PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN BY ULWAZI
Background
The Kouga Cultural Centre was built in 2002 but the local Municipality has found it difficult to bring the Centre into operation. In 2007, the Municipality called for proposals for a transaction advisor to explore the feasibility of developing a public private partnership to operate the Centre. A team led by Arcus Gibb and including Ulwazi was awarded the tender. The team’s work is divided into three stages. Stage 1A of the Feasibility Study includes a needs analysis, technical options analysis and service delivery analysis as to the feasibility of either an external or an internal management option.
Approach
The team met with the client at the outset of the project to confirm terms of reference, approach, work plan and timeframe; and with each other to confirm the components and their role in the study. Ulwazi was responsible for assessing the need and potential for the Centre to provide a venue for educational activities, in particular to assess the value of installing an interactive science centre in the unused basement of the Centre. The budget did not provide for any original research but did allow for consultations with staff of the municipality and some stakeholders.
For the needs analysis, Ulwazi confirmed the importance of strengthening education in science and technology in the region, established the role of a science centre to assist in meeting this need, provided a national and provincial context, and explored demand-side considerations such as the ability of a science centre to attract local learners, the local community and tourists. For the technical options analysis, Ulwazi confirmed that the building housing the Kouga Cultural Centre (above) is a worthy technology exhibit in its own right, that sufficient space can be created to establish and operate a science centre in the basement (see plan below), and that a science centre would be complementary to activities of an arts/cultural nature that might take place on the main floor of the Centre.
For the service delivery analysis, Ulwazi provided projections on staffing, marketing, operating costs and revenues; and made recommendations on possible sources of funding and institutional partners.
Ulwazi’s contribution to the study was integrated with those of the other team members.
The team is currently awaiting a decision from the Municipality on proceeding to Stage 1B.