EMPLOYMENT ONTARIO 2013-2014 Business Plan Guidelines For Local Board Funding docx

Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities EMPLOYMENT ONTARIO 2013-2014 Business Plan Guidelines For Local Board Funding TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 2013-14 Business Planning Introduction Changes being introduced for the 2013-14 LB Business Plan Section Instructions for 2013-14 Business Planning Writing your Business Plan Budget Submission……………… 11 Business Plan Submission 14 Appendix A Sponsors Application for Funding Appendix B 2013-14 Partnership Plan Appendix C Budget Forecast Appendix D SPF Budget Estimates Appendix E TCU Contact Information Local Boards 2013-2014 Business Planning Guidelines 1.0 2013-14 BUSINESS PLANNING 1.1 Introduction The Employment Ontario 2013-14 Local Boards (LB) Business Plan is to be completed by all organizations requesting funding for local planning activities as described in this document The following instructions will guide applicants on how to complete the business plan template provided 1.2 Purpose of Business Planning The purpose of the business plan is to describe how the organization plans to accomplish its goals, with agreement of the ministry, within an approved budget and timelines that end on March 31st of each year Once completed, the business plan will inform the responsibilities and activities as stated in your legal Agreement 1.3 Strategic Priorities for 2013-14 In 2013-14, the priority for local planning is to continue developing effective tools and resources at the local level that support the ministry’s strategic directions The following strategic priorities should therefore be reflected in your business plan:  Ensuring access to accurate, timely and relevant local labour market information, interpreted in the local context, as the basis for evidence-based planning and analysis  Supporting stronger linkages among local employment and community services and resources through a comprehensive process focusing on the full spectrum of client needs  Engaging employers to help identify local labour market issues and contributing to a better understanding of employment opportunities and workforce development needs in the community 1.4 Ministry responsibilities in business planning The guidelines and templates provided with this document will guide the applicant in completing the 2013-14 business plans Local Boards are strongly encouraged to consult with ministry staff during the development of their business plans; however each organization is responsible for completing activities identified in its business plan, within budget Upon receipt of the LB business plans, the ministry will carefully review each submission, assess proposed operational activities in relation to projected budget and make decisions regarding individual allocations Please note that local board funding for 2013-14 is expected to remain consistent with the base LB funding provided in 2012-13 Local Boards 2013-2014 Business Planning Guidelines 1.5 Changes being introduced for the 2013-14 LB Business Plan The ministry has introduced changes to Local Board deliverables through 2013-14 business planning process The changes are as follows: a) New due date for submission of the 2013-14 business plans For 2013-14 the ministry has aligned the business planning timelines for six Employment Ontario programs, including Local Boards The alignment resulted in a change to the due date for submission of completed LB business plans LB Business Plans are now due to the ministry’s regional office by 4:00 p.m on Monday, December 10th, 2012 The ministry requires the electronic submission of a signed business plan by the due date indicated Completed business plans must be printed and signed by your organization’s authorized signing officer(s) prior to submission It can be scanned and submitted by email as a PDF attachment to the ministry mail box address provided in Appendix E Please contact your MTCU consultant if assistance is required b) 2013-14 LB Business plans must include the 2013-14 LB Partnership Plan Whereas in the past Local Boards submitted partnership plans in June of the new contract year, for 2013-14, the LB partnership plan must be submitted as part of the 2013-14 Business Plan by December 10th, 2012 Local Boards will submit their 2013-14 Partnership Plans using Appendix B PLEASE NOTE: This means that the proposed partnerships in your 2013-14 business plans are no longer required to link directly to issues identified during consultations for the upcoming March 2013 planning report The partnerships proposed for 2013-14 may be linked to any of the following evidence and community-established priorities: a) Ongoing issues and needs identified by stakeholders in the previous year’s LLMP plan b) A proposed Phase or follow up to a partnership project undertaken in the current year c) Based on evidence and community consensus, an emerging employment or labour market initiative in response to recent changes in the local economy Applicants are strongly encouraged to consult with the ministry local offices in developing their 2013-14 partnership ideas The LB 2013-14 Agreement will identify your partnership commitments, upon approval by the ministry c) Partnerships proposed as part of 2013-14 business planning may be longer term initiatives, up to a maximum of three years For the 2013-14 business planning process, applicants for Local Board funding may undertake partnership initiatives that extend over multiple years, up to a maximum of three