____________

George Brown College

200 King Street East
Toronto, Ontario
M5A 3W8

To Associate Director, International ___________________,

As mentioned earlier, I am starting a new venture to provide campus management and training services
to colleges in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I was curious to know if George Brown College would like to
collaborate with me on my new business venture to acquire capability-building contracts with the Saudi
Government.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is currently carrying out the largest reform of technical and vocational
education in the world in which the capacity of the system is being increased from approximately
100,000 seats in 2012 to 400,000 seats in 2024 while quality is simultaneously being improved across
the system. These reforms were undertaken to address a pressing challenge. 5 million young Saudis will
be entering the workforce by 2030 and up to 40% of these jobs will require specific vocational training.

The government started by tendering newly-constructed government college buildings to international

education providers to establish new technical and vocational colleges. The program has enjoyed a
strong beginning. The first 10 Colleges opened in 2013, 27 new colleges will open in 2014 and over
120,000 students have applied to join the system. The selected providers were transferred newly
constructed college buildings at no cost without an existing student or faculty base. Niagara College and
Algonquin College have been awarded multi-million dollar government contracts to transform
government college buildings into their own campuses. Nescort Consortium - an alliance of colleges and
universities in UK also received contracts worth 75M pounds to start their own campuses.

Now, the focus of the reform turns to further improving educational outcomes in technical and
vocational colleges. This will be achieved through the implementation of capability-building contracts. A
capability-building contract is a contract with a leading education provider to support a Saudi college
and its leadership in improving its student outcomes over a three to five year period. Under the

contracts, higher education providers will bring teams of experienced coaches to work alongside and
coach existing college trainers, and help to further improve the colleges pedagogy, curricula and
program offerings where needed. Providers will work with the College Dean to improve the delivery of
support services (e.g., procurement, IT) and strengthen the colleges performance management system
(e.g. offering additional pay for performance).

These contracts will last for three to five years and will increase college performance through:

Assessing the college baseline performance and designing a comprehensive improvement plan

Providing personalized coaching of college trainers, leaders and administrative personnel

Delivering overall performance improvement including managing trainer and leader

performance, improving training programs and improving college processes and services

I would like to express my interest in working with George Brown College to apply for this project. The
scope of the project is attached below. This can be a great public relations opportunity as it will promote
George Brown as a provider of quality education in the region. Please, let me know if George Brown
College would be interested in developing a partnership.

Regards,
___________________

PROJECT SCOPE

The scope of services to be provided to colleges in this project has three main components:
College assessment and development of a detailed improvement plan
Coaching and training of college leaders and trainers
Improvement of overall college performance through delivery of improved processes and
services
1.1. COLLEGE ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVEMENT PLAN
In January and February 2015, providers who have been matched with a college will prepare a detailed
college improvement plan to be agreed upon with the college. To develop this plan, we expect providers
will need to baseline current college performance and have a sound understanding of the major
challenges facing the college. This effort should require on-the-ground data collection prior to the
official launch of the capability-building contracts. Provider employees on-site should conduct detailed
assessments of college performance across a variety of indicators as inputs into a detailed improvement
plan to improve the colleges performance. Additionally, a third party will conduct an independent
evaluation prior to the arrival of the provider that can be leveraged by the provider in the development
of their improvement plan. The baseline assessment must at a minimum cover all the dimensions of
college performance listed below:
1.1.1. Assessment of trainer coaching needs
Providers must assess each trainer on the dimensions of: content knowledge, teaching ability, technical
knowledge, will (dedication to the job), and any other dimensions deemed relevant by the provider.
To establish an understanding of the baseline quality of existing trainers along these dimensions,
providers will observe trainers in normal classroom/workshop settings, interview trainers regarding
their own performance, and interview students about their trainers. This assessment of the trainers
strengths and coaching needs will serve as the basis for a personalized coaching program to be
developed for each trainer and to be delivered by the providers coaches.
1.1.2. Assessment of leader and administrator coaching needs
Providers must assess college leaders and administrators on the dimensions of: competency, efficiency
and work ethic, will (dedication to the job), and content knowledge (overall school management for
Deans, relevant school service for administrative personnel). Providers should also answer whether the
leader is adequately fulfilling the responsibilities of his/her position and whether any changes need to
be made to his/her daily routine. To better evaluate the competence of current college leaders,
providers should identify the expected or best-practice roles and responsibilities of every leadership or
administrative position at the college and compare their analysis to the actual roles and responsibilities
being filled by the current occupants of each position. Provider coaches will then shadow college leaders
(including administrative personnel) in the course of their day-to-day activities to evaluate their

