Supply Chain Fees and Charges Policy

Supply Chain Fees and Charges Policy

1. Policy Statement

Genius Within CIC is committed to:

  • Providing key services of quality strategy coaching, training and assessment to neurodiverse individuals and their teams
  • Provide a wide range of nationally accredited qualifications from entry to senior management level
  • Deliver independent, high quality training, advice and guidance relevant to the needs of any business in any sector
  • Complement and add value to other workplace learning services available to all sectors
  • Evaluate and improve on our own practice and learning from the good practice of others
  • Equality, diversity and inclusion for all clients, partners and the public. We expect all staff and sub-contractors to share this commitment
  • Grow and diversify the range of qualifications and courses we deliver to widen participation, deliver to niche markets, engage in new and emerging markets and respond to local and regional skills needs

In order to achieve this, Genius Within has taken the strategic decision to sub-contract parts of its provision to partner organisations who can demonstrate high quality delivery.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all supply chain activity supported by funding received from the Education and Skills Funding Agency, as well as any successor organisations.

This strategy covers two key areas of sub-contracting:

  • Provision sub-contracting where there is the delivery of full programmes or frameworks by the sub-contractor (end-to-end contracts)
  • Service sub-contracting where the delivery of a service is part of the delivery of a programme and the prime contractor purchases a specialism of that programme (e.g. a specific type of training or outreach support)

Within both of these cases, Genius Within retains full accountability for contract delivery.

3. Overarching Principle

In line with the Common Accord, Genius Within commits to the overarching principle ‘that our supply chain is to optimise the impact and effectiveness of service delivery to the end user’ by:

  • Aligning our processes with the LSIS Supply Chain Management document (http://www.aelp.org.uk/supply/details/supply-chain-management-guide/)
  • Undertaking fair and transparent procurement activities, conducting robust due diligence procedures
  • Relating the management fee to the costs of the services provided

4. Sub-contracting Rationale

Upon commencement of the sub-contracting process, Genius Within will consider a Business Case Proposal to ensure that the sub-contracting will be in the best interests of all parties.

We will ensure that:

  • The proposed delivery is in the best interests of learners and employers
  • The proposed delivery has a clear strategic fit with our mission, objectives and values
  • There is sufficient expertise within Genius Within to quality assure the provision
  • There is sufficient staff resource within Genius Within to administer the processes
  • The sub-contractor is approved by our due-diligence process
  • There is sufficient funding available within our funding contract
  • The sub-contractor agrees to work within the terms of our contract

5. Improving the Quality of Teaching and Learning

Sub-contractors are expected to meet Genius Within’s quality assurance standards. Genius Within is committed to support, develop and share good practice and professional development of staff with sub-contracted partners through quarterly quality and monitoring reviews, operational meetings, observations of teaching and learning, as well as learner and employer feedback.

The exact mix and level of support for each sub-contractor will vary depending on the needs of the individual organisation. Sub-contractors will receive support and guidance, including:

  • Audit of management systems and delivery and observation of teaching, learning and assessment
  • Safeguarding of Young People and Vulnerable Adults procedures
  • Health & Safety and Safeguarding compliance process
  • Partner ILR management portal (PICS)
  • Teaching, Learning and Assessment observations and coaching
  • CPD Opportunities and planned training and development
  • Support with Funding Rules compliance
  • Support with ESFA’s Due Diligence process
  • Regular national updates regarding funding and policy guidance
  • Quarterly monitoring/quality reviews
  • Regular network meetings
  • Equality and diversity support – including specialist support for neurodiverse learners

The quality of the sub-contracted provision will be monitored and managed through our existing quality improvement process with Genius Within’s Self-Assessment Report (SAR) / Quality Improvement Plan process ensuring continuous improvement in all parts of the learner journey.

6. Management Fees

Genius Within retains a management fee from all sub-contracted partner organisations ranging from 18% – 23%. The management fee charged reflects the cost of the procurement process and the management of the contracts and will be applied to individual sub-contractors depending on the following:

  • The level of support required from Genius Within to implement the programme (e.g. in terms of procurement, supply chain partner management, marketing)
  • The contract’s/funding stream’s requirements (e.g. on reporting, monitoring, publicity)
  • The contract’s target group
  • Any stipulation by the commissioning/funding organisation
  • Payment model and complexity of deliverables

The management fee will not be deducted at the point of payment (see below), but applied to the unit cost for each deliverable. It will be agreed with each sub-contractor at contract negotiation stage.

7. Payment Arrangements

Payments are made on a monthly basis by the end of the following month in which the activity is successfully processed and uploaded to the Data Service by Genius Within.

Following payment by the funding authority, Genius Within will make the appropriate payment to the sub-contractor based on the level of performance and calculated against agreed unit costs for each contracted deliverable.

Genius Within operates an invoicing process. Payments are made by BACS.

Genius Within expects that the sub-contractors will fully engage in the assessment of accuracy of payments.

8. Policy Communication

This Policy is available on-line at www.geniuswithin.org

The Policy will be discussed with all current and future sub-contractors during contract negotiation meetings and reviewed at least annually. Any changes will be notified to sub-contractors as part of their regular performance review or via separate correspondence.

Please also see our Code of Business Ethics.