Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Argyll and Bute Council
Kilmory
Lochgilphead
PA31 8RT
Contact
Christine Todd
christine.todd@argyll-bute.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 1546604239
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKM - Scotland
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00063
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
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
Business Gateway Argyll and Bute - One to Many and One to One Specialist Support Framework Agreement – 2023 – 2025-7
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 80500000 - Training services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The Council requires to establish a framework contract for the provision of specialist support to SMEs, across a variety of subjects and in a variety of ways.
Subject areas include: Marketing, PR, Digital (including DigitalBoost), Finance and Funding, Business Strategy - Growth & Resilience, HR, Internationalisation, Procurement & Supplier Management and an Intensive Growth Programme.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
Tenders may be submitted for all lots
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Marketing
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79342000 - Marketing services
- 79413000 - Marketing management consultancy services
- 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
- 79340000 - Advertising and marketing services
- 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services
- 79411100 - Business development consultancy services
- 79900000 - Miscellaneous business and business-related services
- 79996000 - Business organisation services
- 80510000 - Specialist training services
- 80522000 - Training seminars
- 80532000 - Management training services
- 80000000 - Education and training services
- 80500000 - Training services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM - Scotland
Main site or place of performance
Argyll and Bute
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Lot 1 - Marketing – developing a marketing plan, competitor and market analysis, customer profiling and segmentation, develeoping the marketing mix, reviewing and improving current marketing activity, branding and brand development, implementing offline marketing activity, choosing and briefing marketing contractors.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 80
Price - Weighting: 20
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
24
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Contract will be subject to extensions in 2025-26 and renewal in 2027.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: Yes
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
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
PR
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79416000 - Public relations services
- 79416100 - Public relations management services
- 79416200 - Public relations consultancy services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM - Scotland
Main site or place of performance
Argyll and Bute
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Lot 2 - PR – planning and delivering PR, storytelling and practical techniques for writing content (marketing literature, press releases, blogging), managing negative PR, reviewing and improving current PR activity choosing and briefing PR contractors.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 80
Price - Weighting: 20
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
24
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Contract will be subject to extensions in 2025-26 and renewal in 2027.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: Yes
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
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Digital (including DigitalBoost)
Lot No
3
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 72222300 - Information technology services
- 72223000 - Information technology requirements review services
- 79900000 - Miscellaneous business and business-related services
- 79996000 - Business organisation services
- 80510000 - Specialist training services
- 80522000 - Training seminars
- 80532000 - Management training services
- 92312212 - Services related to the preparation of training manuals
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM - Scotland
Main site or place of performance
Argyll and Bute
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Lot 3 - Digital (including DigitalBoost) – content management tools, website building, development and review, using social media for business, online trading. Planning digital marketing, social media platforms, improving website performance, SEO, digital and video content creation, app development and usage, new technologies. IT connectivity, cyber security, infrastructure and communication equipment, choosing and briefing contractors.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 80
Price - Weighting: 20
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
24
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Contract will be subject to extensions in 2025-26 and renewal in 2027.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: Yes
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
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Finance and Funding
Lot No
4
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 80522000 - Training seminars
- 80532000 - Management training services
- 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services
- 79411100 - Business development consultancy services
- 79900000 - Miscellaneous business and business-related services
- 79996000 - Business organisation services
- 80510000 - Specialist training services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM - Scotland
Main site or place of performance
Argyll and Bute
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Lot 4 - Finance and Funding – understanding book-keeping requirements and management accounts, financial analysis, mergers and acquisitions, financial business planning. Funding support - identifying the funding needed, different types of funding (traditional lending, public sector, venture capital, new funding models such as crowdfunding), supporting the preparation of a proposal/application. Tax obligations for SMEs, including self-assessment. Profit analysis, debt and winding up procedures.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 80
Price - Weighting: 20
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
24
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Contract will be subject to extensions in 2025-26 and renewal in 2027.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: Yes
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
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
HR
Lot No
5
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79414000 - Human resources management consultancy services
- 80000000 - Education and training services
- 80500000 - Training services
- 80510000 - Specialist training services
- 80532000 - Management training services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM - Scotland
Main site or place of performance
Argyll and Bute
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Lot 5 - HR – becoming an employer, managing staff, legislation, leadership, managing change, performance management, redundancy.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 80
Price - Weighting: 20
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
24
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Contract will be subject to extensions in 2025-26 and renewal in 2027.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: Yes
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
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Business Strategy - Growth & Resilience
Lot No
6
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 72221000 - Business analysis consultancy services
- 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
- 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services
- 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services
- 79411100 - Business development consultancy services
- 79900000 - Miscellaneous business and business-related services
- 79996000 - Business organisation services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM - Scotland
Main site or place of performance
Argyll and Bute
