Contract

ACE 614 ITT - Framework Of Financial Advisors For Arts And Culture Repayable Finance

  • Arts Council England

F03: Contract award notice

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-008096

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04b31e (view related notices)

Published 5 March 2025, 4:05pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Arts Council England

The Hive, 49 Lever Street

Manchester

M1 1FN

Email

procurement.services@artscouncil.org.uk

Telephone

+44 1619344317

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/supplying-arts-council

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Body governed by public law

one.5) Main activity

Recreation, culture and religion


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

ACE 614 ITT - Framework Of Financial Advisors For Arts And Culture Repayable Finance

Reference number

ACE 614 ITT

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 79211000 - Accounting services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Arts Council England are conducting a Procurement for a Framework of Financial Advisors to support with the administration of the Cultural Recovery Fund loans programme.

As part of the government’s response to the Covid 19 crisis, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) made 37 loans to arts and culture organisations, investing £250 million. DCMS are the Lender for the loans, and Arts Council acts as their loan agent. A dedicated repayable finance team manages the day-to-day responsibility of the loan book management, monitoring, and reporting. From time to time, ACE requires an independent and impartial review of a borrower organisation and its financial model to support our decisions regarding their loans - referred to as Financial Advisors.

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: Yes

two.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)

Value excluding VAT: £166,666.67

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Lot 1: will cover Level 1 borrower organisations (typically small to medium sized arts and culture organisations, with a turnover of roughly under £15 million)

Lot No

1

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 79212500 - Accounting review services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance

UNITED KINGDOM

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Lot 1: will cover Level 1 borrower organisations (typically small to medium sized arts and culture organisations, with a turnover of roughly under £15 million). Other factors such as: the nature of the lender’s (DCMS) security documentation, structure of the borrower organisation, and any other debt belonging to the borrower organisation, will all affect the complexity of the review, and classification of borrower organisations into the lots by the project team.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Quality Technical / Weighting: 90

Cost criterion - Name: Commercial / Weighting: 10

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

Subject to funding and budget approval, ACE may extend the contract by 2 periods of up to 12 months each, therefore the maximum contract end date is 23rd February 2029.

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.2.14) Additional information

To respond to this opportunity please click here: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/565EGV5477

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Lot 2: will cover Level 2 borrower organisations (typically large arts and culture organisations, with a turnover of roughly £15 million or above)

Lot No

Lot 2

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 79212500 - Accounting review services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom
Main site or place of performance

UNITED KINGDOM

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Lot 2: will cover Level 2 borrower organisations (typically large arts and culture organisations, with a turnover of roughly £15 million or above). Other factors such as: the nature of the lender’s (DCMS) security documentation, structure of the borrower organisation, and any other debt belonging to the borrower organisation, will all affect the complexity of the review, and classification of borrower organisations into the lots by the project team.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Quality Technical / Weighting: 90

Cost criterion - Name: Commercial / Weighting: 10

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

Subject to funding and budget approval, ACE may extend the contract by 2 periods of up to 12 months each, therefore the maximum contract end date is 23rd February 2029.

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 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

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: 2024/S 000-035401


Section five. Award of contract

Title

ACE 614 ITT - Framework Of Financial Advisors For Arts And Culture Repayable Finance

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

20 February 2025

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 2

Number of tenders received from SMEs: 2

Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0

Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 0

Number of tenders received by electronic means: 2

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

Festivals and Events International Ltd

International House, 36-38 Cornhill

London

EC3V 3NG

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UK - United Kingdom
National registration number

06434297

The contractor is an SME

Yes

five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)

Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: £166,666.67

Total value of the contract/lot: £166,666.67

five.2.5) Information about subcontracting

The contract is likely to be subcontracted

Value or proportion likely to be subcontracted to third parties

Proportion: 5 %

Short description of the part of the contract to be subcontracted

Insolvency practitioner if required - Begbies Traynor Group Plc (company reg 05120043)


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

To view this notice, please click here:

https://www.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=931466015 GO Reference: GO-202535-PRO-29658573

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Royal Courts of Justice

Strand

London

WC2A 2LL

Country

United Kingdom