Delivery managers for digital apprenticeship service (SFADAS04)

Tender description

Summary of the work Provide a flexible team of delivery managers (4 to 6) to manage agile projects which deliver specific products or transformations via multi-disciplinary, skilled digital teams. You’ll be adept at delivering complex digital projects, removing impediments and helping your team inspect and adapt their processes and practices. Expected Contract Length 2 years but may be shorter depending on progress towards delivering the strands of work. Latest start date 01/09/2016 Why the Work is Being Done BIS and the SFA are delivering a new digital apprenticeship service. The service vision is “Empowering employers to build skills through quality apprenticeships”. Currently apprenticeship funding is allocated and paid directly to training providers. Therefore employers will take control of government funding for apprenticeships. The policy intent is to drive up the quality and quantity of apprenticeships. We have completed a number of discovery and alpha stages for some components the service. The first strand will go live in August 2016. The services being procured are expected to deliver the remaining strands of work by April 2017 Problem to Be Solved Often employers don't know they have the option to choose from a range of providers, or that government will fund training for their apprentices. Employers need to be able to: 1) hire apprentices; 2) choose the right type of training for their apprentices; 3) find a suitable training provider; 4) understand what funding is available, including the apprenticeship levy, where that applies to them; and 5) manage their training costs. Who Are the Users 1) As a citizen I need to improve my employment prospects so that I can start a career and earn money. 2) As an employer I need to employ an apprentice so I can improve the skills of my workforce, and get support for my business. 3) As a training provider for apprenticeships I need to ensure employers choose my services so my business is viable. 4) As SFA I need to manage levy payment and funding to training providers and ensure growth in apprenticeships for the benefit of the economy. Work Already Done We have completed a series of discovery and alpha phases for the various strands of work within the service. Two strands of work are currently in the beta phase. Existing Team The supplier will be working with civil servants and multiple suppliers across various strands of work for delivery of the service. Current Phase Beta Skills & Experience • Provide a flexible team of delivery managers each with 2+ years experience • Provide delivery managers with an additional 3+ years experience of working in software teams using modern technologies • Proven experience balancing multiple priorities within a team and dealing with ambiguity in requirements • Encourage a culture of innovation within delivery teams focused on adding value and giving people space to think creatively • Collaboratively develop clear, pragmatic and manageable plans for service delivery using programme and project management disciplines • Clarify strategies and plans, giving clear sense of direction and purpose for self and team • Able to coach the delivery team, product owners and business stakeholders on agile practices Nice to Haves • Strong understanding of the Government Digital Service’s Design Principles and Digital Service Standard • Push decision making to the right level within the organisation, not allow unnecessary bureaucracy and structure to suppress innovation and delivery Work Location Skills Funding Agency, Cheylesmore House, 5 Quinton Road, Coventry CV1 2WT, with occasional travel to other locations nationwide. Working Arrangments Onsite full-time 5 days a week co-located with the rest of the team at the SFA offices in Coventry. Occasional travel to other BIS or SFA (or partner organisation) offices may be required, subject to SFA travel and subsistence policy. This programme is being delivered using agile methodologies. Successful application of agile principles and techniques requires that the teams are co-located and able to work directly with colleagues representing digital delivery, operational and policy requirements. Security Clearance The successful supplier must be able to demonstrate that all proposed team members have been subject to Baseline Personnel Security Standards checks as set out in the SFA Baseline Security Policy 2014. Additional T&Cs Standard DOS framework and call-off terms and conditions. Day rates should be inclusive of any costs of travelling to and working from the base location. The cost of travel to other locations while performing SFA work will be covered as per the SFA travel and subsistence policy and will need to be invoiced by the supplier with supporting receipts. No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 4 Proposal Criteria • Demonstrate the supplier’s experience and knowledge of agile delivery management • Demonstrate an understanding and prior use of agile methodologies • Provide examples of relevant agile delivery projects • Explain how you would motivate your staff and contribute to their overall morale, in particular to ensure that working in a co-located environment in Coventry does not become an issue Cultural Fit Criteria • Be able to build and lead a self organising team • Show a commitment to ensuring the team understands the user requirements • Transparent and collaborative when making decisions and recommendations • Have a no-blame culture and encourage people to learn from their mistakes • Demonstrate courage (for example, express controversial views, confront reality, make tough decisions, question actions inconsistent with group behaviours, candid about progress/estimates) • Demonstrate vulnerability (for example, declare uncertainty, fear, recognise mistakes, apologise, acknowledge weaknesses) • Demonstrate responsibility (for example, act like a leader, serve your team, provide solutions to problems, engage in external/internal environments, seek the best for the organisation beyond your team) • Demonstrate simplicity (for example, take simple steps to goals, do less but better, mitigate failures, talk straight with respect) • Demonstrate excellence (for example, seek actionable feedback, set challenging targets, know users, deliver cost effective high level customer satisfaction) • Demonstrate enthusiasm (for example, bring whole self to work, celebrate success, share passion and energy with others, optimistic) • Builds respect from within and outside the team • Is able to effectively network with other delivery managers, product owners and delivery teams Payment Approach Time and materials Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 60% Cultural fit 20% Price 20% Questions from Suppliers 1. Given 4-6 delivery managers are required, will the price evaluation be based on a day rate for a single delivery manager? What is your expected day rate range for a delivery manager? Yes, the price evaluation will be based on the day rate for a single delivery manager. With regards to a day rate range, we are looking for a supplier that can provide a competitive day rate and value for money. We are unable/unwilling to advise on a target day rate. 2. Can SFA help clarify what is meant by ‘ flexible team’, does this mean you would like to stand-up and stand-down resources at short notice? We need to be able to flex up or down the number of delivery managers as delivery phases finish and/or start under the DOS call-off terms and conditions. We are looking for a supplier that can scale up the number of people fairly quickly if and when required. 3. Is SFA expecting one supplier to provide all the roles for this outcome? Yes, we are looking for a single supplier to provide the delivery managers. 4. Is it safe to assume that the SFA will provide any tooling required to perform the Delivery Manager role, such as software licences? Yes, the SFA will provide any tools and software licences required to perform the role. 5. Is it safe to assume that the fifth and sixth Delivery Managers will not be required until the next financial year - April 2017? No. The bulk of the development activity will take place from now until April 2017 and this is when the need for DM's will be highest and when we are most likely going to need up to 6 of them, though 4 is the most likely number required. 6. Will the Digital Apprenticeship Service appoint one supplier to supply all six Delivery Manager roles? Yes, we are looking for a single supplier to provide the delivery managers. 7. Is it fair to assume that the Digital Apprenticeship Service will require a minimum of four Delivery Managers to be on site from 1st September, and that this 'core team' would remain on site for the duration of the programme? Therefore the flexibility described is augmenting the core team as and when demand increases? The programme is looking for a supplier that can provide a flexible pool of delivery managers to be commissioned as and when required via statements of work. The current expectation is that the programme will need to commission 4 to 6 DMs during the life of the programme. However, there is no strict concept of a "core" team of DMs and the flexibility required applies to the entire requirement. 8. Given some of the challenges described in the requirement would the Digital Apprenticeship Service support a Lead Delivery Manager at SFIA level 7, to inspire, initiate and ensure delivery by managing the other delivery managers on the programme? No, the programme has already appointed an overall Delivery Manager who is responsible for performing this function. 9. Reduced rates could be offered if payment were received up-front, is this a possibility? If not what will be the payment schedule? No upfront payments will be made. This is a T&M requirement. The SFA will pay for work done/completed against invoices submitted within 30 days of submission.