Discussion paper on the
tender for the second phase Futurebuilders fund published
CABINET OFFICE News
Release (CAB/042/07) issued by The Government News Network on 25 May 2007
The Cabinet Office
today published a discussion paper to invite further views on the
tender for a partner to deliver the second phase of the
Futurebuilders Fund - to distribute £65m of funding to third
sector organisations over three years.
The Futurebuilders Fund is a ground-breaking programme that
provides vital investment to help third sector organisations
develop the services they provide to the public.
The discussion paper looks at the the structure and management of
the second phase of the fund that is to run from April 2008 to
March 2011.
Following last month's announcement of the intention to
tender the Government is keen to hear to the views of interested
parties before openning the tender to applications in August. The
deadline for responses to the discussion paper is 20 June for time
sensitive questions (those relating to the characteristics of the
organisations that might be invited to enter the competitive
dialogue) and 17 August for all others.
Campbell Robb, Director General of the Office of the Third
Sector, said:
"Futurebuilders is now established as an
important and innovative source of finance for third sector
organisations who wish to deliver public services.
"The Government wants a partner that can build on the
success of the fund to date and, now that even more organisations
are eligible, ensure it continues to enhance the third
sector's ability to transform people's lives."
The discussion paper sets out a timetable for the tender process
and will feed into the tender proceedure. The proceedure being
followed is European Union model known as 'competetive
diologue', which will allow the Cabinet Office to discuss its
needs and requirements with a selected pool of potential bidders
with the aim of selecting one or more solutions capable of meeting
its needs.
One lesson from the first delivery phase has been that the
programme would benefit from a simpler structural arrangement
between Government and the fund operator.
The Cabinet Office does not expect existing Futurebuilders
recipients to be affected by this process.
Notes to editors:
1. In order to open preliminary discussion
on this tender, we announced our intention to tender on 2 April
2007: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/news/news_releases/070403_tender.asp
2. The Futurebuilders Fund is currently operated and managed by
Futurebuilders England Ltd (FBE) under a tripartite Agreement
between FBE, the cabinet office and Charity Bank, see http://www.futurebuilders-england.org.uk/
[External website] and http://www.charitybank.org/
[External website].
3. For more information about Futurebuilders policy programme and
the Futurebuilders Advisory Panel
4. For the independent Futurebuilders Advisory Panel report on
the Futurebuilders programme
5. In recognition of the increasingly important role the third
sector plays in both society and the economy, the Prime Minister
created the Office of the Third Sector (OTS) in May 2006 to drive
forward the Government's role in supporting a thriving third
sector, and join up sector-related work across government.
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