New Pro Bono OR Project: Family Action

Family Action Project

Bidding decisions: improving the chances of success

Project:

Family Action bids for around 30 contracts each year, to provide services. Around one-third are successful’ so a lot of effort is being put into bidding for contracts that are not successful. This project will analyse the data around the last few years’ bids, to identify any factors that may help the hard-pressed bidding team to target their resources on bids with a greater chance of success.

Project description:

This project could have several stages, depending on what appears most useful at the conclusion of the first and subsequent stages. The minimum currently asked of the initial volunteers is completion of the first stage below, and scoping for any subsequent stages requested by the charity. It is up to the volunteer and the charity, how much to undertake as part of this assignment.

Stage 1: analysis of the data on past bids, to see if there are any common factors or combinations of factor that may be used to help identify at an early stage bids that are unlikely to be successful, and assign a chance of success to each bid.

Stage 2: consideration with the team of the factors that make them decide to  bid, including chance of success, effort involved in bidding, strategic and financial value, alternative options, etc; and use this to put together a decision support algorithm or model to help in deciding on each bid

At this stage, it may also be appropriate to consider the very large number of contracts to put out to tender that the team has decided not to bid for. Most of these are filtered out at an early stage, but some have been given serious consideration. 

Stage 3: development of a management reporting tool that shows, at time of report, the pipeline of all the live opportunities, and conveys useful information about the likely future income from these projects bearing in mind the chance of success, and the fact that success actually is binary (either you are successful or not).

Skills required: consultancy skills; statistical analysis (including ideally understanding of Bayesian statistics and when this might be appropriate); basic knowledge of charity contracting and funding or ability rapidly to get to grips with that; general modelling. 

This may suit two volunteers, sharing the work between them. Please say when applying, if you are only interested in doing one or the other part of the project.

Time commitment:  Initially 5 days for Stage 1: 

• 1 day to understand the charity’s world and the data that is available 
• 3 days to analyse the data
• 1 day for reporting and high-level scoping of any future work

Any further work can be arranged by the volunteer(s) or a follow-on project can be specified

Location: The work needs some face-to-face time at the start with staff and databases, during the working day (London EC1V 2PT). Most of the analysis and reporting can be done off site. Final reporting should be done face-to-face, during the working day.

If you feel you are able to offer your assistance please complete the application form and return along with your CV to amy.hughes@theorsociety.com by 18^th April.

The OR Society fully supports equal opportunities. As such, we welcome applications from the partially sighted or blind, or those with disabilities.

Information about the organisation: 

Family Action transforms lives by providing practical, emotional and financial support to those who are experiencing poverty, disadvantage and social isolation across the country. They have been building stronger families since 1869, and today work with over 45,000 families through over 135 community-based services. Thousands more are supported with financial assistance through education and welfare grants programmes. Their innovative services reach out to those in need, strengthen families and communities, build skills and resilience and improve the life chances of children and adults.

For further information about Family Action please visit https://www.family-action.org.uk/ or email Anja.Bailey@family-action.org.uk

For further information about the Pro Bono OR scheme, please visit: www.theorsociety.com/Probono  or email ProBonoOR@theorsociety.com