years Although, historically, Local Boards were required to complete all partnerships Local Boards 2013-2014 Business Planning Guidelines approved under the Operating Agreement within one year, more recently there has been some degree of flexibility regarding partnership timelines This is to clarify that the ministry will consider proposals for multi-year initiatives in the 201314 business/partnership plans, so long as the project(s) is broken down into distinct phases with identified measurable outcomes corresponding to the end date of each contract year Please note: The ministry can only commit to activities within the year covered under the current Agreement Funding for any subsequent phases of a project is contingent on future contracts The flexibility to propose multi-year partnership plan should not be interpreted as a commitment to multi-year operational funding d) The transition to a fall LLMP deliverable will be implemented during the 2013-14 year The due date for submission of the Local Labour Market Plan deliverable will be changed from March to October Under the 2013-14 Agreements, Boards will be required to submit an LLMP update to the ministry by October 14, 2013 There will be no requirement for a March 2014 LLMP deliverable For the October 2013 LLMP update, the Boards will focus on Employment Ontario and the broader support service network The priority will be on meeting the information needs of the local EO network, including related client supports and services in the community To facilitate this, MTCU will commit (for the October 2013 deliverable only) to providing local aggregate EO program/client data sets as the basis for the October update While a formal and comprehensive set of consultations will not be required, it is expected that for this update the Boards will consult closely with MTCU and EO service providers in the preparation of this report e) Employment Ontario Audit and Accountability Framework To further align Local Board financial reporting processes with standard practices for other Employment Ontario programs, Local Boards will be included in the Ministry’s Audit and Accountability framework in 2013-14 This change will be reflected in the Local Board 2013-14 Agreements The Audit and Accountability Requirements establishes the requirements for governance and controllership practices to achieve financial accountability for delivery by the organization The Starting 2014-15, Local Boards will be expected to produce a more comprehensive three-year Local Labour Market Planning report (with a three-year 2015-2018 outlook), to be submitted in October 2014 Boards will be required to produce annual updates within the three year cycle Community-wide consultations will only be a formal requirement for the three-year planning report/process Within the three year cycle, the Boards’ annual updates will include new data and provide relevant progress reports on the original plan, but formal consultations will not be mandatory Consultations would only be expected if warranted by the evidence Again, the implementation of a three year cycle for LLMP reports does not reflect the Ministry’s intent to provide multi-year funding for Local Boards Local Boards 2013-2014 Business Planning Guidelines Audit and Accountability Requirements form part of a legal agreement with the Ministry, through the incorporation of the required financial reports in the Schedule D of the agreement The addition of Audit and Accountability Requirements will affect the financial reporting schedule for Local Boards, moving the Boards from a semi-annual reporting schedule (midyear and year-end financial reporting (through “Actual Expenditure and Variance Reports”) to a new quarterly reporting schedule For 2013-14 Local Boards will be required to submit four quarterly “Estimate of Expenditure Reports” (EERs) This change has eliminated the need for a cash flow forecast in the Business Plan 2.0 INSTRUCTIONS FOR 2013-14 BUSINESS PLANNING 2.0 Business Planning Documents Your organization must submit one copy of a completed, signed business plan (PDF) electronically to the designated MTCU regional contact by 4:00 p.m December 10, 2012 A list of MTCU regional contact information for submission of the Local Board Business Plan is in Appendix E The ministry will review your submission and make decisions regarding the funding you will receive Funding levels are expected to remain stable and reflect 2012-13 Local Board base operating funding amounts The following templates form the required components of your completed business plan: Appendix A - Sponsors’ Application for Funding (Business Plan to be attached) Appendix B – 2013-2014 Partnership Plan Appendix C - Budget submission Appendix D - SPF budget estimates (if applicable) with separate proposal attached Appendix E - TCU regional mail box information for submission of your business plans 2.1 Applicant Information Please complete the organization’s name and contact information as per Section of the Sponsors’ Application for Funding form (Appendix A) You should list your organization’s legal name, number of employees, your business number (Canada Revenue Agency), incorporation number and HST rebate number in the relevant subsections in Section You are also required to list: o Names and titles of representatives authorized to commit the organization to a binding agreement o Names of the legal signing officers for cheque purposes o Number of signatures and combination of signatures required to sign a cheque Typically, these are Officers