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EMPLOYMENT RELATED SUPPORT SERVICESFRAMEWORK AGREEMENT

MINI COMPETITIONS FOR THE PROVISION OFTHE WORK PROGRAMME

Invitation to Tender Form

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Tender Round title: The Work Programme

Organisation Name: A4e Ltd

Lot: Lot 7 - North West

Contract Package Area (CPA): CPA 6 - Cumbria and LancashireMerseysideHalton

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PART 1: ORGANISATION DETAILS

[1.1] Your response to Part 1 is for information purposes only. If any of this informationhas changed since the Framework Agreement application stage, please state this withinthe table below including a short explanation as to why. If you cannot provide any of theinformation below please explain this within the table.

DWP will not be responsible for contacting anyone other than the persons named in thispart of your form. If any of this information changes during the bidding period you mustinform DWP of the changes by email to:[email protected]

Name of the Legal Entity in whose name thistender is submitted and with whom DWP willcontract:

A4e Ltd

Trading Name (if different from above): As above

Company Registration Number: 02631340

Company Registered address: Bessemer Road, Sheffield, S9 3XN

Head Office Address, if different: Queens House, 105 Queen Street,Sheffield, S1 1GN

VAT Registration Number: 598 6496 55

Website Address (if any): www.mya4e.co.uk

Name, address and company registration numberof parent company, where applicable:

Not applicable

Name and Job Title of main contact: [REDACTED]Development DirectorAddress: Queens House, 105 Queen Street,

Sheffield, S1 1GNTelephone no: [REDACTED]

Mobile telephone no: [REDACTED]

Fax no: [REDACTED]

E-mail address: [REDACTED]

Alternative contact Name and Job Title: [REDACTED] Senior BusinessDevelopment Manager

Address (if different from above): As above

Telephone no: [REDACTED]

Mobile telephone no: [REDACTED]

Contact e-mail: [REDACTED]

PART 2: TENDERER DECLARATION
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.mya4e.co.uk/http://www.mya4e.co.uk/http://www.mya4e.co.uk/mailto:[email protected]

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[2.1] You must complete this Declaration by Tenderer. Failure to include this declarationmay result in your bid being disqualified.

To: The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

For the benefit of the Department for Work and Pensions, we hereby warrant andundertake as follows:

1. We have examined, read, understand and accept in full the proposed Contractdocuments and all other documents and Annexes provided with this declaration andthe clarifications issued during the Invitation to Tender period.

2. We have completed and submitted all information required in the Invitation to TenderForm in the format and order required.

3. We confirm the information set out in our response is complete and accurate to thebest of our knowledge and belief.

4. We hereby acknowledge and agree that we have read, understand and accept theWork Programme Call-Off Terms and Conditions, the Work Programme Specificationand the draft Order Form.

Scanned Signature: [REDACTED]

Date: 11 February 2011

Name: [REDACTED]

Job Title: Development Director

Duly authorised to sign Tenders on behalf of:

Name of Organisation: A4e Ltd

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PART 3: THE WORK PROGRAMME CALL-OFF CONTRACT TERMS ANDCONDITIONS - ALTERNATIVE AND/OR ADDITIONAL CLAUSES

[3.1]

3.1 The terms and conditions of The Work Programme will be the Standard Call-Off

Terms and Conditions (set out in Schedule 4 of your Framework Agreement), asmodified by The Work Programme service requirements (The Work ProgrammeAdditional Requirements).

3.2 The Work Programme Additional Requirements are set out in the Call-Off Termsand Conditions for The Work Programme which is supplied with your Invitation toTender. A document highlighting the modifications made to the Standard Call-OffTerms and Conditions to reflect The Work Programme Additional Requirements isalso supplied with your Invitation to Tender; for ease of identification, the changesmade since the draft version issued on 8 December 2010 are shown in boxeswithin the document.

3.3 Any proposed amendments to The Work Programme Additional Requirement mustbe detailed by completing the section below, giving full details of the clause(s) youwish to amend and your proposed amendments. DWP will consider proposedamendments strictly on their merits. Please note that you may only proposeamendments to The Work Programme Additional Requirements; proposedamendments to the Standard Call-Off Contract Terms and Conditions will not beconsidered.

Comments on The Work Programme Additional Requirements: -

MINI COMPETITION ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS (For Framework SupplierComments only)No. of the clause(s) youwish to amend

Proposed amendment with proposed wording

Other than those provisions identified above, A4e Ltd confirms that it has reviewed theCall-Off Terms and Conditions for The Work Programme and agrees in principle to eachof their provisions.

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Name:[REDACTED]

Scanned Signature: [REDACTED]

Position: Commercial Director

Telephone No:[REDACTED]

Date: 11 February 2011

DWP reserves the right to amend any provisions of The Work Programme AdditionalRequirements at any time during the mini-competition procurement exercise.

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PART 4: SERVICE REQUIREMENT

NOTE: MINIMUM SCORE APPLIES TO ALL QUESTIONS THAT ATTRACT A SCORE WITHINTHIS SECTION. BIDS SCORING 2 OR LESS ON ANY QUESTION WITHIN THIS SECTIONWILL BE REMOVED FROM THE COMPETITION. PLEASE NOTE SCORES ATTAINED INTHIS SECTION MAY ALSO BE USED IN A TIE-BREAK SITUATION WHERE APPROPRIATE.

[4.1] Customer Journey - Process

Please submit a process map showing the proposed end to end customer journey(s) andattach the process map as Annex 1.

This should include a detailed supporting description of the customer journey(s) specificto this CPA. Your response must describe how you will ensure the customer journey istailored to meet the specific needs and barriers of individual customers, and include thecustomer requirements defined in the Specification.

Please note your response to this question will not be scored but will act as areference point for the scoring of questions 4.1a and 4.1b

Insert your response in the pre-set, shaded space of the following pages. Your responseMUST be limited to five sides of A4.

Note: Format requirement and page limit does not apply to the process map which youmust insert as Annex 1.

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4.1A4es Work Programme customer journey: key principlesA4es customer journey is designed around four core principles, built from our 20 years ofexperience as a leading provider of large scale, outcome funded employability services: We will get every customer back into the work habit as soon as possible and support

them to succeed, in partnership with their employerA4es Job First principle. Customers need to feel their support is designed for them. We will personalise and

commit with the customer in a psychological contractif you will, I will. Through intensive assessment we will better understand each customers needs

ensuring their journey is relevant to their barriers and preferences, first time. We will work closely with local partners to source complementary funding to wrap

around customersA4es Total Person approach.A4e Five Building Blocks of SustainabilityCustomers, irrespective of benefit type, have a consistent set of requirements tosuccessfully move away from a life on benefits. Every customer needs:1. Accessto be engaged respectfully, with rapid access to support and opportunities2. Outlookto develop a strong work ethic and feel they can change their life3. Skills to build the skills that allow them to compete in the local jobs market

4. Resilience to overcome barriers, including ill-health, family and relationshipdifficulties or housing, through specialist support

5. Capacityto take advantage of opportunities (mentally, financially, physically) andtake personal responsibility for their future.

The need to address the barriers associated with each of these blocks underpins eachaspect of A4es WP customer journey and has informed the development of:

An assessment model directly linked to driving outcomes that allows the customer andtheir advisor to recognise what is needed to secure sustained employment

Development Programmes that provide a core but flexible structure to ensure the mainbarriers are focused on immediately moving the customer closer to work faster

A menu of Specialist Support Services which allows us quickly to tailor theDevelopment Programmes to each customers unique needs

A continuous measure of progress which allows both advisors and customers tounderstand where they are in their journey

Specialist Advisors that are experts in one of the Development Programmes and aretrained to help people in every customer group to achieve a sustainable job.

