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

Decarbonisation and Covid Challenge Fund

2.2

Description of the goods or services required

The Decarbonisation and Covid Challenge Fund fund aims to fund collaborative projects that can deliver innovative solutions in relation to the decarbonisation agenda, whilst aiding the recovery of the Welsh food and drink sector which has been adversely affected by the pandemic.

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=113953.

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

A total of £2,400,000 is available across two funding streams:

● Micro and Small Business Challenge Fund - total grant fund available: £600,000. Maximum grant available per project / application is £50,000, inclusive of any applicable VAT. No match funding is required if applying for this fund.

● Main Challenge Fund - total grant fund available £1,800,000. Maximum grant funding available per project / application is £100,000 inclusive of any applicable VAT. Match funding of 20% is required therefore the total project cost should be a minimum of £125,000. Match funding needs to be a minimum of 50% cash, the remainder can be an in-kind contribution i.e. match funding of £25,000 will need to be a minimum of £12,500 cash.

3 Conditions for Participation

3.1

Minimum standards and qualification required

This programme is seeking collaborative projects which are business-led and consist of at least three partners -

● If applying for the Micro and Small Business Fund, the UK definition of a: ○ micro-business = less than 10 employees and turnover or annual balance sheet total under €2 million; ○ small business = less than 50 employees and turnover or annual balance sheet total under €10 million

● There are no restrictions on business size that can apply for the Main Challenge Fund;

● Medium SMEs (50 to 249 employees with an annual turnover or annual balance

sheet total under €50 million) must be a member of a Welsh Food and Drink Cluster at the point of application. Further information on the Food and Drink Clusters in Wales can be found here: https://businesswales.gov.wales/foodanddrink/growing-your-business/clusters

● The project must also include one (or more) of the following key strategic initiatives as a partner:

○ Aber Innovation

○ Aberystwyth University

○ AMRC

○ Bangor Composites Centre / BioComposites Centre

○ Cardiff University

○ Cywain

○ Food Innovation Wales

■ ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre - Cardiff Metropolitan University

■ Food Centre Wales - Horeb, Ceredigion

■ Food Technology Centre, Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, North Wales

○ Food Skills Cymru

○ Industry Wales

○ Sustainable Scale Up Cluster

● Remaining partners can be for example other food and drink businesses, associated supply chain businesses, retailers, food service companies, research institutions, banks and public sector organisations or a Welsh Government Food and Drink Cluster (see list below). Businesses / organisations can be based outside of the UK.

■ CEO Cluster

■ Drinks Cluster

■ Export Cluster

■ Fine Food Cluster

■ Honey Cluster

■ Horticulture Cluster

■ Nutrition Cluster

■ Seafood Cluster

■ Sustainability Cluster

4 Administrative Information

4.1

Type of Procedure

Single stage

4.2

Reference number attributed to the notice by the contracting authority

N/a

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

(WA Ref:113953)

The buyer considers that this contract is suitable for consortia bidding.

5.2

Additional Documentation

5.3

Publication date of this notice