Implementation of the Water Safety & Drowning Prevention Recommendations

Tender description

Welsh Government seek a delivery partner with a proven track record, harnessing an extensive network across various UK water safety organisations. This partner will play a pivotal role in assimilating knowledge and insights from diverse sources, bolstering Welsh Government and Water Safety Wales efforts towards achieving strategic objectives. The delivery partner will possess the experience to support organisations in executing water safety and drowning prevention strategies effectively. Welsh Government requires a delivery partner capable of leveraging their established connections to raise awareness among practitioners, policymakers, and the public while providing adaptable and comprehensive support. The successful partner should not only fulfil a secretariat role, but also demonstrate a nuanced understanding of the WDPS and its recommendations, employing their expertise in development, management, and adaptability to address emerging water safety issues. Maintaining consistent communication with Welsh Government officials, the partner will ensure alignment of future Water Safety Wales programmes with evolving concerns in water safety education, training, and outreach. Crucially, their capacity to facilitate the exchange of pertinent information and best practices among UK water safety entities will be instrumental in reducing accidental drownings. Water is essential for our physical and mental wellbeing; therefore it is important to protect it and the people using it. Wales has seen a substantial growth in outdoor activity, especially within water over recent years. Data shows that in 2022, there were 26 confirmed fatalities in water in Wales, half did not intend to enter the water. We know there are 2000 annual water-related incidents in Wales requiring emergency response, approximately 5 per day. We believe that through cross-departmental collaboration within Welsh Government and between our delivery partners, adopting a Team Wales approach can reduce the number of water-related accidents and fatalities across the country. The successful Bidder will be a delivery partner who will work alongside Welsh Government to implement the Petitions Committee report's recommendations 2, 3, 4, and 6 which supports Wales’ Drowning Prevention Strategy. The report can be downloaded here - https://senedd.wales/media/cn4fcehy/cr-ld15291-e.pdf. Water Safety Wales has also taken the water safety agenda forward since 2017, publishing the WDPS in 2020. The WDPS links to our ambitions for a healthier Wales in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act. The WDPS includes action on the report’s identified themes: Alcohol, Supervision, Safe Access, Learning to Swim, Risks and Plans, Safer Holidays, Data Issues, and Support. The WDPS can be downloaded here - https://www.nationalwatersafety.org.uk/media/1236/water-safety-strategy-2020-2026.pdf. In August 2023 a PIN was published outlining the Welsh Government, with Water Safety Wales’ plan to award a contract to implement the Petitions Committee report's recommendations, which supports Wales’ Drowning Prevention Strategy. This second PIN outlines further detail of the services required to deliver 4 workstreams. The successful bidder will be awarded a 14-month contract with a 12 month extension option to deliver the workstreams. The contract is valued at approximately GBP 150,000 exc. VAT for the initial contract term, and GBP 50,000 exc. VAT if the extension is enacted. Prior to publishing the tender in January 2024 we are asking bidders to register their interest to deliver the services outlined via this PIN. We will only be awarding one contract for a broad range of services therefore we are only seeking bids from suppliers capable of delivering the whole requirement. The contract will not be split into separate parts therefore we urge suppliers to please read the main description carefully before recording your interest. Lot 1: The Client aims to award a 14-month contract from February 2024 to March 2025 to deliver the Senedd Petitions Committee recommendations 2, 3, 4, and 6 with an option to extend for a further 12 months. The Steering Group have created 4 workstreams to deliver the recommendations and this contract will be responsible for delivering Workstreams 1, 2 and 4 and provide support to Workstream 3. The estimated contract value for the initial contract term is GBP 150,000 exc. VAT with an option to extend for a further 12 months valued at GBP 50,000. Ad-hoc support may be required to support WSW over the contract period. This support will utilise approx. 5-10% of the total contract. The successful Bidder will be a delivery partner with the capability knowledge and expertise working in the Water Safety & Accident Prevention sector to implement the specified recommendations of the Senedd Petitions Committee, and lead delivery implementation of the WDPS through four key work streams: Workstream 1 - Secretariat to all groups within Water Safety Wales - Resource the Secretariat Role & manage / organise the WSW groups, sub groups and meetings. - Co-ordinating national collaboration and stakeholder engagement to reduce drowning fatalities Workstream 2 - Strategic direction and programme management - Expert Advisor to set Strategic Direction - Development of the Water Safety Wales Work Programme - Development of Water Safety & Drowning Prevention Policy - Monitoring Activity and Evaluating Success - Engage with Government Departments across UK - Water Safety in Education Settings - Water Safety Signage Policy Workstream 3 - Communications - Develop a Communications Plan - Provide Expert Advice to WSW for Communications and Publicity Activities - Manage Communications Campaigns, Communications, Press, Media and Social Media Activities Workstream 4 - Delivery of Projects from the WSW Work Programme (Projects TBC) - Project 1 – Develop a Water Safety Education Programme - Project 2 - Review WDPS - Project 3 – Investigate and Sharing of Best Practice - Project 4 – Evaluation & Design of Current Signage When implementing the recommendations and delivering the workstreams, the successful Bidder will need to balance respecting and supporting the independent activities of individual member organisations, coordinate activity with the aims of the WDPS, and provide a focused and collective approach to achieving the aims of the WDPS, ensuring outputs are efficient. They will also undertake the function of collating and recording that activity and its contribution to the delivery of the WDPS. The bidder will identify current gaps in the delivery of the WDPS and develop and oversee that the aims are delivered. The delivery partner will work closely with the Chair of WSW and its sub- groups on implementing the WDPS. We anticipate the WSW programme will remain focused and flexible whilst maintaining a low level of contract management therefore the successful Bidder evidencing an capability to begin immediately with minimal support is essential. Prior to publishing the tender in January 2024 we are asking bidders to register their interest to deliver the services outlined via this PIN. We will only be awarding one contract to deliver the broad range of services outlined in each workstream. Therefore we are only seeking bids from suppliers capable of delivering the whole contract requirement. The contract will not be split into separate parts therefore we urge suppliers to please read the main description carefully before recording your interest.