jane wilson – director cs3. why a consortium? culture first identified need to support the culture...
TRANSCRIPT
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 contractsProcurement process
Understanding requirementsCashflow
WHY A CONSORTIUM ? – opportunities
Scale - future opportunities throughLarger strategic commissionsPipeliningNeighbourhood budgetsPersonal budgets
Hub – contract management infrastructureBack office supportCo-ordinating bidsPerformance managementSingle contracting route for commissioners
WHY A CONSORTIUM ? – opportunities
Frontline – service development focused on meeting the needs of commissioners through:
Thematic groupsOutcome focused services
Capacity Associate membershipTraining and networkingExtending 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.”
THE HUB
MarketingNegotiation
ProspectingTender writing
Contract managementResource allocation
Quality improvementOrganisational capacity building
Service design
Low cost, very lean central administrationDrawing 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 membersBid 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 statementsMember ‘offers’ were collated into a menu and taken back to the Friends GroupsFriends Groups made choices and successful organisations were contracted to deliverDelivery 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 librariesCost effective bidding and selection processFully involved the Friends GroupsMet the goals of the librariesLed to additional positive outcomes
Grant rather than contract BUT used similar processes
Commissioning Process
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