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Contract Award Notice

Rural Growth Deal (RGD) Business Skills and Leadership Programme

  • First published: 29 July 2026
  • Last modified: 29 July 2026
  • Version: N/A
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The buyer is not using this website to administer the notice.

To record your interest or obtain additional information or documents please find instructions within the Full Notice Text. (NOTE: Contract Award Notices and Prior Information Notices do not normally require a response)

Contents

Summary

OCID:
ocds-h6vhtk-05e56f
Published by:
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Authority ID:
AA20475
Publication date:
29 July 2026
Deadline date:
-
Notice type:
Contract Award Notice
Has documents:
No
Has SPD:
No
Has Carbon Reduction Plan:
N/A

Abstract

THIS IS A CONTRACT AWARD NOTICE AND AS SUCH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS IS COMPLETE.

The supplier will deliver a Business Skills and Leadership Programme specifically for Argyll and Bute Council area. This programme is fully funded by the Argyll and Bute Rural Growth Deal (RGD) and will be available to participants within this geographic area.

The programme will consist of 3 strands. 1 Young and Emerging Leaders Programme; 2. Leadership for Growth/Strategic Leadership Programme and 3. Mentoring Programme. Strands 1 and 2 will be delivered to cohort of participants through a series of modules, delivered via workshops. Delivery will be a hybrid model i.e, a blend of on-line and face-to-face delivery. The mentoring programme will be mainly online apart from the first session that must be face-to-face.

The contract will be let from 27 July 2026 for 3 years unless terminated in accordance with the provisions of the Contract, with HIE having the option to extend for two periods of one year each (3+1+1) together not exceeding 5 years following the Initial Term.

Full notice text

Contract award notice

Results of the procurement procedure

Section I: Contracting entity

I.1) Name and addresses

Highlands and Islands Enterprise

An Lòchran, 10 Inverness Campus

Inverness

IV2 5NA

UK

Telephone: +44 1463245245

E-mail: hieprocurement@Hient.co.uk

NUTS: UKM6

Internet address(es)

Main address: http://www.hie.co.uk

Address of the buyer profile: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00313

I.4) Type of the contracting authority

Regional or local agency/office

I.5) Main activity

Economic and financial affairs

Section II: Object

II.1) Scope of the procurement

II.1.1) Title

Rural Growth Deal (RGD) Business Skills and Leadership Programme

Reference number: FTS044

II.1.2) Main CPV code

79410000

 

II.1.3) Type of contract

Services

II.1.4) Short description

THIS IS A CONTRACT AWARD NOTICE AND AS SUCH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS IS COMPLETE.

The supplier will deliver a Business Skills and Leadership Programme specifically for Argyll and Bute Council area. This programme is fully funded by the Argyll and Bute Rural Growth Deal (RGD) and will be available to participants within this geographic area.

The programme will consist of 3 strands. 1 Young and Emerging Leaders Programme; 2. Leadership for Growth/Strategic Leadership Programme and 3. Mentoring Programme. Strands 1 and 2 will be delivered to cohort of participants through a series of modules, delivered via workshops. Delivery will be a hybrid model i.e, a blend of on-line and face-to-face delivery. The mentoring programme will be mainly online apart from the first session that must be face-to-face.

The contract will be let from 27 July 2026 for 3 years unless terminated in accordance with the provisions of the Contract, with HIE having the option to extend for two periods of one year each (3+1+1) together not exceeding 5 years following the Initial Term.

II.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

II.1.7) Total value of the procurement

Value excluding VAT: 474 000.00  GBP

II.2) Description

II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

80400000

80500000

80570000

80521000

80522000

80532000

72224000

79400000

79410000

79411100

79411000

80210000

II.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS code:

UKM63


Main site or place of performance:

Argyll and Bute

II.2.4) Description of the procurement

The value used in II.1.7 and V.2.4 is the estimated total budget figure available over the maximum duration of 3 + 1 + 1 years (GBP 474,000).

This figure includes provision for annual price increases, including the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Real Living Wage uplifts, from Year 3 onwards. It also incorporates an allowance to account for variations between initial estimates and actual costs for travel, accommodation, and conference venue hire.

