Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
DfE: Invest NI
Bedford Square, Bedford Street
BELFAST
BT2 7ES
Contact
SSDAdmin.CPDfinance-ni.gov.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UK - United Kingdom
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
Buyer's address
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
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
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
ID 5502349 - DfE - Invest NI - Development and Delivery of the Invest NI Go Global Programme
Reference number
5502349
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 80500000 - Training services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Invest NI in recognising the challenge for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME’s) and in particular to grow export sales in markets outside of the UK and Republic of Ireland, wish to appoint a Contractor to provide a Go Global Programme that will support our SME’s to develop their International business footprint and give them the confidence, ambition, knowledge and skills required to sell their products and services in new export markets. The initial focus will be Europe, enabling businesses to take advantage of the “Windsor Framework” then will expand to North America and beyond depending on company needs and the opportunity presented. As a result, Invest NI is seeking to appoint a Contractor for the delivery and management of “The Go Global Programme” for a five-year period, with an anticipated launch date in financial quarter 4 2024/25. Tenderers should refer to the Specification for further details.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £1,958,400
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 80522000 - Training seminars
- 80532000 - Management training services
- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 73200000 - Research and development consultancy services
- 73210000 - Research consultancy services
- 73220000 - Development consultancy services
- 79310000 - Market research services
- 79413000 - Marketing management consultancy services
- 73110000 - Research services
- 79342000 - Marketing services
- 79411000 - General management consultancy services
- 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKN - Northern Ireland
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Invest NI in recognising the challenge for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME’s) and in particular to grow export sales in markets outside of the UK and Republic of Ireland, wish to appoint a Contractor to provide a Go Global Programme that will support our SME’s to develop their International business footprint and give them the confidence, ambition, knowledge and skills required to sell their products and services in new export markets. The initial focus will be Europe, enabling businesses to take advantage of the “Windsor Framework” then will expand to North America and beyond depending on company needs and the opportunity presented. As a result, Invest NI is seeking to appoint a Contractor for the delivery and management of “The Go Global Programme” for a five-year period, with an anticipated launch date in financial quarter 4 2024/25. Tenderers should refer to the Specification for further details.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Export Programme Delivery Experience / Weighting: 24
Quality criterion - Name: Individual export projects experience across various markets / Weighting: 18
Quality criterion - Name: Proposed Programme Design and Content / Weighting: 11.25
Quality criterion - Name: International Expansion / Weighting: 11.25
Quality criterion - Name: Social Value / Weighting: 10.5
Cost criterion - Name: Total Contract Price/Cost / Weighting: 25
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £1,958,400
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
24
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
This is a first time programme for Invest NI. the contract, depending on its success will likely be retendered in the future.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
The initial contract is for a period of 24 months from the date of appointment with options to extend for two further periods of 24 months and 12 months respectively i.e. 2 + 2 + 1
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
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
20 January 2025
Local time
3:00pm
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
Tender must be valid until: 20 April 2025
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
20 January 2025
Local time
3:30pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: Yes
Estimated timing for further notices to be published: estimated to be 2030
six.3) Additional information
The successful contractor’s performance on the contract will be regularly monitored. Contractors not delivering on contract requirements is a serious matter. It means the public purse is not getting what it is paying for. If a contractor fails to reach Satisfactory levels of contract performance they will be given a specified time to improve. If, after the specified time, they still fail to reach Satisfactory levels of contract performance, the matter will be escalated to senior management in CPD for further action. If this occurs. And their performance still does not improve to satisfactory levels within the specified period, it may be regarded as an act of grave Professional misconduct and they may be issued with a Certificate of Unsatisfactory Performance and the contract may be terminated. The issue of a Certificate of Unsatisfactory Performance will result in the contractor being excluded from all procurement competitions. Being. undertaken by Centres of Procurement Expertise on behalf of bodies covered by the Northern Ireland Procurement Policy for a. Period of twelve months from the date of issue of the certificate
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
The UK does not have any such bodies with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures. Instead; any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued regarding alleged breaches of the PCR 2015 as amended
Belfast
Country
United Kingdom
six.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures
CPD will comply with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (as amended) and where appropriate, will incorporate a standstill period (i.e. a minimum of 10 calendar days) at the point information on the award of contract is communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the award decision. This provides time for the unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into