Union Learning Fund

Bidding Guidance

Round 17

2015

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1. Introduction

1.1 The Union Learning Fund (ULF) Prospectus This guidance is designed to assist you in completing the application form for Round 16 of

the ULF and should be read in conjunction with the ULF Prospectus.

1.2 ULF Round 17 Unionlearn will be submitting a business case to BIS, which will need ministerial sign off to

draw down funding for 2016/17. No funding is guaranteed and bids are submitted as part of the process of making a case for funding.

The business case will include a summary of bids that unions have put forward for support through the Union Learning Fund as well as the work that unionlearn itself will do in supporting and developing the union contribution to skills and learning.

Union Learning Fund proposals will need to clearly show how they will help to deliver on the key priority areas outlined in unionlearn’s business plan and/or set out the activity which makes each bid uniquely placed to provide learning and skills support.

Unionlearn will need to demonstrate to BIS and Ministers that the breadth and uniqueness of the work of ULF bids underpins the delivery of learning and skills in the workplace and beyond and is pivotal to future economic growth and that unions are a mainstream industrial partner in the UK’s skills landscape.

The bids submitted by unions for a period of one years support by the ULF will be reviewed by the ULF Assessment Panel who will recommend whether they are approved and will form part of the unionlearn business case for 2016/7. The Minister will decide on BIS recommendation whether and if so what quantum of funding the business case will attract. This may require bids that have been approved as part of the business plan be further reviewed once the final funding allocation is agreed.

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2. PROCESS OVERVIEW

This document provides an overview of the process and a guide to those writing the full application to the ULF Assessment Panel. The dates given for BIS decisions are provisional and subject to funding decision timescales within the Department.

Projects invited to bid

1st July 2015

Projects able to submit draft bids for discussion with unionlearn.

Programme of Training and Support Meetings

Ist July to 11th September 2015

Projects asked to provide full application

Close 12pm 25th September 2015

ULF Assessment Panel convenes

12/13th October 2015

ULF projects notified

Early December 2015

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3. DEVELOPING A ULF ROUND 17 BID: SUPPORT FROM UNIONLEARN

3.1. This year the process will not involve an expression of interest (EOI) stage but will move straight to bid submission. The application forms will be available on-line immediately but do not have to be submitted until the close at 12pm on 25th September. Forms can be saved and stored so can be worked on and developed progressively.

3.2. Applicants will receive unionlearn support throughout the bidding process that will: Help create and refine applications through one to one meetings and e-mail/on-

line support: Look at ideas for projects and discuss them with applicants Help develop ideas into project/bid format Comment on draft bids (last draft submission will be September 14th)

Provide training on key aspects of bid creation and writing: Understanding the priorities Estimating value for money Evaluation, evidence and data collection Using the on-line system for form completion

A programme of support events, drop in sessions and training on elements of bid writing is being set up and further details are available from MWainwright@tuc.org.uk or the ULF website https://www.unionlearningfund.org.uk/index.cfm

3.3. Applicants that have previously run a ULF project and are proposing to extend or build on this work may wish to have a review meeting with members of the unionlearn team to look at what went well/not so well and how the new proposal will develop the work, mitigate any problems encountered and meet the new ULF priorities.

3.4. Applicants that are new to ULF, have not had a recent project or are planning to submit a project that is a new approach/target group or tackling an new/current issue may wish to create a short description of their proposal and discuss this with the unionlearn team before moving to creating an on-line submission.

4. WRITING YOUR BID – WHAT WILL ASSESSORS LOOK FOR AND HOW WILL THEY ASSESS BIDS?

4.1 The assessment process will be asking a number of key questions about your bid: Is there a clear, well articulated rationale for the activity proposed? Are there clearly defined inputs, outputs and outcomes? Is there evidence for the need/demand for the activity proposed? What is the potential impact of your bid? Is there evidence that the costs and benefits have been described and

represent value for money? Is the extent and nature of union/employer contribution satisfactory? Is the proposed activity added value (eg. Is not substituting for other

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provision)?