adherence to best-practice behaviors for their positions. This assessment of the leaders strengths and
coaching needs will serve as the basis for a personalized coaching program to be developed for each
leader and to be delivered by the provider coaches.
1.1.3. Assessment of readiness for change
Through interviews with leaders and trainers and on-the-ground observations, providers must assess
the enthusiasm of leaders and trainers for their own professional development and overall college
improvement. Providers should also make an effort to gain the buy-in of leaders and trainers for
professional development initiatives and continue to manage the change throughout the duration of the
capability-building program.
1.1.4. Assessment of student attitudes
To understand student perspectives on trainer quality and other elements of college performance,
providers must interview select students (either individually or en masse). Providers may also run
school-wide surveys to gain a quantitative understanding of student attitudes and perceptions.
1.1.5. Assessment of college budget and budgetary requirements
Providers must analyze the colleges budget to identify opportunities for cost savings or efficiencies
(e.g., strategic sourcing), as well as any additional spending needs (e.g., training, equipment) to facilitate
college improvement initiatives. Providers should also develop a plan to implement a sustainable
budget-planning process.
1.1.6. Assessment of current programs and curricula
Providers must analyze the colleges programs, courses, and curricula and compare these to bestpractice examples as well as the National Occupational Skills and Standards (NOSS) produced by Saudi
Skills Standards (SSS) to identify potential improvements. Providers should identify any new programs or
courses they would like to introduce as well as any programs or courses currently offered that they
believe should be discontinued. As providers implement new curricula, courses, and programs, they
must ensure these programs a) continue to be taught in Arabic and b) align with the most recent NOSS.
1.1.7. Assessment of training supplies and equipment
Providers must verify the inventory of supplies and equipment at each college and ensure all equipment
is in proper working order and is being used appropriately for training purposes (e.g., to ensure
equipment could not be better used for training purposes at another college). Providers should also
identify any equipment that needs to be repaired and any new supplies or equipment needed as part of
the college improvement initiatives.
1.1.8. Assessment of college facilities
Providers must assess the quality of college facilities (classrooms, workshops, offices, public areas,
toilets, grounds, etc.) to ensure they are in appropriate working condition and are well-maintained.
Providers should identify any facilities in urgent need of repair or renovation and budget the expense of

