Whether it’s a new implementation, preparing for audit or inspection, or filling temporary gaps in your team, at some point your organisation is likely to need external support.
With their experience of working across all types of organisations – and of picking up the pieces when it goes wrong - we’ve asked our consultants for their top tips on engaging an MIS contractor. Whether you’re a University, College, independent training provider or any other type of education provider, if you’re sourcing external support these tips will help.
Ask for references and experience
These should be recent and relevant – and you should follow them up.
Ask when they last completed a similar piece of work and who for
Funding rules, delivery models and learners are different from provider to provider, so make sure they have specific and recent expertise in the type of learning you deliver.
Check they have deep specialist knowledge of the subject
Audit, funding and compliance, Ofsted and quality, and MIS system processes and set up, all require specialist knowledge. Choosing a generalist contractor whose work causes issues down the line – especially when you’re under external scrutiny - is the most expensive option in the long run.
Ask what knowledge transfer they expect will take place
They should be sharing & teaching, not just doing the work & leaving. Agree in advance any supporting materials, notes or recordings they will create during the course of the assignment. This not only provides you with training and reference materials for your team but also ensures you have evidence of what was done in the event of any future dispute or audit. Specify in the contract exactly what will be produced and handed over, and when.
Include penalty clauses
What happens if they don’t meet the submission deadline, academic year start or other milestones? Of course, you should also expect that they will want to include clauses to mitigate against any barriers which your organisation presents to achieving the outcomes, like delays in providing access to systems or information.
Ask which software they have worked on and which versions specifically
You don’t want to be paying for their time while they learn a new system. They also won’t understand how best to configure and use the system to drive efficiencies, plug potential compliance gaps and get the best value from your investment in the solution.
Consider record checks
Particularly if the consultant is carrying out onsite work, it may be advisable to request a Disclosure and Barring Service, Access NI or Disclosure Scotland check as applicable. The consultant has access to students as well as student contact details, so this could present a risk, and you should treat them as you would any other member of staff with the same access.
Looking for an expert? Contact us to find out about our Professional Services or for year-round, on-demand access to our experts, ask about our Advisory Service.
TOPICS:
Skills, Training and Employability
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