Partnerships

We partner with carefully selected complementary consulting organisations where we can jointly offer quality proposals and increased value for money solutions to meet our client's requirement. There are many situations in which this approach offers the best solution because we can provide the range and depth of skills and expertise required, whilst maintaining overall management of the assignment. Our track record in partnering means that clients can be confident in our joint capability to deliver.

Examples of consultancy areas where we have previously used partners:

• Use of actors
• Disability expertise
• 360 online tools
• Endorsement partners
• Research partners
• Finance and audit expertise.

We also work with a few carefully selected sub-contractors where we feel that they bring added value to the project and for the client. In these circumstances, our direct involvement is for the duration of particular projects, although we maintain ongoing links. Examples of previous and current partnerships include:

• Specific ILM endorsed programmes
• Bespoke 360 tools designed around individual organisations' competency frameworks
• Individual research projects and papers.

We manage the quality of their work and ensure the provision of a seamless service by: 

• Ensuring a good match exists between our partners' values and approach and that of BCL.
• Briefing them thoroughly about the project, the objectives, standards and deadlines required, the views of different stakeholder groups, their role and the budget/resources available.
• Involving them as early as possible so they can actively contribute to the bidding process, needs analysis and design phases, rather than being asked to work to a brief provided by ourselves and/or the client but to which they may have no real ownership or commitment.
• Working alongside one another where possible so that both parties share an understanding of the project requirements and how these can best be met.
• Discussing and agreeing in detail what they will deliver, to what standards, how and by when so that the required outcomes are clearly understood between us.
• Identifying how we will communicate with each other, so that we are aware of progress made, difficulties encountered and can make quick adjustments to plans made where necessary.
• As part of this process, agreeing how we will monitor and assess progress and performance achieved.
• Including them as part of the BCL consultant team for project updates and briefings, so that the partner has a good understanding of your needs and any emerging issues that may impact on the work being undertaken.
• Ensuring that the work of the sub-contractor/partner is overseen and managed by our Project Director and/or Manager, and that regular feedback on performance and service standards is exchanged.