4.2 The assessors will: Assess applications against the criteria outlined in the ULF Prospectus. Identify applications for approval. To do this the panel will use a scoring system to

determine which bids are recommended for support.

4.3 At the assessment panel the bids will be scored using the following priorities as listed in the Prospectus:

Priority 1 Improving Equality, Engaging Disadvantaged Learners and Workers with poor English, Maths or Digital Skills

Priority 2 Growing Apprenticeship, Traineeship, Young People and Progression

Priority 3 Improving Productivity

Priority 4 Developing a Stronger Learning Infrastructure, Workforce Development and Higher Level Skills

Priority 5 Sustainability and value for money

4.4 In order to ensure that unions can propose bids that are both broad (covering all or most of the priority areas) and specific (targeting their bid to one particular issue or group) Priorities 1 to 4 are not mandatory and you do not therefore have to complete all these sections unless your bid is proposing to undertake activity that meets the priority description.

4.5 However, to also ensure that equality and value for money feature in all bids Priority 5 will be mandatory and all bids will be scored for their contribution to equality and diversity. All bids will be scored against Priority 5 and Equality and Diversity which is a cross cutting theme.

4.6 The unionlearn team will provide assessors with a short summary document for each bid that will outline:

o Union background (size, distribution geographically etc.)o Previous ULF bids and brief details of audit and performance reports.o Any particular issues that the panel may need to be aware of when considering

the bid (eg. Industrial relations/employer attitudes in sector, pay and conditions issues or experience with providers).

4.7 Bids will be scored for:o Strategic Fit (60 points)o Value for Money and Sustainanbility (25 points)o Equality and Diversity (15 points)

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5. STRATEGIC FIT

5.1 Bids will be scored for their Strategic Fit. This will assess whether the bid is addressing the agreed priority areas and whether evidence is presented for both the reason the bid is required and the action it proposes to take. Strategic Fit will be scored in 2 parts.

a) The Fit with Priorities and b) Evidence of impact/added value.

In writing your bid you should ensure that you address both these issues.

5.2 Fit with Priorities

Does the bid address the priorities identified in the prospectus adequately and fully? (If so which ones and how) The application should identify:

o who the bid will focus ono what it will do with them o How it will reach them o What the outcomes and outputs will be.

In showing how the bid meets strategic needs it should identify the specific issues for the priorities selected. For example:

o For Priority 1: Which disadvantaged groups get access to learning opportunities to progress? What is the evidence of need? What will they achieve through the bid? How will success be measured?

o For Priority 2: What sort of apprenticeship/traineeship is involved and why? How will young people will be engaged? What will they be engaged in and how will this improve their employment and life chances?

o For Priority 3: How will the project improve productivity? Why is this an important issue? How will the workforce benefit from the project?

o For Priority 4: Will the workforce be helped to progress and adapt to change or cope with redundancy? Will wellbeing or job security be improved? Does the bid support BIS/LEP/Sector strategies? Will employers be engaged and will learning (or other) agreements be negotiated or enhanced or will improved investment result?

Some evidence for the need and the approach adopted should also be provided. This might be demographic, sector or union data in the case of need and may be union track record or evidence from other bids in the case of approach. Where a bid is offering a new or innovative approach the evidence requirement may be less important than the argument made for the potential success of the bid.

The bid will need to show its outcomes and outputs and how these will be recorded, measured and reported.

5.3 Evidence of Impact/Added Value

Why the union is well placed to deliver this bid. For example:

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o Is there a gap that the union is filling (eg. where particular groups find it hard to access learning or will not attend traditional learning opportunities?)

o Is there anything innovative about the bid? o Who will it reach that others cannot and how? o Does it better engage or improve access to learners? o Does it give learners access to learning?o Will it achieve better outcomes or support learners and provide opportunities

that do not already exist or in a way that is different to existing opportunities? How will the union measure or assess the impact of its proposed activity? Does the

union have a track record or can it provide case studies/surveys or have evidence from other bids that supports this approach?

