British Council- Request For Proposal (RFP) For Providing Digital Training To Scale Up Social Impact Of Act CSO Partners

DEADLINE: 12TH JUNE, 2023
BRITISH COUNCIL
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR PROVIDING DIGITAL TRAINING TO SCALE UP SOCIAL IMPACT OF ACT CSO PARTNERS

(1) Overview of the British Council
We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide.

We uniquely combine the UK’s deep expertise in arts and culture, education and the English language, our global presence and relationships in over 100 countries, our unparalleled access to young people and influencers and our creative sparkle.

We work directly with individuals to help them gain the skills, confidence and connections to transform their lives and shape a better world in partnership with the UK. We support them to build networks and explore creative ideas, to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications.

We work with governments and our partners in the education, English language and cultural sectors, in the UK and globally. Working together we make a bigger difference, creating benefit for millions of people all over the world.

We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2021–22 we reached 650 million people.

(2) Introduction and Background to the Project / Programme

(2.1) The Agents for Citizen-driven Transformation (ACT) Programme works with civil society organisations (CSOs) to enable them to be credible and effective drivers of change for sustainable development in Nigeria. ACT focuses on:

• strengthening the system of CSOs, networks and coalitions to improve their internal, external, and programmatic capabilities
• providing a platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue for an improved, effective, and inclusive regulatory environment for the operation of CSOs in Nigeria.

(2.2) The purpose and scope of this RFP and supporting documents is to explain in further detail the requirements of the British Council and the process for submitting a proposal in response to this RFP (“Proposal”).

(3) Proposal Conditions and Contractual Requirements

This section of the RFP sets out the British Council’s contracting requirements, general policy requirements, and the general conditions relating to this procurement process (“Procurement Process”).

(3.1) Contracting requirements

(3.1.1) Contracting authority: the British Council which includes any other companies and organisations that control or are controlled by the British Council from time to time (see: http://www.britishcouncil.org/organisation/structure/status).

(3.1.2) Delivery location for goods and/or services: the training sessions are to be delivered physically at locations that the ACT programme would identify bring the participants to in batches as may be realistic.

(3.1.3) Duration: A maximum of 30 days is available for the assignment to be delivered, this should cover- preparation for the assignment, including the development of a training manual and tools, facilitation and delivery of training and preparation of final report.

(3.2) General Policy Requirements

(3.2.1) By submitting a Proposal, you confirm that you will, and that you will ensure that any consortium members and/or subcontractors will, comply with all applicable laws, codes of practice, statutory guidance and applicable British Council policies relevant to the goods and/or services being supplied. All relevant British Council policies that suppliers are expected to comply with can be found on the British Council website (https://www.britishcouncil.org/organisation/transparency/policies).

(3.3) General Proposal conditions (“Proposal Conditions”)

(3.3.1) Application of these Proposal Conditions – In participating in this Procurement Process and/or by submitting a Proposal it will be implied that you accept and will be bound by all the provisions of this RFP and its Annexes. Accordingly, Proposals should be made on the basis of and strictly in accordance with the requirements of this RFP.

(3.3.2) Third party verifications – Your Proposal is submitted on the basis that you consent to the British Council carrying out all necessary actions to verify the information that you have provided, and the analysis of your Proposal being undertaken by one or more third parties commissioned by the British Council for such purposes.

(3.3.3) Information provided to potential suppliers: Information that is supplied as part of this Procurement Process is supplied in good faith. The information contained in the RFP and the supporting documents and in any related written or oral communication is believed to be correct at the time of issue. No liability (save for fraudulent misrepresentation) is accepted for its accuracy, adequacy or completeness and no warranty is given as such.

(3.3.4) Potential suppliers to make their own enquires: You are responsible for analysing and reviewing all information provided to you as part of this Procurement Process and for forming your own opinions and seeking advice as you consider appropriate. The clarification process set out in paragraph 12 should be used for any queries in relation to this Procurement Process.

(3.3.5) Amendments to the RFP: At any time prior to the Response Deadline, the British Council may amend the RFP and if appropriate,  the Response Deadline shall, at the discretion of the British Council, be extended.

(3.3.6) Compliance of Proposal: Any goods and/or services offered should be on the basis of and strictly in accordance with the RFP (including, without limitation, any specification of the British Council’s requirements, these Proposal Conditions and the Contract) and all other documents and any clarifications or updates issued by the British Council as part of this Procurement Process.

(3.3.7) Compliance with the terms of the Contract: The successful supplier must comply with the Contract as set out in Annex [1] without any amendment (save as described in paragraph 3.1.4)

(3.3.8) Format of Proposal: Proposals must comprise the relevant documents as detailed by the British Council in Annex [2] (Supplier Proposal) completed in accordance with relevant all instructions. Any documents requested by the British Council must be completed in full. It is important that you read the RFP carefully before completing and submitting your Proposal.

(3.3.9) Modifications to Proposals once submitted: You may modify your Proposal prior to the Response Deadline by giving written notice to the British Council. Any modification should be clear and submitted as a completely new Proposal in accordance with Annex [2] (Supplier Proposal) and these Proposal Conditions.

