Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Central Bedfordshire Council
Monks Walk, Chicksands
SHEFFORD
SG175TQ
UK
Contact person: Alec Edgar
Telephone: +44 3003006182
E-mail: Alec.Edgar@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
NUTS: UKH25
Internet address(es)
Main address: https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
I.5) Main activity
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
UK Shared Prosperity (UKSPF) & Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) Supporting Local Business
II.1.2) Main CPV code
79411100
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) was launched by the government in 2022 and is central to its 'levelling up' agenda, with £2.6 billion of funding set aside nationally for local investment by March 2025. The Government's aim of the fund is to invest in domestic priorities by targeting funding where it is needed most - building pride in place - supporting high-quality skills, training and pay and investing in employment opportunities, innovation and productivity.
Central Bedfordshire Council was allocated funding through both UKSPF and also the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) through an addendum to deliver projects in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
The Council has committed some of this funding to the Supporting Local business theme, which aims to create jobs and boost community cohesion through investment in existing industries and institutions, support for those starting businesses, sharing knowledge and expertise, improvement in retail, hospitality and leisure facilities, networking and collaboration and stimulating innovation and growth
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
2 063 575.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKH25
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Delivery of the following 5 Supporting Local Businesses interventions:
Summary of each intervention Project:
E21: Business Innovation - Engagement and provision of innovation and technological support to Central Bedfordshire Businesses with the intention of improving their performance. Enterprises will receive expert business advice, guidance, training and mentoring to support them with improved productivity, and assistance to adopt new or improved products or services.
E24A: Business Start Up & Entrepreneurship (including support for Social Enterprises) - This intervention is to support Entrepreneurship (those in the process of starting up) & Start Up businesses (including social enterprises). Delivery will be aimed at assisting potential entrepreneurs to be business ready/self-employment and resulting in businesses being set up as a result of support received as well as newly established businesses
E24B: Business Growth - Scale up & Resilience - Supporting established businesses with growth potential through the adoption of new or improved products or services
E28: Export Support with Grants - Delivery of export-readiness activity as a result of UKSPF support, resulting in local businesses engaged in new markets following support.
Export Grants to support Businesses to grow their overseas trading, supporting local employment
Support for businesses in developing their export strategy
E29: Local Business De-carbonisation - Delivery Supporting decarbonisation, net zero initiatives and improving the natural environment whilst growing the local economy through direct advice, guidance, mentoring and training resulting in a new or improved de-carbonisation/net zero plan.
Overall - All Supporting local business Interventions to be underpinned by: Direct business support, advice, guidance, mentoring and training
II.2.5) Award criteria
Price
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
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
Award of a contract without prior publication of a call for competition
Justification for selected award procedure:
The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the Directive
Explanation
The procurement involves the provision of highly specialised professional services.
The aim is to partner with experienced, specialised local business support intermediaries who understand the local geography, have existing relationships with the local SME community and who are best placed to engage with eligible businesses at pace, deliver high quality support across the 5 interventions (innovation, entrepreneurship, business growth, exporting and decarbonisation) alongside capital grant delivery to enhance the tangible impacts.
There is a significant possibility that any underspend from the current financial year may not be carried forwarded to next year, based on current guidance from Government. This could result in a substantial loss of funding and much needed support for our business community. By enabling partnership with local organisations, we are maximising spend in 2023/24 and reducing the risk of losing funding from Government.
Within Central Bedfordshire, we have existing, highly specialised business support intermediaries who have significant relationships with our business community and understand the local geography and SME ecosystem to enable them to deliver at pace.
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
Yes
Section V: Award of contract
Title: Business Innovation
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
12/10/2023
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
University of Bedfordshire
10007152
Luton
UK
NUTS: UKH21
The contractor is an SME:
No
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:
: 461 450.54
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section V: Award of contract
Title: Export support
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
12/10/2023
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce
00153360
Luton
UK
NUTS: UKH21
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:
: 178 931.04
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section V: Award of contract
Title: Business Entrepreneurship and Start Up
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
12/10/2023
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
WENTA
Enfield
UK
NUTS: UKH23
The contractor is an SME:
No
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:
: 495 159.84
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section V: Award of contract
Title: Business Scale Up & Resilience
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
12/10/2023
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Cranfield University
10007822
Bedford
UK
NUTS: UKH24
The contractor is an SME:
No
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:
: 495 159.84
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section V: Award of contract
Title: Local Business Decarbonisation
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
12/10/2023
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Cranfield University
10007822
Bedford
UK
NUTS: UKH24
The contractor is an SME:
No
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:
: 432 874.08
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Central Bedfordshire Council
Shefford
UK
E-mail: procurement@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
13/10/2023