Internal Communication WWU1242 · UK public procurement notice

Introduction

We are committed to delivering a quality service for our customers and communities. We are also dedicated to making sure that the service we provide for our colleagues as an internal communications function is of the highest quality. We are authentic and approachable - and our communications need to reflect this.

Our people are the heart of the business and if they are to deliver for our customers, they need to be informed and engaged - and have the right skills to do their job. And quality communications are central to this.

Accessibility is high on our agenda. We have a workforce with wide ranging abilities and literacy levels. We have colleagues working in different roles, at different locations and we must find ways to communicate and engage with all of them.

We have improvements to make but we have made definite progress in the employee engagement space. In 2017 we applied for an accreditation from Investors in People, and we were awarded silver level accreditation, which only 5% of employers achieve on their first attempt.

As we reset post a period of significant change, we want suppliers that can support us, helping us to deliver excellent communications that resonate with our workforce, wherever they are.

It is vital that the suppliers who are awarded a place on the framework agreement have similar philosophies to us and understands the importance of our people and the service we provide for our communities, as well as just how significant health, safety, environment and continual improvement is to our business now and in the future.

Scope of the Contractor's Work

Overview

Wales & West Utilities Limited is looking to appoint creative design, strategic communications, and employee engagement agencies to support the delivery of our internal communications and engagement strategy.

WWU does not currently have a contract for these services in place.

Wales & West Utilities are tendering this contract now as they wish to get the appropriate level of support in place at a challenging time in the energy sector - with increasing focus on sustainability and the future of energy, security of supply, and cost to customers.

Internally, after a period of disruption and change driven by business change to address our new price control and the pandemic, we are focused on settling our business and our colleagues and looking towards the future. This sits alongside our day-to-day activity to communicate the work we do to keep the gas flowing safely to communities across Wales and southwest England.

The Requirement

Potential providers must make sure that they are able to meet the following specification for the delivery to WWU:

• We intend to put in place a framework agreement with more than one supplier.
• The intention is to contract for an initial term of 3 years with the option to extend for further four years via four 12-month increments.
• The successful providers will be working closely with the Internal Communications team which is a small team of two individuals. On a day-to-day basis this would involve emails, telephone calls and virtual meetings with our Internal Communications Manager and Communications & Colleague Engagement Officer.
• We recently evolved the brand that has been positively received by customers and colleagues alike. We have new brand guidelines in place. Potential providers should demonstrate their ability to interpret, evolve, grow, and broaden this brand across internal digital, print and other channels. To facilitate this, we will share our brand guidelines and specifications.
• As part of this contract, we expect to request the following services:
• Internal communications campaign development/delivery
• Internal communication brand/design support
• Strategic employee communications/engagement delivery
• Delivery and analysis of output of employee engagement surveys.

We are a small team with a large remit and therefore being able to work effectively and efficiently with our suppliers is paramount. It is crucial that both parties understand and agree on deliverables and deadlines and that high levels of communication are always maintained.

Potential providers should set out an organisational chart that is realistic and lays out the structure of their proposed client team. We would expect openness and transparency in the roles of each team member throughout the contracted period.

Our team at Wales & West Utilities

• We have around 2000 colleagues - broadly split into two distinct groups: approx. 1600 operational staff delivering engineering work, and approx. 400 head office support staff (Finance, Customer Service, HR, etc)
• Our Operations team is built around four main processes: responding to gas emergencies, connecting new homes and businesses to the gas network, maintaining our above ground installations, and upgrading the gas network so its fit for the future.
• We have a number of agency and contractor staff which presents challenges from an internal communications perspective.
• Of our colleagues, only 17% are female, while a large number have worked for the company (and our predecessors) for over 30 years
• Following the Coronavirus pandemic, we have introduced a hybrid working policy, which enables our office-based colleagues to work from home for up to 50% of the working week
• We have recently completed two significant business change exercises:

o Voluntary Redundancy

o Insourcing of Operational Contractors: we insourced approx. 600 engineering colleagues in 2021-2 to deliver our gas pipe upgrade programme

• A significant business transformation programme is ongoing. The Link programme hopes to change many of our IT systems and business processes.
• There are a number of factors which mean we face some engagement challenges here at WWU; some which are unique to us, others which are a result of external factors.

o Back office/home based working vs operational working across disparate locations across a national border.

o A broad …