1. Pre-referral Community Connect: promoting awareness and engagementWe will promote WP services in local communities throughout Merseyside, Cumbria &Lancashire, Halton (MCLH) to voluntary customers (ESA and IB/IS Volunteers customergroups) and to increase awareness, 3 Community Managers will be embedded in localcommunities, facilitating information sessions and hosting volunteer Work Clubs in thecommunity and at A4e premises, similar to the one we have established in Runcorn. Toengage customers they will work with local stakeholders across MCLH (e.g. RiversideHousing RSL who deliver free Debt Advice, or Liverpool Councils Streets Ahead teamthat organise Teddy Bears Picnics for Lone Parents to raise awareness of local childcareand in-work benefits). Prospective customers, including the anticipated 15,000 IS/IB and8,000 ESA Volunteers, can make online enquiries through MyA4eCommunity, our online

information portal or can contact A4es National Support Centre open 8am-8pm.2. Engagement: achieving fast, high-quality engagement in servicesA4e knows from experience that better outcomes come from engaging customers as early

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Diagram 2

4.1 (continued) as possible. To achieve buy-in and full participation, customers will becontacted by A4es multi-lingual Customer Support Centre as soon as possible (ideallywithin 24 hours, max. 15 days) after referral to discuss their goals and needs and explainthe customers rights/obligations. To give the customer a sense of immediate progressthey will together commence the action plan and customers will be encouraged tocomplete an informal online assessment. This will provide a starting-point for assessment

and recognises that some customers prefer to disclose barriers in writing. They willarrange a Focus Appointment with the best matched Advisor or a specialist journeyprovider (e.g. The Social Partnership) where a clear benefit is identified3. Focus: welcome and assessment laying the foundations for successCustomers will receive a flexible service that engages them in their preferred way. Theycan access services from 135+ outreach locations and will be offered an informal groupwelcome session prior to their 1:1 Focus Appointment with their Advisor where they will:Engage with WP through a psychological contract: we will if you will proven to beeffective in current A4e programmes. They will be introduced to the people who will helpthem and be informed about what they can expect, and what is expected from them.Assesscircumstances, needs and barriers. The Advisor will work with the customer to

identify all barriers (real or perceived) to achieving self-sufficiency. Every customer willreceive a Better-Off Calculation to demonstrate that work pays and provides purpose totheir journey. This also produces a sustainability risk profile that allows an accurate andthorough assessment and enables us to design the right journey from the start.Plana unique, tailored journey based on their identified individual needs.Family Focus, where a family member is referred and we engage other family membersvoluntarily. Our Family Welcome & Service will meet family needs from the start.4. Foundations Activities: over 1,000 different customer journeysCustomers will receive a bespoke service that combines a range of services concurrentlyto ensure the best chance of success: a) Universal Services a core of activitiesessential for all customers; b) tailored, flexible Development Programmes; c) focusedSpecialist Support Services.a) Universal Services automatically offered to all MCLH customers, based on what weknow are the key services that move customers swiftly off benefit and into work:

A tailored journey with a dedicated 1:1 Advisor who markets their skills and capabilitiesto both national and local employers from our 20,000-strong network

A Skills Audit to facilitate job matching to the local labour market and skills needs

Information about the transition from benefits to work including in-work benefits

Tailored support to achieve their fortnightly job search and WCA requirement

Tailored support to build financial capability and a high-quality CV

An induction to local services and facilities and access to web-based services

Access to targeted relevant support including self-employment and/or work-focusedhealth support and barriers associated with childcare/other caring responsibilities

Structured work experience or voluntary placements early in the journey to promote JobFirst, the development of essential work habits and exposure to the benefits of working.

Timebanking: A4e is working with Spice to develop the first national timebank topromote community work in line with our People Helping People ethos. A credits schemeincentivises customers to gain experience through volunteering. Incentives include mobilecredit, travel passes, gym membership and media downloads.Development Programmes: There are 3 Development Programmes that comprise coreactivities to address barriers related to the 5 Building Blocks. Customers will undertakethe most appropriate programme and will move between programmes according to needs

and progress, resulting in increased, faster outcomes. Each will have dedicated staffwith appropriate skills, ensuring specialist support for each group:

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4.1 (continued) The Access & Outlook Programme focuses

on increasing access to jobs, career planning,confidence, mock job interviews, and at least afull day per week of structured job search.

The Skills Programme focuses on tackling

skills barriers through specialist assessments,vocational & soft skills development.

The Capacity & Resilience Programmeincludes joint case reviews with existing supportnetworks and increasing contact andparticipation on a weekly basis to build capacity.

Supply chain: All end-to-end journey providers will adhere to the key principles andensure minimum service standards are delivered to all customers. Our supply chainmanagement approach will harness best practice and allows us to share our partnersexperience of what they know achieves high performance, for example:

Bootstrap: Bootstraps success is a result of their direct engagement with the localbusiness community and strong collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce andAsian Business Federation which successfully delivers 800+ people into work annually.

TNG/Avanta: As well as successfully delivering FND, JCPSC, New Deal in the NorthWest, TNG/Avanta delivers a highly successful lone parent training programme inLiverpool and Birkenhead resulting in 280+ lone parents progressing into family-friendlyjobs e.g. Level 3 qualified Childcare and Classroom Assistant jobs.

Furness Enterprise: has progressed 12 ex offenders into sustainable jobs throughtheir Step Into Construction course delivered in collaboration with the ProbationService and Haverigg prison. They also work with Morson International specialistrecruitment agency to support professionals into work.

b) Specialist Support Services: A4e and 63 local partners will deliver a wide range ofSpecialist Support Services to create a unique customer journey. Advisors selection ofeach service will be aided by a local service map that includes success rates andcustomer feedback. The menu ensures that we tackle issues within each of the fiveBuilding Blocks. A sample of services that will be included on the menu is detailed below.Please note this list is not exhaustive:Specialist Support Services: Accessimproving access to jobs in MCLHJob Flex workshopsto help customers in seasonal labour markets explore opportunitiesto achieve sustained work (e.g. home/tele-working) in areas such as Fylde Coast, Edenand South Lakeland Visitor Economy and Hospitality in Liverpool City RegionSpecialist support for professionals from Community & Business Partners CIC to

address white collar job losses e.g. the anticipated 84,000 public sector jobs (Future NW).A4e Transporting Lives scheme to help geographically isolated customers in ruralCumbria and parts of rural Lancashire where public transport is limited and where peopleare more than 2 hours away from centres of employment to gain licenses by 2012Employers priority and advance access to vacancies through our national and localemployer network recruitment including our partner Adecco and Jaguar Land Rover.Specialist Support Services: Outlook to improve motivation and confidenceWorkshops:Goal Setting, Motivation for Work and Creating Confidence

Blackpool Colleges bespoke motivation and confidence building courses

Community and Business Partners CIC innovative motivation courses

Helena Partnerships Evolution course in Merseyside, aimed at Offenders and peoplewith drug and alcohol problems, designed to tackle anti-social behaviours and attitudes

Muslim Enterprise Development bespoke motivational courses for BAME customersSpecialist Support Services: Skills to overcome immediate skills barriers

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4.1 (continued)Work experience and volunteer placements to give customers valuable workexperience early in their journey through A4e & supply chain network of 5,000+ employersAdeccos 1,000 Interskill online training modules & skills matching assessmentA4es 14 vocational training modules e.g. Introduction to Building & ConstructionA4es Go Forward programmes: 2-4 week sector-specific pathways combining

training and work experience (e.g. Contact Centre, Customer Service and Care)Skills Clubsat every branch to support customers with basic skills needs as well as 12local skill partners / FE colleges delivering essential skills, ESOL, vocational training etc.Local Skills investment: A4e is currently in advanced stages of negotiation with Carillionin Carlisle, Enterprise4All in Blackburn alongside the Lancashire Experience and EvertonFootball Club in respect of joint investment in three Vocational Training Centres (VoxCentres) by 2012. Purpose built and designed in partnership with employers, Vox Centresuse modern vocational facilities fitted out to provide real hands-on industry standardtraining e.g. catering & hospitality, retail, music, fashion, media, motor vehicle and sportand leisure, delivered in partnership with and with input from local employers.Specialist Support Services: Resilience toincrease customers resilience

A4es Life Management modules e.g. Emotional Wellbeing, Lifestyle Profiling South Sefton Development Trust Rapport Skills and Potential to Performance

aimed at soft skills and communication skills development

Striding Out confidence and personal performance programmes in Merseyside

Helena Partnerships Evolution course for young people at risk of offending

The Living Well Trust - range of support packages including mentoring, angermanagement, confidence, money management

Specialist Support Services: Capacityto increase customers capacity for workSpecialist health support including a specialist health assessment from AdvancedPersonnel Management (APM) that identifies capacity to work with realistic job goals and

an achievable action plan. APM will also provide condition management to enablecustomers to manage their health in work. Turning Points Rightsteps service will supportcustomers with substance misuse and mental health conditions and customers will besupported to effectively access statutory services (e.g. via GPs).Specialist mentoring, information advice and guidance:

Lone parents Eldonian Group, Howgill Family Centre

BAME Striding Out; Muslim Enterprise Development Service; Wirral Change

Youth Unemployed - NEET Futures Merseyside; Greater Merseyside ConnexionsLeveraging A4es wider services: all WP customers will have access to A4escomplementary services in every branch including Community Legal Advice usingdedicated phone booths and Money Guidance regularly available in every branch.

