Invitation to tender
TimeBank has recently started delivering an exciting new mentoring project called Carers Together In addition to our internal monitoring and evaluation we are keen to seek complimentary external evaluation for the impact of this project and invite you to tender to do this evaluation. Further details about the project and instructions for tendering can be found below.
About TimeBank
TimeBank is a national volunteering charity. We want to make volunteering part of the fabric of everyday life and a rewarding experience for everyone involved.
Great volunteering transforms the lives of volunteers and beneficiaries, breaks down social barriers and builds stronger, happier, better functioning communities. Volunteering gives individuals the chance to get closer to an issue, to understand it and see things from the other side. We believe it is through individual action that we’ll see the greatest impact. That’s why we channel people’s enthusiasm to tackle social issues into great volunteering.
For more information see
About Carers Together
The project offers face-to-face mentoring to 70 carers in Birmingham, plus tailored online mentoring support to 300 carers across the country. It aims to reduce social isolation, improve emotional well-being and help carers cope with the stresses and strains of caring.
Face to face Mentors and mentees will meet on a one-to-one basis for 5 hours a month for 6 – 12 months. Online mentors will provide 2-3 months support.The mentors will provide additional support, inspiration and empowerment for the mentee and focus on their activity and social well-being. Mentors will help to increase the mentee’s self-esteem, confidence and emotional resilience, whilst reducing their social isolation by building up positive activities and social networks.
For more information see
Overall Project Outcomes:
The overall aim of the project isto support people in their capacity to care for themselves and others.
The specific aims to bemet by the end of the project(Feb 2015)will be demonstrated by internal project data:
- 370 mentees will have reduced their social isolation
- 370 mentees will have increased self-esteem
- 370 mentees will have increased levels of confidence and emotional resilience
- 370 mentees will have experienced an increased uptake of positive activities including professional development
- 70 mentors will have had a positive volunteering experience
Consultant Evaluation
External Evaluation
Through the external evaluation of Carers Together using a sample size of 10 mentoring relationships per year, with a follow up of the first year’s cohort. TimeBank aims toanswer the following questions:
- What are the long term effects of the project on the lives of those involved?
- What is the social return on investment for Carers Together?
- What was the quality of the mentors’ and mentees’ experiences of the Carers Together processes and support?
- What improvements does the data point to being made?
Review of Internal Data Collection
We are keen to ensure that the service we deliver is of high quality and we therefore regularly request feedback from our mentors and mentees on their experiences of our project delivery, which is recorded and used to develop our service. This includes maintaining regular email and telephone contact with mentors and mentees, update forms completed by the mentor, and evaluation forms completed by the mentor and mentee.
We have put processes in place for our own internal monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of the Carers Togetherproject and its outcomes. Carers Together will be using newly created and tailored M&E tools.A review of this process will be undertaken to by the external evaluator.
Objectives of the consultant evaluation
- Cost benefit analysis as well as outcomes to help inform best practice and areas for improvement, with the long term aim of expanding Carers Together into other locations.
- Providing a robust evidence base when building a case for commissioners of local authority funded services to purchase similar services
- The evaluation will be used to influence policy and advocate for improved services and improved representation of carers’ views in local decision making.
Managing the Tender
Stephen Raybould - Project Coordinator
Consultant Skills and Knowledge
The candidate should:
-have a sound track record of leading project evaluations, with experience of conducting an evaluation for a not-for-profit organisation in the area of social inclusion (experience of mentoring would also be desirable)
-have experience in the analysis of qualitative and quantitative data
-have experience of social return on investment
-be able to manage and deliver all aspects of the monitoring and evaluation.
Practicalities
Due to the pressure on the time of those caring and mentoring on this project all interaction with subjects will take place through email communication. This will be used to collect qualitative information which will be analysed to form a single narrative. In addition an evaluation of existing project quantitative data will need to be undertaken.
Project Time Frame and Reporting
The evaluation will assess the life of the project with an update aftersix months, an interim report after 1 year and a final report after 2 years. The tender fee of £10,000 will be provided in installments subject to satisfactory updates and reports.
February 2013– Start date
July 2013 – 6 month update due.
First installment of £1, 000 paid.
Review of internal data collection, establishing of format for narrative analysis of project.
February 2014 – Interim 1 year report due
Second installment of £2,500 paid
Information collected for the 10 pairs, narrative analysis undertaken. Review of internal project data
Febuary 2015- 2 year report due
3rd installment of £6,500 paid
Second round of information from initial 10 pairs collected, additional information from further 10 pairs collected. Analysis undertaken. Review of internal project data
Application Process:
Friday 24th May at 10am – Deadline for tender applications
First two weeks in June – Interviews
Friday 14th June - Evaluator commissioned
Budget
The proposed budget for delivering this work should not exceed £10,000(including VAT).
When submitting your tender please include a breakdown of costs including the number of days, number of consultants and any other costs necessary to carry out the evaluation, including travel expenses and room hire for meeting face-to-face with the sample pairs.
Instructions for tendering
You should include the following in the tender:
- A methodology for the evaluation
- Details of how you willachieve the aims detailed in the brief
- Details of how you will meet the requested timescales
- Details of how you will approach communicating with the Project Coordinator
- Details of how you will approach communication with the sample pairs
- Experience and track record of carrying out similar studies, including:
- Contact details for two referees
- Evidence of two previous pieces of work on a similar subject issue
- Any innovative ideas which may add value or influence the shape of the evaluation
- A breakdown of the costings
- Information about the team responsible for the evaluation and provide the CVs of the individual consultants.
Tender applications must be no more than 5 sides of A4 and provided in a word document.
Tenders should be emailed 10am on Friday24th May
If you have any questions regarding the tender processyou can contact Stephen Raybould on 0121 236 2531.
Royal London House, 22-25 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1DX
TimeBank is a ONE20 initiative. ONE20 is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales no. 3695114 and a registered charity no. 1073831