The National Green Open Homes Network Seeking a National Sponsor
Tender submissions required by 5pm, Friday 28 November 2014
Contact:
Ruth Cole
Senior Development Manager
Centre for Sustainable Energy
0117 934 1440
[email protected]
The Opportunity
The Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) is a national energy charity based in Bristol. We are seeking a
Sponsor for the increasingly successful Green Open Homes network.
The national Green Open Homes network was established by CSE with seed funding from the Department of
Energy and Climate Change in 2013. The network makes it possible for community volunteers who have
made energy saving improvements to their homes to come together and open up their properties so that they
can share their experiences with other people in their community. Visiting a home is a great way to find out
the reality about installing things like solar panels, insulation, triple glazing or new heating options without
talking to a salesman.
This is peer-to-peer learning at its best. Visitors can have a good look at the technologies and lifestyle changes
that are possible, and build a better understanding of how affordable and straightforward changes can be.
They go away from the visits enthused to take action by understanding the positive impacts such changes will
have on both their carbon footprint and their energy bills.
The scheme has been a resounding success to date. Between launch in October 2013 and the end of May
2014, volunteers used our web platform, mentoring scheme and grants programme support more than 45
events across the country, with 10,000 visitors attending more than 600 homes. The web platform received
20,210 visits and almost 100,000 separate page views. Further events are happening through Autumn 2014.
This movement is dynamic, and it’s growing. We have proven that there’s an appetite for events like this
across the country, and have built a vibrant, interactive website and wealth of supporting resources for
participants. The movement also benefits from a supportive relationship with our close partner, The National
Trust. CSE works with them to promote energy efficiency improvements in the homes we love, especially
heritage properties, and their support for the Green Open Homes network adds significant extra value. [NB To
see details of all past Green Open Homes network events, click here: www.greenopenhomes.net/support-fororganisers/events-by-region
What we need to do now is find a corporate partner who is interested in supporting the programme’s
continued growth, for mutual benefit. We want to bring our expertise of working with community groups and
our extensive understanding of energy efficiency in the built environment together with the marketing
experience and financial backing of a company that people know and trust.
The Process
The Department of Energy are keen to help us secure a sponsor relationship, and have pledged to provide up
to £150,000 more as a pound-for-pound match for the sponsor’s investment over the next 12 months.
To secure the right sponsor we are seeking tender submissions, which should be submitted by the 28th of
November. We aim to have secured a sponsorship deal by early January. This timing is crucial – Easter and
the Spring Bank Holidays are a very popular time for Green Open Homes events, and we need to start offering
grants, mentoring and support to local groups as early as possible in the new year to give them time to
develop and promote their schemes. The grant funding that we offer to groups is vital to their success, and
the majority of sponsor funding will pass directly to groups in this way.
Additional Benefits
Given DECC's financial commitment and the success of the network thus far, sponsorship offers significant
benefits to the right partner at a moment in time when both the environmental impacts and the rising costs
of energy use are extremely high on the consumer and political agenda1.
Naturally, we will offer significant brand exposure through all elements of the planning, promotion and
execution of events. In addition, we are extremely keen that our National Sponsor makes the most of the PR
opportunities, any association with their own CSR efforts and, if relevant, product and marketing initiatives.
Further national brand exposure for the Sponsor can be achieved through CSE’s relationship with the National
Trust. This year they supported the Green Open Homes movement by opening 16 stately homes with special
‘Greener Living’ open days in September 2014, something we hope to repeat in Autumn 2015. Their ability to
promote the Green Open Homes movement through their membership channels has an estimated Equivalent
Advertising Value of around £400k per annum.
In addition, brand exposure opportunities are provided at the local level for each scheme. Individual scheme
organisers are supported to use local media outlets and other direct promotion opportunities to raise
awareness of their schemes, giving further brand exposure opportunities. An example of the marketing plan
for one of our recent events is given in Appendix E, which demonstrates the potential for significant and
repeat exposure of the sponsor’s brand nationally.
Between now and October 2015, we have agreed the following targets with DECC, dependent on securing a
Senior Sponsor to release the full £150,000 funding allocated by DECC:
•
•
•
•
•
1
25 new local networks established and 39 events run
Number of open homes increased to over 1000 homes
20,000 visitors to homes
800 home profiles on the National Hub website
40,000 unique web hits
NOTE: Because energy efficiency is a devolved area of work for the different national governments in the UK, Green Open Homes