Where a bid is offering a new or innovative approach the evidence requirement may be less important than the arguments made in your bid for the potential success of the bid approach (eg why it might access learners better than others, why learners might be better engaged).

6. EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

6.1 Equality and diversity are important issues for unions and your bid should demonstrate that it has embedded equality and diversity in its activity. This should be in terms of its approach (i.e. ensuring equal access to learning opportunities) and operation (i.e. ensuring staff are trained appropriately). The bid may in itself be tackling a specific issue around equality and diversity under Priority 1 but will still need to demonstrate that its approach and operation supports equality and diversity.

6.2 Your bid should show how the bid is ensuring equality and diversity:o Are appropriate policies and procedures in place?o How will project staff be trained?o Are there any specific issues of inequality or disadvantage that the bid needs to

take in to account? o How will information recorded and monitored be usede to show equality and

diversity?o What policies or agreement s with employers will result?o Is there union track record of ensuring equality and diversity?

6.3 If the bid is tackling a specific issue of equality and diversity or specific union members/employees/potential employees are being focused on:

o What is the data on the group(s) the bid will support? o Are there clear measures of success and methods to verify them?

7. SUSTAINABILITY AND VALUE FOR MONEY

7.1 In this section you will need to show how your bid provides value for money, how its activity will be sustained in the future (if that is appropriate) and how the union intends to embed the activity within the union and the mainstream.

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The type of evidence required in this section will be:o details of bid financial inputs and outputso additional sources of support (other than ULF) to the bid (eg from the union,

employers, providers)o explanations for bid costs (including staffing requirements)o calculations of bid costs per outcome, details of management o Governance arrangements and union track record of delivery in previous bids.

Where a bid offering a new or innovative approach the evidence requirement may be less important than the arguments made for the potential benefits of the activity or approach (e.g. why it might improve productivity, reduce costs to the employer, state or individual or enable an individual to achieve improvement that enhances their progression, employability and life chances).

When reviewing your bid you should ask yourself:o Have the spending costs been justified? o Has the bid been costed to provide value for money? o Is the bid governance and staffing adequate to deliver its objectives? o What will the union /employer/individual leverage be? o What will it measure to show impact? o How will it mainstream or sustain the work after ULF?

7.2 In the application form’s financial section you will be asked for details of expenditure and leverage. There is also an open ended section where you can place details of your financial arguments and calculations for the benefit of the Panel. You are advised to make these as clear and concise as possible to assist in the assessment of the bid. The key things that will be used to assess value for money are:

o Cost per learnero Cost per outcome/outputo Leverage ratio (how many pounds are levered in for every pound invested through

ULF. See Appendix 1 for guides to Leverage and Sustainability)o Overheads ratio (cost of administration/office cost etc as a proportion of the bid)

In Appendix 2 there is a simple calculator that will help you look at these values for your bid. The spread sheet in may help you with presenting your calculations and the detail of your calculations can be put as a word file in appendix 1 of the application form.

Your bid will need to clearly state the numbers of learners and other outcomes and outputs you propose to achieve so that these figures can be calculated.

8. NEW PROJECTS, AREAS OF WORK/INNOVATION

8.1 If your bid is offering a new or innovative approach or initiating work in a new area this should be explained in the bid. The Panel will allow for such circumstances and will judge the

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cost effectiveness in the context of the sector and local circumstances as well as the stage of the activity proposed (eg. new projects may have setting up costs).

8.2 For new areas of work the evidence requirement will be balanced against the arguments made for the potential benefits of the new activity or approach (e.g. why it might improve productivity, reduce costs to the employer, state or individual or enable an individual to achieve improvement that enhances their progression, employability and life chances).

