Opportunity

Start and Specialise Business Support Programmes

  • East Sussex County Council

F02: Contract notice

Notice reference: 2023/S 000-030205

Published 13 October 2023, 10:41am



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

East Sussex County Council

County Hall,St. Annes Crescent

LEWES

BN71UE

Contact

Chloe Sharpe

Email

chloe.sharpe@eastsussex.gov.uk

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKJ22 - East Sussex CC

Justification for not providing organisation identifier

Not on any register

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/

Buyer's address

https://supplierlive.proactisp2p.com/Account/Login

one.3) Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at

https://supplierlive.proactisp2p.com/Account/Login

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via

https://supplierlive.proactisp2p.com/Account/Login

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

Start and Specialise Business Support Programmes

Reference number

2851

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 79411100 - Business development consultancy services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) is the UK Governments replacement for European Structural Investment Fund (ESiF) that included both the European Social Fund (ESF) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and is managed by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC).

In order to continue countywide business support and to benefit from economies of scale, the councils of Eastbourne, Lewes, Rother, and Wealden worked with East Sussex County Council on a joint proposal which was added to each of their UKSPF Investment Plans. As part of this proposal East Sussex County Council agreed to provide additional funding as match and to provide staff time to procure and manage the programmes.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £537,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: Yes

Tenders may be submitted for all lots

Maximum number of lots that may be awarded to one tenderer: 2

The contracting authority reserves the right to award contracts combining the following lots or groups of lots:

The lots can be awarded either individually or together

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

'Start' New Business Support

Lot No

1

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 79411100 - Business development consultancy services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKJ22 - East Sussex CC

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Of the 2,590 East Sussex business that started in 2016, only 1,165 or 45% were still trading five years later. We want to ensure that businesses starting in East Sussex have the help they need to start well, that they are supported to develop a clear vision for their business and have the confidence and skills they need to flourish.

'Start' will be commissioned to provide support for new businesses and provide high quality interventions that have a positive impact on the business, supporting them to develop and grow.

'Start' will have a budget of £85,000 and will run from 1st January 2024 to 31st March 2025.

A possible extension of up to three months has been built into the contract, and with this extension the budget for this lot may rise to an estimated £102,000 (pro rata extension).

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents

two.2.6) Estimated value

Value excluding VAT: £102,000

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Start date

2 January 2024

End date

31 March 2025

This contract is subject to renewal

No

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: No

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

'Specialise' - Specialist Support Programme

Lot No

2

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 79411100 - Business development consultancy services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKJ22 - East Sussex CC

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

The 'Specialise' Programme is designed to provide specialist provision to businesses that require technical, specialist, or expert support to help them overcome barriers and continue to deliver a growth in employment, turnover or productivity.

'Specialise' will give local businesses access to high quality support from proven and experienced specialists to enable increased growth. The programme will achieve this through the provision of approximately 12 hours of 1 to 1 support to eligible businesses in the East Sussex area. There is flexibility on the number of hours of support provided to each business, the minimum being 8 hours and the maximum being 16 hours (although in very specific situations these parameters can be amended with approval from ESCC). There is a requirement for the programme to have a minimum average of 10 of hours support provided per business. The number of hours of support provided should be determined through an initial diagnostic session held with each business.

'Specialise' is funded to ensure that it can provide high quality specialist support, and it is therefore expected that this will be done with business with the greatest need and with the greatest potential to grow. The quality of these interventions with these businesses will ensure that these interventions have real impacts on FTE employment, turnover and/or productivity.

'Specialise' will have a budget of £362,464 and will run from 1st January 2023 to 31st March 2025.

A possible extension of up to three months has been built into the contract, and with this extension the budget for this lot may rise to an estimated £434,956 (pro rata extension).

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents

two.2.6) Estimated value

Value excluding VAT: £435,000

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Start date

2 January 2024

End date

31 March 2025

This contract is subject to renewal

No

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: No


Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information

three.1) Conditions for participation

three.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers

List and brief description of conditions

Details are set out within the procurement documents

three.1.2) Economic and financial standing

Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents

three.1.3) Technical and professional ability

Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents


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.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date

17 November 2023

Local time

12:00pm

four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted

English

four.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender

Duration in months: 3 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)

four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders

Date

17 November 2023

Local time

1:00pm


Section six. Complementary information

six.1) Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: No

six.2) Information about electronic workflows

Electronic invoicing will be accepted

Electronic payment will be used

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Royal Courts of Justice

Strand

London

Country

United Kingdom