making the necessary renovations. Providers should also assess the quality of current maintenance and
cleaning services and identify the need for improved maintenance and cleaning services if required.
1.1.9. Development of college improvement plan
Based on their assessment of the above college performance factors, each provider must create a
detailed improvement plan for each college to improve performance. College improvement plans should
address each of the above factors separately and should consist of clear targets and actions with owners
and due dates. Plans should also include overall performance improvement initiatives and should serve
as a guide for the capability-building process over its three- to five-year duration, with a focus on the
first three years. The improvement plan will be developed in conjunction with the college and will be
verified and approved by the Saudi college. The improvement plan will be used as a basis for the
performance management of the provider over the course of the capability-building contract.
1.2. LEADER, TRAINER, AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF COACHING
Providers will be required to provide experienced coaching staff to deliver formal and on-the-job
coaching to leaders and trainers. The provider should expect that coaching must be provided in Arabic.
The number of coaches required should be suggested by the provider, who will be provided with
information on the number of students, trainers, and courses at the college. The provider should at a
minimum expect to provide a ratio of 1 coach for every 10 trainers, 1 coach for every 10 administrative
personnel, and 1 Partner Dean to work directly with the College Dean. For example, for a college with
100 trainers and 20 administrative personnel, the provider would be expected to implement a team of
at least 12 coaches and one Partner Dean.
1.2.1. Coaching of Trainers
Provider coaches will observe the trainers in their classrooms and workshops and train the trainers on
multiple dimensions, including: technical content knowledge, teaching technique, presentation skills,
lesson planning, and innovative methods for engaging students. Coaches will be expected to work with
only a limited number of trainers at a time and to dedicate multiple hours of one-on-one coaching time
weekly to each trainer. Coaches will also recommend specific training programs for each trainer based
on their skill level and training requirements. Coaches will assess trainer progress against key indicators
on a quarterly basis and share findings with college management. Coaches should clearly identify
trainers who are not progressing or not showing willingness to change so that these trainers can be
referred to the college.
1.2.2. Coaching of Leaders
Providers must also bring in coaches to improve the capabilities of college leaders (Dean, vice-deans,
section heads, etc.). Coaches will observe the leaders on a daily basis by attending meetings and other
functions with the leaders. Coaches will train the leaders on multiple levels, including: leadership and
management skills, people management, task management, work-planning, and work ethic. Coaches
should ensure that each leader is fulfilling all their expected roles and responsibilities for his/her
position and should identify any expectation that is not being met. Coaches should identify relevant
training programs for each leader based on their skill level and training requirements. Coaches will

assess leader progress against key performance indicators on a quarterly basis and share findings with
the College Dean. Coaches should clearly identify leaders who are not progressing or not showing
willingness to change so that these leaders can be referred to the governing body.
Providers must also bring in a new Partner Dean who will share day-to-day operational responsibility
and management authority with the College Dean. The Partner Dean will have his/her own line position
in the college organization and will be involved in all college management decisions (and will have final
approval in the case of disputes). The Partner Dean will be specifically responsible for procurement,
personnel, and curricular decisions. The Partner Dean will also personally coach the College Dean on
problem- solving strategies and frameworks, leadership qualities, public speaking skills, and task
management. The Partner Dean will be the primary assessor of the College Dean, and will regularly
report progress.
1.2.3. Coaching of other administrative personnel
Providers must also bring in coaches to improve the capabilities of college administrative personnel
(personnel responsible for budgeting, trainee services, procurement, facility management, etc.). These
coaches would be responsible for assessing administrative personnel content knowledge, work ethic,
and effectiveness in fulfilling the responsibilities of their position. The coach would then the train
personnel on subject knowledge for services they provide (e.g., hiring process and major employers for
those in career guidance or employer engagement), technical skills, time management, and any other
relevant areas indicated by the coach. Coaches will assess the progress of the personnel against key
performance indicators on a quarterly basis and share findings with the College Dean. Coaches should
clearly identify personnel who are not progressing or not showing willingness to change. Where
necessary services are lacking or very weak, the Provider will be expected to deliver those services in the
short term while preparing college personnel to deliver these services in the future. More detail on
college services can be found in section 1.3.5.
1.3. OVERALL COLLEGE PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT
1.3.1. Regular assessment of college performance
Providers must develop and institute a process by which college administrators and leaders meet
regularly to assess college performance. This process should include the KPIs to measure and analyze on
quarterly basis, the meeting schedule, composition of the performance assessment group, and a
framework for evaluating college performance and responding to performance trends.
1.3.2. Performance management of trainers
Providers must also institute a process to regularly assess trainers on their performance and quality
improvement. Performance management should include both qualitative and quantitative assessments
of trainer performance and should be used to identify performance bonus allocations, potential
interventions, and potential career progression opportunities. Providers should institute a sustainable
performance management process that can be conducted by a college employee without a provider
coach.