The successful bidder price for the initial 3 years is GBP 249,900 - Within this figure there are estimated figures of:

- GBP 18,000 (conference venue hire, accommodation for participants for strands 1 and 2);

- GBP 4,500 (travel and accommodation for mentors for first in persons session);

- GBP 6,000 (travel and accommodation for island-based programme delivery)

II.2.5) Award criteria

Quality criterion: Management & Delivery Methodology / Weighting: 25%

Quality criterion: Management & Delivery Team / Weighting: 20%

Quality criterion: Reporting Requirements / Weighting: 5%

Quality criterion: Monitoring and Reporting of Community Benefits / Weighting: 5%

Quality criterion: Fair Work Practices / Weighting: 5%

Quality criterion: Prompt Payment Standard Clause / Weighting: Pass/Fail

Quality criterion: Cyber Security / Weighting: Pass/Fail

Quality criterion: Payment of the Real Living Wage / Weighting: Pass/Fail

Price / Weighting:  40%

II.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options:

In accordance with Regulation 72(1)(a) of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, HIE reserves the right to make changes to the volume and/or scope of the Services to be supplied under the Contract following a review of the Services by HIE, particularly with regard to demand and budgetary availability.

This may result in amendments to requirements under the contract, including but not limited to:

-The Scottish Government routed via Argyll and Bute Council will provide funding to HIE on an ongoing annual basis. HIE reserves the contractual right, at its sole discretion, to adjust the scope of services under Strands 1, 2, and 3 to align with the available budget. This may include, but is not limited to, reducing activities, pausing delivery, or terminating the programme.

-Following the initial 3-year contract term, HIE reserves the contractual right, at its sole discretion, to vary the scope of services under Strands 1, 2, and 3. This may include, but is not limited to, reducing activity, pausing or terminating one or more of the Strands. This contract modification option will be also available for potential year 5 of the contract.

-If additional funding becomes available, it may be allocated to expand the number of participants. Bidders’ rates will apply to any increases.

-If the anticipated number of participants cannot be recruited, service volumes and requirements may be adjusted accordingly.

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.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure

Notice number in the OJ S:

2025/S 000-075647

Section V: Award of contract

Contract No: FTS044

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes

V.2 Award of contract

V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract

24/07/2026

V.2.2) Information about tenders

Number of tenders received: 11

Number of tenders received from SMEs: 10

Number of tenders received from tenderers from EU Member States: 0

Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 11

Number of tenders received by electronic means: 11

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

Skillfluence Limited

Baltic Chamber B35, 50 Wellington St

Glasgow

G2 6HJ

UK

Telephone: +44 7990620644

NUTS: UKM82

The contractor is an SME: Yes

V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)

Total value of the contract/lot: : 474 000.00  GBP

V.2.5) Information about subcontracting

The contract is likely to be subcontracted

Value or proportion likely to be subcontracted to third parties

Proportion: 3 %

Section VI: Complementary information

VI.3) Additional information

(SC Ref:838424)

VI.4) Procedures for review

VI.4.1) Review body

Inverness Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court

The Inverness Justice Centre, Longman Road

Inverness

IV1 1AH

UK

Telephone: +44 1463230782

E-mail: inverness@scotcourts.gov.uk

Internet address(es)

URL: https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/the-courts/court-locations/inverness-sheriff-court-and-justice-of-the-peace-court

VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice

28/07/2026

Coding

Commodity categories

ID Title Parent category
80400000 Adult and other education services Education and training services
79400000 Business and management consultancy and related services Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
79410000 Business and management consultancy services Business and management consultancy and related services
79411100 Business development consultancy services General management consultancy services
79411000 General management consultancy services Business and management consultancy services
80532000 Management training services Vocational training services
80570000 Personal development training services Training services
72224000 Project management consultancy services Systems and technical consultancy services
80210000 Technical and vocational secondary education services Secondary education services
80521000 Training programme services Training facilities
80522000 Training seminars Training facilities
80500000 Training services Education and training services

Delivery locations

ID Description
100 UK - All

Alert region restrictions

The buyer has restricted the alert for this notice to suppliers based in the following regions.

ID Description
There are no alert restrictions for this notice.

About the buyer

Main contact:
hieprocurement@Hient.co.uk
Admin contact:
N/a
Technical contact:
N/a
Other contact:
N/a

Further information

Date Details
No further information has been uploaded.

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