Contract notice
Section I: Contracting
authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH
UK
Telephone: +44 1355844000
E-mail: marco.hurst@fcdo.gov.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-development-office/about/procurement
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-development-office/about/procurement
Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent electronically to:
https://fcdo.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.html
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to the abovementioned address
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
I.5) Main activity
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Strengthening Higher Education for Female Empowerment (SHEFE)
II.1.2) Main CPV code
75211200
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
Procurement of supplier for Strengthening Higher Education for Female Empowerment (SHEFE)
II.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT:
81 000 000.00
GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UK
Main site or place of performance:
Place of performance not yet known
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Inception Period: The below work will be preceded by an inception period to fully resource the team as well as finalise design of the programme.
Grant Management: In Phase 1 of the grant management activity the Supplier will design a closed call competitive grant process to invite and select 4 successful pilots from the SPHEIR programme up to a total of £12.7 million with each grant receiving between (£1-4 million). These have demonstrated ‘proof of concept’ and strong results in improving access, quality, and relevance to scale and replicate interventions in new states and geographies. SPHEIR pilots will be required to pivot their concepts to adopt a comprehensive gender transformative approach.
In Phase 2 The Supplier will run an open call competitive process to invite 8 new, high potential and innovative proposals up to a total of £25.6 million, in priority geographies with a focus on improving access, safeguarding and employment outcomes for women and girls. Interventions may include improving take up of STEM subjects and increasing female representation in academia and underrepresented fields such as the tech industry. The Supplier will also invite proposals that drive an evidence-based approach to reducing all forms of gender-based violence and harm, including tackling sexual violence, exploitation, abuse and harassment in the HE sector.
Centre of Expertise – Higher Education: The Supplier will launch a new pilot offer under the Centre of Expertise for Education which will be delivered through SHEFE. The demand-led, draw down facility will ensure the FCDO’s global network has access to high-quality technical expertise, best practice and tailored policy advice. This will not only expand our global reach to support HE reform, but it will also help to strengthen diplomatic engagement with policy makers. The new enhanced offer will also respond to new windows of opportunity when they arise, including short term requests for direct support from host governments to deliver HE reform, including short-term deployments of embedded experts. It will enhance the 'Best of British' brand by promoting UK expertise and showcase our ability to convene prominent international experts in a community of practice.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months: 48
This contract is subject to renewal: No
II.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
option to extend by a further 24 months and by £40 million
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date:
04/03/2025
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
EN
IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
Duration in months: 8 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date:
04/03/2025
Local time: 13:00
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement:
No
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office
London
UK
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
20/01/2025