Enterprise: Customers will receive high quality enterprise support and will join A4esBusiness Network. A4e has established a micro-finance Social Investment Fund of120,000 per year to support customers to establish their new businesses a key featureof our WP solution in response to the business creation agenda & this economic climate.Social Enterprises will be supported and we are currently exploring setting up a 30minvestment fund with JP Morgan to support this.Local innovation:A4e has teamed up with Expert Patients CIC to deliver their NewBeginnings initiative, intensive Condition Management support for people disadvantagedwith drug / alcohol barriers or mental ill health.5. Review and Recharge: ensuring continuous progress for all customersWe will constantly review the customers progression on their journey to sustained work.

This will include ongoing communication (1:1s, phone, email, text) and formal monthlyreviews. Journey activities will be refreshed where sufficient progress is not being made.This may include arranging a new Development Programme or additional Specialist

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4.1 (continued) Support where needed. Team Leaders or Advisor peer groups willconduct case reviews quarterly. They will arrange specialist assessment if they detect anundiagnosed barrier or refer to a Recharge Activity:work experience, community workor intensive job search.6. Support for Life: achieving long-term sustainabilityA4e has developed a comprehensive sustainability support service for customers to

become fully independent in long-term employment.Increased access to supportavailable 8am-8pm to reflect the need to offer servicesaround customers working hours and ensure that we capture and address issues beforethey affect sustainability. This includes support with any issues that are affecting thecustomer including workplace, travel and finances. We will coach customers to negotiatewith employers to secure alternative duties, hours and pay and will signpost to servicesincluding housing, financial advice and childcare. A4es new Work Plus Programmewillprovide support services specifically to assist part-time workers to increase their hours.In-work health support: We will support customers to manage fluctuating healthconditions through access to specialist advisors, supported by the Occupational HealthCoaches, and Lifeskills 24/7 helpline for advice from healthcare professionals. In-work

condition management services will also be available from APM to address health issuesUnderstanding the threats to sustainability:Based on experience of delivering in-worksupport in the UK and internationally A4e has devised a sustainability risk profile tounderstand how likely a customer is to drop out of work and return to benefits. Starting atthe Focus Appointment, we will design bespoke sustainability support for the customerbased on 30 risk factors including personal circumstances, work history and job goals.Celebrating & incentivising: A4e will send customers a congratulations package thatincludes self-help tips and career planning materials both when they leave benefits intowork and sustain their employment. A4e is working with Big Issue to create a bespokeengagement incentive schemeoffering incentives and rewards for customers achievingkey milestones both pre-employment and in work. The scheme is supported byorganisations such as NPower, Kwik Fit, Haven Caravans, Nationwide and Nisa Today

who will offer discounts to our customers. We want to help ocustomers be smartconsumers, build assets and give them access to rewards.Supporting employers to retain and progress customers: We will work withemployers to jointly support the customer through issues they may face in work. We willoffer a range of services including addressing skills gaps, raising difficult issues withstaff, training (e.g. managing mental health) and adjustments for customers with healthneeds. A key part of A4es role is to manage employer expectations especially forcustomers with health issues, who have never worked or have been unemployed for along period to make sure the transition to work and off benefits is smooth.

A career, not just a job Many customers will want promotion, more responsibility, payrises and more skills. We will support customers to build a career development plan andlinking with a career mentor. Our pre-employment training (see above) is tailored to meetlocal labour market needs and we will continue to support customers with this training tomigrate into valuable and relevant work-based qualifications as well as access to theNational Apprenticeship Framework through A4e Skills.7. Re-commence maintaining momentum for customers who have left work A4esRe-commence Programme is designed to build confidence and motivation to try again byenabling customers to take the positives from their experiences in work. It includes animmediate 1:1 appointment to discuss the reasons for not sustaining work and updatetheir CV, followed by daily supported job search including accessing our employer

network to secure further sustainable work.

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[4.1a] Customer Journey - Rationale

Please describe in detail:

your rationale for your proposed Customer Journey(s) detailed above in 4.1within this CPA; and

the benefits to the individual customer groups of this approach.

Insert your response in the pre-set, shaded space of the following pages. Your responseMUST be limited to four sides of A4.

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4.1a1. The rationale for our customer journey approach in Merseyside, Cumbria and

Lancashire, Halton (MCLH)A4es Work Programme customer journey has been designed to meet the broad range ofcustomer needs in every locality in MCLH. At the centre of A4es customer journey is theTotal Person concept holistic services, customer-centred support, early action and

delivery that is joined-up with local services. This will enable A4e and its 63 localsubcontractors to deliver a step change in performance through:

Supporting more customers into work through totally individualised journeys, anengaging employer offer; a successful enterprise model; and the expertise andinnovation of our diverse local partners.

Moving customers into work sooner through a Job First approach, providingappropriate, targeted support at the earliest opportunity.

More and longer sustained jobs by supporting customers into appropriate jobs andproviding robust sustainability support from the start of the customer journey.

To ensure our MCLH Work Programme model responds accurately to the needs of localcustomers, A4e has used knowledge and best practice from:

9 years delivery in MCLH NDDP, ND Prime Contract, SFA Work Based Learning,NWDA Intensive Start Up (Enterprise)

Stakeholder consultations including Liverpool City Region LEP, 14 LAs and 170 localstakeholders including Dennis Bate, Bovis Lend Lease who has committed to enablingaccess to A4e customers on Wirral and Liverpool Waters which will create 20,500+ jobs.

Customer feedback and focus groups with existing and previous A4e customers andunengaged benefit claimants, combined with detailed MI interrogation.

Pilots to test new approaches including assessment and in-work support.

Ward-level customer and local labour market (LLM) trends via our Experian partnership.Tailored support for every customer, in every location

1. Community Connect: engagement at the pre-referral stage will address the three keybarriers to customer engagement identified by focus groups with our Pathways and loneparent customers and long-term IB claimants not knowing where to get support, aperception that no-one can help or that support is aimed at others. This will increaseparticipation, especially for customers on IS and health-related benefits including theanticipated 8,000 IB/ESA volunteers in MCLH.2. Engagement: we will encourage greater participation by offering all customers choicesabout their initial contact (see 4.1 for details). Existing customers and our focus groupstold us that IB customers want informal, group welcomes, young people prefer access toself-help facilities and older customers want immediate 1:1 support. The option to engagecustomers with their families will significantly impact the 271,445 workless families in

MCLH, where up to 96% of children live in the most deprived wards e.g. Abercromby. Ourbespoke incentives scheme (see 4.1) will incentivise customers to participate in WP.3. Focus: A4es dialogue-driven assessment (see 4.1), designed by A4es OccupationalPsychologists will enable an accurate insight into the full range of customers needs andbarriers, allowing us to tailor a highly individualised journey that is right first time. A pilot ofthis model in eight A4e delivery sites has resulted in increased disclosure (e.g. 60 x morecustomers disclosing significant health or social care needs) enabling A4e to addressthese needs and at an earlier stage. APMs specialist health assessment will identify thebarriers of customers with unmanaged health conditions. This will meet their need tounderstand and be reassured of their capacity for work, suitable occupations, and anaction plan to achieve their goals.

4. Foundations: customers will access concurrently a combination of services that aretailored to meet their needs in a flexible way that promotes the Job First principle:a) Universal Services: underpinning each customers tailored journey, there are some

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4.1a (continued) services (see 4.1) that will benefit all customers and will be available atthe appropriate points in their journey. We have based our Universal Services on the mostcommon needs identified in our MI and customer feedback e.g.70% told us that advice onfinancial in-work benefits (a Universal Service) alleviated their concerns and made themmore likely to take the step into a job.b) Development Programmes: our FND experience tells us that a flexible, tailored,

black box service should be supported by some structu re. Our three DevelopmentProgrammes (see 4.1) are designed to support each customer to overcome their barriersin the most suitable way. They will ensure that all customers, including those with themost severe or complex barriers, access an appropriate range and type of services at theright time. This will allow customers who are immediately ready to work to accessintensive job search support and early engagement with our employers; those with skillsneeds access to locally relevant skill development opportunities; and customers withcomplex needs a range of activities to build their capacity and resilience. OurDevelopment Programmes are based on A4e Australias success delivering Job ServicesAustralia to comparable customer groups. Our services for the hardest to help customersusing this structured approach have achieved 4/5 star ratings, indicating performance

20%+ above the national average.c) Specialist Support Services: Our menu of services (see 4.1) will give customersaccess to appropriate, expert and timely local support, both pre and post-placement, on aflexible basis to meet each of their needs and barriers including:

Parenting: more than 44,500 lone parents claiming benefits in MCLH face barriers e.g.accessing affordable childcare and balancing work and caring responsibilities

Housing: a significant problem in MCLH with 305,210 people in receipt of housingbenefit (DWP Oct10) and overcrowding at 4% (higher than UK average of 3%)

Financial Barriers: high levels of personal debt across MCLH, 8,628 personalinsolvencies in 2009 and local problems with illegal money lending especially in the

Liverpool, Wirral and Sefton areasEvidence: surveys of A4e customers receiving similar support found that 94% felt thisremoved barriers that would have prevented them from starting employment.The rationale for the key features of A4es customer journey model in MCLH include:

Specialist customer journeys: some customers will access specialist customerjourneys delivered by an expert partner that is best placed to address a specific primarybarrier and assist the customer into sustained employment e.g. The Social Partnership,with 16 years experience and a high success rate of supporting 46% of ex-offenders,drug/alcohol misusers, homeless people and female sex workers with a range ofinnovative solutions e.g. pre and post release services.