of the Board and not members of staff Local Boards 2013-2014 Business Planning Guidelines You will also be asked to identify the name of your auditing firm and a contact person within the firm Information is required on Sponsor’s application for funding form regarding your organization’s insurance coverage Please note whether or not you have:  Accident Insurance for employees (not required by the ministry)  Certificate of insurance  Officers and Directors’ liability insurance (not required by the ministry)  Workers’ Compensation (rate per $100) (not required by the ministry)  Non-owned automobile insurance 2.2 Certificate of Insurance The certificate of insurance should: Identify the Insured party as the person/company The policy will only cover the Named Insured on the policy Identify the Date of coverage, i.e the dates should be for the current year Each renewal of the insurance policy will require a new certificate to be issued Identify the additional insured (e.g the OPS) in language that is consistent with the language used in your agreement, e.g "Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Ontario, her Ministers, appointees and employees" This phrase should appear on the certificate face under a memo heading or special note box Identify the type and amount (minimum of $2,000,000 per occurrence of coverage set out in the contract or agreement, e.g Commercial general liability insurance is listed and is on an occurrence basis for $XX.X amount Identify all of the endorsements requested in your contract or agreement Include a statement that the certificate holder will be notified of any cancellation or material change within 30 days Include the signature of an authorized insurance representative 2.3 Writing your Business Plan Description of 2013-14 deliverables Attach a separate business plan in which you describe your planned activities, outcomes and timelines for achieving the Local Board deliverables as outlined below Please keep your descriptions brief The narrative should not be longer than two pages The business plan should include information on all the following categories, with relevant due dates (note: an incomplete business plan will be returned to the applicant): a) Local Labour Market Planning Update (report due October 14, 2013) Briefly describe your plan (no longer than two pages) to complete this deliverable by focusing on the following:  Proposed activities  Timelines – steps in the process  Expected results Local Boards 2013-2014 Business Planning Guidelines  Measuring success As noted earlier, the 2013-14 LLMP update is due October 14, 2013 The business plan description for this section should focus on how (including step by step timelines) you will: a) Update the eight base indicators and provide an interpretation of local employment and workforce changes (based on the June release of these data.) b) Identify the information and planning needs of the Employment Ontario network, including MTCU, as well as the broader support services in your community c) Include in your October report an overview and analysis of locally based aggregate EO program/client data sets provided to you by the ministry b) Partnership Projects As noted earlier, a 2013-14 Partnership Plan should be included in the 2013-14 Business Plans (using Appendix B) You are strongly encouraged to consult with the ministry prior to submitting the 2013-14 partnership plan In the description of your proposed 2013-2014 partnerships (four or six), please focus on the following:  Description of partnership activity  How this addresses issues/priorities in the 2012 LLMP report  Activities undertaken in the past related to this project  Timelines of the partnership – start date, end date and key milestones  For multi-year partnerships: project phases and corresponding annual outcomes of proposed partnership(s) that cross fiscal years  Partners expected to be involved  Expected results/outcomes of the partnership  The expected contribution from the operating budget to be allocated to the partnership  Measurement of success of the partnership Please note the following criteria for implementing partnerships:  The project must be led or co-led by the Board  50% of the partnerships must engage employers  Partnerships should address issues identified during the local labour market planning process  As much as possible, partnerships should align with and support Employment Ontario priorities  Where relevant and appropriate, partnerships should involve Employment Ontario service providers To be eligible for approval, Local Board partnership activities must address a local labour market issue or gap, supported by evidence and identified as a priority by community partners, under one or a combination of the following categories:  Local economic development - advancing local economic development priorities with a focus on the labour market  Human resource planning – working with employers to identify and meet their employment and skills needs  Employment Ontario – working with MTCU to engage and support the local EO service provider network Local Boards 2013-2014 Business Planning Guidelines   Reflect regional and/or local priorities - including where possible MTCU regional and local strategic priorities Involve a partnership – where at least two or more parties with compatible goals form an agreement to advance the local labour market Partnership information must be recorded in the Partnership Database once you have received approval from MTCU of your business plan Online partnership database