Framework Agreement

Research

1

Economic and Skills Assessment & Analysis

Large-scale economic and skills assessments and surveys. Analysis at national, regional and local levels.

Qualitative research into skills issues and trends in England, the UK and abroad. International comparisons.

2

Economic and Econometric Forecasting & Analysis

Design, production and population of econometric and statistical models.

• Value added analysis.
• Benchmarking.
• Geo-demographic analysis.

3

Learning and skills market, infrastructure & provision

Research into the effect, or potential effect, of policies or programmes on:

• Learners.
• Employers.
• Stakeholders.
• Colleges and providers.
• The economy.
• The wider population.

This will include comparisons with international practices and the effect, or potential effect, on equality and diversity.

4

Survey/market research

• Very large scale survey work (2,000 interviews weekly).
• Computer-aided telephone interviewing (CATI).
• Computer-aided web-based interviewing (CAWI).

This will include surveys of, and interviews with, learners as a key client group.

5

Good Practice in the organisation, management and delivery of learning and skills

• Identification of good practice from existing programmes.
• Identification of good practice from pilot programmes.
• Identification of good practice in managing and organizing learning & skills operations.
• Comparisons of good practice from the programmes of other agencies and other countries.

6

Public Policy Thinking

The provision of ‘Think Tank’ services by organisations capable of offering a new perspective on existing areas and with the ability to link thinking to wider political and social agendas.

Facilitation of public policy seminar discussion.

7

Economic and Social Impact

Research into the economic and social impact of learning on various groups and communities.

8

Equality and Diversity

Specialist research into all areas of equality and diversity to inform policy or programme design, including:

• Gender.
• Ethnicity.
• Disability.
• Age.
• Religion and Belief.
• Sexual Orientation.
• Disadvantaged Groups.
• Educational Access.
• Third Sector.

Evaluation

9

Operational Evaluation

Reviews of individual Council programmes to evaluate, for example:

• The design, planning and implementation of the programme.
• The impact of the programme on the Target Group[1].
• Whether it provides value for money.
• How well it meets the Council’s policy and priorities.

10

Strategic Evaluation

Reviews aimed at providing a more strategic view of the Council’s performance, covering for example:

• Reviewing the appropriateness of the Council’s programmes, policies and priorities in providing the services required by Government, Target Groups and other Stakeholders.
• Reviewing the efficiency and effectiveness of Council’s processes in designing, planning and implementing programmes, policies and priorities.
• Evaluation of all or a number of programmes aimed at a particular Target Group (e.g. Adult Learners).