecting Classrooms programme, which aspires to train 45,000 teachers and 12,150 school leaders between 2015-18. In Tunisia we are aiming to train :

Conditions and contractual requirements

The Contracting Authority is the British Council which includes any subsidiary companies and other organisations that control or are controlled by the British Council from time to time.

The services contract awarded under this tender will be for 12 months initially with the option to extend for a further 12 months in June/july 2017.

The appointed suppliers will only process personal data accessed in performance of the services in accordance with the British Council ’s instructions and will not use such data for any other purpose. The contracted suppliers will undertake to process any personal data on the British Council’s behalf in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 and ensure appropriate and legislative consent is acquired where necessary.

The British Council is committed to equality and to positive action to promote this.  It believes that an Equal Opportunities Policy helps to ensure that there is no unjustified discrimination in the recruitment, retention, training and development of staff on the basis of gender including transgender, marital status, sexual identify, region and belief, political opinion, race, work pattern, age, disability or HIV/AIDS status, socio-economic background, spent convictions, trade union activity or  membership, on the basis of having or not having dependents, or any other relevant grounds.  The appointed supplier must agree to operate in accordance with these principles while undertaking work at or on behalf of the British Council.

The British Council is committed to open government and to meeting its legal responsibilities under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the “Act”). Accordingly, all information submitted to a public authority may need to be disclosed by the public authority in response to a request under the Act. The British Council may also decide to include certain information in the publication scheme, which the British Council maintains under the Act.

If suppliers considers that any of the information included in their completed documentation is commercially sensitive, it should identify it and explain (in broad terms) what harm may result from disclosure if a request is received, and the time period applicable to that sensitivity.

The suppliers should be aware that, even where they have indicated that information is commercially sensitive, the British Council might be required to disclose it under the Act if a request is received.

The suppliers should also note that the receipt of any material marked ‘confidential’ or equivalent by the British Council should not be taken to mean that the British Council accepts any duty of confidence by virtue of that marking.

The suppliers will comply with all applicable legislation and codes of practice, including, where applicable, all legislation and statutory guidance relevant to the safeguarding and protection of children and vulnerable adults and with the British Council’s Child Protection Policy; in addition the suppliers will ensure that where they engage any other party to supply any of the services under this agreement that that party will also comply with the same requirements as if they were a party to this agreement.

All relevant policies that suppliers are expected to adhere to can be found on the British Council website . The list of policies includes (but it is not limited to):

• Anti-Fraud and Corruption
• Child Protection Policy
• Equal Opportunities Policy
• Fair Trading
• Health and Safety Policy
• Environmental Policy
• Records Management
• Privacy

Mandatory due diligence information will form part of your response to this ITT.  You are required to complete the information related to “mandatory and discretionary rejection” as part of your response.

The British Council’s contracting and commercial approach in respect of the required services is set out at for each of the Lots in their respective Schedules (the “Contract”).  By submitting a tender, you are agreeing to be bound by the terms of this ITT and the Contract without further negotiation or amendment.

If the terms of the Contract render the proposals in your tender unworkable, you should submit a clarification in accordance with Section 11 of this ITT (Clarification Questions) by X and the British Council will consider whether any amendment to the Contract is required.  Any amendments shall be published via email by X and shall apply to all tenderers.  Any amendments which are proposed but not approved by the British Council through this process will not be acceptable and may be construed as a rejection of the terms leading to the disqualification of the tender.

This document does not constitute an offer to provide goods and/or services to the British Council.

All costs incurred in the preparation of the proposal are the supplier’s responsibility.

The British Council reserves the right to request reference information.

The British Council is not obliged to award a contract for these services and reserves the right to withdraw from the procurement process at any stage.

Confidentiality

All information contained within this document is confidential and is provided only to give suppliers an adequate understanding of the British Council’s requirements and under no circumstances should be disclosed to a third party without the British Council’s consent.

