Steps 2 Success (NI)Final Design

Steps 2 Success – The Process Feasibility Study (Inclusion) High level design paper Consultation (July – October 2012) Evaluation and outcome Final design to Minister for approval Procurement of programme

Consultation responses Positive Responses

Agreement with the Objectives The flexible approach The non specified hours The proposed programme

length Assessment of the supply

chain Providers support for sub

contractors The code of conduct Higher payments for higher

performance

Negative Responses

Automatic entry for ESA and IB recipients

Proposed single contract Capped contract duration of

three years Random allocation of clients 40/60 split of funding

Consultation Changes following the Consultation

* Entry points for ESA clients – Adviser Discretion

* The Contract Areas – 3 instead of 1

* The length of Contracts – 4 years + 2

* No random allocation of customers to Providers – no longer required with 3 contract areas

* The split between Attachment and Outcome funding

Aim of Steps 2 Success

The aim of Steps 2 Success is

To help eligible benefit recipients to find and sustain work thereby supporting the needs of employers and the economy.

Policy Objectives The policy objectives of Steps 2 Success are to:

– increase over the length of the programme, the number of participants finding and sustaining employment compared to baseline performance and in so doing, deliver best value for money for the taxpayer;

– support those most in need thereby ensuring that all participants regardless of employment barriers have the best chance to find and sustain employment;

– maximise flexibility in the programme approach so that providers are able to successfully address participants’ barriers to employment; and

– build a programme that is flexible to the future needs of the economy, clients and employers and is able to respond to the implications of Welfare Reform.

S2S Eligibility Eligibility - JSA 18 -24: Mandated at 9 months on JSA

- JSA 25+: Mandated at 12 months on JSA

- JSA early entry: Determined by Employment Service Adviser

following assessment. - Ex-offenders: Day One - ESA(WRAG): Determined by Employment

Service Adviser following assessment.

- Existing ESA /IB and I/S: Voluntary entry - JSA 25+ Can volunteer after 6 months

on JSA (then subject to conditionality)

Participation Length JSA claimants –12 months of participation.

JSA Early Entrants –18 months of participation.

Employment and Support Allowance - up to 18 months of participation.

Participants who leave S2S early and return to benefit will return to the Provider for the balance of time.

S2S Design Features Flexible ‘Grey Box’ approach Each organisation will determine their own delivery model, supply chain

partners etc. Additional funding for providers when participants enter employment with

a recognised qualification gained while on Steps 2 Success. Minimum Service Guarantee – for participants Attendance - Hours to be agreed between the provider and each

participant

S2S Design FeaturesContracts

Three contract delivery areas, one lead contractor per area.

4 years of referrals with option to extend for a further 2 years.

Contracts will be let as 3 separate lots with no organisation being awarded more than 1 lot.

Providers will deliver S2S to clients within their geographical contract area but can source job opportunities in any location.

Proposed Contract Areas

Region 1- Andersonstown, Falls Road, Shankill, Holywood Road, Shaftesbury Sq, Corporation Street, Newtownards, Bangor, Lisburn, Knockbreda.

Region 2- Newtownabbey, Antrim, Larne, Carrickfergus, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Limavady, Foyle,

Lisnagelvin, Strabane

Region 3- Magherafelt, Cookstown, Dungannon, Omagh, Enniskillen, Banbridge, Lurgan, Portadown, Armagh, Downpatrick, Ballynahinch, Newcastle, Kilkeel, Newry

Map of Contract Areas

S2S Supply Chain

A Formal Code of Conduct between lead and sub-contractors will form part of the contract.

MERLIN Standard not mandatory for Provider organisations

S2S Funding Model

Funding will consist of three main elements: > attachment fee, > job entry fee, > sustained employment payments.

Additional funding will be paid for qualifications gained alongside a job outcome

S2S FUNDING MODEL

Financial assistance towards childcare costs for

certain groups, in line with Steps to Work.

Higher funding levels for harder to help clients i.e. early entry JSA clients and ESA/IB clients.

High performance will be rewarded – an accelerator

Returners

Following attendance on S2S participants who have not found work will receive 26 weeks of advice and guidance from an Employment Service Adviser after which they will return to the Provider for a further 12 months.

Clients will return once in first 4 years of the programme.

RETURNERS

EMPLOYMENT SERVICEJSA 18-24 - 9 mthsJSA 25+ - 12 mthsJSA Early Entry - 3 mthsESA Flow Voluntary

PROVIDERSSTEPS 2 SUCCESSMax 12/18 months

EMPLOYMENT SERVICEPost programme support26 weeks

RETURNERS

FUNDING FOR RETURNERS Reduced attachment fee

Job entry - No reduction in fee Sustained employment payment - No reduction in fee

Procurement Two stage procurement process.

Stage 1 – Professional/technical ability, experience and financial capability;

Stage 2 – For those successful in Stage 1, Invitation to Tender to deliver Steps 2 Success.

- Stage 1 to commence July 13

- Stage 2 to commence October 13.

S2S Next Steps and Conclusion

Procurement commences – July 2013

Contracts awarded – March 2014

Programme commences - June 2014

STEPS 2 SUCCESS (NI) PROGRAMME

PROCUREMENT INFORMATION SESSION

Kyle McIlwrath

Procurement Manager

Supplies & Services Division,

Central Procurement Directorate

STEPS 2 SUCCESS (NI) PROGRAMME

PROCUREMENT INFORMATION SESSION

Kyle McIlwrath

Procurement Manager

Supplies & Services Division,

Central Procurement Directorate

• Introduce Central Procurement Directorate and the aims of public procurement

• Outline the procurement procedure

Central Procurement Directorate• Is a Directorate within the Department of Finance and

Personnel with responsibility for:– Development of Public Procurement Policy, Best

Practice and Performance– Support to the Procurement Board– Central Purchasing Body for Northern Ireland

Departments, Agencies, NDPBS and Public Corporations and Northern Ireland Office

• SSD is a Division within CPD • Carry out wide range of procurements, usually for goods

and services, on behalf of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, its Agencies and Non Departmental Public Bodies

Aims of Public Procurement Practice

• Open and Transparent Competitions

• Integration with wider Executive Policies

(e.g. Equality and Sustainable Development)

• Best Value for Money

Planned Procurement Procedure• Restricted Procedure for “Part B Services” using eSourcingNI

– https://e-sourcingni.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.shtml – Clarification questions should be submitted through the

messaging portal within eSourcing NI• Stage 1 Pre Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ)

– One questionnaire to be completed (even if you intend to tender for more than one lot). Candidates will indicate which lots they wish to be considered for.

– The PQQ will include a financial assessment and an assessment of capacity and capability

• Stage 2 Invitation to Tender (ITT)• The top scoring candidates in each lot will be invited to tender

(number to be confirmed). Prime contractors can tender for more than one lot (but will not be awarded more than one Lot)– The ITT will consider how the tenderer proposes to deliver the

requirements of the programme (including costs and methodology)