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RADIO COMMISSIONING FRAMEWORK

Commissioning Brief

Commissioning Brief No: 47197, Round 3, 2020/21

A PROGRAMME ABOUT MEDIA

from April 2020 to March 2021 with option to renew for up to two additional years

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CONTENTS

SECTION A: EDITORIAL OPPORTUNITY........................................................................... 3 SECTION B: THE COMMISSIONING PROCESS ................................................................. 8

1. TIMETABLE .......................................................................................................... 8

2. THE FOUR STAGES ............................................................................................... 9

3. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA ..................................................................................... 10

4. EVALUATION TEAM ........................................................................................... 10

SECTION C: FULL PROPOSALS ...................................................................................... 11 1. WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU ............................................................................. 11

2. WHAT TO EXPECT FROM US ............................................................................. 12

3. POINTS TO NOTE ............................................................................................... 13

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SECTION A: EDITORIAL OPPORTUNITY

Commissioning Brief

A programme about media

Brief number 47197

Schedule slot Wednesday 16.30-17.00 (currently occupied by The Media Show)

Main commissioning contact Kirsten Lass, acting Commissioning Editor, Factual

Duration 28’

Number of programmes available Approx. 50

Recorded or live?

Live

Contract Period April 2020 – March 2021 with an option to renew for a further one or two years

Guide price per episode £4700

Commissioning Year 2020-21

Commissioning Round 3

Production Location Not specified

Please note

If you are on the Radio & Music supplier database, there is no requirement to complete an eligibility form.

There is no Short Proposal stage.

Full Proposals must be submitted via Proteus before the deadline at noon on Wednesday 18 September.

They should be entered under Radio 4, Round 3, 2020-2021.

They should be no longer than five sides of A4, using Arial font, size 11, in the full synopsis field of the Proteus form.

We advise you to submit your Full Proposal in good time to avoid the possibility of difficulties caused by unforeseen network problems. No late submissions will be accepted.

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About Radio 4 Radio 4 is unique in the breadth and quality of its informative, educational and entertaining programming. Every day, on air and online, Radio 4 has more original content than any other broadcaster in the world. Its authoritative news and current affairs journalism is complemented by programmes exploring many areas, including science, arts, history, religion, ideas, drama and comedy, offered through regular strands, one-off programmes and special seasons. The average age of its 11 million plus audience is 57; the station needs constantly to evolve and to attract a new generation of ‘replenisher’ listeners. It also seeks to build its appeal to audiences beyond the south east of England and among ethnic minorities. Radio 4 also has an avid audience online. Across Q1 2019 there were an average of 33.4 million monthly requests to stream Radio 4 content online (UK only); there were an average of 14.6 million monthly UK podcast downloads; and an additional 10.1 million monthly downloads outside the UK.

You can read the latest Radio 4 RAJAR report here.

Specific audience packs relating to this commission are available on the Radio 4 commissioning site. About this commission. Radio 4 is looking for a single supplier to deliver this weekly programme. This commission will be our flagship media programme. It is where we will explore developments in this fast changing industry, talk to movers and shakers, holding them to account when necessary, and discuss topical issues that arise each week connected to broadcast, online and print journalism. You will need to have:

A keen knowledge of the media landscape and industry.

Ideas about how future developments might inform the direction of the programme.

A hit list of people you would like the show to talk to in the next year.

Original ideas for engaging the audience with the issues that will populate the

media landscape over the next few years. You should also address how the programme will co-exist with, and complement, Feedback and the various Radio 4 arts and current affairs programmes that can step into this territory. The style and format of the programme are up for discussion but the guide price must be taken into account when considering these.

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Presenter The choice of presenter will be a key factor in assessing the proposal. They will need to be able to address the subject with authority, have excellent live broadcasting skills and the ability to appeal to a wide audience. You should also think about a second presenter for when the lead presenter is unavailable. You should consider diversity and representation when thinking about suitable presenters for the show. Tenders should meet the following challenges

Keeping the programme interesting and appealing to the broadest range of listeners, including strategies to engage younger and more diverse audiences.

Ensuring the programme’s appeal goes well beyond those working within the media industry.

Sustaining the content entertainingly, with a variety of subjects and treatments.

Keeping the programme distinctive, authoritative, timely, credible and relevant.

Developing ideas about how to evolve the programme’s digital impact, within the budget.

Editorial requirements

Expert understanding of all aspects of contemporary media and their relation to society, culture, the economy and politics.

Strategies to engage younger and more diverse audiences.

Range of subjects and treatments.

Plans to evolve the programme's range, style and tone, within the editorial brief and with regard for the Radio 4 audience.

Keeping the programme distinct from other related journalism on Radio 4.

Understanding of BBC Editorial Guidelines and how they would impinge on your management of the strand.

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Production requirements

Excellent record in factual radio production at national level. Please include details of named producers and, if they are not already part of the company or department, evidence that they are prepared to be included in such a tender and, if successful, to commit themselves to the programme. We recognise that some individuals may appear on more than one tender.

