Arts Council of Wales

Evaluation of the Welsh Government and Arts Council of Wales

Creative learning through the arts: an action plan for Wales

Specification for a Research Project

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CONTENTS

1. Background

2. Purpose of the study

3. Objectives

4. Requirements

5. Methods

6. Research Products

7. Client’s Role

8. Timetable

9. Welsh Language Scheme

10. Freedom of Information

11. Environmental Statement

12. Acceptance, Evaluation of Tenders

13. Contract Award Criteria

14. Monitoring

15. Confidentiality and Data Protection

16. Ownership of Data and Outputs

17. Completion of costings analysis

18. Travel and Subsistence

19. Budget

20. Payment

21. Business Continuity

22. Changes to the Specification

23. Subcontracting Arrangements

24. Insurance

25. Instructions to providers

26. Rejection of Tender

27. Declaration

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Contract number: xxx/2015 EVALUATION OF CREATIVE LEARNING THROUGH THE ARTS – AN ACTION PLAN FOR WALES The Arts Council of Wales (herein referred to as the Client) wishes to commission research, in collaboration with the Welsh Government, in order to evaluate ‘Creative learning through the arts – an action plan for Wales’ (CLTA). 1. BACKGROUND 1.1 Creative Learning Through the Arts (CLTA) is a partnership between the

Arts Council of Wales and the Welsh Government’s Department of Economy, Science and Transport and Department for Education and Skills. 1 It is supported by an equal investment of Arts Lottery and Department for Education and Skills funding, totaling £20m over 5 years. The Plan was launched on 3rd March 2015.

1.2 The initiative comprises two innovative strands of education activity - the

Lead Creative Schools Scheme and the All-Wales Arts and Education Offer – which combine to create an overarching programme designed to boost pupil attainment while developing the creative capacities of schools, teachers and learners in ways that will become self-sustaining.

1.3 The CLTA sets-out the following vision:

“The arts, and creative approaches to teaching and learning, should have a major role in all our schools, where collaboration with arts and cultural organisations and with creative practitioners is a common feature, and where good practice is shared and accessible to all.”

1.4 The aims of the programme, linked to the Welsh Government priorities of

improving literacy and numeracy and reducing the impact of disadvantage, are: Improve attainment through creativity; Increase and improve arts experiences and opportunities in schools;

and Support teachers and arts practitioners in developing their skills.

1.5 The CLTA has a number of high-level ambitions. These ambitions have

partly determined the kind of systems and approaches to delivery that

1 See Creative learning through the arts – an action plan for Wales - http://www.artswales.org.uk/c_engagement-and-participation/action-plan-creative-learning-through-the-arts

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will be utilised. Each of the anticipated impacts and effect interconnect and overlap; none exist in isolation from the others. However, there are sets of primary beneficiaries that can broadly be split into three groups for the purposes of this evaluation and they are set out in the table below.

Learners Teachers/Schools Artists/Arts organisations

Improve attainment through creativity

X

Increase and improve arts experiences and opportunities in schools

X X X

Support teachers and practitioners to develop their skills

X X

1.6 The programme draws extensively on the research literature that

underpinned the Creative Partnerships programme in England and internationally and much of the learning it generated. In addition, Creative Partnerships in England was extensively evaluated and drew on the rich wealth of experience of arts education initiatives which have their own history, policy literature, theoretical underpinnings and culture of evaluation. For examples of the research commissioned as part of that programme visit: http://www.creativitycultureeducation.org.

1.7 A fundamental expectation of the evaluation of CLTA in Wales is that it

should be able to assess the effectiveness of the programme within its own terms, but also relate the findings to extant literature describing the effects of arts and creativity in schools. In this way, the evaluation is expected to contribute to learning and development around creative education in ways that potentially influences debates and practice nationally and internationally.2

2 Various literature reviews have been produced on arts-education in recent years. For example see: http://www.creativitycultureeducation.org; Davies, D. et al (2013) Creative Learning Environments in Education – a Systematic Review - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187118711200051X.

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1.8 While familiarity with the broader literature around creative learning is essential, it is important that evaluators are familiar with the context relating to the arts and education in Wales. There are a number of interconnecting areas of policy that relate to the creation and delivery of the CLTA and they include, but are not limited to:

Professor Dai Smith’s report Arts in Education in the Schools of Wales

and the Government’s response to the 12 recommendations contained

in the report. http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/publications/wagreviews/arts-in-education-review/?lang=en

Professor Donaldson’s Review of Curriculum and Assessment Arrangements in Wales - http://gov.wales/topics/educationandskills/schoolshome/curriculuminwales/curriculum-for-wales/?lang=en Reach The Heights – the Arts Council of Wales (ACW) programme delivered as part of the Welsh Government lead initiative in West Wales and the Valleys funded through ACW and European Social Fund investment which aimed to reduce the number of young people in Wales aged 11-19 years not in education, employment or training (NEET) or at risk of becoming NEET. Two evaluation studies have been published on Reach the Heights – one from the Arts Council: http://www.artswales.org.uk/what-we-do/funding/reach-the-heights And one commissioned by the Welsh Government: http://gov.wales/statistics-and-research/evaluation-reach-heights/?lang=en

Qualified for Life – the recently published Education Improvement

Plan for Wales

http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/allsectorpolicies/qual

ified-for-life-an-educational-improvement-plan/?lang=en

Rewriting the Future: raising ambition and attainment in Welsh schools – the recent Welsh Government document which describes four key themes to tackle the link between poverty and educational underachievement in schools. http://wales.gov.uk/docs/dcells/publications/140616-rewriting-the-future-raising-ambition-and-attainment-in-welsh-schools-en.pdf

