The subcontractor’s policy is designed to ensure the efficient and effective management of our sub-contracted provision.
Triage’s aim is to build and sustain a working relationship with our sub-contractors whereby we share a common goal of providing all learners with high quality teaching, learning and assessment, while at the same time maintaining the individuality and identity of each organisation in its pursuit of achieving outstanding provision.
This policy sets out how we go about achieving our aim.
Triage is committed to:
Triage engages with sub-contractors to better meet customer needs. Our main reasons include:
In line with the requirements set out by the Education and Skills Funding Agency and/or Tees Valley Combined Authority, Triage is required to notify the Education and Skills Funding Agency of their sub-contracting arrangements through the completion of a declaration form.
In addition, Triage is required to provide the Education and Skills Funding Agency and/or Tees Valley Combined Authority with a single signed declaration that the necessary due diligence has been carried out across all proposed sub-contractors.
To ensure the efficient and effective management of our subcontracted provision, Triage will implement the following arrangements:
3. To become an approved sub-contractor with Triage, the organisation must provide a range of information to enable Triage’s Senior Management Team to carry out a due diligence exercise
As part of our contract management arrangements, Triage will:
All sub-contractors must maintain a personal/training file for each learner. The file must include:
Triage will:
OBSERVATION OF THE LEARNER JOURNEY
Triage will carry out observation of the delivery of the learner journey. These observations will be carried out by a member of the quality team and may also involve joint observation with a member of staff from the sub-contracting organisation.
The person being observed will be given verbal feedback after the observation. A written report will be given to the trainer/assessor and the appropriate manager. It is envisaged that the manager will use the information to develop individual training plans and incorporate into the self-assessment report and quality improvement plan.
The number and frequency of observations will be agreed with the sub-contractor and determined by risk banding of trainers/assessors.
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND QUALITY ASSURANCE
An essential part of the management of sub-contractors is ensuring that sub-contractors have in place arrangements to manage the performance and quality of their provision. Triage will therefore monitor the leadership and management of sub-contractors to ensure that the organisations have the appropriate arrangements in place to effectively manage their provision.
Triage will focus on monitoring:
The subcontractor is required to ensure that all personnel engaged in performing the Sub-Contract Services have the appropriate skills, training and qualifications to perform the tasks allocated to them as a minimum they must hold the following:
Triage will require each sub-contractor to produce an annual self-assessment report and maintain an up to date quality improvement plan. This information will be monitored as part of the agreed ongoing quality audit process
POLICIES UPDATED AND IMPLEMENTED
All sub-contractors must have a range of policies in place to meet requirements of the Education and Skills Funding Agency and/or Tees Valley Combined Authority and awarding bodies. Although these policies will be checked as part of the due diligence exercise, Triage will require sub-contractors to update policies and demonstrate the strategies in place to support this.
Triage will provide training and support to all our sub-contractors. This is achieved by:
CONTINGENCY PLAN IN CASE OF NON-DELIVERY
In compliance with the Education and Skills Funding Agency and/or Tees Valley Combined Authority funding rules that apply, if a sub-contractor withdraws from the arrangement, or if a sub-contractor goes into liquidation or administration, Triage undertakes to directly manage and deliver the remainder of the agreed provision already being delivered. This delivery will either be through the existing structure or by retaining tutor expertise and/or specialist equipment, whichever is more cost-effective. Any provision planned but not started will be cancelled and the project closed. Triage will:
If Triage needs to withdraw from a sub-contracting arrangement, sufficient notice will be provided to allow sub-contractors to complete delivery of immediate provision. Triage will provide support to enable sub-contractors to identify other sources of funding if possible, or take appropriate action to complete the project, or close the project at the earliest opportunity, without prejudice to currently enrolled learners or staff.
Contracts will clearly state conditions for termination and recovery of Skills Funding Agency and/or Tees Valley Combined Authority funding grants in case of non-delivery.
MANAGEMENT CHARGES AND PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS
Triage has a standard charge for the management of sub-contractors of 18% of funding drawn down from Skills Funding Agency and/or Tees Valley Combined Authority.
This is a fixed percentage and is incurred upon the sub-contractor meeting the administrative, quality audits and ongoing support costs associated with being a prime contractor.
Associated costs reflect those incurred in the commissioning, procurement and due diligence processes, contract management, quality assurance, provider development and administration activities undertaken by Triage. This approach derives a differentiated rate based on the size of the contract allocation to ensure costs are reasonable and proportionate to the delivery of subcontracted provision.
Specific activities and weightings are set out below
However, charges may increase up to 20% if the level of support required is over and above our normal level of service, for example a new sub-contractor with no previous experience of delivering apprenticeships and/or accredited classroom courses could be charged at a higher level throughout their first year of sub-contracting with Triage.
The cost claimed per individual qualification will be determined at the start of each academic year and outlined in the contract. To ensure this is reasonable and proportionate to the delivery of teaching and learning, the Education and Skills Funding Agency funding rates will be applied and/or an amount will be agreed with the Tees Valley Combined Authority for each qualification.
Payments will be made to sub-contractors following a completed month of delivery, subject to the learner documentation meeting the required funding rules. Upon submission and approval of learner documents, partners will be provided with a Providers Funding Report (PFR) on a monthly basis and expected to submit an invoice which will be paid within 30 days.
Triage reserves the right to withhold payments and/or retrieve payments already made should a sub-contractor not be able to meet the requirements set out within the contract. This could include, but is not limited to, insufficient quality, accuracy or completeness of leaner documentation, significant underperformance against set profiles, failure to provide any records or other information as reasonably requested by Triage.
No changes will be implemented throughout the contract which would impact on the sub-contractor’s capability to deliver the contractual targets.
Triage’s policy, including any modifications, is communicated to the sub-contractor prior to them signing the annual sub-contractor’s agreement.
PROCESSES,PROCEDURES AND GUIDANCE
The management of sub-contractors is supported by processes, procedures and guidance to ensure the policy is effectively implemented throughout Triage and all organisations that work in partnership with the company.
To ensure the policy is fully implemented, it is essential roles and responsibilities are clearly defined for all staff with regard to management of sub-contractors. Outlined below are the roles and responsibilities for the Board of Directors and all personnel:
This policy is subject to an annual review cycle, to ensure it remains fit for purpose and to ensure it is aligned to the mission, vision, values and strategic direction of Triage.
All procedures and guidance notes will be reviewed every two years; however, there will be ongoing modification of procedures to reflect changes and to promote good practice throughout the organisation.