JISC

Invitation to Tender 

30th June 2003

1. Introduction

1.1 The Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) seeks tenders from consultants to assist in business planning during the transition of CETIS from a JISC-funded project to a service.

1.2 The aims of this consultancy are to clarify the potential for, and implications of, additional income streams for the CETIS service; to prepare a business plan designed to keep the CETIS service sustainable; and to deliver tools and training to ensure that this business plan can be used and kept up to date.

2. Background

2.1 The JISC supports UK further and higher education by providing strategic guidance, advice and opportunities to use Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to support teaching, learning, research and administration.  The JISC is funded by all the UK post-16 and higher education funding councils. 

2.2 The Centre for Educational Technology Interoperability Standards (CETIS) is funded by the JISC and is hosted and managed by Bolton Institute. 

2.3 The key aims of the CETIS service are to:· Promote and support the understanding, adoption, implementation and effective use of open learning technology specifications and standards.· Establish interoperability specifications, standards and appropriate application profiles that meet the needs of the current JISC community.· Cooperate with others nationally and internationally to ensure that the above aims are, as far as possible, met in a common way and to contribute to the tasks involved by working in partnership with others.

2.4 The JISC is concerned with the sustainability of successful outputs from its development programmes.  Sound demonstration that outputs are fit for purpose, wanted, and underpinned by a sound business plan is essential to unlock any central investment to underpin sustainability.

3. Requirements

3.1 The consultant will be required to:

• Understand the current CETIS service and the context in which it operates.
• Consult with key stakeholders.  This includes users of the CETIS service, CETIS Steering Group members, the Director of Enterprise at the Bolton Institute, key staff in the JISC, and senior staff in potential funding agencies.
• Explore models for increasing the funding streams for the CETIS service including direct contributions by government departments, funding from other bodies, project-based income, consultancy, membership fees etc.
• Advise on the implications of each model including capacity issues and possible changes to CETIS governance.
• Develop a five-year business plan for CETIS that is based on estimates of expected use of CETIS services, a cost-benefit appraisal of competition and alternative providers, potential for national and international links, a risk assessment, consideration of how to refresh or otherwise keep the CETIS services up to date, and shifting funding levels / models.
• Provide tools and training for CETIS and JISC staff in keeping this business plan used and up to date.
  

4. Inputs

4.1 A variety of documents are available for consideration by the successful tenderer.  These include a full review of CETIS that informed the decision to migrate it from project to service, relevant committee minutes and documents, a draft JISC requirements document of the CETIS service, and a variety of issues papers prepared by CETIS staff for the Steering Group.

5. Outputs

5.1 One output of this consultancy will be a report clarifying the potential for, and implications of, additional streams for the CETIS service.  A draft report is required by 1st October 2003, with the final report due on 31st October 2003.

5.2 A second output is a business plan for the CETIS service.  A draft business plan is required by 15th November 2003, with the final plan due on 15th December 2003.

5.3 The third output is tools and training to support key CETIS and JISC staff in using and maintaining the business plan.  Tools must be delivered, and training completed, by 1st February 2004.

6. Funding available

6.1 Funding up to £10,000 is available for this project inclusive of VAT and travel and subsistence.

7. Management

7.1 The consultant’s work will be overseen by the JISC Head of Development, and guided by members of the CETIS Steering Group.

8. Submission of proposals

8.1 Tenders should include:
· Clear description of the proposed methodology and tools to be used and delivered.
· Work plan showing key dates and deliverables.
· Rationale for the proposed methodology and work plan.
· Summary of relevant experience and knowledge to undertake this project.
· CVs of key personnel proposed for this project.· A breakdown of costs, including a statement on VAT costs.
· The estimated number of days to be contributed to the project by each person and the cost per person.
· Contact details of other clients who may be approached for reference purposes.
· Analysis of risks to successful completion of the consultancy.
· Bona fide tender statement (attached).

8.2 Tenders should include details of a contact to whom queries may be directed.

8.3 Responses should be no longer than 10 pages of A4 (excluding CVs and bona fide statement).

8.4 Tenders should be emailed in Word or Rich Text Format to Lesley Hawkins (l.hawkins@jisc.ac.uk) no later than 12 noon on Monday 28th July 2003.  It is the responsibility of the bidder to ensure and check that the email has arrived by the deadline outlined above.

9. Evaluation of proposals

9.1 Proposal evaluation will be by a panel appointed by the Head of Development and including members of the CETIS Steering Group.  Evaluation criteria, in no particular order, are as follows:
· A full understanding of the specification, including addressing the purpose and scope of the consultancy.
· Feasibility of methods, work programme, and delivered tools.
· Relevance of the previous experience of the tendering organisation(s) and of the particular consultants/researchers to the project.
· Value for money.

10. Further information

10.1 Queries related to the tender document should be addressed to Alicia Wise (a.wise@jisc.ac.uk, 020 7848 2556) or Lesley Hawkins (l.hawkins@jisc.ac.uk, 0117 931 7277).

The JISC reserves the right not to choose any service provider who bids for this contract.  Tenderers shall submit offers on the basis of so doing at no cost to the JISC.

June 2003


Statement of Bona Fide Tender

TO: 

JOINT INFORMATION SYSTEMS COMMITTEE
Strand Bridge House (3rd Floor)
138-142 Strand
London
WC2R 1HH

Statement of Bona Fide TenderWe certify that this is a Bona Fide Tender in that we have not fixed or adjusted the amount of the Tender by or under or in accordance with any agreement or arrangement with any other person. 
We also certify that we have not at any time before the hour and date specified for the return of the Tender performed any of the following acts:
i) communicated to any person other than the person calling for the Tender the amount or approximate amount of the proposed Tender, other than for obtaining a quotation for an insurance premium required for the purpose of the Tender;
ii) entered into any agreement or arrangement with another person so that he or she shall refrain from tendering, or as to the amount of any tender to be submitted;
iii) offered, paid, given or agreed to pay or give consideration directly or indirectly to any person for having done or for doing, or caused to have done or for doing, in relation to another tender or proposed tender for the said work any act or thing of the sort described above.In this Certificate, the word ‘person’ includes any person, or body or association, corporate or otherwise; and ‘any agreement or arrangement’ includes any such transaction, formal or informal and whether legally binding or otherwise.

Signed…………………………………….        

Name…………………………..

Occupation/profession ……………………………….

For and on behalf of:………………………………….………………………………….………………………………….