Business Support and Expert Help Services 2025–2029

North Lanarkshire Council (the “Council”) in partnership with South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) (and collectively known as the “Councils”) are seeking to appoint a range of skilled business Contractors across a variety of disciplines to deliver business support and expert help services for Lanarkshire based SME’s. The Framework Agreement for Business Support and Expert Help Services 2025 – 2029 shall allow Lanarkshire based SMEs to receive: - between one (1) and five (5) days “Expert Help Support”; - access to various “Training and Support Workshops”; and / or - access to “Specialist Support Surgeries”. The main aim of the Framework Agreement is to ensure that suitably qualified consultants are available to provide Lanarkshire based SMEs with bespoke advice and support, focusing on sustainability and growth areas such as: - reviewing existing processes, strategies, policies or plans; - supporting businesses to improve these accordingly or to introduce new processes, strategies, policies or plans as required; - Introduce new products or services; and - Reach new markets The overall objective of the Framework Agreement is to ensure Contractors deliver business support and expert help services which augment the core Business Gateway service and wider business support offerings, and which support businesses throughout Lanarkshire. The overarching aim of what the services are being asked to achieve are: - To support the growth of an entrepreneurial culture within Lanarkshire; - To ensure all businesses are able to access appropriate business support; - To support employment opportunities and inclusive growth; - To support the growth and development of key priority sectors and areas of economic importance; - Deliver an agile service, responsive to business needs that joins seamlessly with Business Gateway services, and other local authority and partner services; and - To support the economic recovery and growth of Lanarkshire The main detailed objectives and outcome targets for the delivery of services via this Framework Agreement which all activities are tailored to deliver are: - Growth in employment, safeguarding existing jobs, and reduction in unemployment, economic inactivity and under-employment; - Increase in equitable opportunities to those from areas of deprivation, women, BAME, disabled persons and young people; - Increase in the skills of the Lanarkshire working population with skills meeting the demands of the jobs market; - Increase growth, businesses and employment in locally important sectors; - Increase in internationalisation of businesses; - Increase in digital capabilities of businesses; - Demonstrable increase in new business support initiatives and partnership working; and -Support and develop supply chains Full details of required services are contained within the procurement documents located on the PCS-Tender System.