Tendering for the DfE's über high profile climate leaders award and its nature park scheme would not seem to have been the roaring success that the department hoped. At the deadline, there was only one bid. There were nearly two but I'm told that the second one fell apart at the 11th hour.
Both bids were from consortia of organisations. This was understandable given the spread of interests that had to be covered and, anyway, there's a tendency within organisations to value collaboration across the sector as opposed to competition within it. Given the plethora of institutions and organisations across the country with interests in environment and education it might be surprising that there were only two bids, but this tender was only ever going to attract the larger organisations and they all decided to collaborate.
Then there's the money. It might sound a lot [ £4m to £5.3m ] but once it's been sliced 'n' diced amongst, say, 5 outfits, over two years, it is not that large a sum. I have heard that it was the money (ie, its inadequacy) that was likely to be the reason the second bid wasn't made, but I cannot verify that.
Not quite a competitive tender, then; a problem for the DfE – to add to its woes over revolting ministers.
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