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Lot 6 - Business Strategy – Growth & Resilience – setting objectives and organisational goals, evaluating current performance, identifying and assessing opportunities, defining priorities, creating action plans to achieve growth and resiience and identifying the resources required.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 80
Price - Weighting: 20
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
24
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Contract will be subject to extensions in 2025-26 and renewal in 2027.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: Yes
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
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Internationalisation
Lot No
7
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 72221000 - Business analysis consultancy services
- 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
- 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services
- 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services
- 79411100 - Business development consultancy services
- 79900000 - Miscellaneous business and business-related services
- 79990000 - Miscellaneous business-related services
- 79996000 - Business organisation services
- 80500000 - Training services
- 80510000 - Specialist training services
- 80532000 - Management training services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM - Scotland
Main site or place of performance
Argyll and Bute
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Lot 7 - Internationalisation – preparing for export, choosing markets, identifying opportunities, international sales online, finding agents, distributors and suppliers, legislative requirements, importing.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 80
Price - Weighting: 20
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
24
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Contract will be subject to extensions in 2025-26 and renewal in 2027.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: Yes
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
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Tendering and Supply Chain
Lot No
8
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
- 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services
- 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services
- 79411100 - Business development consultancy services
- 79900000 - Miscellaneous business and business-related services
- 79990000 - Miscellaneous business-related services
- 79996000 - Business organisation services
- 80500000 - Training services
- 80510000 - Specialist training services
- 80532000 - Management training services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM - Scotland
Main site or place of performance
Argyll and Bute
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Lot 8 - Tendering and Supply Chain – understanding and preparing for the tender process (private & public sector), creating tender documents, analysis of tender feedback and improving bids, managing supply chains, expenditure analysis, sourcing suppliers, contracts and agreements, added value and community benefits.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 80
Price - Weighting: 20
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
24
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Contract will be subject to extensions in 2025-26 and renewal in 2027.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: Yes
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
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Intensive Growth Programme
Lot No
9
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 72221000 - Business analysis consultancy services
- 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
- 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services
- 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services
- 79411100 - Business development consultancy services
- 79900000 - Miscellaneous business and business-related services
- 79990000 - Miscellaneous business-related services
- 79996000 - Business organisation services
- 80500000 - Training services
- 80510000 - Specialist training services
- 80532000 - Management training services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM - Scotland
Main site or place of performance
Argyll and Bute
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Lot 9 - Intensive Growth and Resilience Programme – to help business owners achieve a step change in their approach through a short, structured, intensive programme of support. It should be aimed at businesses looking to increase their ability to cope with a changing business environment, including rising costs, and identify the right opportunities to develop to grow the business.
The programme should combine using a range of tools and techniques with expert support, and be tailored to participants, facilitating them to create a practical and deliverable approach to driving growth and sustainability in their business.
The programme should include the following key stages: exploration of current performance and evaluation of opportunities, identification of development priorities for selected opportunities, scoping requirement, confirming strategy and identification of further support for development
By the end of the programme participants should have defined the capabilities, capacity and resources needed to develop opportunities and build resilience, and be clear on their next steps to deliver. This will be supported by a 3-month review of progress and ongoing Business Gateway adviser support.
Where a requirement for additional expert advice of more than half a day on a topic covered by this framework is identified during the Intensive Growth Programme, a referral should be made via Business Gateway to the appointed supplier on the framework for that topic.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 80
Price - Weighting: 20
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
24
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
Contract will be subject to extensions in 2025-26 and renewal in 2027.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: Yes
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
three.2) Conditions related to the contract
three.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract
Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
Framework agreement with several operators
Envisaged maximum number of participants to the framework agreement: 9
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.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2022/S 000-032731
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
13 March 2023
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
13 March 2023
Local time
12:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: Yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published: Contract will be subject to extensions in 2025-26 and renewal in 2027.
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
NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=721906.
The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.
Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.
Community benefits are included in this requirement. For more information see: https://www.gov.scot/policies/public-sector-procurement/community-benefits-in-procurement/
A summary of the expected community benefits has been provided as follows:
The supplier must provide the following relevant Community Benefit information within 7 days of any request by the Council:
Community Benefit Requirements Non Evaluated community benefit information which are being provided to include the nature of the community benefit, the relevant response to the technical/quality question together with any relevant information on delivery or related timetable.
Delivery of community benefits will be monitored as agreed between the Council and the Supplier. The Council will seek evidence of delivery by an agreed method to allow the Council to report of those wider social and economic benefits.
Failure by the Supplier to deliver the outputs agreed may result in the Council imposing a penalty equivalent to the value of the Community Benefits that should have been delivered. This shall be invoiced to the successful supplier quarterly from the date of commencement and then every quarter until the end of the contract duration.
(SC Ref:721906)
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Oban Sheriff Court
Oban
Country
United Kingdom