records for approved 2013-14 partnerships must be entered into the database (www.workforceplanningontario.ca) by April 30, 2013 Please note: Partnership information must be updated in the database or the record closed at a minimum once a year, no later than March 31st Changes to Partnership Plan Local Boards are permitted to make minor changes to the project activities, partners and budget so long as the Ministry is notified of the changes If circumstances dictate that a major change is required to the scope of a partnership project, or if a partnership needs to be replaced, or there is a change to the completion date beyond March 31, 2013, Boards must obtain prior approval from the Ministry for the change a) Performance Measurement The Local Board Continuous Improvement and Performance Measurement System (CIPMS) is based on an understanding of results achieved, the underlying reasons for these results and the development of strategies for reviewing and adjusting activities on an ongoing basis CIPMS is a set of measures that provide the Boards with a multi-faceted picture of progress toward goals CIPMS Performance Indicators The CIPMS measures Local Board performance using seven (7) performance indicators The Board will be required to report on all these indicators using the appropriate CIPMS Feedback Summary Sheet For 2013-14 CIPMS reporting, Local Boards will only be required to collect and report data on stakeholder satisfaction with the LLMP update document Since consultations for the October 2013 update are an optional step in the process, it will not be expected that you provide CIPMS reports on consultations in 2013-14 In your business plan, please provide a brief description (no more than one page) of when and how you plan to collect data for the CIPMS indicators as follows: Quality and value of the LLMP report Participant satisfaction with partnerships Key partner satisfaction with partnership outcomes Capacity to leverage additional resources through community partnerships Involvement in partnerships beyond the minimum identified in the Operating Agreement CIPMS reporting on consultations will however be required in 2014-15, since formal consultations are considered a necessary step in the process of preparing the comprehensive three-year plan Local Boards 2013-2014 Business Planning Guidelines Level of stakeholder participation in sponsored activities Media placements NOTE: 1) All 2013-14 CIPMS results will be reported on one form (the 2013-14 CIPMS Reporting Sheet) and will cover ALL SEVEN (7) indicators The completed template for the 201314 CIPMS Reporting Sheet (the form will be provided to you by the ministry) is due to the Ministry by March 31, 2014 2) The 2013-14 CIPMS Reporting Sheet will also include (in the section provided on the sheet) a space to include a continuous improvement plan that identifies successes and improvement strategies on all seven indicators d) Organizational capacity Your business plan should address how organizational capacity and expertise qualify your organization to delivery activities proposed in your business plan You may use bullets or point form e) Environmental impact of proposed activities (if any) If applicable explain any potential environmental impact of your proposed activities f) Budget and Budget notes In the 2013-14 business plan, the Local Board should submit budget estimates and budget notes using these four major cost categories  Capital  Human Resource  Other Direct Operating expenditures, including consulting  Special Project Fund (if applicable) Please complete the budget template form provided by MTCU (Appendix C) A breakdown of estimated costs AND explanatory budget notes should be included with the business plan and submitted to the ministry by Monday, December 10, 2012 Budget estimates and budget notes should include any expected and/or committed revenue from other sources The budget breakdown will be subject to monitoring by the ministry Please note: Movement WITHIN approved cost categories is permitted Movement BETWEEN the four cost categories is only permitted with prior MTCU approval Local Board budget estimates and budget notes should include the following: Capital - Please include any planned capital purchases or leasehold improvements Local Boards 2013-2014 Business Planning Guidelines 10 Human Resources (HR) costs - The budget submission should include HR costs, including costs associated with staff wages & benefits, and the employer’s portion of mandatory employment-related costs a) Staff Salaries and Benefits You should list each position that will be supported in whole or in part through the Ministry’s contributions under the 2013-14 Operating Agreement A rationale for salary levels is required For each position, please include the position title, the number of hours worked per week, the position’s total annual salary & benefits, and where necessary, indicate what portion of the salary and benefits is to be covered by the 201314 Operating Agreement b) Professional/Consulting Fees The costs associated with professional/consulting fees will also be requested on the HR budget line, and discussed in the budget notes section of the proposal packet to be submitted to MTCU Other Direct Operating Expenses - Direct operating cost estimates should include: Overhead: Partnerships: Governance: Translation costs: Rent, equipment leases, phone/internet, materials + supplies, staff travel, training, printing, conference attendance, data purchase, marketing, audit, IT, insurance etc Incremental