The contents of this ITT are being made available by the British Council on condition that:

• Tenderers shall at all times treat the contents of the ITT and any related documents (together called the ‘Information’) as confidential, save in so far as they are already in the public domain;

• Tenderers shall not disclose, copy, reproduce, distribute or pass any of the Information to any other person at any time;

• Tenderers shall not use any of the Information for any purpose other than for the purposes of submitting (or deciding whether to submit) a Tender; and

• Tenderers shall not undertake any publicity activity within any section of the media.

Tenderers may disclose, distribute or pass any of the Information to the Tenderer’s advisers, sub-contractors or to another person provided that either:

• This is done for the sole purpose of enabling a Tender to be submitted and the person receiving the Information undertakes in writing to keep the Information confidential on the same terms as if that person were the Tenderer; or

• The Tenderer obtains the prior written consent of the British Council in relation to such disclosure, distribution or passing of Information; or

• The disclosure is made for the sole purpose of obtaining legal advice from external lawyers in relation to the procurement or to any Framework Agreement arising from it; or

• The Tenderer is legally required to make such a disclosure.

In relation to the above the definition of ‘person’ includes but is not limited to any person, firm, body or association, corporate or incorporate.

The British Council may disclose detailed information relating to Tenders to its officers, employees, agents or advisers and the British Council may make any of the contractual documents available for private inspection by its officers, employees, agents or advisers.  The British Council also reserves the right to disseminate information that is materially relevant to the procurement to all Tenderers, even if the information has only been requested by one Tenderer, subject to the duty to protect each Tenderer’s commercial confidentiality in relation to its Tender (unless there is a requirement for disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act).

Intellectual Property Rights

All IPR belonging to the appointed supplier or the British Council before the commencement date of the contract or not created in the course of or in connection with the purpose of the contract (Background IPR), and all third party IPR is and shall remain the exclusive property of the party owning it.

The appointed supplier is required to warrant that its Background IPR does not, so far as it is aware, infringe the rights of any third party and none of their Background IPR is the subject of any actual or, so far as it is aware, threatened challenge, opposition or revocation proceedings.

For any IPR developed or arising in the course or in connection with the contract, the appointed supplier will assign to the British Council with full title guarantee all its right, title and interest in the respective IPR. The appointed supplier shall procure the waiver in favour of the British Council of all moral rights arising under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended or revised, or any similar provisions of law in any jurisdiction, relating to the IPR developed under or in connection with the contract.

Tender/Proposal Validity

Your response should remain open for acceptance for a period of 90 days. A response valid for a shorter period may be rejected.

Payment and Invoicing

The British Council will pay correctly addressed and undisputed invoices within 30 days.

The essential information on an invoice for the British Council is:

• A description of the services supplied.
• The British Council reference number/Purchase Order number.
• Addressed to Accounts Payable.
• The costs including VAT (if applicable) and any other charges

Scope of work, specification and outputs

The British Council seeks to appoint an expert supplier or suppliers to deliver high quality face-to-face training interventions for teachers and/or school leaders on the British Council Core Skills training packages (as set out in Section 4 above) in Tunisia from September 2016 to June 2017 (with the option to extend for 12months).

Each appointed supplier will deliver training interventions as part of an agreed programme of delivery agreed with the British Council. The programme of delivery will align with curricular priorities and opportunities for schools in the relevant country – including primary, secondary and special schools.

Suppliers will be mobile and be able to reach teachers and school leaders from all/specific geographical areas in Tunisia.

Each appointed supplier will:

• Actively participate in a global network of Core Skills trainers from countries around the world where the training packages are being delivered. Appointed suppliers are expected to engage with this network via online forums and networking spaces on a regular basis.
• Support the British Council’s monitoring and evaluation systems by implementing the learning outcomes evaluation strategy and gathering participant feedback on the content, structure and delivery of the courses, and making recommendations for continuous improvement. The British Council will record and analyse feedback received to help inform future developments in our schools offer. For quality-assurance and monitoring purposes, British Council members of staff will attend a small selection of courses delivered by each provider.
• In consultation with British Council and local stakeholders, promote the offer. The British Council will also work with each provider to promote the course via channels such as the Schools Online website and e-newsletter, exhibitions/events and our network of ambassadors to ensure specific target audiences are prioritised as necessary.
• In consultation with British Council (and with local stakeholders as directed), shape the content, structure and length of courses to suit the specific needs of participants – using the British Council’s suite of Core Skills training packages and recommendations for delivery, as well as their own knowledge of appropriate training styles and methodologies in each national context.
• Plan and agree with British Council an annual Core Skills training programme of delivery at the beginning of each year of their contract, with reviews at regular intervals.
• Ensure that all workshops for teachers are led by validated trainers (see below) and that high-quality inputs are provided.
• Provide support and mentoring to other trainers with development needs in your country. This might include telephone and email support or co-delivering training to help model best practice and share knowledge and experience.
• If required, be willing to deliver training in other countries (subject to agreement in advance) to help support the global rollout and success of the Core Skills training programme.
• As required by the British Council, take part in additional face-to-face quality assurance and professional development workshops for Core Skills trainers. The dates and venues of these follow-up workshops will be determined in consultation with suppliers.

Training and Validation of Trainers

Each shortlisted supplier will go through a process of validation. For organisations proposing individual trainers, up to 2 trainers will be put forward per organisation. The validation process consists of two phases. The first phase involves the completion of a pre-Validation Questionnaire for each proposed trainer. The proposed trainers that can provide the evidence requested in the questionnaire will then be invited to attend a local face-to-face training, assessment and validation event. The shortlisted provider will only be awarded a contract for those named trainers who meet the validation criteria.

Training, assessment and validation events will be led by a validating organisation (already appointed via a separate tender) in partnership with the British Council. Proposed trainers, if successful, will be validated to lead and deliver Core Skills training interventions in their country.

Successful trainers will be experts in delivering and facilitating participatory professional development training workshops and will have relevant knowledge and experience relating to Core Skills. The following are some the key requirements:

Training Skills

• Ability to deliver training in a facilitatory and participatory style
• Ability to deliver training in a culturally sensitive way (i.e. local context specific)
• Ability to respond to participants’ needs in a creative and flexible way
• Ability to design and adapt activities and materials to meet participants’ needs.

Personal qualities

• Ability to discuss and agree appropriate learning outcomes
• Ability to listen and communicate effectively and provide appropriate feedback
• Ability to build strong professional trainer to participant relationships
• Ability to sensitively show professional confidence to objectively challenge misconceptions
• Ability to model best practice base on knowledge and experience.

Content knowledge

• A strong knowledge of the core skills framework and modules
• Ability to adapt and apply the modules’ to the local context
• Ability to work with both school leaders and practising teachers.
• Flexibility to apply module content in response to group demands

Suppliers must be available to attend a training, assessment and validation event planned on the following dates:

Trainers will be given access to Core Skills training package materials and will be expected to carry out some preparatory work before the event, and follow-up work post-event.

 Timescales

Note: Timescales are estimated and may be subject to change with some limited scope for negotiation.

Instructions for Responding

Please complete Annex 1 (Supplier Response) and submit it to ines.zaibi@tn.britishcouncil.org no later than 22nd of June 2016.

The following key points must be considered when responding to this ITT:

• Please ensure that you send your submission in good time to prevent issues with technology – late submissions may not be considered.
•  Do not submit any additional documentation with your ITT response except where specifically requested.
• Supporting evidence (PDF, JPG, PPT, Word and Excel formats only – other formats should not be used) can be provided to substantiate your response – please ensure that all attachments/supporting evidence is clearly labelled with the appropriate question number.
• Any supporting marketing materials should be provided separately to the main ITT response. All the references to such marketing content should be explicitly annotated in the ITT response.
• It is not acceptable to submit a generic policy in answer to a question. If you submit a generic policy you must indicate the page and paragraph reference to the appropriate content.
• All answers in the ITT response should be inserted in the space below the British Council requirement / question.
• Where supporting evidence is requested as ‘or equivalent’ – it is the Tenderer’s responsibility to prove the relevant equivalence.
• Any alteration to a question will invalidate your response to that question and a mark of zero will be applied.
• Completion and submission of your response does not guarantee award of any contract from the British Council.
• Please ensure that your responses are concise, unambiguous, and directly address the requirement stated or question posed.