Invitation to Tender - Student Enterprise Awards Workshops 2016/2017

Introduction

This document is an Invitation to Tender to deliver four double class workshops to bring students through the various stages of the Student Enterprise Awards Programme (SEA) in second level schools within the County. The provision of a quality schools enterprise programme is central to the LEO’s enterprise promotional activities.

There are three categories of the Student Enterprise programme: Junior, Intermediate & Senior. A maximum of 4 projects from each category per school can enter the county final.

County finals take place in March each year. The location for the County final is Tullamore.

Profile of the Local Enterprise Office

The Local Enterprise Office Offaly was established in April 2014. The Local Enterprise Office is the First Stop Shop for anyone seeking information and support on starting or growing a business in Ireland. An initiative of the Action Plan for Jobs, Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) are committed to delivering an enhanced and more integrated support service for micro and small business in Ireland. The new LEOs will build on the significant achievements of the County and City Enterprise Boards.

Student Enterprise Awards Background

The Student Enterprise Awards is the flagship enterprise programme at second level with 22,000 students from all areas of the country involved in 2015/2016 alone. This is a practical programme that offers students the opportunity to take a business from idea stage, through market research to production, selling, record keeping, management and finally writing a comprehensive report on the business. Participation in the Student Enterprise Awards enables students to acquire and develop a wide range of personal and business attributes and skills.

Local Enterprise Offices endeavour to bring the “business experience” developed with the Second Level Support Service (SLSS) of the Department of Education and Science into schools to compliment the academic skills of the teaching profession. A range of resource materials to facilitate and enhance enterprise education have been developed.

Visit the Student Enterprise Awards website www.studententerprise.ie for further resource materials.

Key Aim of the Board’s Student Enterprise Awards Programme:
To promote a high quality enterprise education programme among a maximum number of second level students throughout the County.

Key Objectives of the LEO’s SEA Programme
o To promote entrepreneurship among second level schools in Offaly who wish to take part in the SEA Programme.
o To attract and recruit schools and students to the programme and thereby maximise the numbers participating in the programme.
o To provide guidance, support and advice to teachers & students in the area of youth enterprise.
o To engage with the students and teachers by providing talks / classes / tutorials in schools in respect of enterprise development and the SEA.
o To develop good relationships and buy in with school representatives and other key players in the area of enterprise education in the County.

Contract Duration

The work will take place in the period Sept 2016 – March 2017: Awarding of all elements of contract will be subject to budget available.

Pricing

The programme will consist of 4 school based workshops. Each workshop will typically consist of a double class of approximately 80 minutes. It is expected that a minimum of 7 schools will participate.

Pricing should be at a per school cost inclusive of all expenses including transport etc. Please note that schools from Banagher to Edenderry may participate in the programme in addition to Tullamore schools. However we would not be in a position to say which schools will participate until September. Please note mileage will not be paid separately.

Please note that in addition to the delivery of the workshops, the successful training provider will be required to attend a 1 hour Teacher’s Information Session week beginning 22nd August 2016 in Tullamore.

Course Outline

Workshop 1 – Idea Generation & Teamwork (September)

This workshop is designed to introduce the SEA to students, as well as assist them with the generation of useable ideas for their business project. Brainstorming will form the major part of this session. Other topics to be covered include analysis of previous years’ entrants, what judges look for (innovation is very important) and use of the Student Enterprise Awards workbook/website material.

Teamwork will also be covered in this session – are you a team player, what makes a good team, roles and responsibilities

Workshop 2 – Market Research/Production/Costing & Pricing (October-November)

Topics to be covered are:
o Organising your Team to cover the different business areas – production, marketing, finance and reporting.
o Market Research – how do you know if there is a market?
o Production – how are you going to get the product made / service provided – explore the options
o Costing – how to cost your product/service

Workshop 3 - Selling / Finance (December)

Topics to be covered are:
o Marketing – now that you have a product how are you going to let people know about it?
o How to win sales – consider options for selling to customers outside the school environment if possible.
o Finance – the importance of setting a budget, managing the books, and preparing accounts. Look at the tools you can use to make sure you have a proper handle of your company’s finances

Workshop 4 –Preparing for the County Final

This workshop should help students preparing for the school’s final (if applicable) and for the County Final.
Topics to be covered:
o Business Plan – essential to follow the guidelines provided by the Student Enterprise Awards – cover every section especially finances – projections and actual
o Display materials for your stand and organise your group to cover the different business areas, normally production, marketing, finance and reporting. Do your market research to see if the market will want what you intend to provide and set out a plan to organise how and when you will make and sell your product or service.

Procedure for the Submission of Tenders

Individuals/bodies interested in tendering should provide the following:
- Details of the proposed programme delivery
- Statements of relevant experience in the areas of:
  o Training/delivery of other enterprise or 2nd level programmes
  o Business / enterprise
- Proposed costings i.e. an all in price per school visit inclusive of travel/expenses plus any additional charge for attendance at Teachers workshop (if applicable)
- Proof of Tax Compliance i.e. current tax clearance certificate or Revenue Access Code.
- A copy of trainer(s) CV.

Tenders should be returned to: Geraldine Beirne, Local Enterprise Office Offaly, Aras an Chontae, Charleville Road, Tullamore, Co. Offaly by post or by email to geraldine.beirne@leo.offalycoco.ie

Local Enterprise Office Offaly may shortlist tenderers for interview on the basis of the written tenders before making a final decision.

Local Enterprise Office Offaly may decide following evaluation of tenders not to proceed or to proceed with a limited number of elements of the proposed programme. LEO Offaly may decide to appoint more than one deliverer of schools enterprise workshops.

The closing date for receipt of tenders is Thursday 16th June 2016 @ 5pm. Any queries in respect of this invitation to tender should be addressed to Geraldine Beirne on 057 9357480.

Evaluation of Tenders

The successful applicant will be determined on the basis of the most economically advantageous tender, following an evaluation process by LEO Offaly, on the basis of the following criteria (weights in brackets):
o Comprehensiveness and quality of the programme to address the needs of students/teachers (50%)
o Value for money (25%)
o Experience of tutors in programme delivery (25%)

LEO Offaly may not accept the lowest, or any, tender. LEO Offaly may decide, following evaluation of tenders, not to proceed or to proceed with a limited number of elements.