Question
A service wanting to cover the whole or any of the four allotted areas (NZ) would have to be an organisation that is already established?
Answer
The provider capabilities that we are seeking are contained in section 2, sub section 2.2 Attendance Service.
Question
The time frame given allows NO District Truancy Service's a chance to apply, as for some years the DTS's have been fragmented. This showed in the 2009 report (Final Report Evaluation - Martin Jankins); So I would guess then that the MoE have already in mind specific group types within NZ who may apply for this and these may not be DTS's.
Answer
The Ministry has opened up this tender to the market for potential providers to present their proposals.
The Ministry is not pre judging , pre selecting or otherwise engaging with the market to provide advantage to any particular potential respondent to the tender process.
The Ministry has indicated that “We encourage responses that incorporate the knowledge and experience of the existing attendance service providers.”
The Ministry is seeking Expressions of Interest for two levels of service. Existing services may, or may not, express interest in either or both levels of service.
Question
As I have reported to the MoE before, what you are proposing as a NEW venture has been implemented by the local DTS's for the past 15 years. I know as I operated two services (12 years) and hopefully will continue to do so, if not as is, in a different form. It appears that what we are seeing here is the dis-empowering and dissolving of a well established Truancy Service.
This makes no sense to me or most DTS's I have spoken with of whom I communicate often.
Answer
The new service design is informed by the dimensions of effective practice identified in the 2009 DTS Evaluation, other evidence of what works, and recent sector consultation.
Question
What is the time frame for the Regional/National contractor to contact local DTS's who have submitted a EOI for their intervention under the Local Areas?
Your document says 2012, but this delivery is three weeks late and the cutoff date for submissions is the 18th October.
Answer
Potential regional lead providers must respond to the EOI and demonstrate that they can meet the evaluation criteria set out in the EOI section 3.5.
The Ministry has stated through the tendering process that EOI and RFP responses that incorporate the knowledge and experience of the existing DTS are encouraged.At the end of the EOI process the Ministry will provide details of the local EOI respondents to lead provider respondents who have been short listed to receive the RFP
This is to enable the various parties to organise their arrangements for the RFP response.
Question
This is important as we employ staff, have committed agreements and obligations to other services, have data systems in place and networks, there are Schools we need to inform, Also financial obligations, but according to Page 19 s5.7. (the no advertising clause) we can not inform anyone of any impending changes without written consent.
Answer
The no advertising clause relates to the EOI not your business as usual activity (BAU).
The impending changes have been well documented and are in the public arena, also the activities you list would come under BAU.
Question
Why is the current DTS's NOT guaranteed a position in this equation as DTServices are the experts in their field?
The DTS's have been years in the making, perfecting their craft, what sense is there of disbanding this. There is NO guarantee for a provider to use the DTS providers, only a suggestion and a list of current providers.
That implies that the MoE does NOT recognise their value.
Answer
The tendering process must provide free and fair market opportunity for any respondent to present their proposition regarding the services.
I refer you to the supplier capability (referenced above) and the evaluation criteria (section 3.5 EOI) which clearly respects the value of current DTS providers.
Question
Have/When is the media going to be informed of this impending change.
Answer
The tendering process is a public activity and is actively monitored by the media.
The changes to the truancy service have been in the public arena through government directive since 2009 (budget 2009/10 allocated additional $4m on-going funding and this March 2010 release)
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/getting-tough-truancy )
so this has been signalled for quite some time.
Pilots have also been underway through 2011 in South Auckland and Gisborne East Coast area.
Question
Several DTS's I have spoken to are ONLY just aware of the impending changes and are very angry that there is a supposed need for change, though all your paperwork says that all have been informed, this is NOT so as you are communicating in most cases to very busy schools at a very busy time of the year. DTS's are very busy through this and next term. The busiest time of the year.
They also say "If its NOT broken why fix it"?
There words not mine.
Answer
The Ministry has communicated with a diverse range of stakeholder organisations and individuals for some time including DTS, examples being:
1. All DTS provider contract extension letters in Dec 2010 explained that a new service would be introduced in 2012.
2. In December 2010, DTS were notified of pilots and extension of their agreements for 2011:
3. J:\Education Curriculum and Performance\Student Support\DTS\2011 DTS\Communications\Announcement day comms\Attendance and non-enrolment services from 2011.msg
4. The first official letter regarding the pilots progress and the new service for 2012 was sent to all DTS on 28 June 2011:
5. J:\Education Curriculum and Performance\ECP Operational Policy Design\Attendance and Engagement\Attendance and Non-Enrolment Pilot - Ministerials\Communication\DTS Provider letter\Pilot update to DTS providers nationally_sent 28.06.2011.pdf
6. Attendance section of the website went live in July – This contains QAs about the new integrated service and content is updated as required.
7. Information about the new service was in Board / Principal Alert in the Education Gazette published 22 August 2011
Online attendance survey of current providers, two weeks, 2 – 12 August. To understand providers’ readiness for change, willingness to amalgamate and feedback on new service design. An information pack was provided with key elements of the new service design, and is available on the attendance website. 75 % of providers responded to this survey.
8. Focus group meeting held 2 August, with 8 DTS providers, 2 from each region, and the NETS provider Datacom. The purpose of meeting was to get feedback on new service design. Results were published on the attendance website.
9. Online Education Sector survey sent to education sector national bodies, including: NZSTA, PPTA, NZEI, SPANZ, PPTA Principals’ Council, NZPF, Police, MSD, CYF, etc. to gain feedback on the new service design.
This link will take yo to the Ministry of Educations Question & Answers site - well worth the look. http://www.minedu.govt.nz/NZEducation/EducationPolicies/Schools/Attendance/ForServiceProviders.aspx