Appropriate staff, in the core team, to meet the demanding executive production and compliance needs of the programme.

Extensive experience of current affairs journalism.

Experience of live or as-live programme making.

Ability to respond rapidly to changing circumstances and new stories within tight deadlines.

Experience of delivering regular, high profile output.

Capacity to sustain a long-running strand.

High level of business competency.

Detailed budget, working to the guide price. Digital requirements In addition to the linear radio programme, the following are required:

Creation and publication of podcast of the programme as broadcast, if requested.

Contact details of any organisations featured.

Text relating to any venue, event or call to action.

These, and any other digital enhancements which you propose, must be covered within the guide price.

Delivery requirements

The contract will be offered as a fixed price deal and the BBC will assume that any elements included in proposals can be successfully delivered within the guide price given.

You are responsible for any overspend and entitled to keep any underspend.

The guide price includes fees to the presenter, who is contracted by the producer, not by Radio 4.

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You will be expected to adhere to all relevant editorial, copyright and technical guidelines in place.

You will be expected to deliver all necessary production related paperwork, e.g. compliance forms and programme descriptions, in a timely fashion.

We expect the programme to be live. If you want to pitch a recorded programme, you will need to provide significant editorial reasons.

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SECTION B: THE COMMISSIONING PROCESS

1. TIMETABLE

The commissioning process consists of four stages.

Stage Timings Activities

Launch Mid July Commissioning brief published.

Round opens in Proteus.

1. Full Proposal Monday 02 – Tuesday 17 September

Opportunity to discuss programme brief with the main commissioning contact prior to submitting the Full Proposal. This may be by email or phone rather than face to face.

12 noon on Wednesday

18 September

Deadline for Full Proposal to be submitted via Proteus. Late submissions cannot be accepted.

Evaluation team shortlists Full Proposals.

Week commencing

07 October

Shortlisted producers invited for pitch meeting.

2. Pitch 14 October – 01 November

Face to face pitches with shortlisted producers.

3. Conditional Commission

Late November Commission awarded, subject to contract.

Editorial specifications and budget agreed.

Full contract signed.

4. Feedback 2 weeks after publication of results

Deadline by which shortlisted producers may request feedback.

If you have questions about this brief that need answering before you submit Full Proposals, email lea.lauvray@bbc.co.uk by noon on Friday 13 September.

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2. THE FOUR STAGES

STAGE 1: FULL PROPOSAL

Producers can discuss the programme brief with the main commissioning

contact prior to submitting their Full Proposal.

Producers submit a Full Proposal, via Proteus, responding to this commissioning brief, including all the elements listed in Section C.

STAGE 2: PITCH

If you are shortlisted, you will be invited to a pitch meeting with the evaluation

team. You should expect to discuss and elaborate on your proposal and to answer questions about it. Details will be issued with your invitation in good time ahead of the meeting.

Following the pitch meeting, the evaluation team will re-evaluate your Full Proposal against the assessment criteria below, taking into account the responses given during the pitch, and any additional material requested. The evaluation team will then award the contract to the producer which best meets the assessment criteria.

At any stage of the process, we may come back to you to seek clarification. Your answers will be factored into the evaluation process as appropriate.

We may decide to hold second interviews, should we need more information to differentiate between proposals.

STAGE 3: COMMISSION

Conditional commission awarded, deliverables and budget agreed and

contract signed. STAGE 4: FEEDBACK

If unsuccessful after a pitching meeting, you may request additional feedback. Requests should be emailed to lea.lauvray@bbc.co.uk within two weeks of notification. Feedback will be provided within two weeks of receiving the request.

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3. ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

We will assess your Full Proposal and pitch according to the main criteria below, informed by all the requirements in Section A, weighted as shown.

Assessment criteria Weighting

Editorial proposal and capability

Including these indicators:

Editorial innovation

Track record of key production talent

Journalistic experience

Expert knowledge of subject matter

70%

Strategies to appeal to younger and diverse audiences

Digital innovation

10%

Value for money

Including these indicators:

Price per episode

Financial plan, including detailed budget, and sustainability of this plan beyond the term of the contract

Acceptance of key contract terms

Efficient production process

Additional production value

10%

Risk

Including these indicators:

Production risk (demonstrable ability to produce series of this scale and volume; ability to deliver consistently; technical and organisational resilience)

Transition risk

Conflict of interest risk

Ability to comply with relevant UK legislation and BBC Policies

10%

4. EVALUATION TEAM

The following people will evaluate your proposal:

Mohit Bakaya, Controller

Kirsten Lass, acting Commissioning Editor, Factual

Senior Procurement Manager

Business Affairs Manager

Subject experts (production management, scheduling, digital, finance, etc.) may also be consulted.