funding from DECC is available in England only, and this is where all network activity to date has taken place. While DECC are happy to
match the total funds provided by a sponsoring partner for UK-wide activity, sponsorship offers will be considered ‘out-of-scope’ if the
majority of the sponsor’s funding must be spent outside of England.
We are also working hard on plans to reach more event organisers and further uplift the volume of Open
Homes. Included in these plans are:
•
•
•
The development of a 'Green Open Homes Toolkit' containing succinct guidelines, templates and
checklists to aid smooth planning and delivery of events
Further leverage of social marketing
A structured mentoring scheme, facilitated by an online forum where experienced organisers can
share advice and best practice with those newer to running events
Appendices F-H give further information about the programme’s plans and its achievements so far.
Next Steps
We would be happy to chat through the opportunity with interested organisations before formal tender
submissions and short-listing take place. Please contact Ruth Cole, Senior Development Manager at CSE, by
10am on Monday 24th November 2014. Ruth can be reached via email at [email protected], or on
Mondays and Thursdays at 0117 934 1440.
We will be looking to formally begin the process of shortlisting on Friday 28th of November 2014 and need
to have received your formal tender submission by 5pm on that date.
Structure for Tender Submissions
Please provide the following details with your tender:
Company details
Please complete the template in Appendix A.
Brand Vision and Values
Please describe why you think your brand and approach would fit well with the Green Open Homes scheme
and its ethos.
Project, marketing and PR support (‘in-kind’ contributions)
Detail any additional support you could offer to drive Green Open Homes forward, such as marketing and
publicity.
Summary of likely Sponsor requirements
Please outline how you see your sponsor presence being represented across the scheme. Include information
on what you would be looking for in terms of brand placement across GOH marketing and communications
(including local PR and marketing), GOH web pages and downloadable resources, communications to
organisers, hosts and visitors, event signage and promotional materials.
Please outline additional requirements/ opportunities you would like to discuss.
Detail of total value of Sponsorship Offer
Please use the template in Appendix C.
Evaluation criteria
•
Brand alignment – 40%
•
‘In-kind’ contribution – 10%
•
Sponsorship conditions – 10%
•
Cash contribution – 40%
Tenders will be scored against each of the criteria above, according to the extent to which they meet the
requirements of the tender.
Cash contribution will be scored as a percentage of the highest offer. For example, if the highest cash offer is
£150,000, an organisation that offers £120,000 will score 80% of the 40% available for cash contribution.
CSE reserves the right not to appoint the highest scoring applicant, or to appoint any applicant at all as a
result of this process.
Tender timetable
This document issued
Wed 12 November 2014
Deadline for questions
10am, Mon 24 November 2014
Deadline for tender responses 5pm, Fri 28 November 2014
Interview(s)
Mon 8 December 2014
Contract award
Fri 12 December 2014
Kick-off meeting
Thur 8 Jan 2015
Appendix A – Company details form
Company and contact information
Company name
Company reg. number
Website
Short description of the
nature of your business
(100 words max.)
Contact
Name
Job title
Postal address
Phone
Mobile
Email
Appendix B – Branding restrictions and consortium bids
Branding
•
The Green Open Homes programme has its own existing brand logo, which is specific to the
programme and not attached to any organisation. This will continue to be used as the main
programme brand. See www.greenopenhomes.net to get a feel for the current scheme brand.
•
The Sponsor’s brand will be the main associated brand. This will include prominent use of its logo and
acknowledgement of its contribution. We will work with the sponsor to make design changes to the
website and associated materials that give appropriate prominence to their brand.
•
CSE as the programme manager will maintain a small visual brand presence (e.g. small logo at the
bottom of web pages and mention in website text). CSE staff will continue to provide the ongoing
support to groups in the Green Open Homes network. In communication with community groups and
public enquiries, we will do so as representatives of CSE, and are not able to offer our support under
any other name.
•
DECC does not require any brand presence but will require acknowledgement in website text. DECC is
willing to have a brand presence if the sponsor feels that this brand association would be beneficial to
their own brand.
Finer details of branding and partnership arrangements will be negotiated and agreed before contract signoff.
Consortium bids
We can only accept consortium bids that can offer at least £150,000 in cash support. The maximum number
of partners in a consortium bid is two. This is because we believe that more than two sponsors will result in an
overly complicated marketing message – particularly through the available opportunities for the Senior
Sponsor to market its own products – which would be detrimental to the overall programme.
Appendix C – Pricing schedule
Cash sponsorship value
£
Nature of Project, Marketing and PR support (‘in-kind’ contribution)
Estimated value of in-kind support
if known
£
£
£
£
£
£
Total
£
Appendix D: Support for groups
The sponsor contribution and matched DECC funding will:

