Getting Our Voices Heard and Including Missing Voices
Question 1 (received 17/09/18)
The tender asks for £5m PII insurance. We currently hold £1m, which is fairly standard. Is it acceptable to commit to extending our insurance if successful rather than buying this now?
DRILL Response
It is a PASS/FAIL criteria that bidders must have Certificates of Professional Indemnity Insurance and Public Liability Insurance at a minimum cover of £5mill for each. This must be in place prior to any bid being submitted or the bid will fail.

Question 2 (received 17/09/18)
Can I confirm that the research per se is likely to be outside of the scope for VAT?
DRILL Response
As this is a commissioning process and not a grant making process it is unlikely that the research work falls outside of the scope of VAT.

Question 3 (received 17/09/18)
In order to take a four nation approach, is it expected that partner organisations will have national reach within their nation?
DRILL Response
It is not mandatory for partner organisations to have national reach within their nation. DRILL does not want to be specific as to how a tender takes a four nations approach.

Question 4 (received 17/09/18)
These are initial questions and there are likely to be more as the bid progresses. Will you consider extending the window for questions, as it is extremely short? (Most tenders we have participated in allow for questions up until about a week before the closing date.)
DRILL Response
DRILL will extend the window for questions until the 9 October 2018 (12 noon).

Getting Our Voices Heard and Including Missing Voices
Question 1 (received 25/09/2018)
We are a very small organisation and may struggle to handle a budget of £100,000, would it be possible to work through a bigger organisation, for example Disability Wales, who are already partners in the research project described above?  Alternatively is it possible to apply for a smaller amount.
DRILL Response
It is possible to work in partnership with a bigger organisation who will take responsibility for the budget and who will be the lead partner. On this occasion it cannot be Disability Wales as they are a partner in the DRILL Programme alongside Disability Action, DR UK and Inclusion Scotland. It is possible to apply for a smaller amount. However, DRILL believes that the outputs and outcomes anticipated may be difficult to achieve on a lesser amount.

Question 2 (received 25/09/18)
The focus of our work is development work in Africa and, therefore, our work in the UK at a national level tends to look to Africa for its impact. One of the expression sometimes used is that we seek to promote solidarity between disabled people in our nation and Africa. Would this be a problem, as my understanding is that DRILL has a UK impact focus?
DRILL Response
Those who benefit must be disabled people living in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Question 3 (received 25/09/18)
I understand that DRILL tenders need to demonstrate an academic connection to support the research.  How essential is this connection with Academia?
DRILL Response
A connection with academia is not essential. The partnership must have the skills necessary to produce robust research that will influence policy and practice.

Getting Our Voices Heard and Including Missing Voices
Question 1 (received 25/09/2018)
Can a rights based organisation working for and with people with disabilities in India apply?
DRILL Response
Those who benefit must be disabled people living in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Including Missing Voices and Getting Our Voices Heard
Question 1 (received 28/09/18)
We are a DRILL funded project now looking to the future and wondering how we might build on our work. Do you think these tenders might be relevant or should we assume they will overlap too much?
DRILL Response
The project could explore the ITT documents for each tender and consider what can be done to build on the work that is over and above activities already resourced by DRILL.

Question 2 (received 28/09/18)
My background is working alongside people with learning difficulties. We’ve been trying to establish a stronger voice for people via a national organisation and trying to create a way of both strengthening self-advocacy and connecting them to value-based allies in the family and service provider world. Do you think this is a promising area to explore? Is this something I could talk to someone about if it is?
DRILL Response
People with learning difficulties have been identified in the Including Missing Voices ITT as a group or community of disabled people currently thought to be excluded, absent or unheard. Please see below.
‘Your research should be based on one group or community of disabled people currently thought to be excluded, absent or unheard. We are particularly interested in bids that focus on Roma/ Traveller communities, migrant/ refugee communities, people with cognitive impairments/ learning difficulties/ learning disabilities or disabled people with other protected characteristics.
However, we will consider funding research on another specific group of disabled people, as long as you can make a very strong case for looking more closely at their inclusion.’
DRILL would encourage you to speak with the national organisation you refer to in your question.

Including Missing Voices
Question 1 (received 2/10/18)
We are working with users of many different languages so interpreting costs will be significant. We are wondering if there is scope for any additional funding to cover such access needs?
DRILL Response
There is no additional funding. The Bidder’s total cost should not exceed £100,000 (including VAT and expenses).

Question 2 (received 2/10/18)
We realise that the work has to include all 4 nations of UK, but we are not sure what this means in practice. Our preference is to work in depth in one place and then take our findings to the partner organisations in the other 3 nations to see how they think these relate to the local situation. We are thinking this would be more fruitful than working in a more superficial way in each place. Could you let me know what is required in this regard?
DRILL Response
DRILL cannot be prescriptive as to how the work will include all 4 nations. The Bid should set out the rationale for the methodology and approach and state why this will be effective.

Question 3 (received 2/10/18)
Does the Principle Investigator need to be the academic partner? And does this person/organisation need to hold the budget?
DRILL Response
The Principle Investigator is not required to be the academic partner and does not need to be the person or organisation who holds the budget.

Getting Our Voices Heard and Including Missing Voices
Question 1 (09/10/2018)
When you say you are interested in bids that focus on Roma/Traveller communities, migrant/refugee communities – should we assume that you mean people in those communities with for example: cognitive impairments/ learning difficulties/ learning disabilities or disabled people with other protected characteristics?
DRILL Response
Yes it could be people with cognitive impairments / learning difficulties / learning disabilities or disabled people with other characteristics. However it could be people with other impairments from a Roma / Traveller or migrant / refugee community.