Providers must institute a system of performance management that incorporates student surveys and
an observation/assessment conducted by the trainers peers and leaders based on an objective
framework to be developed by the provider. Providers should prepare the student survey and peer
assessment framework to be used on an ongoing basis. Providers must also develop a performancebased incentive system with an objective method for calculating a trainers performance rating and
bonus based on transparent KPIs.
1.3.3. Performance management of leaders and administrators
Providers must also institute a process to regularly assess college leaders and administrators on their
performance and the improvement in the quality of their leadership and/or effectiveness. Performance
management should include both qualitative and quantitative assessments of leader/administrator
performance and should be used to identify performance bonus allocations, potential interventions, and
potential career progression opportunities. Providers should institute a sustainable performance
management process that can be conducted by a college employee without a provider coach. Providers
must institute a system whereby leaders are regularly assessed by one or more peers based on an
objective framework. Providers must also develop a performance-based incentive system with an
objective method of calculating a leaders performance rating and bonus based on transparent KPIs.
1.3.4. Improvement of training programs
1.3.4.1. Refinement of foundation program
Students enter the colleges at varying levels of academic performance and readiness, and many lack
foundational math and language skills. Most Saudi colleges currently offer a one-trimester foundation
program to improve incoming trainees basic math, science, communication/job readiness, and Arabic
language skills. Foundation program trainers will be coached by the provider as with all college trainers,
but providers will also be expected to evaluate and improve the core design of the foundation program.
Providers will be expected to observe and assess the course quality, improve the course curriculum and
daily lesson plans, and train the course trainers to better deliver the program. Providers should also
explore the possibility of expanding the foundation program to two trimesters for students requiring
additional support.
1.3.4.2. Introduction of new programs and courses
Providers will be expected to assess college program and course offerings and if necessary, identify new
programs to be introduced at the college (based on local employment needs and relevant NOSS) and
develop detailed course plans and curricula for the introduction of the program. Providers will also have
the authority to close programs and/or courses as they deem necessary.
1.3.4.3. Curriculum redevelopment and refinement
Providers will be expected to review the colleges curricula and to adjust if necessary to better adhere to
NOSS and meet international best practices. Providers may change training plans, course syllabi, the
timeline of lessons, learning materials, or any other element of the curricula increase effectiveness.

1.3.5. Improvement and expansion of college services and processes

Currently, most functional services (e.g., procurement, budgeting) are not performed at the colleges,
but are provided to the colleges centrally through other government bodies. To help colleges prepare
for eventual autonomy, providers will need to assess these services and help the college develop the
capability to perform them independently, without central support.
1.3.5.1. Procurement
Some colleges are experiencing issues with their contractors for key services, critically: cleaning, building
maintenance, security, catering, and transportation (especially critical for female students). In these
cases, providers will be expected to procure a new contractor for these services. Providers must also
develop a sustainable procurement process and train existing administrative staff on best practices for
procuring and managing contractors. Providers will also be required to identify new equipment and
learning materials in need of procurement and institute a process for regularly updating equipment in a
cost-efficient manner. In the short term, providers will be expected to obtain approval for significant
capital outlays.
1.3.5.2. Employer engagement
Providers will be expected to assess the colleges employer engagement function and develop an
employer engagement office if one does not already exist. This function should include a formal
outreach process to local employers with the goal of providing information on the college, building
relationships, creating official on-the-job training programs, and encouraging local employers to hire
graduates from the college. The employer engagement office should also help organize trainee site visits
to local employers to allow trainees to develop relationships and observe potential careers first-hand.
1.3.5.3. Career guidance and non-academic services
Providers will be expected to introduce services as needed to improve the trainee experience. One
critical service that must developed by the provider is career guidance for trainees. This service would
involve having counselors who offer personalized advice to local trainees on their education and career
paths based on the trainees interests and qualifications. Career guidance counselors should help local
trainees select their majors, find work placements, and eventually find full-time employment after
graduation. Career guidance should also include teaching trainees soft skills, including interview
preparation, resume writing, work habits, and personal finance, to help them find and retain jobs.
Other trainee services a provider may develop include extra-curricular activities (organized sports,
games, newspaper, student government, etc.), trips (to soccer games, malls, historical sites), and onsite
health clinics. Additional necessary services should be proposed by the providers based on their
previous experience with vocational and technical trainees and knowledge of international best
practices.

