Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
North Lanarkshire Council
Civic Centre, Windmillhill Street
Motherwell
ML1 1AB
corporateprocurement@northlan.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKM84 - North Lanarkshire
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/
Buyer's address
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00010
one.1) Name and addresses
South Lanarkshire Council
Council Headquarters, Almada Street
Hamilton
ML3 0AA
procurement_service@southlanarkshire.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKM95 - South Lanarkshire
Internet address(es)
Main address
http://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk
Buyer's address
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00410
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract involves joint procurement
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
Business Support and Expert Help Services 2025 – 2029
Reference number
NLC-CPT-24-057
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
North Lanarkshire Council in partnership with South Lanarkshire Council are seeking to appoint a range of skilled business consultants across a variety of disciplines to deliver business support and expert help consultancy services for Lanarkshire based SME’s in addition to the support delivered via the core Business Gateway Lanarkshire service.
Business Gateway Lanarkshire is a publicly funded, nationally branded service that provides free business support and impartial advice for start-up and existing businesses based in Scotland. The delivery of the Business Gateway service across Scotland is managed by local government. In Lanarkshire the lead local authority North Lanarkshire Council, works in partnership with South Lanarkshire Council to manage the delivery across Lanarkshire.
This approach detailed within this Prior Information Notice will augment the support delivered via the core Business Gateway Lanarkshire service and other business support mechanisms provided by the councils; it does not duplicate any business support that is available via the above support streams.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services
- 79411100 - Business development consultancy services
- 80510000 - Specialist training services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM84 - North Lanarkshire
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Following the expiry of the current arrangements in March 2025, it is proposed that a new framework agreement will be developed and competitively procured that will result in Lanarkshire based businesses having access to support and advice in the form of:
-1-2-1 Expert Help Support;
-Training Workshops; and
-Surgeries
It is proposed that a new approach to deliver support to Lanarkshire businesses (at all stages including pre-start, new start and existing) by way of access to suitably qualified consultants and professional bespoke advice and support, focused on sustainability and growth areas such as:
-reviewing existing processes, strategies, policies or plans;
-supporting businesses to improve these accordingly or to introduce new processes, strategies, policies or plans as required;
-Introduce new products or services; and
-Reach new markets
At present, it is anticipated that any framework agreement procured would comprise of eight individual Lots, as outlined below.
-Business Financial Management;
-Business Growth and Development;
-Human Resources, Leadership and Skills;
-Procurement;
-Marketing;
-Information Technology and Digital;
-Energy Efficiency and Net Zero; and
-New Market Opportunities and Internationalisation
The overarching aim of this proposed framework agreement is to better equip local businesses to sustain, grow, innovate, increase turnover and profitability, creating more local jobs and outputs for the Lanarkshire economy.
The framework agreement is anticipated to have a maximum total value of 1,400,000 GBP with an individual budget allocated to each lot which is yet to be determined. It is anticipated that the total budget applied to the framework agreement would support circa 2,400 businesses throughout its full term.
Currently, it is proposed that the framework agreement is scheduled to commence on 01 April 2025 with a total term of four years made up of four individual 12 month periods.
To meet the proposed commencement date detailed above, it is anticipated that the invitation to tender package will be published in late September / early October 2024.
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
27 September 2024
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
Potential suppliers interested in finding out more about this opportunity are invited to attend an online supplier engagement meeting on the 12 September 2024 at 2pm. Registration for this event can accessed via the following link (copy and paste into your browser):
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The proposed procurement process, scope, budget etc.. detailed within this Prior Information Notice are all subject to adequate funding being received and therefore subject to change as the project evolves.
The Council may amalgamate and anonymise data obtained via this Prior Information Notice and subsequent supplier engagement meeting for inclusion in further stages of any procurement procedure undertaken.
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NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=775595.
(SC Ref:775595)