Request for

proposals

Development of a

Sustainable Business

Modelling service for

Learning providers

2017.06.23

Our mission is to enable people

around the world to prepare for

and respond to crises in their own

countries.-

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• The Academy is seeking a supplier to help design and develop a strategy and

implementation plan for a new advisory service on sustainable business

modelling for learning provision

• It will form one of the advisory offerings the Academy will deliver for the

Humanitarian sector, alongside Organisation Development and Innovation

advisory services

• The target audience for this service is providers of Humanitarian Learning and

Development services located in Academy-focused countries

• This audience consists of vocational training providers, Universities, training

charities, and the in-house training departments of larger charities, donors and

government bodies

• This will enable them to develop sustainable and scaleable business models of

learning provision for the humanitarian sector

Services required

• A report summarising the following:

• Desktop research and insights on the challenges of sustaining learning and

development for the humanitarian sector

• Scoping and consultations with learning providers

• Proposed strategy for the service

• Proposed implementation plan

• Process for post-delivery monitoring for impact and continuous learning

• Estimated costings, pricing and income

• Collaboratively developed content, frameworks, tools and resources

• A practical methodology to guide the delivery of a globally-available and

locally-applicable service that addresses the needs of learning providers within

the market context in which they operate

Suggested deliverables

• The maximum budget for this piece of work is £20,000 dependent on the scopeand quality of the proposal

• Proposals should be received by 12 July 2017

• The project is expected to commence on 1 August 2017

• Deliverables are due by 30 September 2017

• 6 pilots of the service should be delivered by the Academy by 31 December

2017

• Please send proposals electronically to:

Dara Leyden – Sustainable Enterprise Adviser

d.leyden@humanitarian.academy

• The same address should be used for any questions relating to this proposal

Budget and timeline

• The Academy is playing a leading role in ensuring high-quality learning and

development is available for the humanitarian sector

• Specifically, ensuring that relevant, accessible and scaleable learning is

available in Academy-focus countries

• Historical efforts to fund humanitarian training and capacity-building in these

countries have suffered with an inability to be sustained beyond the grant-

funded period

• The Academy provides a online learning platform, and has a local presence in

countries with an Academy Centre, but does not directly provide training.

• We recognise the important role of existing learning providers in these

countries, as part of a dynamic and sustainable local markets for learning

opportunities, and important partners for the Academy

• We wish to help them develop business models which encourage the

sustainable provision of humanitarian learning services for local humanitarian

professionals and volunteers

Rationale

• Subject to scoping and consultations, this service may offer the following

example areas of support to learning providers:

• financial and business modelling of training portfolios for sustainability

• modelling new scaleable, low-cost delivery mechanisms, such as digital

• cost-recovery and revenue-generation strategies, and developing an

enterprising culture and approach to the provision of humanitarian learningservices

• marketing, market-research and demand generation

• data and trends in relation to accessing funding for learning & development

• Forming strategic partnerships and delivering with partners

• making effective use of the Academy’s digital learning platform (“Kaya”)

• Supporting learning providers to Integrate with the emerging professional

development framework for the humanitarian sector (humanitarian passport

initiative, “HPI”), including industry learning standards, badging, credentialing

and quality-assurance

Advisory service: Possible areas of support

• This service may offer the following example outputs to learning providers,subject to scoping and consultations:

• Tools for financial and business modelling

• Sustainability self-assessment tools

• Applicable frameworks

• Workshops

• Bespoke advisory support

• Sharing of insight and research (such as local market research, emergingtrends etc.)

