16-125 Associates Tender - Rotherham Launch Pad

Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC) are inviting bids from a number of organisations who might be able to provide services that meet RMBC's current needs for ad-hoc one-to-one and one-to many advice services to augment Rotherham's delivery of the Launchpad start-up support programme and business accelerator programmes led by RMBC on behalf of the Sheffield City Region. The Launchpad programme is a £4M, three year, part-ESIF funded programme, designed to increase the business stock in the Sheffield City Region (SCR) through the provision of pre start, start up and post start up support. The programme commenced on 1st April 2016 for an initial period of 3 years. The programme is being delivered by a consortium led by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council (BMBC) with delivery partners - Sheffield City Council, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council, Bassetlaw District Council, Derbyshire Dales District Council and The Prince's Trust. Funding is provided by each delivery partner, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority. The programme is targeting economic growth through initiatives to develop entrepreneurial mind-sets and skills to promote self-employment as a career option, and to equip individuals with the entrepreneurial knowledge, technical skills and competencies required to establish and run successful businesses. Support activities include: • Awareness raising and marketing of support • Entrepreneur identification and development • Ideas generator programmes • Business modelling to aid the identification of businesses with growth potential • Business coaching and mentoring support including assessment, review and guidance • Workshops, seminars, networking events and business surgeries • Bespoke packages of support for businesses with high growth potential

In addition to the Launchpad activity, RMBC are planning to run several business accelerator programmes on behalf of the Sheffield City Region up to December 2019. These programmes are approximately 3 months in duration, taking 10 pre-start, early stages and existing businesses with new products or services through a fast-track process of business development. The programmes help candidates challenge ideas, build and validate business models and communicate ideas to potential partners, investors and customers. Business support provided is dynamic and responsive to client need. The commission is to provide a bank of business support specialists providing ad hoc business advice to pre-start, start up and early stage businesses. Support will be provided on a one-to-one and one-to-many basis. Invitations are invited for x1 specialist per lot. Closing dates for bis is 4pm on Thursday 28th September 2017.