(3.3.10) Disqualification: If you breach these Proposal Conditions, if there are any errors, omissions or material adverse changes relating to any information supplied by you at any stage in this Procurement Process, if any other circumstances set out in this RFP, and/or in any supporting documents, entitling the British Council to reject a Proposal apply and/or if you or your appointed advisers attempt:

• to inappropriately influence this Procurement Process or fix or set the price for goods or services;
• to enter into an arrangement with any other party that such party shall refrain from submitting a Proposal;
• to enter into any arrangement with any other party (other than another party that forms part of your consortium bid or is your proposed sub-contractor) as to the prices submitted;
• to collude in any other way;
• to engage in direct or indirect bribery or canvassing by you or your appointed advisers in relation to this Procurement Process; or
• to obtain information from any of the employees, agents or advisors of the British Council concerning this Procurement Process (other than as set out in these Proposal Conditions) or from another potential supplier or another Proposal,
• the British Council shall be entitled to reject your Proposal in full and to disqualify you from this Procurement Process. Subject to paragraph 3.3.1 below, by participating in this Procurement Process you accept that the British Council shall have no liability to a disqualified potential supplier in these circumstances.

(3.3.11) Proposal costs: You are responsible for obtaining all information necessary for preparation of your Proposal and for all costs and expenses incurred in preparation of the Proposal. Subject paragraph 3.3.15, you accept by your participation in this Procurement Process, including without limitation the submission of a Proposal, that you will not be entitled to claim from the British Council any costs, expenses or liabilities that you may incur in submitting a Proposal irrespective of whether or not your Proposal is successful.

(3.3.12) Rights to cancel or vary this Procurement Process: Nothing in this Procurement Process will bind the British Council to enter into any contractual or other arrangement with you or any other potential supplier. It is intended that the remainder of this Procurement Process will take place in accordance with the provisions of this RFP, but the British Council reserves the right to terminate, amend or vary (to include, without limitation, in relation to any timescales or deadlines) this Procurement Process by notice in writing. Subject to paragraph 3.3.15, the British will have no liability for any losses, costs or expenses you incur as a result of such actions.

(3.3.13) Consortium Members and sub-contractors: It is your responsibility to ensure that any staff, consortium members, sub-contractors and advisers abide by these Proposal Conditions and the requirements of this RFP.

(3.3.14) Liability: Nothing in these Proposal Conditions is intended to exclude or limit the liability of the British Council in relation to fraud or in other circumstances where the British Council’s liability may not be limited under any applicable law.

(4) Confidentiality and Information Governance

(4.1) All information supplied to you by the British Council, including this RFP and all other documents relating to this Procurement Process, either in writing or orally, must be treated in confidence and not disclosed to any third party (save to your professional advisers, consortium members and/or sub-contractors strictly for the purposes only of helping you to participate in this Procurement Process and/or prepare your Proposal) unless the information is already in the public domain or is required to be disclosed under any applicable laws.

(4.2) You shall not disclose, copy or reproduce any of the information supplied to you as part of this Procurement Process other than for the purposes of preparing and submitting a Proposal. There must be no publicity by you regarding the Procurement Process or the future award of any contract unless the British Council has given express written consent to the relevant communication.

(4.3) The British Council reserves the right to disclose all documents relating to this Procurement Process, including without limitation your Proposal, to any employee, third party agent, adviser or other third party involved in the Procurement Process in support of, and/or in collaboration with, the British Council. The British Council further reserves the right to publish the Contract once awarded and/or disclose information in connection with supplier performance under the Contract in accordance with any public sector transparency policies (as referred to below). By participating in this Procurement Process, you agree to such disclosure and/or publication by the British Council in accordance with such rights reserved by it under this paragraph. 

(4.4) The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“FOIA”), EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2015, the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (“EIR”), and public sector transparency policies apply to the British Council (together the “Disclosure Obligations”). 

(4.5) You should be aware of the British Council’s obligations and responsibilities under the Disclosure Obligations to disclose information held by the British Council. Information provided by you in connection with this Procurement Process, or with any contract that may be awarded as a result of this exercise, may therefore have to be disclosed by the British Council under the Disclosure Obligations, unless the British Council decides that one of the statutory exemptions under the FOIA or the EIR applies.

(5) Proposal Validity

(5.1) Your Proposal must remain open for acceptance by the British Council for a period of sixty days from the Response Deadline. A Proposal not valid for this period may be rejected by the British Council.

(6) Payment and Invoicing

(6.1) The British Council will pay correctly addressed and undisputed invoices within 30 days in accordance with the requirements of the Contract. Suppliers to the British Council must ensure comparable payment provisions apply to the payment of their sub-contractors and the sub-contractors of their sub-contractors. General requirements for an invoice for the British Council include:

• A description of the good/services supplied is included.
• The British Council Purchase Order number is included.
• Addressed to ACT Programme
• The costs including VAT (if applicable) and any other charge

(7) Specification
The assignment is based on the expected deliverables indicated above; deliverables are expected to be covered for the duration of the consultancy.

(8) Mandatory Requirements/Constraints

(8.1) As part of your Proposal, you must confirm that you meet the mandatory requirements / constraints, if any, as set out in the British Council’s specification forming part of this RFP. Failure to comply with any mandatory requirements or constraints shall entitle the British Council to reject a Proposal.

(9) Key background documents

(9.1) Further relevant background documents/information may be provided to potential suppliers as an Annex to this RFP and/or by way of the issue of additional documents/links to additional information/documents. Please view list of Annexes at the end of this document.

(10) Timescales

(10.1) Subject to any changes notified to potential suppliers by the British Council in accordance with the Proposal Conditions, the intended timescales applicable to this Procurement Process are:

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