National Literacy and Numeracy Framework Wales – a major initiative

to drive improvements in literacy and numeracy

http://learning.wales.gov.uk/resources/browse-all/nlnf/?lang=en

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Schools Challenge Cymru – Key information on the programme and the

40 Pathways to Success schools involved in this innovative

improvement programme:

http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/schoolshome/raisings

tandards/schools-challenge-cymru/?lang=en

Lead and Emerging Practitioner Schools Project – This is a major

school to school support programme developed by Welsh Government

with the aim of raising standards of education practice. It links strong

performing secondary and primary schools to schools in need of

innovation, support and practical guidance.

http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/schoolshome/raisings

tandards/practitionerschools/?lang=en

The National Model for Regional Working – a framework for school

improvement which recognises the important role that schools, local

authorities, regional consortia and the Welsh Government play in

supporting education.

http://wales.gov.uk/topics/educationandskills/publications/guidanc

e/national-model-for-regional-working/?lang=en

Culture and Poverty: Harnessing the power of the arts, culture and

heritage to promote social justice in Wales – a report by Baroness Kay

Andrews, commissioned by the Welsh Government.

http://wales.gov.uk/topics/cultureandsport/tackling-poverty-

through-culture/?lang=en

2. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY 2.1 The broad purpose of this evaluation is to examine the process, impact

and value for money of the CLTA. A multi-method evaluation design is envisaged that examines the impact and effects of the programme primarily on learners, but also on teachers/schools, and artists/arts organisations.

2.2 Tenderers are encouraged to submit proposals that meet high

standards in both process and impact evaluation, enabling the findings to be considered as robust by the commissioning bodies and by the wider arts, education and research communities.3

3 For instance, it is anticipated that the findings from this evaluation will be robust enough to be considered as part of future systematic reviews of arts-

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3. OBJECTIVES 3.1 The specific objectives of the evaluation are:

To design and put in place data collection that captures change in relation to the range of outcomes and beneficiaries set-out in the above table that can be attributable to the interventions that constitute the programme.

To work with the ACW and participating schools to ensure that data collection is feasible and carried-out systematically.

To develop the programme logic model and theory of change for both elements of the programme.

To utilise all relevant data available gathered by schools and by the Department for Education and Skills.

To review and make recommendations on the programme design/implementation in order to facilitate robust impact evaluation design especially in relation to the establishment of one or more counterfactual groups.

To review the monitoring data – about beneficiaries and counterfactual groups - collected for evaluation purposes, and make recommendations for improvements to ensure the data is fit for the purpose of the evaluation.

To analyse the data using techniques appropriate for robust impact and process evaluations

To produce bilingual (Welsh and English) reports for publication with key findings. It is envisaged that a series of reports (to be agreed) will be required reporting on key elements of the research throughout the study period with a final report pulling-together the overall analysis of all data with conclusions and recommendations.

4. Requirements 4.1 In this section we set-out in more detail the focus for the evaluation,

the range of impacts we wish to capture and the sorts of evidence and data we consider integral to the work.

4.2 We anticipate the combination of process and impact evaluation

designs will provide a comprehensive analysis of the effectiveness of the programme by:

demonstrating the effectiveness of mechanisms for training and

practitioner development assessing fitness for purpose of application and selection

procedures and how that might affect participation and impact.

education initiatives and included in syntheses and guidance on effective practice such as the Sutton Trust Toolkit.

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assessing frameworks and processes for CLTA quality assurance to show the extent of improvement to the overall quality of programme delivery

Linking elements above to potential impacts for participants through the development and application of a logic model and theory of change.

PROCESS–RELATED REQUIREMENTS 4.3 The evaluation should provide an assessment of the effectiveness

of the CLTA delivery and administration. For example: Did the programme reach a wide range of schools across Wales? Did the programme reach schools and pupils in geographical areas

of highest deprivation? Did the programme reach a representative proportion of both

English and Welsh medium? 4.4 The evaluation should include a focus on variation in quality of

inputs and provision. It is likely that participating schools will offer different levels of capacity and as such have their own creativity and arts ‘baseline’ that will serve as a unique starting point. It is also likely that there will be some variety in the nature and quality of interventions in individual classrooms. For these reasons it will be important for the evaluation to retain a focus on the quality of inputs as well as an assessment of impacts. For example, what proportion of the programme, per year, is meeting expected thresholds around project quality? Is the quality assurance framework for the programme effectively capturing this information and does it stand-up to independent scrutiny by the evaluation team?

4.5 To provide a series of case studies illustrating the variety of

quality and content of activities undertaken, barriers encountered and solutions for successful implementation. These should draw on a range of monitoring data and primary research with participants and stakeholders. Tenderers should set out what qualitative and quantitative research is necessary to develop a representative analysis of provision as well as in-depth insights into the way in which the programme is being implemented. This may vary by type of school, pupil characteristics, geographically, etc. It will be important to link this process data in the analysis of impact.

4.6 Evidence from the process evaluation should be fed-into

discussions with programme managers and stakeholders throughout the process to ensure learning can be applied in a timely fashion. Tenderers should set-out how they intend to do this.

4.7 The evaluation should explore the extent to which the range of

support mechanisms designed into the CLTA, including

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partnership approaches and networks, may help improve the overall quality of project delivery in schools. For example, are training and support for teachers and artists ensuring delivery of projects in schools are of the highest quality?

4.8 To provide a description of the core components that feature in

successful implementation of the initiative. 4.9 With the right approach, it should be possible to relate the relative

quality of provision to outcomes attributable to the programme. Therefore, a requirement is to assess the overall average effects of the programme against outcomes relating to instances where the programme has been implemented most successfully.

