Jane Wilson – Director CS3

WHY A CONSORTIUM? Culture First identified need to support the culture and sport sector to operate in the new marketplaces. Challenges for sector in competing for contracts: Scale and scope of contracts Procurement process Understanding requirements Cashflow

WHY A CONSORTIUM ? – opportunities Scale - future opportunities through Larger strategic commissions Pipelining Neighbourhood budgets Personal budgets Hub – contract management infrastructure Back office support Co-ordinating bids Performance management Single contracting route for commissioners

WHY A CONSORTIUM ? – opportunities Frontline – service development focused on meeting the needs of commissioners through: Thematic groups Outcome focused services Capacity Associate membership Training and networking Extending the supply chain to micro providers Highly visible presence for the sector

VISION “We believe that together we can learn more, progress faster and deliver better. We therefore commit to collaborating for the benefit of those we serve. The result will be thriving communities in which people are better able to achieve their potential through culture and sport.” Developed by the founder members, who were drawn from the sector through an open call

GOAL “To safeguard and grow high quality culture and sports provision across Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, through working with commissioners to co-design services, creating a single point of contracting, and by tendering competitively for public service contracts via a range of channels.”

OPERATING MODEL – ‘HUB AND SPOKES’ Hub Provider

THE HUB Marketing Negotiation Prospecting Tender writing Contract management Resource allocation Quality improvement Organisational capacity building Service design Low cost, very lean central administration Drawing on member skills and capacity

BENEFIT TO COMMISSIONERS Single point of contracting: Reduced transaction costs framework for working with specialist providers Immediate and long term returns: high quality delivery Investment in local capacity, skills, and relationships

MEMBERSHIP 3 Categories – Full, Associate, Affiliate Full and associate membership status open to voluntary sector organisations and social enterprises Affiliate status available to public and private bodies Only full and associate members have the right to participate in governance Organisations need to demonstrate they meet key eligibility criteria

Universal criteria for membership Provision of culture and sports activities/services Area of operation Commitment to consortium working Commitment to sharing expertise All consortium members, full, associate or affiliate, will need to demonstrate that they meet all of these universal criteria

Contract readiness criteria Financial health Quality systems Appropriate policies Suitable governance Technical capacity Members need to meet agreed criteria in order to become full members and therefore be able to take part in consortium delivery

In operation Libraries Development Initiative Arts Council England fund Opportunity identified by members Bid developed through hub Submitted by Cambridgeshire County Council - Practical example of community budgeting

Arts Alive in Fenland CS3 facilitated sessions with friends groups in four Fenland libraries to create clear statements of what they wanted to achieve CS3 members responded to the statements Member ‘offers’ were collated into a menu and taken back to the Friends Groups Friends Groups made choices and successful organisations were contracted to deliver Delivery took place from January to end of March this year.

Arts Alive in Fenland - evaluation Enabled a diverse range of high quality arts activities in libraries Cost effective bidding and selection process Fully involved the Friends Groups Met the goals of the libraries Led to additional positive outcomes Grant rather than contract BUT used similar processes

Commissioning Process CS3 hub Strategic Commissioner CS3 member Community Group Contract management and payment carried out via the hub, with operational activity directly between the community group and the CS3 member

HOW TO JOIN Read through the Membership Prospectus Complete and submit the Application for Membership form Await notification of approval

Contact information Website