support the running costs for providing advice and support to the local groups

provide face-to-face mentoring support to local groups

further develop toolkits and PR materials

maintain and upgrade the national hub website

distribute grants directly to the groups (around 80% of the sponsorship will pass directly to local
groups).
Discussion with current groups suggests that grant funding to support such schemes is vital. Based on our
experience of awarding grants this year, and discussions with the recipient groups, we believe this could be
simplified to a flat rate to cover certain running costs, and then a per-home grant, so that bigger schemes
receive more support.
Flat rate grant: £1,000
Per home grant: £225
To qualify for a grant, schemes would need a minimum of 8 homes (schemes with fewer than this would be
encouraged to run with local fundraising only, but could still use the Hub materials to help promote it, and use
the web-page to set up profiles for their homes).
The grants would be capped at 40 homes, making the maximum grant to a scheme £10,000. Most schemes at
present fall into the 10-25 homes bracket.
Appendix E: Example media opportunities for sponsor partnership
Likely points of brand exposure
Stage of
Programme
Content & Key Messages
Partnership
agreed &
signed
Announcement of Green Open Homes sponsor –
Partner's own media
overview of the scheme & link to current political agenda. team and national
How to get involved.
press
Delivery Via
1 week prior to Reiteration of the aims of the scheme, sponsor role,
1st sponsored
overview of the first event and signposting to details for
GOH event
visitors.
Partner's own media
team, national press
and local press via
organiser contacts
Post 1st event
Overview of how the first event(s) went including details
on one or two of the low carbon improvements made in
the Open Home. Reminder of sponsor role and
signposting to next event(s).
Partner's own media
team, national press
and local press via
organiser contacts
Post 1st event
Green Open Home case study, signposting the next
events (including National Trust links). Sponsor
references.
As above
Ongoing
Launch of each event via Local Press and how to get
involved. Sponsor references.
Local press via
organiser contacts
Example marketing plan from one of the 36 Open Homes events supported between Oct 2013/May 2014
Frome in Somerset is a market town with a population of about 26,000. Their Green Open Homes event ran
on the 15-16 of March 2014, attracting 600 visitors over two days to 30 homes. Advertising for the event was
carried out via the following routes:







Large banner in the town centre
4 separate articles over several months in the Frome Times (free paper, 12,000 circulation)
4 separate articles over several months in the Frome Standard (paid-for paper, part of the Standard
and Guardian group that is sold across much of Somerset, total readership 48,000 per week)
A listing in the Frome List, glossy magazine delivered free to 6,000 addresses.
6,000 postcards were delivered by the project team across the town
300 ‘neighbour invites’ were sent by the 30 open homes hosts to their 10 nearest neighbours
Posters advertising the event were put up in the library and other town council buildings, cafes and
shops.
Appendix F: Visitor demographic
Currently, visitors predominantly represent relatively privileged social groups. For example, Brighton and
Hove Eco Open Houses reported that:



96% of visitors were white, with the average age of 48
43% were in full time employment
76% were home owners
And figures from Bristol Green Doors showed that:


98% of respondents reported their ethnic background as ‘white’ (British, Irish or other)
86% were homeowners
One of our aims in the future is to increase participation in lower-income communities and among black,
Asian and other minority ethnic communities.
Appendix G: Behavioural change
So far, the most successful set of events have been those organised by Bristol Green Doors who have hosted
51 Open Homes receiving 2,700 visitors. After the events:



62% of respondents were clear on how they might tackle improvements at home.
79% of respondents felt inspired to make those improvements.
68% of respondents were more likely to purchase energy efficient solutions in the next 12 months as a
result of their visit.
Similarly, the Frome Open Homes event that ran in March 2014 reported that:




75% of visitors were motivated to save energy in the home as a result of their open homes visits
60% felt that it had improved their ability to make those changes
93% said that they would save energy through behavior changes in the home
47% said they had a clear idea of how to make alterations to their home
Appendix H: Map of schemes in receipt of Green Open Homes grants and
mentoring, or using the website and resources
Groups that received grant funding (average £6,300) and mentoring, as well as using website and
resources
Groups without grants but using resources and website to profile their project