4.10 The process evaluation should be able to provide an assessment

of how effective the systems and processes set-up to administer school participation in CLTA. For example, are the right schools joining the Lead Creative Schools programme? Is there integrity and coherence in the systems around application and selection?

4.11 The evaluation should explore how the programme works in

relation to other related initiatives and provision in Wales (eg the Pupil Deprivation Grant, Foundation Phase, Literacy and Numeracy Framework, etc).

IMPACT RELATED REQUIREMENTS 4.12 Initial proposals for a logic model and theory of change (ToC) -

and how to develop it further - should be included in tenders. The Client views the logic model and ToC as a central component of strengthening the ability of the evaluation to contribute to measuring, understanding and achieving impact. The approach to developing the logic model and ToC will need to: build consensus around a clear description of inputs and anticipated effects for intended beneficiaries and stakeholders; with appropriate qualitative and quantitative indicators aligned to it; proposals for systems and methods to capture and analyse data; a concomitant understanding of programme risks and assumptions (eg dependencies); and explicit social science theory and evidence underpinning the programme model.

4.13 The evaluation will be required to assess the impact of the

programme on schools in the following respects:

Teaching effectiveness and whole school performance using appropriate available data

Staff capacity to develop creative and arts rich curricula Working practices and culture – what did artists/creative workers

add to the work environment? Have they made a difference to teaching and learning in the school?

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Longer-term commitment of schools to using the arts and creativity as methods of underpinning effective education provision.

4.14 The evaluation will be required to assess the impact of the

programme on learners during the life of the programme and following 12 months of the end of the planned programming period, in the following respects: Impact on skills and knowledge linked to creativity Impact on wellbeing Disposition towards learning – pre- and post- assessment of

learners’ motivation, self-confidence and/or attitudes to learning and a measure of their personal trajectory and aspirations with regard to schooling

Likely or actual impact on individual learner’s attainment – in particular in relation to literacy and numeracy skills; this may be based on an estimate of likely impact given certain outcomes observed in the short-term (eg on motivation, behaviour change etc)

Likely or actual impact on closing the gap between disadvantaged and advantaged pupils; this may be based on an estimate of likely impact given certain outcomes observed in the short-term (eg on motivation, behavior change etc).

4.15 Evaluators will be required to develop a counterfactual analysis

with comparative groups of schools and/or pupils. This will be primarily focused on the Lead Creative Schools element of the programme. Tenderers should set out proposals for identifying and capturing data on comparative groups at school and/or pupil level. Proposals should consider adopting a trial methodology – or suitable quasi-experimental design. Implications for programme design/implementation and should be outlined. However, it should be recognized that the scheme has already been launched and school recruitment for the Lead Creative Schools programme will take place in time for some schools to start in September 2015. It may be possible to adopt a staggered design from the outset or a more experimental design later during the programme’s life.

Comparative groups could comprise any of the following:

Schools who are in the Lead Creative School programme and are delivering the programme as envisaged

Schools who are in the Lead Creative School programme but whose programme was not of the quality envisaged

Schools who are in the All Wales Arts and Education offer and deliver the programme as envisaged

Schools who participated in both programmes – and delivered as envisaged

Schools who participated in both programmes – but did not deliver as envisaged.

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Schools who were unsuccessful in participating in the Lead Creative Schools programme but who had shown an interest – what did they go on to do outside the programme?

Comparison with the wider school population across Wales who have no engagement with either strand of the programme.

4.16 Existing data on attendance, motivation and academic attainment

should be used to assess the impact of the intervention with regard to closing the attainment gap, with specific reference to numeracy and literacy. Tenderers should set out what data they envisage using, what analytical techniques they will adopt to analyse the data most effectively to ascertain impact of the programme, and to describe and quantify what support they will require from data providers (Welsh Government, local authorities, Regional Consortia, schools).

4.17 Where data is proposed to be collected from individuals,

tenderers should outline what they intend to do to help ensure the data is collected, stored and shared appropriately according to data protection and ethical principles.

4.18 Evaluators should attempt to provide an indication of the type

and depth of engagement necessary to create the right conditions for changes in behaviours, motivation and attainment and therefore to make meaningful improvements in relation – or that might lead - to key outcomes in literacy, numeracy and closing the attainment gap. It will therefore be necessary to capture information about the amount/quality of the engagement individual pupils have had with the programme – via regular reporting mechanisms with participating schools - in order to assess meaningful impact at the level of individual participants.

4.20 It will be necessary to assess the improvement of arts provision

in a sample of participating schools. Appropriate metrics would need to be developed for this but might include a focused assessment of school policy documents, School Improvement Plans, investment in curriculum materials and resources, levels of staffing, investment in training and development for arts and creativity CPD, etc.

4.21 It will be necessary to assess changes in creativity for learners

using a suitable instrument or instruments. Tenderers should set out how they would develop and implement such an instrument/instruments and how they would analyse and use the data to help evaluate programme impact alongside other available data on learners’ progression.

4.22 The scheme will be linked to an OECD initiative to develop and pilot a

method of assessing progression in learners’ creativity and critical

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thinking skills. The two-year OECD study is aimed at assisting countries to monitor the implementation of a skills-based curriculum and incentivise both teachers and students to develop the creative and critical thinking skills that will nurture innovation. The project will involve cooperation of between 5-10 participating schools per country. The evaluators will be required to provide support alongside the ACW/Welsh Government to coordinate the OECD study in Wales. The research plan will be available to the evaluators when a final copy is agreed between the OECD and participating countries. Tenderers are advised to build in some flexibility in task/budget allocation to accommodate this piece of work..

