Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
InterTradeIreland
Old Gasworks Business Park, Kilmorey St,
Newry
BT34 2DE
UK
Contact person: SSDAdmin.CPDfinance-ni.gov.uk
E-mail: SSDAdmin.CPD@finance-ni.gov.uk
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
Address of the buyer profile: https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
ID 5385517 DfE InterTrade Ireland - Funding Advisory Programme for Established SMEs Phase Four
Reference number: 5385517
II.1.2) Main CPV code
79412000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
InterTradeIreland (the Buyer) wishes to appoint a Supplier to undertake the role of delivery agent for the Funding Advisory Programme for Established SMEs (Phase Four). The overarching aim of the Funding Advisory Programme for Established SMEs is to change a culture of over dependency by SME’s on bank finance, educate them on new and alternative sources of non-bank funding and build the financial capacity of SMEs.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
490 625.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
79400000
79410000
79411000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKN
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
InterTradeIreland (the Buyer) wishes to appoint a Supplier to undertake the role of delivery agent for the Funding Advisory Programme for Established SMEs (Phase Four). The overarching aim of the Funding Advisory Programme for Established SMEs is to change a culture of over dependency by SME’s on bank finance, educate them on new and alternative sources of non-bank funding and build the financial capacity of SMEs.
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: AC1 Proposed Methodology
/ Weighting: 28
Quality criterion: AC2 Personnel Experience
/ Weighting: 18.9
Quality criterion: AC3 Contract Management
/ Weighting: 12.6
Quality criterion: AC4 Social Value
/ Weighting: 10.5
Cost criterion: AC5 Total Cost
/ Weighting: 30
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
Option to extend for a further two 1 year periods.
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
II.2.14) Additional information
Option to extend for a further two 1 year periods.
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:
2024/S 000-036374
IV.2.9) Information about termination of call for competition in the form of a prior information notice
The contracting authority will not award any further contracts based on the above prior information notice
Section V: Award of contract
Contract No: 1
Title: ID 5385517 DfE InterTrade Ireland - Funding Advisory Programme for Established SMEs Phase Four
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
11/02/2025
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 2
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 1
Number of tenders received from tenderers from EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 1
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 2
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
GRANT THORNTON NI LLP
12 to 15 Donegall Square West
Belfast
BT16JH
UK
E-mail: aidan.gibney@ie.gt.com
NUTS: UK
Internet address(es)
URL: https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
The contractor is an SME:
Yes
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot:
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 490 625.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
Contract Monitoring. The successful Supplier’s performance on the contract will be regularly monitored in line with the tender. documentation. Supplier's not delivering on contract requirements is a serious matter. It means the public purse is not getting what it. is paying for. If a Supplier 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 Notice of Unsatisfactory Performance and. the contract may be terminated. The issue of a Notice of Unsatisfactory Performance can result in the Supplier 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 three years from the date of issue.
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.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.
UK
UK
VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
CPD complied with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and incorporated a. standstill period (i.e. a minimum of 10 calendar days) at the point information on the award of contract was communicated to tenderers.. That notification provided full information on the award decision. This provided time for the unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the. award decision before the contract was entered into.
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
18/02/2025