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SECTION C: FULL PROPOSALS 1. WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU

Your Full Proposal must be received in Proteus by the submissions deadline. The main section of the proposal, in the full synopsis Proteus field, should adopt the structure below and not exceed five sides of A4, printed using Arial font, size 11. We strongly advise you to submit in good time to avoid the possibility of difficulties caused by unforeseen network problems. No late submissions will be accepted. Part 1 – Your detailed response to the BBC’s editorial requirements outlined in Section A of this commissioning brief. Part 2 – Your detailed response to the BBC’s production requirements, outlined in section A, including the following information: (i) The name and contact details of your nominated representative (a single point

of contact responsible for all communication related to the commissioning brief).

(ii) The planned location for the production team who will produce the programme should you be successful.

(iii) Evidence that you have the skills and capacity to deliver, or the ability to acquire the skills and capacity to deliver, the production of the programme in line with this commissioning brief.

(iv) Details of third party suppliers. You may want to work in partnership with third

parties to deliver the brief. If so, you should include:

responses on behalf of each partner

details of the responsibilities of each partner

an outline of the main personnel who will be responsible for the production and delivery of the programme

an explanation of how working in partnership would be successfully achieved, including a proposed legal structure (e.g. one lead contractor and sub-contractors).

(v) A detailed budget for your proposed total programme cost per episode, broken down by price to BBC Public Service and any other funding sources. The BBC is committed to the real living wage (see Living Wage Foundation livingwage.org.uk). The per episode cost of the programme should be budgeted to account for the real living wage and you should include details of how compliance with the real living wage will be achieved.

The contract will be offered as a “fixed price” deal, with you being responsible for any overspend and entitled to keep any underspend. Whilst you are welcome to include proposals to deliver levels of content over and above that set out as required in Section A, this will need to be funded from within the published guide price.

(vi) If you are successful in your bid to produce the programme, TUPE – Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 – (and/or any

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superseding or amending legislation) may apply. If this is the case, we will need additional information from you.

(vii) Confirmation of acceptance of the BBC’s key contract terms.

(viii) Risk management. You should identify specific risks e.g. production risk, business continuity etc.; and processes or systems to manage these.

If applicable, you should also include a detailed transition plan and an explanation of how you will manage the transition from the current production of the programme, with minimum disruption.

2. WHAT TO EXPECT FROM US NOMINATED REPRESENTATIVE

The BBC’s nominated representatives for this commissioning brief are the evaluation team listed in section B. No individual other than the BBC’s nominated representatives (or their delegates as advised by the BBC) is authorised to discuss the contents or the substance of this commissioning brief with you. We will let you know of any change or addition to the BBC’s nominated representatives. YOUR QUESTIONS In the interest of fair competition, where we feel it is appropriate, anonymised questions and responses will be circulated to all producers. COPYRIGHT The BBC is a signatory to, and will abide by the principles of the APC Code. CONFIDENTIALITY Subject to Section 2, paragraph 5 of the Freedom of Information Act, the BBC will keep confidential all commercially sensitive information included in responses to this commissioning brief and will only use this information for the purposes of evaluating the Full Proposal, provided that you have identified the confidential nature of any such information in your response documents. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT As a public authority, the BBC is required to comply with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA), of 1 January 2005. The FOIA is intended to deliver greater accountability for decisions and spending across the whole of the public sector. It requires public authorities to strike a balance between achieving transparency and protecting genuinely confidential or commercially sensitive information. You should be aware that, under an FOIA request, the BBC may be required to disclose information contained within the Full Proposal or future contractual information. Following a request, the BBC may take the views of organisations submitting proposals into account when deciding what information will be disclosed. For more information on the Freedom of Information Act, please visit: bbc.co.uk/foi. COSTS

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You submit responses to this brief and take part in this process at your own cost and risk. CONTRACT DURATION The contract will be for a period of 12 months, from April 2020 to March 2021, delivering a number of episodes to be confirmed on contract. We may extend the contract period by up to two years subject to agreement, upon similar contract terms. In the second or third year we may vary the number of episodes subject to agreement. We reserve the right to vary the start date of the contract as may be required to take into account the successful producer’s transition plan and any related issues identified. In assessing the proposed transition plan, the BBC’s relationship with the audience will be paramount. 3. POINTS TO NOTE

This commissioning brief is not a contract. However, the information contained in this brief, together with your responses, will form the basis of the final contract between you and the BBC. The BBC reserves the right to exclude any producer that is found to either:

a) have provided information which is untrue, or b) be in breach of any of the terms of a non-disclosure agreement.

Independent producers wishing to submit a proposal under this brief are not permitted to contact BBC production staff, in connection with this commission, during the commissioning period without prior consent from Denis Nowlan (denis.nowlan@bbc.co.uk). Any producer found to be in breach of this clause will be excluded from the commissioning process. The BBC may modify the commissioning brief (including the timetable in Section B) at any time prior to the submission deadline. Any such amendment will be notified in writing to all prospective producers. To allow time for such amendment to be taken into account, the BBC may, at its discretion, extend the deadline for submissions. By submitting your proposal, you confirm acceptance of the key contract terms: http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/radio/commissioning/BBC-IP-Commissioning-Special-Terms.pdf