9. HOW WILL ALL THIS BE SCORED?

a) The Assessment Panel will score the bids as described above. The scoring Matrix is outlined in Appendix 3. The Panel will discuss bids and agree a final score for each bid.

b) The Panel will determine whether an application should be:

o Recommended – score = >61o Recommended subject to minor negotiation – score = 51-60o Referred back to Panel following negotiation and improvement - score = 41-50o Rejected – score = <40

c) The Panel will have discretion to recommend a bid that does not meet the exact scoring requirements but has shown some exceptional quality that they feel should be supported by the ULF.

10. HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

A final application form must be submitted by 12pm on Friday 25th September 2015. Application forms should be submitted on the electronic forms provided on the ULF

website www.unionlearningfund.org.uk There is a requirement to send a letter signed by the union’s authorising officer to

confirm that the bid has the support of the union nationally by 12pm on Friday 25th September 2015.

Unionlearn will review and comment on draft applications submitted between the launch of the prospectus and up until 5pm on Friday September 11th 2015.

Please send to:

FAO, Julia JonesUnion Learning Fund TeamUnite Office LiverpoolJack Jones House1 IslingtonLiverpoolL3 8EG

The ULF team will assist projects with the process. For further information telephone the national office 0151 482 2711

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Appendix 1. a) Guide to Levered-in Funding for Union Learning Fund (ULF) Projects

What should ULF projects classify as levered-in funding?

1. Levered-in funding refers to the additional resources brought into a project thatare over and above the ULF funded budget for that project. Levered in funding caninclude money (real cash), for example, that is to purchase learning materials or pay forcourse fees. It might also include any external funding from partners/stakeholders thatgoes into a specific ‘Collective Learning Fund’.

2. Levered-in funding can also be an ‘in-kind’ contribution. This refers to resourcesthat partners/stakeholders have agreed to contribute to the project such as:

staff time (including both management and employee time); equipment (e.g. computers, phones); office space; premises for a learning centre.

3. The ULF application form for Round 17 (2016-17) will require details of levered-infunding to be provided. A summary which sets out the detail of the levered in fundingfrom each partner/stakeholder will also be required. This can include details ofresources, time or contributions from:

your union union members other unions employers (for example time off for learning costs) learning providers other funding organisations – e.g. the SFA, local authorities community organisations learners

Why is it important to measure the amount of other resources levered in?

3. It is vital that unionlearn is able to demonstrate to the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and the Treasury that there is a sound economic rationale underpinning continued support for unionlearn and the Union Learning Fund. One aspect of this is the leverage that ULF funding is able to generate in terms of stimulating

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b) Guide to Sustainability BIS funding is to assist unions build their capacity to support learning and the development of skills. Unions should provide evidence that they are planning how they will manage if BIS funding was to cease and that should show how they plan to sustain the activity in the longer term.

Sustainability can mean a number of different things:

Embedding the activity in the union. Embedding the activity in providers/employers. Finding other ways of funding the activity independent of ULF.

Embedding in the Union

Does the union have a structure within the union for discussing/running union learning? (eg. conferences, national, regional officers/committees).

Does union learning get discussed at the main union conference?

How many staff does the union employ who have been engaged in union learning? How has this changed over time? Are there plans to develop the work through union funding?

How are industrial reps made aware of union learning and ULRs (eg. through courses, journals or website etc)?

Does skills and learning feature in union discussions or bargaining with employers?

What union learning is included in the services and benefits which the union promotes to members?

Has the union developed or is it planning to develop its own learning provision that draws in funding from employers/SFA or other streams?

Embedding in Mainstream

Has the union developed learning agreements and protocols with providers that provide funds that can support union learners (eg. discounts)?

Is the union levering in funding from the employer to support learners?

Has the union established methods of co-financing learning (eg. Collective Learning Funds)?

