Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Suffolk County Council
Endeavour House, Russell Road
IPSWICH
IP1 2BX
Contact
Michelle Youngs
michelle.youngs@suffolk.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 1473265789
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKH14 - Suffolk
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
VCFSE Infrastructure Services
Reference number
CD1441
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 98133100 - Civic betterment and community facility support services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Suffolk County Council is committed to supporting a thriving Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector in the county to enable it to continue providing key services for the people of Suffolk. The Council intends to procure an infrastructure support service for the VCFSE sector starting on 1st October 2025. The contract period will be for 3 years (1st October 2025 – 30th September 2028) with the option to extend for up to a further 3 years. The maximum total contract value (including the extension period) is £1,848,000 excluding VAT. The submission deadline is 10th March 2025 at 12noon.Please note this procurement and the subsequent contract will fall under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £1,848,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKH - East of England
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Suffolk County Council is committed to supporting a thriving Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector in the county to enable it to continue providing key services for the people of Suffolk. The Council intends to procure an infrastructure support service for the VCFSE sector starting on 1st October 2025. The contract period will be for 3 years (1st October 2025 – 30th September 2028) with the option to extend for up to a further 3 years. The maximum total contract value (including the extension period) is £1,848,000 excluding VAT. The service will cover:- Advice, support and training: Prioritising programmes addressing specific needs such as funding, business governance and safeguarding- Digital adoption: Supporting organisations with tools for fundraising, marketing and AI integration.- Volunteer management: Promotion and support through 'Volunteer Suffolk'.- Resource and funding: Sector-wide audits and alignment with health outcomes- Joint training and workshops: Collaborative learning opportunities between VCSFE and commissioners, with an emphasis on coproduction- Monitoring and evaluation: Support to improve the sector's impact and service delivery.- Annual State of the sector survey and reportThe submission deadline is 10th March 2025 at 12noon.Please note this procurement and the subsequent contract will fall under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £1,848,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 October 2025
End date
30 September 2031
This contract is subject to renewal
No
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
10 March 2025
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Tender must be valid until: 1 October 2025
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
10 March 2025
Local time
12:01pm
Place
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
six.3) Additional information
If the Contracting Authority identifies that the scope of this procurement falls within a business sector which may be attractive to infiltration by organised crime groups, the Contracting Authority reserves the right to include enhanced probity checks/requirements at the award stages of the procurement.
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Suffolk County Council
Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road
Ipswich
IP1 2BX
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
Suffolk County Council incorporates a minimum 10 calendar day standstill period from the point at which information on the award of contract is communicated to tenderers. This period allows unsuccessful tenderers to seek further debriefing from the contracting authority before the contract is entered into. If an appeal regarding the award of contract has not been successfully resolved: The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 as amended provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or at risk of harm by a breach of the rules, to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) Any such action must be brought promptly.)