PROGRAMME STRAND-SPECIFIC QUESTIONS 4.23 As previously described CLTA has a twofold approach. The first

element seeks to enhance the development of creative learning through a Lead Creative Schools Scheme and the second places emphasis on increasing and improving arts opportunities and experiences for learners – the All-Wales Arts and Education Offer.

Although they are united by a common goal with regard to pupil attainment and closing the attainment gap, there are some evaluation questions that will be specific to each, or more developed in one that the other, and should be addressed in the evaluator’s plan.

These might include:

4.24 Lead Creative Schools

Impact on behavioural change, well-being and motivation,

creating the right conditions for improvements in learning

Impact on attainment overall but with the ability to analyse

particular effects on pupils’ literacy and numeracy

Impact on reducing the effect of deprivation on attainment

Impact on creative capabilities of the school, as demonstrated

through: the overall ethos of the school:

o teachers’ creative capacity,

o investment in training and resources and

o engagement with the arts and cultural ecology beyond the

school

Evidence that schools with high levels of pupils registered for free

school meals have been prioritised in the programme

Evidence that schools accepted on the programme have a stated

ambition and current focus around raising standards in literacy

and numeracy and reducing the attainment gap

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Fair geographical spread between regions and consortia in Wales

Fair spread between primary, secondary and special schools

Analysis of how the programme’s implementation and effects

differ depending on the language of tuition (ie English or Welsh).

Evidence that schools entering the scheme share the knowledge,

skills and experience they gain from the scheme with other schools

4.25 All-Wales Arts and Education Offer

Evidence of more opportunities for dialogue and partnerships between schools, artists, arts/cultural organisations and local communities

Increase in numbers and improvements in the quality of opportunities for teachers, learners, artists and arts/cultural organisations to work together and develop skills.

Increased numbers of opportunities for young people to experience the work of Wales’s artists and arts/cultural organisations

Impact on capacity to teach the arts within the school, as demonstrated through:

o the overall ethos of the school: o teachers’ commitment to arts subjects and the mobilisation

of the arts in the teaching of non-arts subjects, o skills development and support for teaching arts subjects, o investment in training and resources related to the arts and o The school’s engagement with arts and cultural

organisations? Analysis of how the programme’s implementation and effects

differ depending on the language of tuition (ie English or Welsh).

There are also specific support mechanisms which are designed to increase the quality of work in each strand and, as previously mentioned, raise the standard of the ‘average’ project offered as part of the overall plan. These support elements need to be accounted for within the process evaluation, as described above, but also related to eventual impacts wherever appropriate.

4.26 Professional Development for the Lead Creative Schools Scheme

For teachers who will participate directly in the Lead Creative Schools scheme.

For Creative Agents working in Lead Creative Schools scheme For artists and creative practitioners, including practitioners from

arts and heritage organisations working in the Lead Creative Schools scheme.

4.27 Regional arts networks

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There will be 4 regional arts networks, one in each education consortium. The evaluation will need to assess the extent to which the networks create new and improve existing arts and cultural learning experiences for learners in their consortium. The assessment will include: The extent to which they establish and co-ordinate arts and

creative learning networking opportunities (face to face and digital), for teachers, artists, arts and cultural organisations to come together to share experiences and best practice.

The extent to which they effectively collate and disseminate best practice and commission and draft new materials as needed to support the delivery of arts in schools

The efficacy of their ‘brokerage’ services between schools and artists, arts/cultural organisations; being the first point of contact for many schools wishing to develop their arts and cultural offer

Effectiveness of help for artists and arts/cultural organisations to bring the cultural experiences they offer to schools

Extent to which newly developed training and CPD has been co-ordinated and delivered to artists, arts/cultural organisations and schools. Professional development will also be offered to artists and arts and heritage organisations so that they can improve the quality of their offer to schools and young people and this will need to be assessed as part of the evaluation.

Degree to which opportunities to link with initiatives such as the Arts, Literacy and Numeracy Toolkit are identified and exploited.

Effective management and co-ordination of the Local Arts Champions (see below)

4.28 Local arts champions

Local arts champions will be a key element in effective networking and knowledge transfer within the Arts and Creative Learning Programme (ACLP). The evaluation should keep in focus:

The extent to which the work of local arts champions increases and improves arts/creative opportunities for learners the extent to which suitably experienced teachers of the arts are

selected for this role The degree to which they are freed up from their teaching

responsibilities in school to spend short periods of time either away from school promoting best practice and supporting others in adopting similar approaches

The extent to which they bring others into their school to observe and learn from their practice and the relative effectiveness of this.

The frequency and effectiveness of artists and arts/cultural organisations stepping into this role.

4.29 Portal

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In order to communicate the benefits of the programme, increase participation, share best practice, and host new content, a creative learning portal will be established on Hwb, the Welsh Government’s learning platform - http://hwb.wales.gov.uk/ The evaluation will need to consider the impact of the portal on: improving communication of the arts and cultural ‘offer’ to schools; improving schools’ participation in arts and cultural activity; Disseminating best practice.

5. METHODOLOGY 5.1 It is anticipated a mixed method approach will be necessary to

provide robust analysis of the programme against the above requirements. Given the ambitious aims we imagine some elements of the evaluation approach may include:

5.2 Desk research and use of existing statistics – tenderers should

demonstrate how they intend to collect, use and analyse existing evidence and statistics relating to:

the impact of the CLTA on school and learner performance locally

and regionally across Wales an analysis of destinations/choices for the Arts and Creative

Learning Programme participants e.g. numbers of teachers promoted or given additional responsibilities, numbers of learners opting for arts subjects at KS3/4, numbers at KS4 moving onto further education or training.

