Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Newcastle University
Newcastle University, Procurement Services, Kingsgate
Newcastle
NE1 7RU
Contact
Mrs Natalie Morton
Telephone
+44 1912086396
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKC - North East (England)
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
one.1) Name and addresses
Durham University
The Palatine Centre, Stockton Road
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKC - North East (England)
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.1) Name and addresses
Northumbria University Newcastle
Newcastle
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKC - North East (England)
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.1) Name and addresses
University of Sunderland
Sunderland
Cheryl.Holmstrom@sunderland.ac.uk
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKC - North East (England)
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.1) Name and addresses
Teesside University
Middlesbrough, Tees Valley
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKC - North East (England)
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.1) Name and addresses
University of Bath on behalf of the SETsquared
Claverton Down, Bath
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKC - North East (England)
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract involves 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
(NU/1433-32) mignon.ai: Commercialisation of university research through provision of management skills to assist in successful spin-out company creation
Reference number
DN607269
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Newcastle University have developed a novel Artificial Intelligence (AI) microchip architecture which is uniquely underpinned by logic-based AI. The microchip named mignon was fabricated in early 2021 and this work was led by Dr Rishad Shafik and Professor Alex Yakovlev of the Microsystems Group, School of Engineering at Newcastle University.
The aim is to create a Fabless IP based spin-out company mignon.ai which will market and sell the design of customised hardware devices and semiconductor electronics systems all based on the mignon microchip. The company mignon.ai will develop and design the microchips and supply codes to clients to enable the synthesising of microchip, where all manufacturing of hardware will be outsourced. The team requires an experienced and appropriate business executive to progress this opportunity.
The initial brief of the executive will be to:
(1) Produce a viable 5 year business plan;
(2) Obtain university approval for the venture;
(3) a. Act for the company in the spin-out legal process and address all company formation matters;
b. Obtain founder academics’ and Newcastle University (including the Head of Company Creation) approval for appointment as CEO.
c. Provide to the appropriate university all matters necessary for Research England reporting requirements;
(4) Secure (venture capital and other) funding
Stage (5) will produce the funds by which the new start-up company can consider employing the executive going forward. It is expected, and the intent of the scheme, that the Executive will remain with the business following the end of the contract period. However, such appointment will be at the discretion of the board and appropriate university and will be subject to confirmation, typically at Stage 4 above.
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: £30,000
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKC - North East (England)
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Newcastle University have developed a novel Artificial Intelligence (AI) microchip architecture which is uniquely underpinned by logic-based AI. The microchip named mignon was fabricated in early 2021 and this work was led by Dr Rishad Shafik and Professor Alex Yakovlev of the Microsystems Group, School of Engineering at Newcastle University.
The aim is to create a Fabless IP based spin-out company mignon.ai which will market and sell the design of customised hardware devices and semiconductor electronics systems all based on the mignon microchip. The company mignon.ai will develop and design the microchips and supply codes to clients to enable the synthesising of microchip, where all manufacturing of hardware will be outsourced. The team requires an experienced and appropriate business executive to progress this opportunity.
The initial brief of the executive will be to:
(1) Produce a viable 5 year business plan;
(2) Obtain university approval for the venture;
(3) a. Act for the company in the spin-out legal process and address all company formation matters;
b. Obtain founder academics’ and Newcastle University (including the Head of Company Creation) approval for appointment as CEO.
c. Provide to the appropriate university all matters necessary for Research England reporting requirements;
(4) Secure (venture capital and other) funding
Stage (5) will produce the funds by which the new start-up company can consider employing the executive going forward. It is expected, and the intent of the scheme, that the Executive will remain with the business following the end of the contract period. However, such appointment will be at the discretion of the board and appropriate university and will be subject to confirmation, typically at Stage 4 above.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Ability to meet the required programme / Weighting: Pass/Fail
Quality criterion - Name: Ability to meet the Job description / Weighting: PASS/FAIL and 60%
Quality criterion - Name: Equity / Weighting: 15
Quality criterion - Name: Formal Appointment: / Weighting: Pass/Fail
Price - Weighting: 25
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: Yes
Identification of the project
Northern Accelerator programme involving funding from both the European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) and Research England
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Restricted procedure
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the setting up of a dynamic purchasing system
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: 2019/S 009-016574
Section five. Award of contract
Contract No
NU/1433-32
A contract/lot is awarded: Yes
five.2) Award of contract
five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
4 July 2022
five.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 3
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 3
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 3
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 3
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
five.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Cambridge Future Tech
10 Trafalgar Road
CB4 1EU
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
- UKC - North East (England)
The contractor is an SME
No
five.2.4) Information on value of contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Total value of the contract/lot: £29,040
Section six. Complementary information
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Newcastle University
Tyne and Wear
NE1 7RU
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures
Newcastle University
Tyne and Wear
NE1 7RU
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
The University will incorporate a standstill period at the point information on the award of the
contract is communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the
award decision. The standstill period, which will be for a minimum of 10 calendar days,
provides time for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the
contract is entered into.
The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (SI 2015 No 102) provide for aggrieved parties who
have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High
Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) within 30 days of knowledge or constructive
knowledge of breach.
six.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Newcastle University
Tyne and Wear
NE1 7RU
Country
United Kingdom