Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Belfast City Council
Adelaide Exchange, 24-26 Adelaide Street
Belfast
BT2 8GD
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKN06 - Belfast
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.3) Communication
Additional information can be obtained from 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
Pre - Market Engagement to inform Belfast City Council’s Proposed Strategy for Procuring Enterprise and Business Growth Services
Reference number
T2214
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 80500000 - Training services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The purpose of this Prior Information Notice is to notify the market of Belfast City Council’s intention to hold a pre-market engagement with interested parties to help shape and inform the development of the Council’s strategy for procuring enterprise and business growth services.
The scope of these services includes activity currently delivered across four thematic areas, including starting a business, social economy, growing a business and investing in Belfast (each described further below). Each thematic area may comprise of a range of projects or initiatives, each with their own area of focus and expertise to help individuals, entrepreneurs, businesses or investors across each of the themes:
1) STARTING A BUSINESS - Outreach and awareness raising activity targeting a wide variety of individuals or groups with ideas who want to start or grow a business or social enterprise. Through start a business activity we also target ambitious entrepreneurs who want to either start a new venture or grow the business they’ve been building for the last two years. A range of services and programmes provide support to small scale businesses , high-tech businesses , social enterprises , city centre businesses with specific needs and university undergraduates.
SUPPORT OFFERED - The Council would help would-be entrepreneurs go out on their own without having to go it alone by supporting them with specialist incentives and advice. The Council helps new businesses get started and get bigger, better, sooner by providing general and sector specific advice and support.
2) SOCIAL ECONOMY - Organisations or individuals who have aspirations to establish enterprises in the social economy sector. Through tailored support social enterprises and cooperatives can access advice and guidance to generate ideas, business plan, learn from peers, attend workshops and access finance.
SUPPORT OFFERED - The Council supports the creation, development, and sustainability of social enterprises.
3) GROWING A BUSINESS - Businesses that have been in existence for at least two years. They know what they’re doing, but they also know they need specific help with growth issues that they don’t have in-house skills or insight to manage.
SUPPORT OFFERED - The Council provides support to help businesses grow. The Council helps them to expand by plugging them into our professional networks. We encourage export-curious businesses to think outside the country.
4) INVESTING IN BELFAST - Organisations or individuals brought to the city by Invest Northern Ireland, or who are independently exploring the possibility of locating here.
Businesses looking to physically develop or expand their existing investment/premises.
SUPPORT OFFERED - The Council makes Belfast an easier and more attractive place to do business for companies who are based elsewhere. The Council adds value, extends a helping hand and offers valuable insight. The Council also opens doors for investors opening or expanding businesses.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £4,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKN06 - Belfast
Main site or place of performance
Belfast, Northern Ireland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The purpose of this prior information notice is to notify the market of Belfast City Council’s proposed strategy for procuring enterprise and business growth services. As part of this process Belfast City Council will host a pre-market engagement consultation on the 1st April 2022 to provide further detail to interested parties of the proposed procurement strategy and to gather information and feedback from the market which will be used to inform the finalisation of the Council’s procurement approach and structure.
The procurement(s) will help support the Enterprise and Business growth Unity to deliver the councils key strategic ambitions as set out in the Belfast Agenda 2015-2035. The Belfast Agenda outlines our priorities for action and aims to support inclusive growth and improved services for residents and businesses. Growing the Economy is a key priority of the agenda, which acknowledges that a thriving and prosperous economy is the engine of change for our city and a critical contributor to other priorities that we wish to achieve.
In 2017, Belfast City Council, in partnership with city stakeholders developed the Enterprise Framework for Belfast. This framework sets out the ambition for the city to be a great place to start and grow a business. It also outlines the steps to be taken for Belfast to be “recognised for its diverse community of entrepreneurs, who benefit from a comprehensive, planned and coherent system of enterprise support, which fulfils their needs at all stages of the business growth life-cycle”. Developed in partnership with citywide stakeholders, this framework recognises the need for a strong entrepreneurial culture and a vibrant and productive business base that is supported by an enterprise system that is dynamic, accessible and reflective. The implementation of a new procurement approach for enterprise and business growth services will play a key role in enabling Belfast City Council to put in place a range of flexible support services to enable the growth and development of entrepreneurs and businesses based in Belfast.
Belfast City Council therefore seeks to gather information from the market, which will help inform how the procurement(s) will be structured and managed.
The Council will be holding a consultation session on 1st April 2022 via MS Teams. Anyone interested in attending this session is required to register their interest by e-mailing Rachel Crothers at crothersr@belfastcity.gov.uk no later than COP 30th March 2022. A maximum of 2 individuals per organisation can register to attend, further detail will be issued to registered attendees in advance of the session.
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
1 June 2022
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
The Council will be holding a consultation session on 1st April 2022 via MS Teams. Anyone interested in attending this session is required to register their interest by e-mailing Rachel Crothers at crothersr@belfastcity.gov.uk no later than COP 30th March 2022.