Provision of Infrastructure Support to the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS)

Tender description

<p>The Council is supporting the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) by procuring a range of services via the Infrastructure Support project. The VCS in Dorset, like the business community, is a micro-sector, consisting of large numbers of very small organisations with limited internal infrastructure to meet the demands of compliance with a range of legal, technical and contractual issues. As a consequence, local organisations rely on the existence and activity of the main infrastructure organisations to support on a range of operational and strategic issues. The main aim of the infrastructure services is to enable community groups and voluntary organisations to develop, build greater reliance, self-sustaining capacity and capabilities to deliver activities and services that benefit the users of their services and communities. They are also commissioned to provide strategic representation, liaison and partnership working across sectors. The Council is conducting an open tender procedure for the following lots: Lot 1 &ndash; Organisational Infrastructure Support (Voluntary, Community and Social Sector) In summary: o VCS professional organisational support to increase capacity and brokerage o Training and development o Facilitating networking and partnerships o Sector representation for the Council's service development programmes Lot 2 &ndash; Volunteer Infrastructure Support In summary: o Organisational support to volunteer activity o Training and development o Facilitating networking and partnerships o Sector representation for the Council's service development programmes Contracts will be awarded for a period of up to five years (initial period of 3 years plus an optional extension period of a further 2 years).</p> Keywords: Voluntary, Infrastructure Support