Question 2 (09/10/2018)
Will we have a dedicated contact/project manager from DRILL to work alongside during the project? Will they facilitate introductions to key partners?
DRILL Response
The contract will have a dedicated DRILL contact. However the day to day project management will be the responsibility of the Contractor as will bringing together the key partners.

Question 3 (09/10/2018)
What insight do you have available for the outlined groups that you could share in advance?
DRILL Response
The insight must come from the bidder as this is part of the evaluation criteria that DRILL will assess.

Question 4 (09/10/2018)
Do the costs need to include venues and associated costs and incentives for participants?
DRILL Response
Yes.

Question 5 (09/10/2018)
Will expenses involved in engaging the four nations and associated travel costs be chargeable as extra?
DRILL Response
All expenses must be included in the budget. These expenses are not a chargeable extra.

Question 6 (09/10/2018)
Do you have a minimum set requirement of how many DPOs you would like us to engage with and if they need to meet certain requirements (i.e. member figures) to be included? Do you have a core list of DPOs you would like to engage?

DRILL Response
There is no minimum number for how many DPOs to be engaged or certain requirements they need to meet.

Question 7 (09/10/2018)
Why have you chosen social care, transport and hate crime as areas you are most interested in?
DRILL Response
DRILL looked at our portfolio of funded projects and reflected on feedback from National Advisory Groups and the Central Research Committee. On the basis of this social care, transport and hate were identified as areas that DRILL was most interested in.

Question 8 (09/10/2018)
You state “DRILL will require evidence within the project of a track record of authentic engagement with disabled people about the issue identified in the tender.” Is it a must that the organisation has experience dealing with both disabled people and the specific issue?
DRILL Response
The partnership must have the experience of working with disabled people and the specific issue.

Question 9 (09/10/2018)
What impact measures does Drill typically use currently?
DRILL Response
DRILL is using indicators of change to measure impact across the four DRILL outcomes.

Question 10 (09/10/2018)
How long do you anticipate the contract lasting if you wish to measure impact?
DRILL Response
The contract will be for a maximum of 12 months as DRILL is a time bounded Programme.

Question 11 (09/10/2018)
You state that you are looking for “a plan for sustaining the work of the project on completion of the Contract, as far as practically possible in light of the funding being spent.” Does this mean we can propose appropriate/additional funding to support and measure the delivery and impact?
DRILL Response
Yes, if possible and for after the DRILL funding has been spent and the contract fulfilled.

Getting Our Voices Heard
Question 1 (09/10/2018)
The tender highlights the importance of focussing on campaigns or other influencing work by DPOs. However, the tender also highlights an interest in what hasn’t worked. Does DRILL have a position on learning from influencing campaigns or other work in the disability policy arena by organisations not led by disabled people?
DRILL Response
The ITT focuses on disabled people and their organisations (DPOs).  However, any other learning that the bidder considers relevant from the wider disability policy arena would be welcome.

Question 2 (09/10/2018)
The tender highlights the importance of focussing on campaigns or other influencing work by DPOs. However, the tender also highlights an interest in what hasn’t worked. Does DRILL have a position on learning from influencing campaigns or other work by organisations which are not in the disability field at all, but may have elements which have determined their success or failure?
DRILL Response
Elements of success and failure are welcome from other campaigns outside of the disability sector, however they must be relevant and the tender should be focused on disabled people and their organisations.

Question 3 (09/10/2018)
The tender says it is suitable for SMEs. Is there any reason DRILL would not consider applications from a microbusiness (ie a business with less than 10 employees) with relevant partners?
DRILL Response
DRILL will accept applications from businesses with less than 10 employees with relevant partners. DRILL will consider applications from a wide range of partnerships.

Question 4 (09/10/2018)
The tender asks for accounts from the previous two years. Is there a minimum turnover or profit required from lead bidder? For example, some commissioning organisations have a requirement for tenderers to have a turnover that is larger than the cost of any tender applied for?
DRILL Response
There is no minimum turnover or profit required from the lead bidder.

Question 5 (09/10/2018)
The tender requires relevant insurances to be in place. We have previously had such insurances but don’t have them as a matter of course as the nature of our work makes public liability insurance unnecessary. We are aware this is a pass/fail issue. Would DRILL consider the provision of a quote for relevant insurance, and a commitment to purchase the insurance in the event of winning the tender, acceptable? Otherwise we would need to purchase the insurance simply to put in a qualifying tender, which is a large resource commitment.
DRILL Response
The relevant insurances must be in place prior to submitting the tender.

Question 6 (09/10/2018)
The tender highlights a requirement to commit to certain outputs which are not quantified, such as attendance at DRILL meetings and provision of progress reports. Are you able to identify the likely resource implications for this?
DRILL Response
Attendance at DRILL meetings would be minimal. Provision of progress reports will be agreed at the induction stage of the contract.

Question 7 (09/10/2018)
Would DRILL find it acceptable for any bids to incorporate a discretionary/miscellaneous allocation for unexpected costs (any such costs would be clearly recorded and accounted for)? This relates in part to the question above.
DRILL Response
Yes. Please use the Appendix 3, Table A, budget heading ‘Other (non-staff) costs’ anticipating what for and how much.