I am giving an organisation advice on how to tender out for their next round of training. I am drawing up a list of recommendations for them for each stage of the tendering process. It is important that, although several trainers may be employed, there is a "whole-organisation" provision ... Does anyone have suggestions for do's and don'ts?
Thanks ....
Amanda Harrington
6 Responses
Advice
Speaking from experience I would make sure they appoint a “lead” training organisation ie where the buck stops and get them to subcontract with other providers.
Lead Trainer?
Amanda
I agree with the Masked Consultant that if this is a big programme, you need someone to take overall control.
My only caveat however is that you try to avoid ‘mixing apples and pears’ – there are few organisations who seem to manage both senior management development and broader based staff development well, in my experience; they seem to need quite different skill sets.
Good luck!
Jeremy Thorn
Chairman
QED Consulting
Maintaining standards and culture
Amanda,
To back up the previous respondents, my experience has shown that when ‘someone’ (internal or external) manages all of the subcontracted training (skills/behavioural/knowledge/NVQ’s etc)then there is a uniformity retained in messages relating to corporate standards and behaviours. Most quality consultants are extremenly discerning about their associates when subcontracting as their reputation depends upon the total provision being 1st class. Always ask for references from past projects before engaging them.
Amanda Wilson
White Room Consulting
Another view
Great advice from the previous respondents
From a practical point of view: make sure that the training provider meets the organisation’s needs and provides courses that are truly customised to meet the users’ requirements.
You want training objectives that are aligned with your organisation’s objectives, not generic training objectives.
Just adding internal department names to training manuals does not constitute customised training!
Building further ……
Having a ‘responsible partner’, whether organisation or individual is essential. I also agree with the ‘apples and pears’ comments – my experience of large organisations in delivering a range of training is that they can do some things well, and others less so.
Whilst I agree that many training providers will ensure an adequate standard in their subcontractors, be prepared to challenge the quality and selection process that they have used. My experience has been that some providers have cosy relationships and others have an eye on their own bottom line profit rather than ensuring that you get the best possible service for the price.
Get references from the subcontractors as well as the main tenderer
I wish you luck with the process!!
Tenders
I think that given you are advising the client you need to look at the risk elements in the process. Use of subcontracting is risk loaded as the variables discussed below indicate. This in most cases is time wasteful.
Pick providers who employ their staff and then you have one point of contact only.
The idea of the tender process normally is to look at best value and best price. If you look at how the public bodies deal with their tenders it sets the stall out for a process driven systematic approach.
Remember also that there are legal implications in tendering and the whole process has to be applied in compliance with a legal tendering process or those tendering can complain.
Good luck
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