An analysis of other outcomes and points of learning, drawing on all relevant locally collated data available and national monitoring information

5.3 Primary research – primary research will be required, including the

sampling of schools and learners for the purposes of survey, case study or interview. This may comprise combinations of face-to-face and telephone interviews with key persons as well as in-school observation, and the tracking and documenting of experiences of learners (with a strong emphasis on learner voice), teachers and artists. Depending on the impact evaluation design chosen, this may involve capturing data from comparison schools and learners.

5.4 In combination, the commissioners of this evaluation are particularly

keen to see if these data demonstrate shifts in attitude/perception and behaviour or intentions that desk research and use of available statistics may not wholly reveal.

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5.5 It should be noted that the contract for the evaluation extends to a full year after the funded life of the Arts and Creative Learning Programme itself. This will allow for the assessment of ongoing effects and impacts by monitoring learner’s attainment, destinations and overall progress for an additional 12 months. Methods and approaches for undertaking this element of the evaluation should be clearly indicated in tender submissions.

6. RESEARCH PRODUCTS 6.1 The key product will be a bilingual report for publication providing

key findings, including those from both the impact and process evaluations. The report should include an Executive summary and provide recommendations, where appropriate, for developing the initiative. The report should initially be provided in draft format for review by the Client, followed by the final report which will be peer reviewed.

6.2 An annual progress report (unpublished) should also be provided

detailing the work carried out for the evaluation and putting forward recommendations for any changes necessary in the evaluation design to be followed subsequently. This report will not be published and therefore not required in bilingual format.

6.3 A number (to be determined) of interim reports to be published

bilingually providing analysis of key components of the evaluation when available. Tenderers should provide indicative costs, including translation costs.

6.4 The successful contractor will be required to provide two reporting

sessions to members of stakeholder groups including ACW and Welsh Government officials.

6.5 Clean data files should be provided in Excel and SPSS formats, accompanied by a brief technical report to be published.

7. CLIENT’S ROLE 7.1 The Client will undertake the following tasks:

Write to scheme providers informing them of the evaluation and the name of the contractor;

Comment on initial drafts of all research materials; Make arrangements for the meeting of an Evaluation Project

Board; Provide feedback on a draft version of evaluation reports; Organise peer review of the final report.

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8. TIMETABLE 8.1 The Client has produced a timetable of events that will ensure the

requirement is completed on schedule. Any variations to these milestones must be agreed, in advance, with the Client and confirmed in writing by the Contract Manager.

The proposed overall timetable is:

Brief to tender: 20th July 2015 Proposals received: 12.00 Noon , 9th September 2015 Possible interviews: 16th September 2015 Successful contractor announced: 18th September 2015 Contract awarded: 28th September 2015 Data collection materials to be produced: subject to agreement Piloting of data collection materials completed: subject to agreement Interim meetings with the Evaluation Project Board to be agreed First (unpublished) annual progress report: September 2016 Interim published reports: timing to be agreed Data set to be delivered: September 2021 Draft final report to be delivered: end September 2021 Final report delivered: October 2021 Report at end of funded period of the Arts and Creative Learning Programme submitted to September 2020 Report at 12 months from the funded period of the programme (ie o-going tracking of sample of schools and learners for one year ‘post-programme’) Final published report at end of 12-month follow on activity: September 2021 Project debrief meeting: October 2021

9. WELSH LANGUAGE SCHEME REQUIREMENTS 9.1 The successful contractor will need to ensure that services provided

through this contract are compliant with the Welsh Language Scheme for the Welsh Assembly Government. A copy of the Scheme can be found at www.wales.gov.uk/welshlangscheme (English) or www.cymru.gov.uk/cynlluniaith (Welsh).

9.2 Language and translation requirements are highlighted in the

preceding paragraphs (6.1 – 6.3). Any other activity not mentioned above which is relevant to the contract should comply with the

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commitments in the Scheme. Contractors should be aware that it is likely that they will be working with Welsh-medium participants and thus will need a bilingual capacity within the team.

9.3 Any translation work (English-Welsh: Welsh-English) required under

this contract is included in the total budget figure quoted in Section 19 and must be included in the detailed costings provided as part of the submission.

10. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION

10.1 The Arts Council of Wales is committed to being open, accountable and transparent and operates under a Code of Practice on Public Access to Information to meeting its responsibilities under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Any information submitted by you in connection with this tender may need to be disclosed in response to a request under the Act.

10.2 If you consider that any of the information included in your tender is commercially sensitive, please identify it and explain (in broad terms) what harm may result from disclosure if a request is received, and the time period applicable to that sensitivity. You should be aware that, even where you have indicated that information is commercially sensitive, we may be required to disclose it under the Act if a request is received.

10.3 You will be consulted if we receive a request for disclosure of

any of the information you have identified as commercially sensitive.

11. ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT 11.1 Contractors are encouraged to adopt a sound proactive environmental

approach, designed to minimise harm to the environment. 11.2 Factors to be considered should include areas such as:

Adopting an environmental management system which includes focus on disposal of waste and packaging

More efficient use energy and water Beginning to embed sustainability into the provision of goods and

services supplied to the Assembly Use of recycled paper containing only post-consumer waste for all

non-specialist printing whenever possible

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Reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from business travel by extending use of video conferencing and encouraging the use of low emissions vehicles

Building an environmentally friendly work culture through training and high quality communication with staff

11.3 Whilst on site the contractor should comply with the Client’s

Environmental Policy Statement which will be made available to you in advance or on arrival

12. ACCEPTANCE, EVALUATION OF TENDERS

12.1 The Tender process is conducted to ensure that Tenders are evaluated in an open

and transparent manner.

