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Discussion paper on the tender for the second phase Futurebuilders Fund published

The Cabinet Office today published a discussion paper to invite further views on the tender for a partner to deliver the second phase of the Futurebuilders Fund – to distribute £65m of funding to third sector organisations over three years.

The Futurebuilders Fund is a ground–breaking programme that provides vital investment to help third sector organisations develop the services they provide to the public.

The discussion paper [PDF 318KB, 26 pages] looks at the the structure and management of the second phase of the fund that is to run from April 2008 to March 2011. Following last month's announcement of the intention to tender the Government is keen to hear to the views of interested parties before openning the tender to applications in August. The deadline for responses to the discussion paper is 20 July for time sensitive questions (those relating to the characteristics of the organisations that might be invited to enter the competitive dialogue) and 17 August for all others.

Campbell Robb, Director General of the Office of the Third Sector, said:

“Futurebuilders is now established as an important and innovative source of finance for third sector organisations who wish to deliver public services.

“The Government wants a partner that can build on the success of the fund to date and, now that even more organisations are eligible, ensure it continues to enhance the third sector's ability to transform people's lives.”

The discussion paper sets out a timetable for the tender process and will feed into the tender proceedure. The proceedure being followed is European Union model known as “competetive diologue”, which will allow the Cabinet Office to discuss its needs and requirements with a selected pool of potential bidders with the aim of selecting one or more solutions capable of meeting its needs.

One lesson from the first delivery phase has been that the programme would benefit from a simpler structural arrangement between Government and the fund operator.

The Cabinet Office does not expect existing Futurebuilders recipients to be affected by this process.

Notes to editors:

1. Any media enquiries about this please call Cabinet Office Press Office on 020 7276 0311.
2. In order to open preliminary discussion on this tender, we announced our intention to tender in our 2 April 2007 news release.
3. The Futurebuilders Fund is currently operated and managed by Futurebuilders England Ltd (FBE) under a tripartite Agreement between FBE, the cabinet office and Charity Bank, see Futurebuilders England Ltd website [External website] and http://www.charitybank.org/. [External website]
4. For more information about Futurebuilders policy programme and the Futurebuilders Advisory Panel
5. For the independent Futurebuilders Advisory Panel report on the Futurebuilders programme
6. In recognition of the increasingly important role the third sector plays in both society and the economy, the Prime Minister created the Office of the Third Sector (OTS) in May 2006 to drive forward the Government's role in supporting a thriving third sector, and join up sector–related work across government.

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