CONTRACT NOTICE – NATIONAL

1 Authority Details

1.1

Authority Name and Address

1.2

Address from which documentation may be obtained

As in 1.1

1.3

Completed documents must be returned to:

As in 1.1

2 Contract Details

2.1

Title

Review of space and underpinning RD&I activities in Wales - R&D Space Consortium

2.2

Description of the goods or services required

This invitation to tender invites proposals from consultants to undertake a review of space and underpinning RD&I activities in Wales and develop a business case for a research and development space consortium.

The UK Government recently launched its National Space Strategy, which outlines its long-term plans to grow and level up the space sector across the UK, to ensure that the space economy works for everyone across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Regional hubs, known as space clusters, are being developed through a programme funded by UK Space Agency, with each cluster supporting new and growing companies, building on local expertise, and catalysing investment into the space sector. The Wales cluster is being led by Welsh Government, with activities to be carried out across the whole of Wales.

In February 2022, Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething unveiled the Welsh Government’s National Space Strategy for Wales, Wales: A Sustainable Space Nation.

The Wales strategy highlights the unique physical and business environment Wales offers companies that are revolutionising capabilities in the space sector and sets out how Wales could become the world’s first sustainable space nation by 2040, leading the way to a greener space.

The Wales Space Strategy is focused on growing the potential of current and future developments in the space sector in Wales, and this presents an opportunity to strengthen and expand the work of the Wales Academic Space Partnership (WASP) and Space Wales into a national academic consortium. Harnessing collaborative academic expertise from across the whole of Wales to create critical mass in space technologies with the aim of competing for inward investment in collaborative R&D in partnership with the Welsh industrial, technical and scientific base.

NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Sell2Wales Web Site at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=122013.

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.sell2wales.gov.wales/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.

2.3

Notice Coding and Classification

2.4

Total quantity or scope of tender

The University of South Wales has received funding to complete an audit of space research and development across all universities in Wales. The University of South Wales is seeking to engage a consultant to connect with the universities to map existing capabilities and resources, as aligned with government and commercial priorities, and connecting with Satellite Applications Catapult to build on their work with a Welsh focus.

In addition, the consultant will also be required to review potential businesses in Wales that may benefit from a collaboration with a national academic consortium.

Aims

The aims of the review are to:

i) Identify current up to-date research and development activities and facilities that could support space R&D across universities within Wales.

ii) Identify space industry and facilities across Wales.

iii) Determine scope and potential thematic areas for involvement of WASP.

iv) Identify relevant research base across the UK for competition/collaboration purposes.

v) Identify external partnership organisations, key stakeholders and local and national partnerships with external organisations and communities.

vi) Determine mission and strategic goals of WASP.

vii) Identify potential funding opportunities for investment and inclusive projects that could help establishment of critical mass in space R&D in Wales.

Objectives

The detailed objectives and scope for the audit will be finalised with the consultant when appointed. The objectives comprise the following:

i) To conduct an audit of space resources and facilities across all universities in Wales and ascertain how effectively they are utilised.

ii) To identify engagement opportunities with non-HEI partners.

iii) To identify opportunities for the strategic development of WASP.

iv) To develop a business case for an inclusive space research and development project within Wales in preparation for a bid for collaborative funding from inward investment funds.

3 Conditions for Participation

3.1

Minimum standards and qualification required

Interested parties must be able to:

Meet the aims and objectives as identified in the ITT document.

Undertake the requirements and meet the key deliverables as identified in the ITT document.

Meet the deadlines of the project in relation to timescales and deliverables as identified in the timetable in the

ITT document.

Provide evidence of Insurance held:

Professional Indemnity £5M

Employers Liability £10M

Provide evidence of the successful completion of reviews of a similar nature

4 Administrative Information

4.1

Type of Procedure

Single stage

4.2

Reference number attributed to the notice by the contracting authority

1759

4.3

Time Limits

4.5

Language or languages in which tenders or requests to participate can be drawn up

4.6

Tender Submission Postbox

5 Other Information

5.1

Additional Information

Submissions

Your tender submission must be uploaded to the Sell2Wales portal Postbox.

Your submission must be received by the closing time and date of midday, Wednesday 22nd June 2022.

You should allow adequate time for the loading of your documents so as to ensure receipt as the Postbox will electronically close at the deadline time and no further submissions will be accepted.

All queries in relation to the tender should be conducted via the Q&A function attached to this notice.

Answers to any questions received will then be uploaded to the portal for transparency.

Evaluation

Tender responses will be evaluated as per the evaluation criteria set out in the ITT.

(WA Ref:122013)

5.2

Additional Documentation

5.3

Publication date of this notice