A robust health programme: A4e has developed a robust, integrated model to support

the anticipated 26,500 JSA and ESA/IB customers with health-related barriers. Ourpartnership with APM, providing specialist health assessments and conditionmanagement, will allow A4e to accurately identify each customers work capacity, suitablejob options and provide appropriate support. Specialist journeys through Turning Pointand Disability Works will provide intensive, expert support their existing performance(see 5.1) evidences that we will drive WP performance by supporting harder to helpgroups including the 1,600+ drug users and around 2,530 customers who will benefit fromcondition management support (11% of ESA, DWP Research Report 707).Evidence:A4es Fit for Work pilot demonstrates the effectiveness of supporting peoplewith health conditions it has a 100% success rate in retaining customers in work at riskof absenteeism or leaving due to ill health.

A4e Enterprise:A4es enterprise track record means that our WP customers will begiven the best opportunity of successfully setting up a sustainable business. This is aparticularly viable option for customers with health conditions and provides a realistic work

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4.1a (continued) alternative in the MCLH labour market that features:

Underemployment:with 25.8% of positions now part-time in MCLH (NOMIS) manycustomers have difficulty finding work sufficient to break their benefit dependency.

Seasonal employment: Seasonal unemployment e.g. Blackpool, Eden and SouthLakeland, or hospitality in the Liverpool City Region where demand picks up aroundEaster with the Aintree Grand National will be addressed through our Enterprise offer.

Poor transport infrastructure: e.g. rural Cumbria where geographical isolationrenders some people more than 2 hours drive away from an employment centre.

Evidence: A4e has supported over 20,000 self-employed customers throughprogrammes including Business Link. We have used this expertise to support over 400FND customers to date to start their own businesses with very high sustainability 92%were still successfully trading at the critical 26 weeks sustainability stage.Skills: A4e is committed to up-skilling our WP customers as we recognise that they areseeking work in a highly competitive economy where there are up to 11 peopleunemployed to each vacancy locally. Our partnership with Experian together with ourlocal delivery experience and working with Cumbria and Merseyside LEPs and councils inLancashire will allow us to continually predict labour market demand and prepare

customers with appropriate skills training and job preparation, supported by our employerlinks. In response to local skills gaps reported by 19% of MCLH employers, A4e haspartnered with twelve local SFA funded partners to develop labour market responsiveprogrammes for the Work Related Activity Group e.g. Sector Routeway courses in Retail.5. Reviews and Recharge Activities: our model includes a range of Reviews andRecharge activities to ensure that customers maintain a sense of real momentum andprogression throughout their journey. These will be complemented by the ability to movebetween Development Programmes when their needs and circumstances change. Ourflexible WP journey can be refined and altered quickly and easily in response to ourexperience that shows that some barriers (e.g. substance misuse, domestic violence) are

only disclosed, identified or observed further into the journey.6. Support for Life:A4e recognises the importance of providing intensive sustainabilitysupport together with a new offer that supports and incentivises employers to achieve astep change in performance. To reflect this, we will address sustainability from the start ofthe customers journey and support customers further through our employer offer(detailed in 7.2). Our survey of 600 employed A4e customers found that 68% hadremained in work for one year or longer as a result of tailored in-work support. To build onthis, we have refined our model to include Sustainability and Progression measuresincluding access to specialist health support (including a 24/7 health helpline, specialistsupport for LPs from Gingerbread) and access to all Specialist Support Services detailedin 4.1. These recognise the extended sustainability period and the importance of

progression and career planning that 57% of customers told us they wanted help with.Our extended hours service responds to customer feedback that identified that 64% of in-work customers would utilise if available.2. Benefits to the eight individual customer groups in MCLHA4es customer journey offers cross-cutting benefits to all customer groups that will beaccessible in all localities across MCLH at 166+ delivery locations. Direct delivery and oursupply chain of 11 geographical and 3 specialist journey providers and 49 SpecialistSupport Services providers and will ensure that core benefits delivered include:

A menu of Specialist Support Services delivered by experts, ensuring that eachcustomers journey is tailored to their needs and not their benefit/customer group

The Development Programmes framework structure ensuring that customers receive

appropriate type of support at every stage of their journey with no delay Seamless support that connects A4e services with other local provision

The expertise and innovation of 63 local partners and the breadth of A4e services

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4.1a (continued)

Continuous progress throughout their journey both pre and post placement

Improved job prospects through strategic local initiatives to improve skills, addressemployer demand, create local jobs and improve self-employment rates.

Each customer group will also receive specific benefits relevant to their needs:JSA 18-24: lack of soft and vocational skills, lack of work experience

improved soft skills to meet the needs of local MCLH employers skills relevant to LLM e.g. visitor economy, low carbon economy and the Superport

opportunities through our commitment to the Apprenticeship Framework, workexperience and volunteering

increased engagement through multi-channel delivery including online servicesJSA 25+:including long-term unemployed and benefit cyclists, obsolete skills

improved job search skills through targeted support and interview preparation

increased motivation/confidence through Blackpool College motivation Programmes

improved skills relevant to the MCLH labour market e.g. Growing Wells horticulturaltraining programme in Cumbria or Hargreaves Warehouse Booster Programme

increased opportunities in-work through tailored in-work support initiativesJSA Early Access: multiple and complex barriers

long-term expert support through specialist customer journeys such as The SocialPartnership specialing in Job Brokerage and mentoring for ex-offenders.

improved capacity and resilience through tailored local services e.g. South SeftonDevelopment Trust Rapport Skills and Potential to Performance soft skills.

access to Advisors with specialist skills in supporting those with complex needs e.g. thePrism Foundations community based work for individuals with Mental Health problems.

A4es health model: benefiting all customer groups with health-related needsThese customers will benefit from improved understanding of their work capabilities byAPMs expert health assessment and guidance on support needs (which they deliver to

80,000+ customers each year through Job Services Australia). Where required andappropriate, they will benefit from an intensive a specialist journey from DisabilityWorks/Turning Point. APMs embedded condition management will both preparecustomers for work and improve their ability to sustain work, together with Lifeskills 24/7helpline staffed by healthcare professionals. A4es Community Managers will ensurethese customers benefit from early and local engagement.IB to JSA:low motivation and engagement, fear of change

increased motivation and confidence through early targeted engagement.

psychological contract and confidence/motivation building workshops

reduced impact of long-term workforce exclusion through A4es skills developmentESA Volunteers:severe health condition/disability, employer discrimination

reduced time out of the workforce through targeted work preparation activities relevantto their capacity including vocational and soft-skills training

improved opportunities from initiatives to make local workplaces disability friendlyESA Flow:possible new unmanaged health condition, lack of motivation

improved opportunities from initiatives to make local workplaces disability friendly

increased access to vacancies through A4es employer engagement strategyIB to ESA:length of unemployment, low motivation and confidence

improved opportunities from initiatives to make local workplaces disability friendly

reduced impact of long-term workforce exclusion through A4es skills developmentIB/IS: economic and social exclusion, health needs, caring responsibilities

increased ability to find work through support with childcare/care arrangementsimproved capacity through identifying capacity and suitable types of work.

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[4.1b] Service Requirement

DWP expect all customers to receive a minimum level of service. Please clearly define:

Your minimum service delivery levels for all customers within this CPA;

Your rationale that supports your approach:

How it addresses the needs by customer groups.

Insert your response in the pre-set, shaded space of the following pages. Your responseMUST be limited to two sides of A4.

