Shared Prosperity Fund - Business Support

Devon County Council is running a business support programme funded by UK Shared Prosperity Fund until March 2025. This will offer a range of support to businesses and start ups in Mid Devon and East Devon and Exeter. Support will be delivered through a mixture of in person and online support on either a 1 2 1 or workshop basis. Support is to be split into four Lots Lot 1 General business support Lot 2 Green business support Lot 3 Start up support Lot 4 Job creation and safeguarding support These lots will support DCC and its local authority partners to meet the aims of SPF and achieve specific SPF outputs and outcomes.

The bidders total contract price must not exceed the stated parameters detailed within the Invitation to Tender.

Any Bid that exceeds these amounts will not be taken forward to further evaluation and will be rejected for the lots in which the requirement was not met unless all bids do not meet these requirements. Bids must also confirm a commitment to provide at least the minimum quantity of outputs and outcomes outlined in column B of the pricing schedule in respect of each description for each lot. Any Bid that does not meet these minimum requirement will not be taken to further evaluation and will be rejected for the lots in which the requirement was not met unless all bids do not meet these requirements.

Additional information: The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access free of charge at: https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk

Additional information can be obtained from the abovementioned address Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via: https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk Bids may be submitted for one or more lots. Bidders who bid for more than one lot must declare that they will enter into the contract for all lots that they bid for if requested by the Authority. There is no limit on the number of lots to be awarded to one provider. There is a limit of one provider to be appointed to each individual lot. Lot 1: General business support delivery This is to include the delivery of a broad business diagnostic sessions on a 1-2-1 basis as well as subject-specific sessions on either a 1-2-1 or workshop basis and follow-up support and networking events and peer support activities to explore topics including: • Business and Person-centred diagnostics • Business planning • Access to finance & budget management • Access to new markets • Human Resources and staff and apprenticeships • Innovation • Digital capability • Bidding for work and procurement advice • Marketing

Lot 2: Green business support This is to include the delivery of a broad business diagnostic sessions on a 1-2-1 basis as well as subject-specific sessions on either a 1-2-1 or workshop basis and follow-up support and networking events and peer support activities to explore topics including • Carbon reduction and net zero agenda • Energy and resource efficiency • Carbon foot printing (impact vs sequestration) • Waste management • Renewable energy (wind and hydro and solar) • Clean and inclusive growth • On-site/off-grid energy generation.

Lot 3: Start up support This is to include the delivery of a broad business diagnostic sessions on a 1-2-1 basis as well as subject-specific sessions on either a 1-2-1 or workshop basis and follow-up support and networking events and peer support activities to explore topics including • Business planning • Building confidence • Market research • How to identify resources • How to avoid common mistakes • Legal structure • Registering as a Sole Trader or on Companies House • How to manage and organise and run and market and finance and grow a new business

Lot 4: Job creation and safeguarding support This is to include the delivery of a broad business diagnostic sessions on a 1-2-1 basis as well as subject-specific sessions on either a 1-2-1 or workshop basis and follow-up support and networking events and peer support activities to explore topics including • Employment legislation and requirements, including pensions, insurance, and registering as an employer with HMRC • Self-employment • Inclusive employment • Setting wages • Recruiting and hiring • Alternatives to redundancy The authority reserves the right to cancel the procurement process at any stage. The authority does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any tender, and reserve the right not to award a contract. The authority reserves the right to award the contract in part, or to call for new tenders should they consider this necessary. Economic operators remain responsible for all costs and expenses incurred by them or by any third party acting under instructions from them in connection with their participation in this procurement, whether incurred directly by them or their advisors or subcontractors and regardless of whether such costs arise as a consequence direct or indirect of any amendments to documents issued by the authority at any time, or as a consequence of the cancellation of the procurement by the authority. For the avoidance of doubt, the authority shall have no liability whatsoever to economic operators or their advisors or subcontractors, for any of their costs, including but not limited to those for any discussions or communications. Any contract(s) or agreement(s) entered into as a result of this contract notice shall be considered as a contract(s) or agreement(s) made under English law and subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts. If an economic operator considers that any information supplied by it during this procurement process is commercially sensitive or confidential in nature, this should be highlighted and the reasons for its sensitivity as well as the duration of that sensitivity specified. Economic operators should be aware that even where they have indicated that information is commercially sensitive, the authority may disclose it pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in response to a request for information where such disclosure is considered to be in the public interest. Please note that the receipt by any of the authority of any materials marked 'confidential' or equivalent shall not be taken to mean that the authority accepts any duty of confidence by virtue of that marking. Devon County Council will be hosting a virtual Tender Launch Event via Microsoft Teams on Monday 12th June at 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM. This will be an opportunity to discuss the service provision and ask questions and help bidders navigate around the tender documentation and the procurement process. This event will be recorded and will be uploaded to ProContract alongside the presentation shortly afterwards.

If you would like to attend this event please complete the following Tender Launch Event Form so that we can send you an invite link. NB each attendee must complete a form to receive an invitation.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/DesignPageV2.aspx?origin=NeoPortalPage&subpage=design&id=gzehjWjLP0S7S5l_d_1b-4mLsw8gtztKu6HIP272CL5UOUFRTkZFU0RQOElGQkZONkE5OU1JTUJHWS4u&wdlor=c57687C9E-CE76-46AF-86F2-5B3229052D4A