• Brokering relevant expertise

• Advice on integration of their learning offers with Kaya and the professional

development framework (HPI)

Advisory service: Example outputs

• The strategy and implementation plan should include consideration of the

resources required to deliver the service, within the following constraints:

• The service will be led by one dedicated member of staff based in the

Academy’s London office; the Sustainable Enterprise Adviser

• The initial pilots and roll-out will be managed and delivered by the

Sustainability and Enterprise adviser, in countries with an operational

Academy Centre with the support of Academy-Centre staff, and external

consultants (as required)

• In the longer-term, it should be possible for the service to be delivered both

globally and locally

• Academy Centres should be able to manage the local rollout of the advisory

service with minimal oversight, alongside the Academy’s other advisory

offerings

• The feasibility of drawing on pro-bono expertise from the private sector should

be considered

Advisory service: Resources

• The service should leverage the following assets of the Academy to deliver valuefor our clients:

• Our expertise in learning, the humanitarian-sector, financial and business-

modelling

• Our commissioned market-research on the local markets for humanitarian

learning services in Academy-Centre countries, and our commissioned

research on country-specific learning needs-assessments

• A previous 2016 pilot of developing a sustainability-tool for a humanitarian

capacity-building partner, and our own internal sustainability tool

• The Academy’s digital platform, Kaya, and the relevant courses and tools it

hosts for leaning providers

• The Academy’s network of in-country Academy-Centres

• Complementarity with the Academy's other advisory services of organisationaldevelopment and innovation

• Professional development services under development by the Academy and

partners, such as humanitarian sector learning and assessment standards, and

a centralised online platform through which individual humanitarians can

display their credentials’ (akin to linkedin)

Advisory service: Academy assets

• The strategy and implementation plan should satisfy the following targets:

• Complementarity with other initiatives in development by the Academy

• The Academy will deliver pilots with at least 6 providers before the end of 2017,

in at least two Academy Centre countries (Kenya and the Philippines)

• The Academy will have worked with at least 14 providers before the end of

2018, in at least three Academy Centre countries

• These providers report that they are operating more sustainably as a result of

the service

• 20% cost-recovery of the pilots

• Achieve full cost-recovery before the end of 2020

• Service to generate an economic surplus after 2020 in order to reinvest into the

Academy’s mission

• Consideration of how the service can be profitably sold to a wider global

audience of private sector learning providers

• Ensures that the Academy continually learns from clients in order to betterunderstand their local markets, share best practice and encourage a

sustainable local market of supply and demand

Advisory service: Criteria

Proposals:

• Content, structure,

timelines, costs

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1. Expression of Interest

• A brief statement that addresses your rationale for applying and responds to the

Essential Criteria

• A summary of your competencies, including your understanding of learning and

development, the humanitarian sector and delivering international programmes

• Examples of previous assignments that demonstrate your ability to undertake

work of a similar nature and scope

• Names of two organisations that you have worked with. Organisations will not be

contacted unless your proposal is taken forward

2. Concept Note for the Sustainable Business Modelling strategy:

• Proposed approach, plan and deliverables

• A brief overview of approaches that you have deployed in the past and deem

appropriate and relevant

• A tentative but detailed timeline covering the duration of the consultancy

• A detailed breakdown of costs including any discounts for humanitarian or not-

for-profit organisations and other pertinent information such as VAT status

3. C.Vs/Biographies/Profiles of experts

Proposals should include:

• The Academy’s due diligence procedures include reference checks,

organisational checks and anti-terrorism vetting.

• All the Academy’s operations are subject to evaluation under its Learning and

Development, Monitoring and Evaluation and Knowledge and Evidence

strategies, with case studies created at the Academy’s discretion.

• All data collected or generated through the delivery of the Academy’s

activities will be owned by the Academy unless otherwise agreed at the time

of purchase. Papers, case studies and resources resulting from the Academy’s

monitoring and evaluation work that relate to content purchased under this

request for quotes will be made publically available unless otherwise agreed

at the time of purchase.

General information

Annex A:

Background:

The Academy and our

Learning offer

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• We will create transformational change across the

humanitarian sector and empower and equip local

governments and communities to prepare for and respond

effectively to crises of all kinds.

• The Academy will comprise ten on-the-ground Academy

Centres around the world and a global digital offer. Through

these, we will deliver learning opportunities, share knowledge

and good practice and create communities of practice across

all humanitarian responders.

• We will work with humanitarian organisations and those who

are not professional humanitarians but are involved in response

within their communities.