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4.1b1) A4es Minimum Service Levels (MSLs) for the Work Programme in Merseyside,Cumbria and Lancashire, Halton (MCLH)A4e and our supply chain are committed to improving the lives of our customers, theirfamilies and communities. In addition to our commitment to DWPs Customer Charter, ourMinimum Service Levels (MSLs) will ensure a step change in performance, a high-quality

service and the best chance of success for each customer.1. A fully accessible service: that is accessible to all on public transport within 60

minutes travelling time, DDA compliant and in a safe and respectful environment.2. Individual assessment and plan:every customer will receive a tailored assessment

and action plan that will be reviewed at least monthly.3. Health support: we will assess health as a barrier to working. Those identified as

needing additional assessment/support will be referred to a specialised healthassessment and support to develop a health-focused back to work plan.

4. A fully personalised service: including (minimum) monthly 1:1 contact with a namedadvisor and a tailored journey that address their broader needs.

5. Customer empowerment and work ethic: customers will be given a choice about

how they first engage with their service provider (see 4.1 Engagement) and a choice ofwork-focused activity early in the journey to promote Job First, the development ofessential work habits and exposure to the benefits of working.

6. Improved relevant skills:all customers will receivea Skills Audit and have access tosoft and locally-tailored vocational skills development opportunities.

7. Recharge activities:all customers will access Recharge activities (see 4.1 Reviewand Recharge) if they are not making progress in their journey.

8. Incentive to engage:all customers will have access to A4es Incentive Scheme thatrecognises and rewards achieving journey milestones.

9. Total Person:we will work with all other agencies that support customers to ensurethat we meet all of their wider needsA4es Total Person service.

10. Family service:we will support our customers within the context of their family.11. Feedback: customers can provide feedback at any point and will be requested at

specific points in the journey. We will respond where requested within 7 days.12. In-work progression and sustainability:tailored support Mon-Fri, 8am-8pm andlife

access to A4es on-line job search facilities (see 4.1 Support for Life). We will contactin-work customers according to their Risk Profile (see 4.1), at least:

Low Risk Medium Risk High RiskWeek 1 First day and week First day and week Every dayWeek 2 Month 6 Fortnightly Weekly Bi-weeklyMonth 6-12 / 12-sustain Monthly/monthly Fortnightly/monthly Weekly/fortnightly

2) Rationale for our approach in MCLHA4es MSLs are informed by organisational knowledge and consultation to identify theaspects of our service that are crucial to an effective and positive experience.Delivery experience: We have interrogated MI and organisational knowledge from 20years experience delivering employment services in 11 countries. This includes 9 yearsexperience delivering services in MCLH including NDDP, NWDA Intensive Start Up, SFAApprenticeships and Train to Gain, OLASS, DWP ESF, New Deal Prime Contract,Programme Centre, BSA IA, DAF Retail, Customer Service and Job Search and CFeBMoneymadeclear. We have piloted key elements of our proposed delivery includingassessment, in-work and health-related support in a live operational environment to testits efficacy and customer satisfaction.

Customer consultation: A4e has invested over 50,000 in giving local customers avoice in the design of MSLs as part of our ongoing commitment to co-production ofservices. We commissioned independent research consultancy CI Research to survey1,000 A4e customers (including 600 in work) and 400 unemployed people to identify the

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4.1b (continued) services they value. A4e and re:new, part of the Helena partnership co-facilitated focus groups with The Merseyside Employer Coalition, St Helens EmploymentProvider Partnership and Community Work in deprived communities in St Helens workingwith workless families and lone parents - helped to inform our MSLs e.g.

A4e MI has identified that 6.4% of FND customers want support with legal issues, and13.4% want help with finances. Pilots integrating these services with A4es FND found

that 94% of customers felt that this had removed a barrier to work (MSL9).The focus group findings indicated a range of preferences. IB claimants preferred initialinformal, group engagement; professionals preferred immediate 1:1 support (MSL5).

CI Research found that 22% of customers consider lack of experience to be theirprimary barrier and 22% think their lack of necessary qualifications is. 33% want supportwith job skills, 17% with soft skills, 27% want work experience, (MSL4, 6).

64% of A4es in-work customers want extended-hours in-work support includingcareer planning, financial advice, and access to training/finding a new job (MSL12).3) Addressing the needs of each customer groupA4es MSLs will ensure a personalised journey that addresses the individuals need ratherthan the customer group they fall into. See 5.3 for how we will ensure the availability ofMSLs to each customer group and throughout the supply chain.

JSA 18-24: This customer group responds well to quick engagement and earlyintervention. Increased motivation (MSL8) is a key benefit to this group with 28% beingmore motivated to access support where the provider has good links to employers. Ourpartners e.g. Youth Action and Helena Partnership deliver targeted motivationalinterventions aimed at this cohort.

JSA 25+: Benefit cyclists and long-term unemployed customers will particularly benefitfrom Recharge Activities that promote continuous momentum towards employment andtargeted interventions e.g. Blackpool College motivational programmes. They will alsobenefit from a comprehensive in-work support (MSL7,12).

JSA Early Access: A fully personalised journey (MSL4) is important for this group toaddress the perception that support is aimed at others, particularly amongst those withthe most complex barriers. A collaborative service (MSL9) is crucial for this group withtheir complex needs catered for by our specialist partners e.g. The Social Partnership.

JSA ex-IB: Support to identify suitable job goals (MSL2) and a skills audit/targetedtraining (MSL6) and a choice of engagement method (MSL5) are important benefits forthese customers who may not have participated in job-focused activity recently.

ESA volunteers: Support to identify their capacity to work (e.g. suitable hours) (MSL3)will benefit this customer group who want support and reassurance about their ability towork. Online support (MSL5) allows customers to take ownership of the pace it hasbecome like a lifeline when I cant go out [an IB claimant].

ESA flow: Access to health support (MSL3) e.g. Pennine Care NHS Trust will benefitthis customer group who may have a new/deteriorated health condition.

ESA ex-IB: Our focus groups found that this customer group most value accessibleprovision (MSL1) with choice and flexibility in their services e.g. community basedprovision delivered by our partners Liverpool Council JET Centres and BootstrapEnterprises. They often prefer informal group sessions as a first contact (MSL 4/5). 31%of customers surveyed by CI Research wanted access to online employment support.

IB/IS: Accessibility, support with health conditions/disabilities and personalised supportwill benefit this group (MSL1,3,4).

A4e will promote our MSL pledge in each branch through MyA4e online, marketingmaterials and 3 Community Managers. We will survey every customer to form a CustomerSatisfaction Rating and refine our service.

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PART 5: SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

[5.1] Delivery Strategy

Please describe in detail your delivery structure for all elements of the Work Programmeprovision across this CPA and explain why you consider your delivery strategy to be thebest approach for customers in this CPA. You should clearly state how you intend to workwith your sub-contractors and how you will ensure the needs of all your customers,including the hardest to help, are fully addressed from within your supply chain includingvoluntary sector organisations where appropriate.Please also complete:

Annex 2 to show the structure to be put in place within the supply chain todeliver the Work Programme provision in terms of overall percentage ofdelivery, specialism and geographical coverage; and

Annex 3 (Sub-contractor Declaration) for your proposed sub-contractors asappropriate.

Insert your response in the pre-set, shaded space of the following pages. Your responseMUST be limited to three sides of A4.

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5.1A4es delivery strategy for all elements of provision across Merseyside, Cumbria &Lancashire, Halton (MCLH).A4es delivery strategy for MCLH combines A4es experience and innovation, with a 63strong supply chain of the best providers, including 41 from the voluntary and 13 from thepublic sector. This will give every customer in MCLH access to quality services, in line

with A4es Total Person philosophy. A4e will support 51% of MCLH customers, oursubcontractors 49%. Our strategy will meet the needs of all MCLH customers, includingthe hardest to help, through:1. The best providers, in the right locations, through a combination of direct delivery

and 11 geographical journey providers delivering in defined geographical areas2. Specialist journey support for customers with specific or complex needs through 3

specialist journey providers3. Holistic, joined-up services through 49 specialist partners providing specialist

support services on a flexible, as-needed basis.4. Local Authority partners, selected to combine performance, local expertise and drive

to spearhead A4es ambition to deliver our Total Person agenda via data sharing

protocols, pooling of budgets and co-commissioning of services to reduce duplication.Our strategy is based on the needs of local customers and communities, identifiedthrough nine years local delivery experience and 50,000 investment in engagingcustomers in WP service design. Key factors influencing our strategy are:

Customer barriers: e.g. 67% customers in Wensley Fold claiming IB for health needs;78% adults have poor/obsolete skills in Bastwell; 271,445 workless families; high youthunemployment in Wirral and St. Helens; BAME unemployment at 28% in Blackburn;44,500+ lone parents; 123,500+ ex-offenders.