Alternative Funding Systems

Is the union taking on the funding of aspects of previously ULF funded activity?

Has the union obtained funding or has plans for obtaining funding from non-BIS

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sources to continue the work?

Is the union developing methods of co-financing learning (eg. Collective Learning Funds)?

Appendix 2. Calculators to Assist on Value for Money Calculations.

a) Cost per learner and Leverage Ratio’s

Using this spreadsheet you can put in your bid figures to calculate cost per learner, cost per outcome and leverage ratios.

b) Calculating Time for Learning Leverage

This spreadsheet (compliments of USDAW) enables you to put in wage rates and whether the learning is in the learners own time or employer released.

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Appendix 3: THE SCORING SYSTEMFit with Priorities is [40 points]: Type of evidence required :

Reports/research/evidence that shows that the need for the bid exists. This can be from official or academic sources or union surveys/opinion polls.

Description of how the bid will support the priorities and the approach that is proposed with evidence where possible of where this approach has been successful or reasons it might be expected to work.

Fit with priorities - 40 points:0-9 10-19 20-29 30-40

Application does not clearly address the priorities identified in the prospectus.

No clear articulation of the proposed impact on skills or productivity/growth or tackling disadvantage

The scale of the impact is low

A skills issue(s) has been identified and the project is aimed at addressing this issue(s).

The project is likely to make some progress towards addressing the problem(s) although is limited in scale.

Ambition in terms of scale is adequate but it is not clear what success would look like

A skills issue(s) has been clearly identified and evidenced. The project is clearly aimed at addressing the issue(s).

The project is either trying some new approaches, attempting to reach new learners/employers, working in a new environment or demonstrates the potential to make a step change towards addressing the problem(s).

The scale of impact is appropriate to the strategic fit of the project.

A skills issue(s) has been clearly identified and well evidenced.

The project is clearly aimed at addressing the issue.

Project is either offering an innovative approach, attempting to reach new learners/employers, working in a new environment or is significant in scale and expected to make a significant impact on the skills problem(s) across a location and/or sector, or multiple locations/sectors.

Proposal has realistic potential to achieve transformation rather than marginal change

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union track record/case studies/surveys or evidence from other projects. Is there anything innovative about the project? Who will it reach that others cannot and how? Does it better engage or improve access to

learners? Does it give learners access to learning/achieve better outcomes or support learners/provide opportunities that do not already exist or in a way that is different to existing opportunities? What is the nature/scale of impact?

Where a project is offering a new or innovative approach the evidence requirement may be less important than the arguments made for the potential success of the project approach (eg why it might access learners better than others, why learners might be better engaged).Why is the union well placed to deliver this project?

The scoring guide for Evidence of Added Value is:

Evidence of impact/Added Value - 20 points0-4 5-9 10-14 15-20

Application does not explain how the project will be delivered.

There is little evidence of the need for the project

The project does not evidence that it will offer anything that is not already available or there is little evidence that the project is doing anything new

The scale of the impact is not mentioned or low.

There is little evidence of value creation either in terms of wage growth, productivity or employee advantage (eg: improved wellbeing/progression/growth in confidence)

There is some evidence that the union is well placed to deliver the project

There is some evidence that the project is needed and is either engaging people that others find hard to reach or providing better access, support or learning opportunities

The scale of impact is adequate but it is not clear what success would look like

There is some evidence of value creation either in terms of wage growth, productivity or employee advantage (eg: improved wellbeing/progression/growth in confidence

There is clear evidence of a delivery strategy

Evidence is provided that shows the project is needed

Evidence is provided that the project will engage people that are hard to reach or offer better opportunities, support or outcomes

The scale of impact is appropriate

There is good evidence of value creation either in terms of wage growth, productivity or employee advantage (eg: improved wellbeing/progression/growth in confidence)

The delivery strategy is clearly identified and well evidenced.

The project is clearly aimed at addressing a well evidenced need.