project or sponsorship estimates, not including staff time Director/Committee travel, meeting costs, training & development etc For reports, products or services Other: Ineligible costs The following costs are NOT eligible for funding:  Costs related to the purchase of liquor,  Entertainment costs  Costs related to out-of-province meetings, training or conferences;  Personal charges such as movies, bar services, etc.;  Interest charged on personal or business credit cards statements  Severance or terminations pay in lieu of notice When drafting your budget estimates for 2013-14, please keep the following guidelines in mind: Travel costs: HR policies should restrict the Board’s liability for payouts in the case of staff turnover For example, limits should be placed on carrying forward overtime leave, vacation days and sick time from year to year Ministry funding cannot be used to cover severance pay The Ministry reserves the right to negotiate its contribution to salary levels if, in the opinion of the Ministry, the proposed salary levels exceed ‘fair market value’ for individual positions The Board should have a procurement policy in place that ensures consulting contracts are awarded based on a fair and transparent process Local Boards 2013-2014 Business Planning Guidelines 11 When budgeting mileage costs for personal vehicles, please refer to the following suggested mileage rates: Kms Driven (per Southern Ontario Northern Ontario ($/Km) year) ($/Km) - 4,000 0.40 0.41 4,001-10,700 0.35 0.36 10,701 - 24,000 0.29 0.30 Over 24,000 0.24 0.25 Meal Allowances costs: In estimating budget costs for individual meal allowances, please refer to the following the suggested rates: Breakfast - $8.75 max Lunch - $11.25 max Dinner - $20.00 max Note: Operating funds cannot, under any circumstances, be used to reimburse the purchase of liquor, entertainment costs, or personal charges such as movies, bar services, etc Accommodation costs: In cases where there is overnight stay planned for meetings throughout the year, only estimates for the most reasonable hotel/motel accommodations available in the immediate area should be included Leasehold Improvements: Leasehold improvement expenditures and/or relocation costs must receive approval from the Ministry before being included in the business plan operating budget forecast g) Procurement Policy A copy of the Board’s procurement policy should also be attached to the business plan and submitted to MTCU h) Special Project Funding (SPF) – if applicable This budget category is reserved for projects that are initiated by MTCU and undertaken by one local board area on behalf of the entire network Examples of SPF projects are: maintenance of Local Boards’ provincial website and partnerships database, coordinated purchase of local labour market information and data sets and support for and evaluation of the local labour market planning process and products An SPF application must include budget estimates using Appendix D If applicable, the 2013-14 business plan should include a separate proposal outlining planned SPF activities, outcomes and timelines A Special Project Fund proposal must meet all of the following requirements:  Project idea and potential costs must be discussed ahead of time with MTCU;  Project idea and planned outcomes must respond to a need that benefits the Local Board network as a whole;  Project must include an evaluation component; Local Boards 2013-2014 Business Planning Guidelines 12  Project must be completed within the fiscal year in which it is being funded unless otherwise approved by MTCU Please note that the ministry expects to continue supporting existing SPF projects but will not entertain additional SPF proposals for 2013-14 2.4 Business Plan Submission Applicants are required to submit one electronic and one signed hard copy of the business plan to the Ministry contacts noted in Appendix E by 4:00 p.m Monday, December 10, 2012 The forms included with these instructions should be completed and attached to the Business Plan:  Appendix A - Application for Funding  Appendix B – Partnership Plan  Appendix C – Budget Estimates (with detailed Budget Notes attached)  Appendix D – (if applicable) SPF budget estimates (with separate SPF proposal attached) Supporting Documents You should submit the following supporting documents with your business plan:  A cover letter stating the organization’s intention to enter into an Operating Agreement with MTCU, and its commitment to follow through on all deliverables;  A list of the Corporation’s Board of Directors;  Most recent bylaws, code of ethics and conflict of interest guidelines;  Copy of your certificate of insurance with additional insured clearly identified as “Her Majesty the Queen….” (see page 7, Section 2.2 for proper wording);  Copy of Letters Patent;  Copy of the organization’s procurement policy for consultant contracts Local Boards 2013-2014 Business Planning Guidelines 13 ... TCU Contact Information Local Boards 2013-2014 Business Planning Guidelines 1.0 2013-14 BUSINESS PLANNING 1.1 Introduction The Employment Ontario 2013-14 Local Boards (LB) Business Plan is to be... allocations Please note that local board funding for 2013-14 is expected to remain consistent with the base LB funding provided in 2012-13 Local Boards 2013-2014 Business Planning Guidelines 1.5 Changes... Ministry’s intent to provide multi-year funding for Local Boards Local Boards 2013-2014 Business Planning Guidelines Audit and Accountability Requirements form part of a legal agreement with the