Labour market conditions: The NW Region continues to contract as a result of therecession, with over 1,600 job losses recorded in the past 6 months. Theunemployment rate is expected to reach 5.4% in 2011 and not expected to return topre-recession employment levels until at least 2015 (Oxford Economics Dec10).

Geographic challenges: 81% of MCLH is classified as rural / semi rural, Lancs &Cumbria cover 70% of the landmass, poorly connected coastal towns e.g. Southport.

1. The best providers in the right locations across MCLHCustomers in MCLH will benefit from access to high quality end to end services providedby A4e and our 63 local journey providers. Journey providers will deliver in a definedgeographical area and have been selected based on their ability to best supportcustomers from each of the seven groups, as follows:

Selection criteria Benefit to customersLocal delivery history Services that are responsive to local needs

Strong performance workingwith similar customers

Providers that are able to support customers intowork as quickly and effectively as possible

Existing infrastructure suitableto the needs of WP customers

Services close to home, in high quality facilitiesand from suitably experienced staff

High quality relationships withlocal stakeholders

A seamless journey that connects WP with othersupport to reduce confusion and bureaucracy.

High quality relationships withlocal employers

Access to suitable, sustainable employmentopportunities in the local area

Journey providers will work with all customers within the defined area (see map at 5.4below), unless the customer is better supported through a specialist journey provider (seesection 2 below). A list of office addresses and volumes is available at Annex 2.

Providing MCLH customers with high quality, effective servicesMerseyside: A4e As a high quality provider in Merseyside, A4e has developed excellentlocal links with 3,500+ employers, supporting 9,230 local people in the past three years

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5.1 (continued) via our New Deal Prime and New Deal for Disabled contracts. A4e NDDPcontract is currently achieving a job entry rate of 48%. Subcontractors: We haveselected a highly localised supply chain of private (20%), public (16%) and third sector(64%) providers that: can offer extensive outreach; have a wide 3rd sector network; havestrong links with regeneration initiatives, inward investors and services to reduceduplication and increase value for money. Liverpool Council JET Centres: in 12 years

have provided 41,000 residents across Liverpool with IAG and progressed 10,000 peopleinto local jobs through innovations e.g. Streets Ahead and Aspire Job Retention incollaboration with six local RSLs. TNG/Avanta has supported 65,000+ customers inMerseyside via New Deal, achieving 33% job entry rate (NDLP). TNG/Avanta works inpartnership with key stakeholders e.g. Riverside Housing, Making Space (mental healthbarriers) and South Liverpool Personnel (BAME Somali); Halton People into Jobsprogresses 650+ people into jobs annually via 1,456 Halton Charter employers from 21local delivery locations, 40 outreach and 20 Work Clubs; innovative projects include:Sector Gateways - Port and Marine industries; Carers into Work; Inspiring Women;EncourageMENt (aimed at disengaged males). Knowsley Works One Stop Shops + 20outreach: Northern Way engagement project via GP surgeries; supported 3,000 people

into jobs and 50 into Self Employment via innovations e.g. Express MDF (kitchen fittingsocial enterprise) and Create (white goods refurbishment social enterprise). Sefton:Sefton@Work has progressed 343 into jobs in 2010 via innovations e.g. Move On Project(Drug & Alcohol barriers), NOMS (ex offenders) and Moving On (NEETS).Cumbria: A4e existing infrastructure andcurrent job entry rate in the last quarter of 48%on NDDP; Allerdale & Copeland: West Cumbria Trades Hall: 30 years experience;subcontractor for the current DWP and SFA ESF Prime Contractor, supports 700+customers annually, working with employers e.g. United Utilities and Centre Parcs,achieving a job entry rate of 45% via innovations e.g. New Chances New You. Barrow-in-Furness: Furness Enterprises supporting 200 people into local jobs via recruitmentcampaigns for employers including: Morecambe Bay NHS; Argos; Risedale Care Homes;Poundland; The Range; Liberata and Reliance. Other initiatives include: Return to WorkBarrow; The Workshop; Re-skill Support Programme and Project Entrepeneur. Eden &South Lakeland: Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency is a BIS accredited EnterpriseAgency, providing interventions for over 2,000 local businesses each year acrossCumbria. CREA is proposing to utilise this unique access to 2,000 employers to sourcevacancies for local jobseekers. Pennine Lancashire: Bootstrap (BS): 30 years+experience including New Deal. Progresses 800+ people into jobs annually. Links with70+ Third Sector organisations, member of the Chamber of Commerce and AsianBusiness Federation with strong links to the local business community and access to1000+ vacancies annually. Has 3 year SLA to deliver supported employment interventions

for people with learning disabilities and secondary mental health service users. Vedas: 9years experience, delivers innovative training e.g. License to Skill courses which arecurrently achieving a 71% Job Entry Rate, with an 89% sustained rate at 13 weeks and86% at 26 weeks. Mid / West & Coastal Lancashire: A4e will deliver 100% of thevolumes in Lancaster, Preston, Chorley, South Ribble and West Lancashire. Establishedprovider, existing infrastructure and significant expertise over 9 years of delivering NDDP.On evaluation of our performance compared to subcontractors, A4es performance issignificantly stronger in this area with NDDP achievement rates of 59% in Lancaster, 57%in Blackpool and 48% in Preston. With existing infrastructure on the Fylde Coast and acurrent success rate of 57% on NDDP in Blackpool, A4e will also deliver 50% of thevolume in Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre, with Blackpool Council: supports 500+ customers

annually from the most deprived wards in Blackpool, progressing 33% into employment.Working with 200+ local employers in key sectors including: Connaught (Construction);Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Tower (Leisure); Blackpool Airport and BlackpoolTransport (Passenger Transport) as well as leading retailers e.g. Debenhams and TJ

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5.1 (continued) Hughes.2. Specialist support when and where it is neededA4e has selected 3 specialist journey providers to ensure customers with more complexneeds have access to the expert guidance necessary to sustain work.Support for customers with a disability or health condition in MCLHDisability Works will support the customers with health needs across MCLH where

565,000 households have at least one person with a limiting long term illness, of whichalmost 88,000 are workless families with dependent children. Almost 18,000 people havea registered mental illness, with high rates in Morecambe, Liverpool and Wirral (NOMIS).Organisations e.g. The Social Partnership, Making Space and Expert Patients CICwill support customers with mental health conditions.Support for ex-offenders in MCLHThere are 123,550 ex-offenders in MCLH (21,500 in Lancashire, 10,000 in Liverpool,6,000 in Cumbria, 4,700 in Wirral) with up to 11% at risk of reoffending (MoJ Local AdultRe-offending June 2010). We have partnered with The Social Partnership, Turning Point,CREATE and Right Track to provide pre and post release support.Support for customers with severe/complex barriers in MCLH

A4e expects that some of the 7,000 JSA Early Access customers each year will needspecialist help, including up to 1,600 drug users and some of the 4,700 registeredhomeless people. Support for customers with multiple and complex barriers will besourced via organisations e.g. The Social Partnership, Turning Point and Addaction.3. Holistic, joined-up services on a flexible basisBelow highlights just some of our 49 specialist support interventions, outlined in Annex 2.Health: 204,450 claimants with health barriers, 38% with mental health conditions A4ehas partnered with St. Helens disability partnership, Making Space and the PrismFoundation to address worklessness alongside physical and / or mental health barriers.BAME over-represented in JSA claimants e.g. 23% in Blackburn compared to local rate of4%. Through their links with the BME Pact in Lancashire, Bootstrap has access to 47BAME community groups across Lancashire e.g. the Pukar BAME Disability Centre inPreston, Parasol IAG for Eastern European migrants and ITHAAD translation services inPendle plus links with the Asian Business Federation to support the 2,700+ BAME JSAclaimants to address barriers and progress into sustained employment.Lone Parents: more than 44,450 claiming JSA across MCLH In some areas, between76% to 96% of children live in poverty in Liverpool, Knowsley and St. Helens. A4e haspartnered with Liverpool Council to deliver in local JET Centres, Childrens Centres andCommunity Centres to reach the heart of the most deprived wards in the neighbourhood.Deprived Areas e.g. Speke ranked as No. 1 most deprived ward in UK: A4e hasdeveloped a bespoke pre-recruitment and training programme in collaboration with JLR,

to incorporate Fork Lift Truck licenses and employability skills training in Speke, resultingin 16 clients being progressed into jobs in the first cohort of trainees.Mature Age 50+ in rural and coastal areas e.g. Ribble Valley, South Lakeland, Fylde,Wyre and Barrow, where CREA and A4es Enterprise offer will support 50+ with initiativese.g. how to sell maturity to employers and self employment.Youth Unemployment has climbed to 29.6%, with 26,000+ unemployed in MCLH. Wehave selected to work with partners e.g. the Helena Partnership to deliver innovations e.g.Evolution to tackle anti-social or offending behaviour, drug use etc where rates are highat 34% in some areas e.g. St. Helens, Wirral, Sefton, Lancaster and Hyndburn.Poor Skills: A4e has partnered with 12 local skill partners across MCLH providing ESOL,basic skills, NVQs and work placements, including local FE and community colleges to

tackle low skills across 906 LSOAs where 50% to 78% of adults have no qualifications.

