Key information
Decision type: Assistant Director
Reference code: ADD408
Date signed:
Decision by: Natalie Cramp, Programme Director, Team London
Executive summary
This ADD seeks approval for expenditure of up to a maximum of £13,000 to provide uniforms for Team London’s volunteer programmes for 2016. For the Summer of 2016, the Visitor Welcome Programme will deploy c600 Team London Ambassadors to 9 key tourist locations to enhance the visitor experience in London, and will recruit both new and existing Team London Ambassadors. Uniforms are also required for the Borough Ambassadors, who support the Young Ambassadors programme.
Decision
That the Assistant Director approves expenditure of up to £13,000 to provide uniforms for volunteers that will assist in the delivery of the Team London Visitor Welcome and Young Ambassadors Programmes for 2016.
Part 1: Non-confidential facts and advice
1.1 In the summer of 2012, the GLA delivered a successful Team London Ambassadors programme in support of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 7,000 highly trained and motivated volunteers were deployed in pods across 43 locations in the summer of 2012. The role of the programme was to enhance the visitor experience to the capital and ensure that London maximised the potential benefits from the 2012 Games.
1.2 In 2013, 2014 and 2015 Team London Ambassadors were again deployed at locations in London, providing a visitor welcome to London’s tourists. In 2015 they were based at 9 key tourist locations. The response from tourists to the Ambassadors was overwhelmingly supportive, with 98% of visitors asked commenting positively on the helpfulness of volunteers.
1.3 An improved uniform was provided in 2014 and 2015, therefore this uniform will be provided again for new volunteers during 2016, and any other volunteers re-joining the programme from 2012 and 2013 who did not participate over the past two years, ensuring a consistent look. The Team London Ambassadors programme is our most visual programme for Team London and therefore consistent and strong branding is key.
1.4 The Young Ambassadors programme was launched in 2013. Team London requires uniforms for the Borough Ambassadors, volunteers recruited to support local schools to deliver social action projects.
2.1 To appoint Arco as Team London’s uniform supplier, who will be responsible for sourcing and delivering all uniforms direct to the volunteers.
2.2 Arco have been selected as the most economically advantageous supplier, after contacting 3 other suppliers, (Impact trading, Cresco and Tog 24) all who were unable to match the colour cyan blue for the jacket. This therefore goes against GLA colour branding which has been in place since Team London relaunched in 2013, and would also conflict with the wider Team London branding scheme across all other programmes.
2.3 Team London have managed to negotiate with Arco to decrease the minimum order requirement that Arco enforced last year, meaning Team London will make a significant costs saving when compared with last year’s Ambassador uniform order.
2.4 Only volunteers who are new to the programme will receive a full uniform including waterproof jacket, 2 polo shirts and a Team London backpack. All existing volunteers who have been part of the programme previously will use their existing uniforms from last year’s deployment.
2.5 The breakdown of the items ordered and the quantities is detailed in the table below. The remnant of the budget is a small contingency to address arising requirements such as previous year’s volunteers whose uniform is not in condition and needs to be replaced.
3.1 The Visitor Welcome programme is open to all people who apply. By providing uniforms we ensure that people from all backgrounds can take part and everyone will look the same regardless of age, gender, religion or ethnicity. If an individual needs to wear particular items of religious or ethnic significance, then will be supported by the programme. Sizes will include S, M, L, XL, XXL and XXXL to account for all body shapes.
4.1 The Team London programme directly supports the Mayor’s priorities to drive volunteering in the capital. Visitor Welcome links to key Mayoral priorities – specifically to improve quality of life, and through training of unemployed volunteers, supports jobs and skills and promotes youth opportunities.
4.2 The programme has been informed by consultation with Team London Ambassador Team Leaders and local stakeholders across London.
5.1 The estimated cost of the proposed contract with ‘Arco’ to provide uniforms for the 2016 Team London Volunteers is up to £13,000 and will be funded from the 2016-17 Team London Programme budget, specifically from the Visitor Welcome element of the budget and subject to the formal approval of the 2016-17 GLA budget. Any changes to this proposal, including budgetary implications will be subject to further approval via the Authority’s decision-making process. All appropriate budget adjustments will be made.
Signed decision document
ADD408 Team London Volunteer Uniforms 2016