12.2 An initial examination will be made to establish the completeness of submitted

Tenders. Arts Council of Wales reserves the right to disqualify any Tender

submission which is incomplete.

12.3 Financial Checks

12.3.1 Arts Council of Wales, acting in line with good practice will undertake its due

diligence in advance of any contract award. Part of such due diligence may include

the performance of financial credit checks in relation to preferred bidders. This is

important to Arts Council of Wales to ensure that any organisation who wishes to

enter into a contract with Arts Council of Wales will be in a position to provide the

goods and services on an ongoing basis as agreed within any contract. This due

diligence may include a financial check which measures the likelihood of an

organisation becoming insolvent within the next 12 months and is expressed as a

score. Arts Council of Wales works with external credit agencies to provide these

financial checks. Arts Council of Wales reserves the right to eliminate a preferred

bidder from the tender process should any findings from Arts Council of Wales’s due

diligence reveal a serious concern or risk for Arts Council of Wales that cannot be

remedied in a reasonable amount of time before award.

Potential Providers are strongly encouraged to check / manage their financial score

within the industry.

13. CONTRACT AWARD CRITERIA

13.1 The tender will be assessed and awarded according to the most economically advantageous submission in terms of the criteria and weighting below:

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Quality criteria Project weighting 1

Submission of detailed proposals for how the project will be carried out detailing methods and approaches to data gathering and analysis

30

2

Demonstration of a thorough understanding of the requirements including an understanding the key contextual issues and relevant background.

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3

Clearly laid costs of the service, offering value for money.

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4

Demonstration of previous relevant work undertaken, particularly in relation to the creative and cultural sectors and work in Wales.

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5

An indicator of current staff availability to the project, setting out relevant qualifications and experience

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14 MONITORING 14.1 The Client’s contact points: The Creative Learning through the Arts

Programme Manager (ACW) and a Welsh Government representative. 14.2 The Contract Manager will be the ACW point of contact for the

Contractor during the course of the contract. She, together with Welsh Government representatives, may elect to meet a named representative of the contractor as and when necessary to discuss any issues that may have arisen during the provision of the research. Regular written progress reports will be required throughout the period of the contract on a monthly basis. It is suggested that the Client, representatives from the Welsh Government and the Contractor meet at least three times during the course of the contract (beginning, middle and end of contract).

14.3 The Contract Manager and the appointed representatives of the Welsh

Government will have joint responsibility for the evaluation of the CLTA. The ACW lead for the scheme is the Creative Learning through the Arts Programme Manager, who will be responsible for the implementation of the programme and queries related to the programme itself.

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14.4 Tenderers should provide the names of personnel to be assigned to the contract, their status in the organisation and their previous experience of dealing with contracts of a similar nature. Tenderers will need to supply a curriculum vitae for each member of the proposed research team as well as their task allocation breakdown and a clear line of management.

14.5 Monthly feedback on progress will be required in the form of a brief

written report from the project contact person to be communicated to all stakeholders of the evaluation.

14.6 In the event of non-compliance with this specification the following

procedure will be followed:

notification of complaint and requirement to comply; notification of unacceptable practices and/or substantial non-

compliance to the specification; recourse to the conditions of the contract.

14.7 Tenderers should provide details of their quality plan for the research. It

should include full details of the practices and procedures that will be developed to assure quality in the conduct and outputs of the research. Tenderers should clearly set out the key risk factors for the success of the research and possible options to prevent or resolve these. The Client must be provided with a draft for comment, prior to fieldwork commencing.

15. CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA PROTECTION 15.1 Due regard must be paid to the confidentiality requirements of the

contract and to the Data Protection Act (www.dataprotection.gov.uk).

The Contractor will ensure all processing of personal data, relating to this contract, from inception to completion, is in accordance with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998.

The Contractor at all times will ensure that the undertaking of confidentiality given to survey subjects is adhered to and that no data are released that could be related to an identifiable individual, without the individual’s permission. It must be made clear to participants in their information leaflets and letters, that the only people who will have access to the data will be key members of both the Contractor and the research team.

The Contractor will be responsible for ensuring that any data deposited does not compromise respondent confidentiality.

The successful contractor will be expected to store completed forms securely in a manner, and for a period, to be agreed with the Client.

15.2 The Client anticipates that ethical approval will be necessary for this

survey. Tenderers are asked to state their policy on confidentiality and

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ethics and their experience of dealing with confidential data. The successful contractor will be expected to destroy the names of participants involved in the study prior to the delivery of the data.

15.3 The information provided to participants will cover the survey

procedures, the purpose of the survey and the organisations which will have access to individually identifiable data.

15.4 The Potential Provider will demonstrate understanding and commitment to

Diversity and Equality. (Annex A) 16. OWNERSHIP OF DATA AND OUTPUTS 16.1 Ownership of all data and outputs from the research will be the property

of Arts Council of Wales. Agreement to publish or carry out other work using the information and the data collected under this contract is required. The Client will work with the Contractor to disseminate the report through the appropriate means, which may include submitting one or more papers to a peer-reviewed journal.

16.2 Upon completion of the contract, the contractor shall not retain, in any

form, any data obtained or generated by the contractor for the purposes of the contract. The Contractor shall, if required by the Client, provide the Client with all of the data reasonably required by the Client in order to satisfy the Client that it has complied with this condition.

