PLANNING & WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP Bexley 9 th July 2014

Aims of session To improve understanding of effective collaboration To improve business planning processes, supporting your organisation’s sustainability;

One minute lift exercise Imagine that you are in a lift with someone you need to impress – a potential funder or partner. You have one minute to tell him/her why your group matters and should be supported. You need to explain: Who you are What your organisation does – what its unique selling point is Exactly what you need from the person and why she or he should give it to you Be as clear as you can be and try to find a way of helping the person recognise the value of what you are doing to him/her. Engage London

Prime Contractor Engage London The prime contractor and supplier model is best used when a purchaser wants to award a contract `of scale’ for services which require a variety of competence and capability or when a provider wants to tender for a contract which requires skills which they lack and would be better provided by other suppliers. This has tended to be driven by cost efficiency rather than by social value. Commissioners may also use the approach to require larger prime contractors to include smaller SMEs, social enterprises and charities in their supply chain (as is the case for the Youth Contract and the Work Programme).

Engage London Prime Sub COMMISSIONER

MAIN TYPES OF PRIME CONTRACTOR - SUPPLIER MODELS The difference is defined in part by The nature of the contract The number of suppliers and length of the supply chain The relationships involved – existing or new suppliers Of the following two types, the second is more likely to appeal to local service organisations though the former may appeal to an infrastructure body: Engage London

Models Managing agent prime contractors deliver no services themselves but manage suppliers to deliver the whole contract (sometimes called a triage model). The managing agent provides efficient project and cost management but contracts with specialists to provide the services themselves. Delivery agent prime contractors delivers those services it wants to deliver and sub-contracts services it cannot, or chose not to deliver, to others. The prime contractor here may be in competition with parts of its supply chain. It does however know and understand the services it has been contracted to deliver. Engage London

Collaboration is the generic term for all forms of working together, such as networking, joint working and close co- operation. ‘To work with another or others on a joint project.’ (Collins dictionary) Partnership are normally governed by some formalities such as having terms of reference or a memorandum of understanding, or a Partnership Agreement. ‘…a contractual relationship between two or more persons carrying on a joint business venture.’ (Collins dictionary) Engage London

Models of Consortia Working I: Informal Network Commissioning Body Contracts charity 1 charity 2 Charity 3 Charity 4 Charity 5Charity 6 Charity 7

Models of Consortia Working II: Lead Agency

Models of Consortia Working III: Formal Consortium

Competitor v. Partner What makes an organisation a competitor? What makes an organisation a valuable partner? How do you identify reputational issues, business links, shared values, differences in ethos and delivery and cost break-down? How do you cope with differences with partners?

Partnership/Consortia submissions: factors to consider Maintaining independence and remaining true to mission Effective governance arrangements Risk assessment and mitigation Protecting charitable resources and ensuring that they are used appropriately

Group Exercise In small groups (6-8 people): 1. Using one of the areas of need identified, please discuss the following points. 2. Please make notes for feedback + identify spokesperson for your group. Discussion points: a) What could your organisation do to deliver relevant services to meet the needs identified? b) Who else might you work with to enable effective delivery of services? c) What is your next step(s) to take this forward? Engage London

Useful Links Work programme – Department for Work and pensions work-programme/ work-programme/ Youth contract – Department for Work and Pensions. initiatives/ initiatives/ National Citizen Service – Department for Education. Merlin Standards – DWP %20The%20Merlin%20Standard.pdf %20The%20Merlin%20Standard.pdf Engage London

…..Next steps? Thank you ! For more information, visit: Engage London