Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Business Gateway Fife
Saltire House, Pentland Park
Glenrothes
KY6 2AL
Telephone
+44 1592858333
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKM72 - Clackmannanshire and Fife
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.businessgatewayfife.com/
Buyer's address
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA14402
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Other type
Limited company owned by Local Authority
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Business Gateway Fife Contracted Business Advisers Framework
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 79411100 - Business development consultancy services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
This prior information notice is to inform the market that Business Gateway Fife intends to procure a framework of contracted Business Advisers to provide business support and advice to businesses in Fife.
As part of the pre-procurement process, Business Gateway Fife is looking to gauge the level of interest in the contract to help inform the procurement strategy and feedback on the specification.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £500,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 79900000 - Miscellaneous business and business-related services
- 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKM72 - Clackmannanshire and Fife
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Business Gateway Fife, a company limited by guarantee and wholly owned by Fife Council, is the delivery agent for Business Gateway services in Fife.
Business Gateway is a publicly funded service contributing to the economic wellbeing of Scotland by providing access to free business support services. We give assistance and impartial advice to people starting or growing their business through a combination of:
-Online support – a comprehensive website with practical information and useful guides.
-A programme of fully funded local workshops and events held throughout Scotland.
-Advice to suit specific business needs through a network of experienced business advisers.
-Business information – a dedicated team providing information and support on all aspects of starting and growing a business.
Business Gateway Fife’s team of Business Growth Advisers consists of a mixture of employees of the company and self-employed contractors. Since April 2016, the contracted Advisers have been part-funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). That funding comes to an end on 31st March 2023 and will be replaced, from 1st April 2023 by funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Purpose
The purpose of this contract will be to procure a framework of contracted Business Growth Advisers to provide high quality growth advice and support to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Fife, maximising their growth potential and contribution to the economy.
Successful bidders will be tasked with:
-Providing support, advice and aftercare to SMEs with growth potential.
-Developing and implementing sustainable growth strategies for businesses they work with to support their growth aspirations and increase competitiveness.
-Leading the delivery of support to businesses in their portfolio from external providers, understanding the whole support offering in Fife/Scotland.
-Identifying, progressing and evaluating business support opportunities and programmes, including sourcing external funding and liaising with banks and other intermediaries.
-Supporting and advising businesses with the application process for funding.
-Developing stakeholder relationships with local and National bodies to help drive the effectiveness of business support in Fife.
-Maintaining records of all supported businesses via the Business Gateway Customer Relationship Management system and local data recording solutions.
-Comply with Business Gateway Programme Rules and service delivery standards.
Contract Period and Value
The framework will be part-funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and will run from 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2025.
The contract is being offered at a fixed rate of 40GBP per hour exclusive of VAT. This rate is inclusive of all costs associated with delivering the contract. Contractors will be provided with a Business Gateway Fife laptop for the duration of the contract.
There will be an expectation that contractors are available no more than 45 weeks of the year. Contracts will be offered based on an annual number of hours which will equate to a certain number of days per week for 45 weeks at 7 hours per day (for example, an annual contract of 945 hours would equate to 3 days a week at 7 hours per day for 45 weeks).
The relationship of successful bidders to Business Gateway Fife will be that of an independent contractor and nothing in the contract will render them an employee, worker, agent or partner of Business Gateway Fife. The maximum contract available will be 1,260 hours, equivalent to 4 days a week at 7 hours a day for 45 weeks, on the basis that contractors will require to be available to undertake work for other customers and will not provide their services exclusively to Business Gateway Fife.
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: £500,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 April 2023
End date
31 March 2025
This contract is subject to renewal
No
two.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
Envisaged minimum number: 5
Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates:
Quality score from SPD submissions.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
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
Successful bidders will periodically be required to attend scheduled meetings at the above noted address and will have access to a desk and interview rooms as required from Monday to Friday during normal office hours, however, the role will primarily be delivered through remote working and visits to clients’ business premises.
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
See attached SPD Doc
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
three.2) Conditions related to the contract
three.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract
Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract
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 establishment of a framework agreement
Framework agreement with several operators
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number: 2022/S 000-031696
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
22 December 2022
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
13 January 2023
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
Tender must be valid until: 31 March 2023
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.3) Additional information
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=714032.
The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.
Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.
(SC Ref:714032)
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court
Whytescauseway
Kirkcaldy
KY1 1XQ
Country
United Kingdom