The project offers innovative, new, different or better access, support or learning opportunities/outcomes

The proposal has the potential to achieve transformation rather than marginal change

There is significant evidence of value creation.

8.3.2 Sustainability and Value for Money [25 points] Evidence required:

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The type of evidence required in this section will be details of project financial inputs and outputs, additional sources of support (other than ULF) to the project, explanations for project costs (including staffing requirements), calculations of project costs per outcome, details of management, governance arrangements and union track record of delivery in previous projects.

Where a project is offering a new or innovative approach the evidence requirement may be less important than the arguments made for the potential benefits of the project approach (e.g. why it might improve productivity, reduce costs to the employer, state or individual or enable an individual to achieve improvement that enhances their progression/employability/life chances).

Have the spending costs been justified? Has the project been costed to provide value for money? Is the project governance and staffing adequate to deliver its objectives? What will the union /employer/individual leverage be? What will it measure to show impact? How will it mainstream or sustain the work after ULF?

The scoring guide for Sustainability and Value for Money is:

Sustainability and Value for Money - 25 points

0-5 6-11 12-17 18-25 Application does not explain how

the project will impact on union strategy.

There is little evidence of union contribution to the project

The project does not provide evidence for its budget or that its costs are justified or outcomes value for money.

There is little evidence of leverage from employers, employees or others.

Partnership working and project governance arrangements is

There is some evidence that the project will be integrated into union activity

There is evidence that the union is making a contribution to the project in cash or kind but the scale is limited

There is a clear budget with some explanation/justification provided for project costs and outcome value for money

There is some leverage from employers, employees or others or an explanation of why this is problematic

There is clear evidence of a strategy to embed learning within the union

Evidence is provided that shows the union is contributing project in cash or kind to the project

The project budget is clearly described and costs are justified and there is some evidence of outcome value for money or where the project is offering an innovative approach or tackling a completely new area of work) demonstrated the

The sustainability strategy is clearly identified and a plan for embedding learning is well evidenced.

The union is clearly contributing significantly to the project in cash or kind to the project

The project budget is clearly described, justifies the costs and demonstrates how the project achieves value for money or has (where the project is offering an

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poor or not well described Partnership working and project governance arrangements are adequate

potential to give future benefit.

Evidence is provided that the project will get good leverage from employers, employees or others or provides a good explanation of why this is problematic.

Partnership working and project governance arrangements are good

innovative approach or tackling a completely new area of work) clearly demonstrated the potential to give future benefit.

Evidence is provided that the project will get significant leverage from employers, employees or others or provides a good explanation of why this is problematic

Partnership working and project governance arrangements are robust

8.3.3 Equality and Diversity [15 points] Evidence required:

Is the project ensuring equality and diversity? Is it tackling any specific issues of inequality or disadvantage? Which groups does the project support? What is the scale of need and what will be the success measures?

Is there union track record, data on the groups the project will support, clear measures of success and methods to verify them?

The scoring guide for Equality and Diversity is:

Equality and Diversity - 15 points0-3 4-7 8-11 12-15

Application does not explain how equal opportunity will be ensured in the project.

The project does not provide much evidence that it will enhance equality or diversity

There is some evidence that the project has considered equality and diversity issues

There is some evidence that the project will address equality and diversity issues

1. There is clear evidence of a equality and diversity strategy

2. Evidence is provided that shows the project will address equality and diversity

3. Evidence is provided that the project

The equality and diversity strategy is clearly identified and well evidenced.

The project is clearly t addressing equality and diversity of the unions members and/or in

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There is little evidence that the project has considered the needs of disadvantaged groups of the unions members and/or in general

The project will work with disadvantaged union members and/or groups but it is not clear what success would look like

will work with disadvantaged groups (of the unions members and/or in general) and/oris supporting diversity and has some success measures and will monitor the impact

general).

The project has clear success measures for equality and diversity and monitors its impact.

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