Education and training services

Tender description

Durham University business school are seeking an exceptional supplier that will be able to arrange and deliver all aspects of study tour visits for Masters students. It is the intention to put in place an initial 2 year contractual agreement with the successful supplier to be reviewed with the potential to extend for a further 2 year up to a maximum of 4 year in total. The supplier will be expected to include the following as part of each study tour visit: — welcome dinner and farewell dinner, — minimum of 7 company visits with an opportunity for Q&A with senior executives on relevant areas of the companies, — transportation throughout the duration of the tour, — act as a guide accompanying the students during the study tour visits, — arrange accommodation (to include bed and breakfast), — catering (where applicable), — at least half day cultural tour, — organise the local coordination and logistics of the tour. The Business school seek an exceptional study tour operator / guide(s) to organise accommodation, arrange logistics, food (where applicable) and company visits for Durham University masters students that will add maximum value, inspire and engage, while providing an enriched learning experience and background knowledge to help students excel throughout their course and chosen career. It is expected that the study tour will comprise of various visits focused on the banking, finance, logistics, human resource, marketing or accounting sectors according to the group of students travelling with an optional cultural visit(s) included to round off the full experience. In the first year of the contract, the study tour will be open to 30 or 40 students who will be accompanied by 2 members of University staff. The study tour forms an essential aspect of the student course experience however it is currently a non-assessed module. It is anticipated that in future years the tour may be extended to accommodate larger numbers and may become part of an assessed module within the overall syllabus. International study tours usually take place annually during the University Easter vacation which extends from the middle of March to the middle of April with each study tour lasting 4 or 5 days in length commencing on a Sunday afternoon (arrival) and departing on the Thursday morning. The study tour for academic year 2018-2019 will fall into either of the following weeks: — week commencing 1st April 2019 and / or, — week commencing 8th April 2019. The successful supplier will be expected to organise all aspects of the visits, arranging suitable accommodation, visits to companies and all logistics involved while ensuring the safety of both University staff and students attending. Students will be arriving from all over the world and will make their own way to the host city and will not require collecting from an airport. Part of the service requirements will involve the supplier issuing invitation letters at the start of January 2019 to those students attending the study tour. The supplier will also be expected to act as a guide throughout the study visit accompanying both students and University staff to the organised visits. The next study tour to take place will be in Frankfurt (other destinations will also be required throughout the duration of the contract) on either of the weeks mentioned above. Where the programme of visits does not allow for students to cater for themselves, the supplier will be expected to arrange appropriate catering. Supplier interviews will take place between 28th and 30th August 2018 (exact date to be confirmed) and suppliers will be expected to take part in this process as part of the clarification and tender evaluation. Due to the geographical distances involved, the process will be conducted via Skype or similar web based technology.