17. COMPLETION OF COSTINGS ANALYSIS 17.1 Potential providers are required to complete a detailed budget and costs

analysis as part of their submission. All costs associated with the programme (and the costs associated with a possible extension of the contract) must be included. These costs will form the basis of the Tender submission.

17.2 All process shall be stated in pounds sterling and exclusive of VAT, and shall

be fixed for the contract period. 17.3 Potential providers should cover the following costs within their

submission: all expenses, resources, reports and tests that are appropriate and as described in the specification.

18. TRAVEL AND SUBSISTENCE 18.1 Any travel and subsistence expenses incurred by contractors in the delivery

of the contract will initially be borne by the Potential Provider. Car mileage rates will be paid at the rate set by HMRC of £0.45 per mile on the first 5000 miles in the tax year, and £0.25 per mile thereafter.

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19. BUDGET

19.1 A budget of between £220,000 and £265,000, inclusive of VAT, will be made available by the Client for the purposes of the initial 5-year contract. However, tenderers should be aware that this budget information is for indicative purposes only. The Client will be seeking to award the contract on the basis of the criteria stated at section 13 and best value. For bids in excess of this amount, tenderers would need to demonstrate within their bids the additional benefits to the Client.

20. PAYMENT 20.1 The contract will run from September 2015 to October 2021. Costs will be

paid quarterly on completion of satisfactory progress reports, with 40% of the final payment being withheld until satisfactory submission of the final report. Arts Council of Wales’s standard payment terms are 30 days from receipt of an undisputed invoice. Payment is by BACS. .

20.2 The contract managers from both parties shall agree all quarterly charges

to be invoiced and paid in advance of the invoice being issued. 20.3 Any disputed charges shall be investigated by each party and resolved by

the contract managers and paid on the following quarter’s invoice. 20.4 At the end of the contract, the final payment will only be made following

the satisfactory closure or hand-over of all outstanding issues, including the transfer of all information, records and data etc.

21. BUSINESS CONTINUITY 21.1 The Potential Provider shall ensure that a Disaster Recovery Plan,

acceptable to Arts Council of Wales, is in place for its own organisation, premises and operations.

21.2 The Potential Provider shall ensure that Business Continuity Plans,

acceptable to the Arts Council of Wales, are in place to ensure the continued supply of the services to the Arts Council of Wales according to the quality and timelines specified within the contract

21.3 The Potential Provider shall provide Arts Council of Wales, on request,

with a copy of its Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Plans 22. CHANGES TO THE SPECIFICATION 22.1 This specification sets out the current service requirement of the Client. It

is possible that during the life of the contract changes, for example, in the

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nature and volume of the work and the timescale or other requirement will arise.

22.2 Changes to the specification will be implemented by issuing written

amendments to all those affected by the changes. 23. SUBCONTRACTING ARRANGEMENTS 23.1 The Potential Provider shall not without written permission of Arts

Council of Wales assign this agreement and shall not without the written consent of Arts Council of Wales (which consent shall be subject to such conditions as Arts Council of Wales may think fit to impose) sub contract any portion of the work, without prior agreement.

24. INSURANCE

Note: Arts Council of Wales has reviewed its current policy regarding insurance covers and requires all Potential Providers to provide the following for each and every claim:

Employer's Liability £10 million

Public Liability £5 million

Directors and officers liability, trustee’s liability, professional indemnity or similar as appropriate to the Potential Provider’s circumstances £2million.

25. INSTRUCTIONS TO PROVIDERS

25.1 General Instructions

25.1.1 These instructions are designed to ensure that all Potential Providers are given equal and fair consideration. It is important therefore that you provide all the information asked for in the format and order specified.

25.1.2 Potential Providers should read these instructions carefully before completing the Tender documentation. Failure to comply with these requirements for completion and submission of the Tender may result in the rejection of the Tender. Potential Providers are advised therefore to acquaint themselves fully with the extent and nature of the services and contractual obligations. These instructions constitute the conditions of Tender and participation in the Tender process automatically signals that the Potential Provider accepts these conditions of participation

25.1.3 The Potential Provider shall not make (direct or indirect) contact with any employee, agent or consultant of Arts Council of Wales who are in any way connected with this procurement exercise, unless instructed otherwise by Arts Council of Wales

25.1.4 Potential Providers shall accept and acknowledge that by issuing this ITT Arts Council of Wales shall not be bound to accept any Tender and reserves the right

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not to conclude a contract for some or all of the services for which Tenders are invited

25.1.5 Where Potential Providers are required to submit an attached document in response to a question, attachments must be submitted in an acceptable format to Arts Council of Wales. Acceptable formats include MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, JPEGs and PDF files. Potential Providers who wish to submit an attachment in an alternative format should first check with Arts Council of Wales that it will be accepted. Arts Council of Wales reserves the right to deem a response incomplete if a Potential Provider does not submit an attachment in the above named formats without Arts Council of Wales’s prior approval

25.1.6 Arts Council of Wales reserves the right to amend, add to or withdraw all or any Section of this ITT at any time during the procurement exercise

25.1.7 All responses to this ITT can be submitted in English or bilingually

25.2 Preparation Of Tenders

25.2.1 The Potential Provider must obtain for themselves at their own responsibility and expense all information necessary for the preparation of Tender. Potential Providers are solely responsible for the costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation and submission of their Tender and all other stages of the selection and evaluation process. Under no circumstances will Arts Council of Wales or any of their advisers, be liable for any costs or expenses borne by Potential Providers, sub-contractors, suppliers or advisers in this process.

25.2.2 The Potential Provider is required to complete and provide all information required by Arts Council of Wales in accordance with the ITT. Failure to comply with the ITT may lead Arts Council of Wales to reject a Tender.

