TheLightBulb can take the cost of staff development out of your business activities, giving you more flexibility and finance to focus on other areas of the organisation.

Based in the Thamesgateway but operating throughout Essex and its borders, TheLightBulb are ideally situated to offer both in house and bespoke training programmes that are cost effective and extremely rewarding.  We take on board your ideas, involve you with the actions so that you can benefit from the results.

Led by Lesley Jones, who founded the company in 2003, TheLightBulb has grown from strength to strength. Lesley herself embodies everything that the organisation stands for having integrity, strong ethics and a passion for work and equal opportunities which all pave the way for continued success.

From the very beginning Lesley Jones has ensured TheLightBulb has been at the forefront of the training industry with a unique outlook and approach to business and development. As a result TheLightBulb has achieved an impressive status and impeccable reputation in the training industry, something which has been recognised by various bodies, earning the company a raft of awards and accreditations. Including:

• Ofsted Grade 2
• Silver Investors in People 
• Basildon Business Award for Staff Training and Development, 2006 and 2011 
• Matrix Accreditation 
• Training Quality Standard 

We aim to instil Lesley Jones’s entrepreneurial spirit into individuals who, like Lesley, share the dream of starting and running their own business. Support and mentoring for people from all walks of life will continue to be at the core of the organisations endeavours, ensuring that TheLightBulb remains strong and successful through, and beyond this difficult economic climate.

TheLightBulb team are continually looking at new ways to support our clients.  Whether it is  through funding to support employers with their existing staff or to support people who are looking to improve themselves, gain formal qualifications and develop their career paths.

As a prime contract holder TheLightBulb are able to use funds made available by the Skills Funding Agency using matched funding from the European Social Fund to support learners who meet specific eligibility criteria.

Supply Chain and Sub Contractors Fees Policy

Reason for Sub Contracting

TheLightBulb is a private training provider and prime contract holder with the SFA.  We deliver funded and full cost learning and development work throughout the SELEP and work with various subcontractors to produce high quality training that impacts positively on learners and employers.

The use of subcontractors to provide services or full provision enables us to:

• provide targeted and specialist training and support to meet learner/employer needs
• work across multiple sectors and in niche or emerging industries
• respond to changes in priorities
• support learners in multiple counties throughout the SELEP who would otherwise be outside our catchment area
• complement our own provision with that from other providers

Commitment to improving quality

TheLightBulb is committed to a providing quality service that meets the needs of all our stakeholders and have robust quality assurance embedded throughout our organisation.  Subcontractors are expected to meet TheLightBulbs standards and commitment to providing a quality service, sharing of good practice and maintaining professional development of their own staff.

TheLightBulbs continual improvement plans and self-assessment reports form part of the management process to ensure continuous improvement is embraced by all.

Typical Fees

TheLightBulb performs a management function for all subcontractors.  This fee is set to reflect the different support, functions and services that are provided to an individual subcontractor.

The management fee retained for subcontracting of full provision range from 20% to 30%.  Larger amounts may be retained where we act as an accreditation centre for the provider and where TheLightBulb pays registration and certification fees.

Support for Sub Contractors

Subcontractor packages can contain a mix of support and services, however all have access to CPD for staff alongside our own employed and associates.  The following list
gives examples of the support packages:

• Support for creation and maintenance of systems for quality, safeguarding, health and safety
• Management information and data handling
• Administration of SFA grants and incentives for example AGE grants
• Certification and registration with awarding bodies
• Support for audit of systems and procedures
• Support with standardisation meetings and EQA visits
• Guidance on funding rules
• Support for self-assessment reporting and continuous improvement planning
• Observations of Teaching and Learning
• Support for functional skills delivery
• Access to e portfolio system for learners
• Access to on line diagnostic tools
• TAQA training and support for staff
• Safeguarding training and awareness sessions
• E&D support
• General CPD sessions for staff including EAT training
• Use of rooms and facilities for meetings
• Use of equipment such as laptops and projectors
• Telephone surveys on learners

Payment Terms – SFA Adult Skills Budget and Apprenticeships

TheLightBulb will raise an invoice request form each month for the subcontractor after the data service deadline.  This will detail all activity that was processed within the previous month and uploaded. 

The subcontractor will then validate the claim and once all activity and monies are agreed raise an invoice.  The invoice will be paid by BACS payment before the last day of that month. Therefore all agreed activity taking place in period 1 (August) will be paid on or prior to the 30^th September.

Communication and Publication of Policy

This policy has been published on TheLightBulb Website www.thelightbulb.net.  A hard copy is available on request and it will be discussed with subcontractors at review meetings.

Policy Review

The policy will be reviewed when funding rules are issued and any changes notified to the subcontractors.