Contract

XpoNorth Digital

  • Highlands and Islands Enterprise

F03: Contract award notice

Notice identifier: 2022/S 000-021539

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-032865

Published 5 August 2022, 12:00pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Highlands and Islands Enterprise

An Lòchran, 10 Inverness Campus

Inverness

IV2 5NA

Email

hieprocurement@hient.co.uk

Telephone

+44 1463245245

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKM6 - Highlands and Islands

National registration number

313

Internet address(es)

Main address

http://www.hie.co.uk

Buyer's address

http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00313

one.2) Information about joint procurement

The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Regional or local Agency/Office

one.5) Main activity

Economic and financial affairs


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

XpoNorth Digital

Reference number

FTS017

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 79411100 - Business development consultancy services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

THIS IS A CONTRACT AWARD NOTICE AND AS SUCH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS IS COMPLETE.

The XpoNorth Digital contract is delivered under the Northern Innovation Hub (NIH): the NIH is part of the Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal - a joint initiative supported by GBP315m investment from the UK and Scottish governments, The Highland Council, HIE and the University of the Highlands and Islands.

The XpoNorth Digital programme has the specific intention of supporting businesses to develop digital practices and to maximise exploitation of the crowd economy.

The services will be required from 1 August 2022 for an initial period of 2 years (until 31 July 2024), with HIE having the option to extend two times for a period or periods together not exceeding 1 year following the Initial Term (2+1+1 years - latest potential expiry date: 31 July 2026).

The initial 2-year budget currently available to deliver this service was between GBP 438,000 and GBP 732,000 (excluding VAT). The budget includes funding from HIE to allow the services to be delivered across the whole Highlands and Islands region, although the volume of clients outside of the Highland Council area is currently limited due to funding.

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: £1,327,240

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services
  • 73220000 - Development consultancy services
  • 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services
  • 80510000 - Specialist training services
  • 80570000 - Personal development training services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKM6 - Highlands and Islands

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The programme of activity will work with clients to:

-Increase the impact of the crowd economy in the region – more effectively using consumers to buy, to test new ideas on and to promote the business / organisation/community.

-Assess opportunities for digital innovation around the individual clients’ current business.

-Support the planning, development and delivery of new immersive content and experiences to engage consumers more effectively.

-Encourage and support the development of new digital business models for the creative sector, including the use of platforms such as Patreon.

-Access networks training and advice to maximise exploitation of IP and other assets digitally.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion - Name: Cyber Security / Weighting: Pass/Fail

Quality criterion - Name: Management and Delivery Methodology / Weighting: 20%

Quality criterion - Name: Management and Delivery team - Core Team / Weighting: 15%

Quality criterion - Name: Additional Resources / Weighting: 10%

Quality criterion - Name: Added Value / Weighting: 10%

Quality criterion - Name: Community Benefits / Weighting: 5%

Price - Weighting: 40%

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

HIE may require the supplier to provide additional services. Any such modification shall be in terms of Regulation 72 of Please see the Scope of Requirements for further details.

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

Economic operators may be excluded from this competition if they are in any of the situations referred to in Regulation 58 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.


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: 2022/S 000-008650


Section five. Award of contract

Contract No

FTS 017

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

five.2) Award of contract

five.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

19 July 2022

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

Ironworks Venue Limited

Inverness

IV3 5PR

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code
  • UKM - Scotland
National registration number

Forbes House, 36 Huntly Street

The contractor is an SME

Yes

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

Total value of the contract/lot: £1,327,240


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

The total value of the services over the maximum 4 years is 1,327,240 GBP (excluding VAT). This is the figure that has been used in II.1.7 & V.2.4.

(SC Ref:699660)

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Inverness Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court

The Inverness Justice Centre, Longman Road

Inverness

IV1 1AH

Email

inverness@scotcourts.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 1463230782

Country

United Kingdom

Internet address

https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/the-courts/court-locations/inverness-sheriff-court-and-justice-of-the-peace-court

six.4.3) Review procedure

Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures

An economic operator that suffers, or is at risk of suffering, loss or damage attributable to a breach of duty under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 or the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 , may bring proceedings in the Sheriff Court or the Court of Session.