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[5.2] Management Structure

Please provide:

a description of the proposed management structure and how the requiredmanagement skills and expertise, including working with local stakeholders, have

been identified and will be delivered. You should also include a description ofassociated responsibilities and reporting lines ;

a description of how you will work with the management teams of any supply chainorganisations and key delivery partners; and

explain why your management structure is appropriate for the Work Programmewithin this CPA;

Please include an organisation chart (attach as Annex 4) showing the proposed managementstructure for the Work Programme for this CPA.

Insert your response in the pre-set, shaded space of the following pages. Your response

MUST be limited to three sides of A4.

Note: Format requirement and page limit does not apply to the organisation chart(s)which you must insert as Annex 4.

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5.2. A4e is introducing a new organisational structure to effectively respond to changes inits key business areas. The structure is designed to create a single team approach whilstempowering local teams to shape local services around customer needs. It is highlylocalised and diverse to create a rich customer journey in collaboration with stakeholders.The structure has two distinct elements:i. Local Service Delivery: Local teams comprisingA4e and local partners.

ii. Operational Support: Independent performance management and commissioning,including intelligence, practitioner support and innovation; and contract management,single account management for DWP and major employers.

The rationale for our model is as follows: It directly supports the delivery of A4es Total Person model, where local teams

deliver a full range of social inclusion services with local stakeholders, producingbetter outcomes and delivered in the most effective way for individual customers.

Separation of service delivery and commissioning will ensure that there is acreative tension between local delivery teams and those holding the teams to account.There will be clear focus on identifying what works, best practice and improvementplans, utilising external and internal knowledge to inform service development and

including the experience of our partners and local stakeholders to full effect. Consistently high performancewill be driven by the management and development

of both partners and A4es direct delivery on an equal basis. All delivery units will beaccountable for their delivery of outcomes and performance on an equal basis.

The structure has been designed to be highly cost effectiveand efficientthrough acombination of empowering local managers to make decisions rapidly and the sharingof support functions with other complementary A4e services.

1) A4es Proposed Management Structure: Structure chart enclosed in Annex 4A4es management structure is fully scalable and is described based on A4e operating aminimum of 8 CPAs. Please note, the pricing proposal only costs for the managementresources required for this CPA. All management functions will be put in place regardlessof the number of CPAs A4e may be awarded, although the precise number of people willrelate directly to the scale of business that will need to be managed.Key Roles & Responsibilities:Within Merseyside, Cumbria, Lancashire, Halton (MCLH)the management and leadership team below will ensure that we have the capacity andcapability to deliver the WP. NB. Full role descriptions are in the Staff Role Descriptions inAnnex 5. A number of roles are shared across CPAs therefore only a proportion has beencosted in the Pricing Submission. Executive Director:Reports to the A4e CEO and Group Board, overall accountability

for delivery of the DWP Work Programme. Line manages the 7 positions below. Customer Services Director: Manages A4es National Support Centres, the WPs

central administrative support functions in Sheffield and London. Business Finance Director:Responsible for commercial management and financial

performance, supported by Financial Controller and Finance Business Partners. Senior HR Business Partner: Oversees all WP people strategy and related issues

including resourcing, recruitment, training and professional development. Regional Delivery Director: Reports to Executive Director, responsible for A4e

operations in the North West region, including direct and subcontracted servicedelivery. Line manages Area Managers, Partnership Manager and Head of RegionalSales. This person will be required to have excellent regional and local knowledge andlinks with key stakeholders in the North West to enable them to promote WP andensure effective join up with other relevant initiatives and services.

Business Solutions & Commissioning (BSC) Director: Ensures all services aredelivered effectively, generates intelligence, identifies best practice and overseesbusiness improvement, including performance and quality monitoring. Independent ofthe delivery function, the BSC Director will ensure that both directly and subcontracted

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5.2 (continued) services meet local needs and support the delivery teams in managingcontinuous change and improvement. Manages Partnerships and PerformanceDirectors.

Director of National Accounts: Manages external interface with funders andemployers. Manages DWP Account Director and Employer Account Director.

Employer Account Director:Responsible for all employer-focused services and the

engagement of employers at regional, national and local levels. Manages employerfacing staff including Regional Employer Support staff and Central Vacancy Managers.

Local Management Roles: The following roles will be dedicated to delivery in MCLH Area Manager:Responsible for A4es operational delivery in MCLH. L ine manages

resources shared by local teams and drives the development of complementaryservices that will be of benefit to WP customers and support the Total Personprinciple. This person will create rich and effective partnerships and have in depthlocal understanding so as to be able to ensure that WP is delivered in a way that ismost effective in the local area. Major subcontractors are required to nominate anequivalent manager with excellent local knowledge and understanding.

Partnership Manager:Manages delivery and performance of subcontractor partners

and will be focused on building relationships founded on continual development andimprovement. Is the key A4e interface with supply chain partners.

Head of Regional Sales: Responsible for creating new complementary services,focused on tacking poverty, in line with A4es Total Person approach.

Local Business Manager:Leads local business units centred around natural placesas defined by local councils or JCP district to ensure a natural fit with other initiatives:oMerseyside:Liverpool; Wirral; Sefton; St. Helens; Knowsley; HaltonoLancashire: Coastal; Chorley / South Ribble; Lancaster; Preston; West Lancs;

BlackburnoCumbria: Carlisle / Workington

Business Managers will have detailed local knowledge in order to ensure local WPdelivery is fully tailored to meet the needs of local customers and employers and beempowered to create the shape of business most effective for local customers. Community Manager:Responsible for ensuring A4es WP serves local communities

effectively, e.g. ensuring we deliver from areas with the greatest need, creating newalliances with other local organisations and with key local stakeholders like localauthorities and GP consortia on behalf of the whole delivery team.

Occupational Health Coaches (OHC):An example of best practice transferred fromA4es Australian operations, OHCs will support frontline staff working with customersfacing significant barriers, including serious health barriers.

Identification of required skills & expertise: All managers will be required to have

proven management experience, the ability to make the quality of judgement needed todeliver output-based contracts/services and technical expertise appropriate to their role(full details in role profiles). A4e has identified and understands these skills and expertiserequirements based on our experience of delivering large scale welfare services. As thelargest UK welfare to work provider, A4e has invested in new skills to meet the demandsof WP and other areas of public service reform. Recent appointments who will transfer toWP include:[REDACTED], National Partnership Director: [REDACTED] spent the last 20 yearsworking with large multi nationals including Nike, MTV, C4 EA and Ford and socialenterprises to create new partnerships and innovation in the UK and India.[REDACTED], Executive Director Welfare: Most recent role Managing Director of a

division of Rok Plc. Previously held roles at Centrica, British American Tobacco and theReliance Group. Background of international leadership and business improvement.[REDACTED], Business Finance Director:[REDACTED] joined A4e from Capita where[REDACTED] was the lead commercial manager on strategic PPP/PFI bids (ranging from

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5.2 (continued) 5m to 450m), operating complex pricing models and negotiating keycommercial terms.Management Skills & Expertise from the Supply Chain: In addition to themanagement capacity offered directly by A4e, each of our main partners will contributeadditional management skills, expertise and capacity. This includes but is not limited to: Bootstrap:[REDACTED], CEO, 20+ years management experience

TNG/Avanta:[REDACTED], Regional Director, 19 years management experience2) Working with management teams of supply chain partnersA4es Partnership Manager will be responsible for developing a strong relationship with allsupply chain partners, interfacing with partner management teams and drivingperformance on an ongoing basis. Our objective is for partners and local stakeholders tobe an integral part of the A4e Work Programme operation in MCLH whilst retaining theiridentity and using their specialism and expertise to full effect.Performance Management of the Supply Chain: Every partner will receive regularperformance reports, demand data and a monthly meeting with their PartnershipManager. In-depth performance and delivery reviews will be conducted every quarter toreview standards, targets and identify best practice. A MCLH Strategic Partner Board,

with representatives from all major end to end partners will meet every quarter to reviewjoint performance and devise solutions to common delivery and performance challenges.Continuous Development Measures: A4e strives for supply chain relationships to bebased around continual development and improvement. A4e will create a highly informedexpert practitioner network across our delivery team to share what works and enableperformance. The A4e Partnership Directorwill have responsibility for ensuring that ourpartners are supported to succeed. They will have responsibility for building capability(e.g. staff training through A4es Practitioner Development Programme, access to the A4eInnovation Fund, performance improvement advice, Data Management and Securitycompliance, the support of our charity FSI for smaller partners) and sharing best practiceincluding holding regular events to disseminate information on what works.3) Why this structure is appropriate for Work Programme delivery in MCLH It combines A4es experience with the expertise of our partners, putting investment in

a new type of skills and capacity required to deliver more complex and groundbreakingservices like WP. It builds on skills and structures that have proved effective in otherlarge scale, outcome-focused contracts, including FND and A4es Job ServiceAustralia service - currently achieving 38% sustained job outcomes across allcustomer groups. We have added new capability around partner and stakeholderengagement and better knowledge management to reflect the new challenges of WP.

