Awarded contract

Professional Services CSConnected Srength In Places Fund (SIPF)

  • Cardiff University

F03: Contract award notice

Notice reference: 2024/S 000-010125

Published 27 March 2024, 4:38pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Cardiff University

Procurement Services, McKenzie House, 30-36 Newport Road

Cardiff

CF24 0DE

Email

procurement@cardiff.ac.uk

Telephone

+44 2920879648

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKL - Wales

Internet address(es)

Main address

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/business/why-work-with-us/for-suppliers

Buyer's address

https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA0258

one.2) Information about joint procurement

The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Body governed by public law

one.5) Main activity

Education


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Professional Services CSConnected Srength In Places Fund (SIPF)

Reference number

CU.1226.JO

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 98000000 - Other community, social and personal services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

The CSconnected Strength in Places Fund project (‘CSconnected SIPF’) is seeking a Provider to deliver a range of professional services that will support the South Wales semiconductor community in its next stages of evolution and growth. Initial Funding is until 30 April 2025 and is circa GBP1.8m. Estimated value includes all contract options.

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

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

Value excluding VAT: £1,597,557.50

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
  • 31711000 - Electronic supplies
  • 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKL22 - Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan
Main site or place of performance

South Wales

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The CSconnected Strength in Places Fund project (‘CSconnected SIPF’) is seeking a Provider to deliver a range of professional services that will support the South Wales semiconductor community in its next stages of evolution and growth.

CSconnected SIPF is a large-scale project part-funded under the UK Research and Innovation’s Strength in Places Fund (SIPF). The project consortium consists of 12 Partners across; Higher Education Institutions, Research Technology Organisations, Industry Partners and Civic Bodies.

Key long-term objectives of the CSconnected SIPF investment are to encourage exploitation of compound semiconductor research and development, and innovation in technologies and know-how in South Wales, and to support high-quality, sustainable skills and job creation in South Wales to underpin regional economic growth.

We are seeking to appoint an organisation to independently represent and develop the South Wales compound semiconductor community, professionally promoting the interests and capabilities of organisations within this community to UK and global audiences.

This Services contract is intended to pump-prime an organisation to position itself as a self-sustaining entity to maintain ‘CSconnected’ beyond the end of the SIPF project. The end of this period is anticipated to be 30 April 2025.

Core services required include extensive relationship management (coordinating activities and strategy, offering a “collective voice of the community”), a comprehensive marketing and communication function, alongside events management, and skills development and outreach activities.

These functions should be co-located in Cardiff Capital Region of South Wales, open to Partners and visitors. Services should operate effectively to support the virtual and physical connection of multiple, distributed Partner sites under a coherent ‘cluster’ brand and operational model.

The appointed Provider must have experience of working in the semiconductor sector and be capable of delivering well-informed and credible support to a diverse stakeholder base.

A strong foundation the of services described has been developed through contributions of staff (particularly at IQE plc) and more recently by a small team of staff employed at Cardiff University with SIPF funds. It should therefore be noted that TUPE may apply to this services contract.

Estimated Value is based upon all options to extend, current funding is for initial duration and is circa GBP1.8m.

All procurement documents will be available free of charge via the University's e-tendering portal: In-Tend

https://in-tendhost.co.uk/cardiffuniversity/

DOCUMENTS ONCE RELEASED; MUST BE ACCESSED AND SUBMISSIONS MADE VIA THIS PORTAL.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 80

Price - Weighting: 20

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.2.14) Additional information

Link to further information relating to CSconnected SIPF; https://csconnected.com/projects/projects/csconnected-sipf/


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.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure

Notice number: 2023/S 000-036215


Section five. Award of contract

Contract No

CU.1226.JO

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

14 March 2024

five.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 1

Number of tenders received from SMEs: 1

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

Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 1

Number of tenders received by electronic means: 1

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

five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

CSconnected Limited

@CSA Catapult Innovation Centre, Imperial Park, Celtic Way

Newport

NP108BE

Telephone

+44 7733368930

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UK - United Kingdom
The contractor is an SME

Yes

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

Total value of the contract/lot: £1,597,557.50


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

(WA Ref:140289)

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

High Court

Royal Courts of Justice, The Strand

London

WC2A 2LL

Telephone

+44 2079477501

Country

United Kingdom