WP3222 - European Social Fund (ESF) Training and Capacity Building

Tender description

Walsall Council is the accountable body for the Black Country European Social Fund (ESF) Technical Assistance Project which is part funded through the European Union’s European Social Fund Programme 2014-2020 and the four Black Country Local Authorities (Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton City Council). The project has received £153,612 ESF monies plus £153, 612 matched funding. The purpose of the grant is to build on a central team for the Black Country able to assist significantly with the effective, compliant development and promotion of local ESF projects. The Council wishes to procure a European Social Fund (ESF) Training Programme and Capacity Building Service for the Black Country ESF Technical Assistance Team which is funded by the European Social Fund and the four Black Country Local Authorities. Contract delivery will commence 13th June 2016 and will end 31st December 2018. The ITT is for the provision of instructor/s to deliver 21 ESF specific training courses selected from the list detailed below: • ESF Bid Writing / Organisation Readiness • ESF Project Management • EU Procurement • ESF Publicity and Marketing • ESF Financial Management and Reporting • ESF Monitoring & Audit & Document Retention • ESF Cross Cutting Themes (Equality and Sustainable Development) It is envisaged that there will be approximately 30-40 attendees per session which will include prospective ESF recipients including Voluntary Sector Organisations, Local Authority Staff, and Higher/Further Education bodies, who will have mixed knowledge of European Social Funding, application processes and compliance requirements. The instructor/s will be expected to achieve the following outputs: • Training programme schedule and design • Training materials design and production • Delivery of training programme • Dissemination of training evaluation forms. As well as providing the above training there will be a requirement for some Internal Capacity Building and Consultancy Services for the Technical Assistance team. This would be providing additional capacity when needed on a variety of ESF specific matters which are detailed below: • ESF Audit • ESF Eligibility • State Aid • EU Procurement • ESF Financial Management and Claims The Internal Capacity and Consultancy Services will be required in either full day blocks (based at the office of the Technical Assistance Team in Walsall) or on an ad-hoc basis (remote working). The total anticipated budget for this piece of work is £25,500 excluding VAT.