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 Collaborative Post Graduate Research and Feasibility Study development and Business Plan

2.2

Description of the goods or services required

Review of Collaborative Post Graduate Research (PGR) at USW and develop a Feasibility Study and Business Plan for a South-East (SE) Wales Collaborative PhD scheme.

Collaborative Post Graduate Research (PGR) means all PGR activity which takes place in collaboration with one or more industrial partner, third sector organisation, or public sector body. USW has spent the past decade growing and broadening its collaborative PhD and Masters by Research activity. Collaborative PGRs account for a quarter of all current PGR activity at USW.

To date, funding for collaborative PGR activity has come from a mixture of grants and industrial contributions. With the upcoming change in the UK funding environment, it is likely that Welsh Universities will need to rethink their approach to funding and supporting collaborative PGR activity.

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=123959.

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

Aims

The aims of the review are to:

i) Identify and map current collaborative PhD provision (and funding) across the UK.

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

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

iv) Determine scope and potential thematic areas for a South-East (SE) Wales Collaborative PhD scheme.

v) Determine mission and strategic goals of a South-East (SE) Wales Collaborative PhD scheme.

vi) Identify potential funding opportunities that could help establish a South-East (SE) Wales Collaborative PhD scheme.

Objectives

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

i) To produce a Feasibility Study for a South-East (SE) Wales Collaborative PhD scheme.

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

iii) To identify opportunities for the strategic development of a South-East (SE) Wales Collaborative PhD scheme.

iv) To develop a business case for a South-East (SE) Wales Collaborative PhD scheme in preparation for a bid for collaborative external funding.

Deliverables and Dissemination

The key deliverables for this study will consist of:

i) An initial report – including an agreed, detailed methodology, full work plan, risk register and roles and responsibilities of the team, as well as an outlined approach to carrying out the project.

ii) Weekly progress reports, identifying any risks and obstacles relating to the work and the steps that will be taken to address them.

iii) Presentation of initial findings to the delivery team and a selection of key stakeholders, prior to sign off of the Feasibility Study.

iv) Final Feasibility Study and executive summary (with the latter translated into Welsh).

v) Presentation of initial findings to the delivery team and a selection of key stakeholders, prior to sign off of the Business Plan.

vi) Final Business Plan and executive summary (with the latter translated into Welsh).

3 Conditions for Participation

3.1

Minimum standards and qualification required

Interested parties must be able to:

Hold Professional Indemnity Insurance £5M and provide evidence of;

Be able to meet the aims and objectives as identified in the ITT document;

Be able to 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 indicative timetable of the ITT document.

4 Administrative Information

4.1

Type of Procedure

Single stage

4.2

Reference number attributed to the notice by the contracting authority

1766

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

The timetable is critical in the successful delivery of the project outcomes.

Your tender submission will be evaluated in line with the criteria and weightings.

All queries are to take place within the portal via the Q & A function attached to this notice. The deadline for queries is Midday, Friday 23rd September 2022.

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

Your submission must be received by the closing time and date of midday, Friday 30th September, 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.

Please see the guidance document for details of how to use the Postbox function.

(WA Ref:123959)

5.2

Additional Documentation

5.3

Publication date of this notice