25.2.3 Arts Council of Wales relies on Potential Providers' own analysis and review of information provided. Consequently, the Potential Provider is solely responsible for obtaining the information which they consider is necessary in order to make decisions regarding the content of their Tender and to undertake any investigations they consider necessary in order to verify any information provided to them during the procurement process.

25.2.4 The Potential Provider must form their own opinions, making such investigations and taking such advice (including professional advice) as is appropriate, regarding the ITT and their Tender, without reliance upon any opinion or other information provided by Arts Council of Wales or their advisers and representatives. The Potential Provider should notify Arts Council of Wales promptly of any perceived ambiguity, inconsistency or omission in this ITT, any of its associated documents and/or any other information issued to them during the procurement process.

25.3 Submission Of Tenders

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25.6.1 The Potential Provider must submit their Tender via email to tenders@artscouncilofwales.org.uk by 12 noon on 9th September 2015 for receipt of Tenders (the “Deadline”).

25.6.2 Envelopes/packages should be plain and must not show any reference to the tenderer’s identity. Tenderers should note that this also applies to any tenders sent via couriers. Tenders in envelopes which in any way identify the tenderer, may be rejected

25.6.3 Tenders must not be sent by any other means and will not be accepted if sent in any other manner

25.6.4 Potential Providers may seek clarification on any of the points contained in the Tender documents at any time prior to the deadline for clarification questions.

25.6.5 Potential Providers, when submitting a tender please ensure that all associated documentation is properly completed and provided with the Tender

25.6.6 Any Tender received by Arts Council of Wales shall be rejected if it is received beyond the Deadline for whatever reason. Therefore it is the Potential Providers’ responsibility to ensure that the Deadline cut off point is not breached. The Deadline is the time when the Tender submission is received in its entirety by Arts Council of Wales

25.6.7 Arts Council of Wales does not open any Tenders until after the Deadline has expired; therefore there is no penalty for returning a Tender early. In fact Arts Council of Wales recommends early submission so that the Potential Provider does not fall foul of Instruction 25.6.6 However it also recommends that the Potential Provider does not submit their Tender prior to the deadline for clarification messages, as important information which could affect their submission could be communicated up to that point

25.6.8 Questions related to the tender process should be directed to diane.hebb@artscouncilofwales.org.uk and received by 14/08/2015 at the latest.

25.6.9 In order to ensure equality of treatment of Potential Providers, Arts Council of Wales intends to publish the questions and clarifications raised by Potential Providers together with Arts Council of Wales’s’ responses (but not the source of the questions) to all participants on a regular basis

26. REJECTION OF TENDER

26.1 Arts Council of Wales reserves the right to reject or disqualify any Tender and or a Potential Provider, where the Potential Provider:

26.2 fixes or adjusts the amount of its Tender by or in accordance with any conditions of Contract or arrangement with any other party; or

26.3 communicates to any party other than Arts Council of Wales or, as applicable, relevant participating Company the amount or approximate amount of its proposed Tender or information which would enable the amount or approximate amount to be calculated (except where such

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disclosure is made in confidence in order to obtain quotations necessary for the preparation of the Tender or insurance or any necessary security); or

26.4 enters into any condition of Contract with any other party that such other party shall refrain from submitting a Tender or shall limit or restrict the prices to be shown by any other Potential Provider in its Tender; or

26.5 offers or agrees to pay or gives or does pay or gives any sum or sums of money, inducement or valuable consideration directly or indirectly to any party for doing or having done or causing or having caused to be done in relation to this Tender or any other proposed Tender, (without prejudice to any other civil remedies available to Arts Council of Wales and without prejudice to any criminal liability which such conduct by a Potential Provider may attract);

26.6 directly or indirectly canvasses any officer, member, employee, or agent of Arts Council of Wales or its members or any relevant participating Company or any of its officers or members concerning the establishment of the contractual relationship or who directly or indirectly obtains or attempts to obtain information from any such officer, member, employee or agent or concerning any other Potential Provider, Tender or proposed Tender;

26.7 fails to comply fully with the requirements of this ITT or makes a misrepresentation in any information supplied in their Tender;

26.8 makes or attempts to make any variation or alteration to the terms of the Tender, the Conditions of Contract or the Specification except where a variation or alteration is invited or permitted in accordance with the terms of all or any of the Tender, the Conditions of Contract and the Specification; or

26.9 there is a change in identity, control, financial standing or other factor impacting on the selection and or evaluation process affecting the Tender.

27. DECLARATION

I DECLARE THAT TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE THE ANSWERS SUBMITTED INTHIS ITT (AND ANY SUPPORTING MODULES) ARE CORRECT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE INFORMATION WILL BE USED IN THE EVALUATION PROCESS TO ASSESS MY ORGANISATION’S SUITABILITY TO BE INVITED TENDER FOR ARTS COUNCIL OF WALES’S REQUIREMENT. SHOULD ARTS COUNCIL OF WALES DISCOVER ANY DISCREPANCIES OR THAT I HAVE BEEN DISHONEST WITH ITS ANSWERS THIS WILL RESULT IN THE ORGANISATION TO WHICH I HAVE COMPLETED THIS ITT ON BEHALF OF, WILL BE REJECTED FROM THE TENDER PROCESS OR IF AWARDED A CONTRACT WILL HAVE THE CONTRACT TERMINATED WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT AND NO COST INCURRED TO ARTS COUNCIL OF WALES.

Yes/No

Potential Providers who answer 'No' will fail the ITT process.

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Attached: Annex A – Equality Questionnaire Annex B – Collusive Tendering Certificate Annex C – Form of Tender