The Humanitarian Leadership Academy

Where we work:

Background:

Learning approach -

Themes and pathways

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Power of

Collaboration

The power of collaboration, an

innovative approach in the

sector, means that we build

networks of knowledge and

experience that we share

worldwide.

It is not just learning top – down, it

is learning and sharing from the

grassroots upwards.

On the ground and in communities

• Academy centres – working with national and local partners to

develop the right learning for communities

Digital and beyond

• Learning – Kaya, resource centre, live events, marketplace

• Knowledge – establish and disseminate knowledge and evidence

around effective learning approaches

• Innovation – use cutting edge techniques from the learning sector

and beyond

• Collaboration centres – research, learning development and

recognition for skills in the humanitarian sector

How we work:

Kaya is the Academy’s learning management system.

Kaya will host level 1 courses and level 2 learning pathways. Courses will be free-of-

charge to learners around the world. There may be cost-recovery for some learning pathways.

Kaya will provide analytics and reporting on learner journeys through content, providing insight far beyond simple completion data.

Kaya is currently under development and will be implemented by 31 March 2016 at www.kayaconnect.org

Kaya: the online learning platform for the humanitarian sector

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Kaya

NB development design

Our Audience

Aggregate a high quality catalogue of existing responsive

content from humanitarian, academic & private sector partners

globally & locally.

Content – Aggregate first, build last

Learning pathways will aggregate and curate individual level one courses into level two pathways that cover both technical subjects and professional/organisational development.

Pathways will include elearning, events and webinars, videos, PDFs quizzes, etc.

Pathways will be themed for different roles, different places, different needs. E.g. management essentials, core humanitarian volunteer package etc.

Pathways mean learners do not need to know exactly what they want to study, only what they want to achieve.

Learning pathways:

Who am I? Who do I want to be?

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WEBINAR

EVENT

Level 2

pathway

Level 1

courses

NB placeholder courses

Learning pathways can include self-paced learning content, social

engagement with experts and other learners and localised in-person

training opportunities

Flexibility and scalability in learning opportunities

Level 1 - Democratizing access

•Open & self-guided learning

•Communities of Learning

Level 2 – Structured & supportedLearning

•Guided learning pathways

•Peer feedback & coaching

Level 3 – Localised & in-Person learning

•Local learning experiences

•Certification pathways

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Humanitarian Passport Initiative (HPI)

What is it? HPI aims to introduce consistent high quality approaches to

professional development, training and recognition in the humanitarian

sector. It is led by a Steering Committee of 9 organisations.

Currently, the final practical output is anticipated to be a user-friendly

online platform where individual humanitarians can display

certifications and ‘badges’, earned from quality, accredited providers.

Who’s involved?

• 2 Collaboration Centres are currently

funded by the Academy (see next slides)

• UCL, IFRC, Chartered Institute of Logistics &

Transport, Humanitarian Logistics

Association

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#1 Collaboration Centre for Recognition (Geneva)

Key programmes:

• Development of online certifications

• Roll-out of Core Humanitarian Competency Framework

• Supporting OpenBadge Platform development

• Participation in Humanitarian Passport Initiative

What’s new?

• 3 new certifications launched

(Hum. Law, Hum. Principles,

Hum. Eco-System)

• 3 under development (Cash

Transfer, MEAL, Needs

Assessment)

• Full proposal for CHCF roll-out

due now – aim to reach 35

organisations

Who’s involved? Hosted by PHAP, with CHS Alliance.

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#2 Collaboration Centre for Quality (Lyon)Key programmes:

Development and roll out of humanitarian learning and assessment

standards, to improve consistency and quality across the sector

• Supporting OpenBadge Platform development

• Participation in HPI

What’s new?

• Standards have been drafted

• Consultations in 7 locations in

May/June, starting with the Middle

East, planning to reach at least 100

organisations

• Consultation will include questions on

how quality assurance/accreditation

can be managed in each location

Who’s involved? Hosted by Bioforce, with

RedR and Pearson

Thank you for your

interest in working with

the Academy

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