Complex issue regarding supply of services to government funded initiatives. (And going Solo) Any advice appreciated

[QuintessentialShadows]

Last year I was approached by an organisation asking if I could teach Norwegian to foreign professionals currently in Norway for work (scientific and academic mostly).

I am paid 13000kr (approx £1400) for 3 weeks, 3 hours per evening, twice a week, which works out approximately 400kr (£45 per hour).

This organization charges 3000kr (£330) per person attending. We usually have 13 people attending, so to simplify, I get 1000kr per person and they get 2000kr.
They pay nominal rent on the teaching facility.

Now, my colleague was due teach a B1 course for them, and has started making the preparations for this. The Organisation is applying for government funding to provide the courses. (All stages we teach, from A1 to B1 standard) She has been copied in on all correspondance related to this by the funding body, and been forwarded the correspondence from our "employer", because she is down as The Supplier on the application.

The Organisation is stating on the funding application that they pay us 1100kr (£120) per teaching hour. So, nearly 3 times as much as they really pay us.

So, the reality then is that they are getting 2000kr per attendant for the course, while we get 1000kr. In addition, the government is funding them 1100kr per hour we teach, while we are paid 400kr per hour.

When my colleague saw they had put down fees nearly three times as high as reality, my colleague rang The Organisation to query it. They said "well, they are putting down the fee as 1100 per hour because that is how much the government is willing to pay, and if we want this salary, we just have to supply to the government direct"

And here comes the crux.
We can.

I am seeing my colleague next week to brainstorm how we can offer our own curriculum to the government body here who offers training to jobseekers and foreign nationals direct. This would provide a better contract, and possibly also much better working conditions, as we could work in the day rather than teach evening classes.

My colleague originally created the course material, as there is no Norwegian language materials in English, and we teach in English. I have since added the exercise booklet which I have made, and course structure, together with group exercises and role play, and special topics of social science relevance, and coursework based on these. The entire structure of the course is what me and my colleague have put together.

I think going it alone is a good idea. Would you work with people who are so "arsey" over your fees? Our fees are not high at all for what we do. In addition to the actual classes we teach, there is preparation and marking texts and exercises. I dont think they value what we do at all, but see it as a way of making money twice, first through the fees, and second from government funding.

I'm an accountant.
Since first year studentship we got used to our chargeout rate being three times what we got.
Have you costed in insurance (PII, PLB, continuity) CRB, travel, SSP, SMP, holidays, office / admin / copier / printing, data backups ?
When you actually start to do the maths as a business owner, you will soon see why freelancers are charged out at three times invoice.

Feel free to go it alone, but remember that a reputation lost is IMPOSSIBLE to get back in a competitive field

Currently, the Organisation does not provide any of the things you mention, aside from printing out the course materials. This is a couple of hours work, plus one ream of paper and ink. They also market the course and invoice the participants.
If we were to supply the course direct, the only thing we need to do, that we dont already do, is print out course materials.

so you have 5 million pub liab ins and 500,000 pii and 1,000,000 product insurance
rare to happen
but lose your home if it does

and are you happy to have NO earnings in August -makes shopping in September exciting , even after 12 years

Why do you assume I have no earnings in August?

if you are anything to do with the public sector, particularly education, that is the way of the world
had you not already realised ?
salaried staff do not notice such things
freelancers do

I am a freelancer already. It is my second job, in addition to my day job. I am hoping to get more work this way.

I am currently teaching every few weeks, when they set up courses.

By approaching public sector we hope to get more work, more varied work, and during the daytime rather than the evening. Working evenings in addition to daytime work is a pain in the butt, especially with young children.

Did you have a contract with the original 'emploey'? Make sure they don't have some 'hold/copyright' over your course materials.
One of my clients used freelance trainers who wrote course materials - my client 'owned' all materials written for courses sub contracted out. Iykwim.

Does the Norwegian public sector have a standard set supplier list and what do you have to do to get on it? In Scotland - all suppliers have to go through a tender process and have ISO 9000 blah blah's before they are even entertained. Not sure if Norway is as strict.

No, no contract is signed.

Hi QS,

I don't work in your field but I do provide services to government agencies. I am well known (and respected (I think )) in my field and have lots of contacts. However I do the majority of my work through other agencies, and get a reduced fee, in a similar way to the description of your current work.

In the area where I work, the vast majority of the work is awarded through a tendering process. Unless it is entirely specialist, and I think that I am virtually the ONLY person who can provide it, then I avoid tendering like the plague. In my area of work I have worked out that it is not worth my while to tender directly, and also it destroys my soul to have to go through the process!!

I have a couple of very good relationships as a supplier to bigger groups and I know how frustrating and time consuming it is for them to be involved in looking at tenders, responding, and taking responsibility for all the associated admin such as project management meetings, quality reviews and updates. I kind of just like the freedom of getting on with the work

I also know that one tender was assessed using a variety of economic criteria including the value of the contract as a percentage of the total income of the company.