It takes account of the specific geographical challenges of MCLH, with a localmanager allocated to either one or maximum two local authority areas

It will incorporate A4es established management expertise from delivery of New Dealfor Disabled (NDDP), NWDA Intensive Start Up (Business Enterprise), SFA WorkBased Learning and New Deal Prime Contract. We will transition existing managers tothe new structure with 20+ years experience) in order to retain local experience,knowledge and stakeholder networks ensuring that WP is effective from Day 1

Evidence of Effectiveness: A4e effectively transitioned 37 managers from NDPC toFND within in Dec 2009. We have taken account of regional and local variations - no one WP CPA will look the

same as another. We have local geography, local stakeholder structures, localperformance drivers and have considered the best structure for our delivery strategy.

It delivers cost efficiencies and more money to the front line by using shared support

services (HR, IT, Audit). This enables local operations teams to focus on performanceand draws on national specialists where needed.

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[5.3] Management of Delivery

Please clearly describe:

How you and your supply chain will manage and monitor the quality of deliveryof the Work Programme to ensure that the whole provision within this CPA is of

a consistently high standard and meets your minimum service levels;

Your approach to performance improvement activities for your supply chain asa whole, outlining how you and your supply chain will act on the findings of anymonitoring activity including the resolution of issues from within your own supplychain, partners or other bodies.

Insert your response in the pre-set, shaded space of the following pages. Your responseMUST be limited to three sides of A4.

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5.3 1)Quality Strategy - Managing and monitoring the quality of WP deliveryA4es approach to management of delivery is based on ensuring a high performing, highquality service environment which delivers significant sustained outcome performancethrough direct and subcontracted delivery. A4e has adopted the European Foundation forQuality Management (EFQM) Excellence model to ensure the high quality delivery of allof our services, including the WP. As an overarching quality management framework, the

EFQM coordinates the industry standards we have adopted, including Investors inPeople, the Matrix IAG standard, as well as A4es own quality management tool theBalanced Scorecard. A4es use of the EFQM is overseen by Group Assurance Director,Sarah Aston. It provides us with a comprehensive diagnostic tool for self-assessment,where we can grade our service against detailed criteria under nine headings. The overallscore acts as a European benchmark and helps us identify areas for improvement. ForWP, improvement activities will be owned by the Business Solutions & CommissioningDirector. The application of EFQM will ensure that every WP customer receives a highquality service that meets or exceeds our WP Minimum Service Levels. The key EFQMprinciples that underpin our approach are described below, along with a description ofhow they will support A4es management and monitoring of the quality of our WP service:

i) Achieving balanced results WP Performance Management Framework:We arecommitted to planning and achieving a balanced set of results that meet the needs of ourcustomers and the minimum service levels of the WP. A4es WP PerformanceManagement Framework will be operated via abalanced scorecard approach used byall operational managers. This will ensure main KPIs linked to minimum service standardsare being met e.g. referral times, minimum contact levels. It will assist us to manage ourWP service by giving consideration to the following critical areas: 1) CustomerPerspective - Are we meeting our customers needs and expectations? 2) FinancialPerspective - Are we achieving outcomes required? 3) Internal Perspective - Whichprocesses must we improve to maintain excellence? 4) Development Perspective - Howwell are we developing our service for the future, continually improving our offer?ii) Ensuring we meet Customer needs on an ongoing basis: A4e has engagedcustomers in the design of its WP service, through focus groups, individual interviews andonline feedback mechanisms. During delivery, we will continue to monitor and managethe quality of our service from customers perspectives through A4es Service ExcellenceProgramme (fully detailed in 5.6) which includes comprehensive customer Complaints,Compliments and Feedback mechanisms and co-production groups.iii) Leading with Vision, Inspiration and Integrity:The quality of our WP service will bedriven by our leaders and managers. A4es mission, vision and culture of ImprovingPeoples Lives created by the senior leadership permeates throughout A4e and oursupply chain. There is constant two way communication between staff and senior

managers through weekly management bulletins and online staff feedback forums. Forpartners, quarterly partner forums are used to share information and an annual awardsevent for the entire supply chain. A4e staff that deliver outstanding services arerecognised through a Superstars reward scheme and whole company events enablethe sharing of our Mission and Vision.iv) Ensuring Quality through Process: A4e is managed through structured andstrategically aligned processes using fact-based decision making to create balanced andsustained results. We are developing a series of Standard Operating Procedures forour WP model specifically to ensure that every single customer receives a high qualityservice and that all delivery meets minimum service levels. These will consist of RedRules & Green Guidelines. All Red Rules will be mandatory and must be followed by all

delivery staff, including subcontractors. Green Guidelines will be optional and will supportquality within delivery through the ability to be flexible and responsive to local needs.A4e is also currently embedding a new Business Process Management Framework inpreparation for the WP and to support future growth in general. This framework consists

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5.3 (continued) of a series of standard business processes that will be rolled out acrossour entire delivery and that reflect contractual, legislative and industry standardrequirements. As with the SOPs above, the Red Rules & Green Guidance principle isreflected within the Business Process Management Framework, giving local teams andour partners the freedom to innovate and localise services whilst ensuring that minimumservice levels and requirements are met. The Framework enables the oversight to assure

the Board and DWP of our delivery against contractual, legislative and industry standardcompliance.v) Quality through People:A4es organisational structure is geared to ensuring thedelivery of a service that is consistently high in quality for every customer, across largegeographical areas. The separation of delivery and commissioning functions will ensurethat frontline staff are focused solely on current customers needs and there is creativetension between performance and delivery teams. Investment in expertise in the BusinessSolutions & Commissioning (BSC) function will drive quality through ongoing monitoringand iteration of our WP service to improve our delivery. A number of staff-focusedprocesses directly support quality monitoring and quality assurance. These are: Performance management and professional development (led by HR):Including a

practitioner development programme, staff appraisal systems, management againstKPIs, core training. All staff will have access to Continuous Professional Development.

Internal Communications and Dialogue: Including the communication of revisedprocesses and innovative best practice sharing mechanisms (e.g. online forums).

Monitoring by delivery managers:Part of managers roles (in WP, Area Managersand Local Business Managers) is to monitor and check that key systems are beingfollowed on an ongoing basis. A sample is then checked by BSC staff.

vi) Building effective Partnerships: We are committed to seeking, developing andmaintaining trusted relationships with partners to ensure mutual success. A4esapproaches to supply chain design, selection and performance management arebenchmarked against the Merlin Standard. Our Partnerships Director will have overallresponsibility for management and monitoring of partner delivery working in conjunctionwith regionally-based Partnership Managers who monitor the quality of subcontractordelivery on an ongoing basis and will help partners to develop and improve by sharinginformation openly and supporting organisations to build new capacity and skill.Evidence: examples of how our supply chain meet recognised quality standards:A4e Matrix IAG, Investors in People; Merlin accredited; Ofsted Grade 3Bootstrap Investor in People (IiP); Momenta; Positive about Disability; FAM full

assurance; Workstep Ofsted Grade 1 / 2 2008TNG/Avanta ISO 27001; Ofsted Grade 3Liverpool JET Matrix IAG; Ofsted Grade 2 Adult Community Learning

2) Performance Management Strategy - Monitoring and Improvement ActivitiesOur WP service and organisational design will drive the continuous improvement ofperformance.

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