Business Support for Low Carbon Innovation and Development, of Products Processes and Services in small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) in Worcestershire

Providers of Business Support are a fundamental part of the delivery of the European Regional Development Funded Low Carbon Opportunities Programme, which is schedule to run from October 2019 to September 2022. Through this tender opportunity, the Council will be contracting an independent provider to deliver services to undertake the Low Carbon Innovation Assists. The programme will provide free support (Assists) to help small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) innovate, grow, develop and adopt low carbon products, processes and services. This support will aim to help businesses implement ideas and commercialise products that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Assist will seek to address and support the SME with any barriers being faced, for example with developing collaborative links with relevant research institutions, IP protection, market analysis or location of manufacturing partners, skills and technical support.

Working with and advising the business on its next steps, the support will then help the business progress the commerciality of the low carbon product or service.

As a guide a low carbon product or service could be a technology or process that: o Prevents or reduces the release of greenhouse gases / carbon emissions throughout the product lifecycle. o Supplies energy with substantially lower greenhouse gases / carbon emissions than the current average supply or reduces energy consumption. o Help consumers reduce their resource usage. o Reduces primary and secondary greenhouse gases / carbon emissions through processes.

The programme also provides grant funding (matched funded by at least 60% by the business) to help SMEs invest in recommendations from the Assist.

This strand of the programme will facilitate greater innovation, research and development leading to the development and adoption of low carbon products, processes and services. The programme looks to establish collaborative links between SMEs and other businesses, and SMEs and research institutions. This programme is managed by Worcestershire County Council in partnership with the Worcestershire District Councils.

This programme builds on the successful Low Carbon Opportunities Programme (2016-2019) which provided 81 assists and ?822,000 in grant funding. The Low Carbon Opportunities Programme has another operational strand that considers Renewable Energy but is not subject to this tender.

Further information about the programme can be viewed at www.business-central.co.uk/locop

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Additional information: Is a Recurrent Procurement Type? : No