1.3.5.4. Budgeting process

Providers must design and implement a best-practice budgeting process to analyze the college budget
and identify wasteful expenses, project budgetary requirements, and prepare budgets for future years.
The process should include a budgeting plan to guide the budgeting process each year with key actions,
deadlines, and action owners. Providers will be expected to identify personnel responsible for budgeting
and train these personnel on the budgeting process (how to identify wasteful spending, how to project
future expenses, how to create a budget, budgeting templates, etc.) in order to prepare them to
manage the process independently in the future.

Exhibit

Core administrative services

Key administrative
support areas

Core administrative services

Facilities
management
services

Ongoing maintenance
Building repair
Equipment repair
Cleaning
Security

Operational
college services

Transportation
Catering
Extracurricular activities

Non-academic
student services

(e.g., sports, clubs, field trips)

Career guidance (e.g., major selection,
finding placements, soft skills)
Hardware delivery and support

IT services

Equipment
purchasing
and delivery

Software delivery and support

Connectivity
Procurement of equipment
(e.g., desks, blackboards)
Procurement of education materials
(e.g., books, writing materials)

Employer

Formal outreach program to local

Employers

engagement

Official on-the-job training for trainees

Trainee visits to local employers
Salary payment of trainers

Budget and
finances

Stipend payment to trainees

Sustainable budgeting process
at college level
Curriculum

Student
management
services

HR-related
services

Enrolment
Formal outreach program
to local students
Talent administration
Staff hiring
Staff promotions

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES
2.1. DETAILED COLLEGE ASSESSMENT REPORT (MARCH 2015)
In order to establish a performance baseline for each college, providers will be expected to submit a
detailed assessment report with quantitative and qualitative analysis of college performance. The report
should include college performance across key metrics (drop-out rate, trainee satisfaction, trainer
satisfaction, and employment rate). The report should also include written qualitative assessment of the
quality and performance of trainers, administrators, and leaders (with individual comment on each
employee); the quality of college services offered; the quality of facilities and equipment; the quality of
curriculum; the quality of basic administrative processes (budgeting, procurement, etc.); and the
willingness to change of college faculty. Clear guidelines for this report will be provided in the RFP.
2.2. DETAILED COLLEGE IMPROVEMENT PLAN (MARCH 2015)
Along with the assessment report, providers must submit a detailed improvement plan based on the
findings of the college assessment report. The improvement plan should clearly state the initiatives and
actions to improve college performance on each component of the college assessment report and
should offer clear KPIs that measure the desired outcomes (i.e., satisfaction scores, drop-out rates, etc.).
Each initiative should have a clear timeline and set of actions, and each action should have a deadline
and an action owner. The ministry of education will review and validate the college improvement plan
and monitor the providers adherence to the plan timelines and targets over the course of the
capability-building contract.
2.3. TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR TRAINERS AND LEADERS (JULY 2015)
After the assessment phase and three months of close observation during the beginning of the
capability-building program, providers will be expected to develop personalized training programs for
each trainer, leader, and administrator in the college. The training program should be written as a
vertical text document and should include an assessment of employee performance (including key
strengths and weaknesses) and a set of initiatives to improve the trainers capabilities (including how
many hours per week the coach will dedicate to trainer, training topics that will be covered, methods of
training, and the schedule of any proposed external training programs).
2.4. PLAN AND CURRICULA FOR NEWLY INTRODUCED PROGRAMS
(INCLUDING FOUNDATION PROGRAM) (JULY 2015)
If the provider decides to introduce new programs to the college, the provider must submit a detailed
program plan and curricula for the program for review and approval.
The program plan should include:
rationale for introducing the program, including evidence of labor market demand/employer
need
the courses and modules that would be offered in the new program,
draft curricula for these courses
an assessment of how the curricula correlates to National Occupational Skills Standard

