CONTRACT NOTICE – NATIONAL

1 Authority Details

1.1

Authority Name and Address

1.2

Address from which documentation may be obtained

As in 1.1

1.3

Completed documents must be returned to:

As in 1.1

2 Contract Details

2.1

Title

Appointment to design & deliver a training programme for student governors in HE & FE

2.2

Description of the goods or services required

There are thirteen further education institutions and eight universities in Wales. The Further and Higher Education (Governance and Information) (Wales) Act 2014 requires all further education institutions to have two student governors on governing bodies. Higher education institutions are required by their own governing documents to include two student governors, and governing bodies’ engagement with students is referenced in the Committee of University Chair’s Code of Governance.

Many of these student governors are elected by students, particularly in higher education as they are typically also sabbatical officers in their students’ unions. Their terms are often short, typically one year unless re-elected, so it is essential that they receive early, consistent and effective support to carry out their roles effectively.

Medr’s predecessor HEFCW commissioned student governor training in 2023, which was continued by Medr in 2024. We wish to commission a further, ongoing programme of training and support as part of our commitment to promoting learner engagement in decision-making across the tertiary education sector.

Contract aim and objectives:

Medr wishes to appoint a contractor to develop, organise, and run a training programme for all student governors at higher and further education institutions in Wales.

This training programme should include in person event or events in September / October of that should be accessible to all student governors and other attendees such as Chairs and Secretaries/Clerks of Governing Bodies, and those who support student governors such as CEOs of students’ unions, and further education institution support staff. There should also be touch points throughout the year to further support the student governors in carrying out their roles effectively.

We anticipate that the training will be carried out during the autumn term 2025 and spring term 2026.

The overall aims of the training programme are to ensure that student governors:

* understand what the role of a governor is and what their expectations should be;

* understand the role of a governing body for institutions;

* recognise the difference between corporate governance and academic governance;

* understands the wider tertiary (and specific higher and further education) policy landscape, including the responsibilities of Medr as a regulator, and how this is reflected in their own respective institutions;

* feel empowered to use their voice with the governing bodies;

* understand what a power imbalance is and how to work with power;

* understand and develop the skills needed to be effective student governors;

* learn strategies to manage conflicts of interest.

The training will need to focus on the development of relationships including: the relationship between the student governor and the respective Chair and Secretary / Clerk of the Governing Body, and the relationship between the student governors across all institutions.

An evaluation survey and report should be constructed after the training to understand how to best improve for following years and evaluate the impact of the training programme. This should be provided to Medr in a report format each May for the duration of the contract, and contain recommendations to improve future training delivery.

2.3

Notice Coding and Classification

2.4

Total quantity or scope of tender

Contract requirements:

The Contractor will be expected to design and submit a methodology which will allow it to meet the aims and objectives of the contract.

The methodology must include in person training event or events in September / October; we are open to the structure of this training event or events being held across regions in Wales or separately for higher education and further education student governors. Institutions as venues should be considered to host events where possible in order to ensure value for money.

The touch points during the academic year could be in person or virtual, but must be designed to further enhance the community of Welsh student governors, and allow for student governors to continue to develop. Suppliers should clearly show in their methodology how they propose to structure the overall training programme.

The Contractor will be expected to deliver training for all HE and FE student governors, and the respective Chairs, and Clerks/Secretaries of institutional Governing Bodies. The in person training event or events in September / October must secure Ministerial participation (such as a keynote speech and Q&A session) as well as the involvement of the NUS Cymru President, Colegau Cymru, Universities Wales, and other relevant stakeholders. It will be the responsibility of the Contractor to ensure the participation of the above stakeholders and Minister, with support from Medr to identify appropriate contacts.

The budget per year for the training programme would be between £30,000 to £40,000 including VAT if applicable. We are procuring this contract on a 2 years + 1 basis, the pricing should be fixed for the two years of the contract. The tenders from suppliers should reflect this information in the submission, including how to develop and enhance the training year on year based on feedback from participants.

Medr will provide a list of contacts for the Contractor at the start of the contract. Medr can begin the initial introductions with stakeholders to enable the Contractor to engage. We expect the Contractor to engage with relevant stakeholders / partners to ensure that the programme is relevant for all student governors, and their institutions. The Contractor will be responsible for all training administration including issuing communications, registering attendees, providing joining instructions and handling any questions, issues or feedback. We expect the Contractor to make every effort to secure participation from student governors, and relevant institution staff including Chairs and Secretaries or Clerks, at all FE and HE institutions.

Student governors under 18 years of age require a supervising adult who is DBS checked. If institution staff are not present in training sessions, facilitators must be DBS checked to ensure safeguarding for learners under 18 years of age and vulnerable adults. Any incidents must be reported to Medr as soon as possible via the contract manager.

We request detail on how such methods will be undertaken as part of your tender methodology and submission including how they will allow you to meet the objectives of the training. The methodology should reflect the budget and length of contract.

Skills and experience:

The successful Contractor will need to be able to demonstrate that it has experience of conducting training on student governance for higher education and further education student governors. The methodology must clearly show how the training offer will be tailored to meet the distinctive needs of HE and FE student governors.

The Contractor will need to be able to conduct its methodology through the medium of Welsh, using simultaneous translation facilities if necessary, where requested by participants.

Contractors will be expected to demonstrate that they have a team in place which can meet the needs of the brief and contingency plans if the capacity of the team is affected in some way during the delivery of the contract.

3 Conditions for Participation

3.1

Minimum standards and qualification required

The authority is using eTenderwales to carry out this procurement process.

Reference on eTenderwales:- Project Code:58914, ITT Code:116322

4 Administrative Information

4.1

Type of Procedure

Single stage

4.2

Reference number attributed to the notice by the contracting authority

T12ME/2024/25

4.3

Time Limits

4.5

Language or languages in which tenders or requests to participate can be drawn up

4.6

Tender Submission Postbox

5 Other Information

5.1

Additional Information

(WA Ref:148963)

The buyer considers that this contract is suitable for consortia bidding.

5.2

Additional Documentation

5.3

Publication date of this notice