All providers will be expected to submit an updated program plan for their colleges foundation
program.
2.5. REVISIONS OF EXISTING CURRICULA AND COURSE PLANS (JULY 2015)
Any revisions to the curricula for courses in existing programs should be documented and submitted for
review and approval prior to the introduction of the revised curricula at the start of the following school
year.
2.6. IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW SERVICES AND PROCESSES (SEPTEMBER 2015)
Providers will be expected to implement new services and processes at the college as detailed in section
4.3.5. Before implementation of the service or process, the provider must submit a brief report detailing
the service or process including:
1) Objective of new service or process
2) Provider investment in service or process delivery (personnel and SAR invested)
3) Projected outcomes (measurable targets)
4) Roll-out plan
2.7. REGULAR REPORTS TO MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
After providers receive approval for their college improvement plan, training programs, and
introductions of new programs and services to the college, they will be expected to keep the ministry of
education formally informed of their performance progress on a regular basis through the following
mechanisms:
2.7.1. College performance reports
Every trimester, providers must submit a performance report. Performance reports should include a
written qualitative assessment of overall college performance, including a summary of key changes and
improvements and status updates for the various improvement initiatives outlined in the improvement
plan. Performance reports should also include updated numbers for the following key metrics:
a) Financial performance (actual costs against budget)
b) Drop-out rates
c) Graduation rates
d) Student attendance
e) Student performance on SSS assessments
At the end of every school year, providers should submit a more detailed report, including an
assessment of the colleges performance, final levels for KPIs, and an overall forward-looking strategy.
2.7.2. Annual review of the college improvement plan
At the end of every school year, providers must submit a review of the college improvement plan with
all changes or updates from the original plan, if any.

2.7.3. Performance management reports for trainers and leaders

Every trimester, providers must submit performance management reports for each of their trainers and
leaders. Reports should be a summary of key trainings and topics covered with the coach and an
assessment of trainer/leaders performance, with a focus on specific improvements and continued areas
of strength or weakness.
At the end of every school year, providers should submit a more detailed report for each trainer/leader
covering how they progressed against expectations/targets and outlining improvement targets for the
following year.
2.7.4. Annual budget and review
At the end of each school year, providers should prepare a report comparing the actual financial
performance of the college to the colleges budget with explanations for significant deviations. The
report should also include a proposed budget for the following school year to be approved by ministry of
education. Any new proposed expenses should be explained in the report and tied to one of the key
initiatives in the college improvement plan. The budget report should also identify specific mechanisms
for further cost reduction.

FUNDING
In their RFP responses, providers will submit a proposed base payment and a proposed performancelinked payment. The base payment is an absolute amount in Saudi Arabian currency to be fixed at
contract signing and disbursed in equal monthly installments throughout the contract period. The value
of the base payment will remain constant over the duration of the contract, adjusting annually for
inflation. In typical cases, the value of the base payment should be approximately equal to the
providers average annual costs. The base payment will be guaranteed provided the provider has staffed
the agreed number of trainers and is not in default on the contract terms.
The performance-linked payment will be proposed as a separate absolute amount in Saudi Arabian
currency. This payment will be earnable and it will be calculated and paid annually. In the first year, the
provider will earn 100% of the payment solely based on timely provision of deliverables. In following
years, the provider will earn the payment based on completion of deliverables and improvements in
student outcome KPIs, likely including: SSS review scores, qualifications earned by trainers and student
post-graduate employment rates. The exact source of these KPIs and the calculation table for the
performance payment will be shared in the RFP.

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND EVALUATION

The ministry of education will be responsible for holding providers accountable to their commitments as
outlined in their proposal and subsequent deliverables. The ministry will review, syndicate, and approve
providers assessment reports and detailed college improvement plan at the beginning of the capabilitybuilding contract. All reports and deliverables that are part of the capability-building contracts must be
submitted to the ministry for review and approval. The ministry will conduct regular visits to the colleges
to tour the facilities, observe the classes and coaching sessions, and speak to the providers as well as the
college staff and trainees. The ministry will conduct both scheduled and unscheduled visits and may
engage other government entities (e.g., SSS) and third parties to provide independent assessments of
college performance. Providers will have the opportunity to receive a performance payment to be
added to their base payment as they make progress against agreed-upon KPIs.

FOREIGN INSTITUTIONS CURRENTLY DOING BUSINESS IN SAUDI ARABIA