Procurement Opportunity to deliver business support to the social enterprise sector

East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC) and Hull City Council (HCC) have been allocated funds through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to support us in the development of our local businesses. This support consists of various services including, 1-2-1 adviser and specialist support, access to various resources, financial assistance, as well as workshops and events.

As part of this model, we are wanting to develop further the support for organisations within the social business sector. These are businesses with social aims and objectives who undertake, or are planning to undertake, income generating activity from commercial operations, which is then reinvested into their social business. We recognise that this sector has different needs to the general business stock in the areas and are therefore looking to procure a sector specialist to work with social enterprises in both Hull and East Yorkshire on our behalf.

The ultimate aim of the programme is to support and enable more social enterprises, to: • Be financially robust and able to face the future • Take advantage of opportunities for growth • Access a wider range of markets and opportunities • Develop new products and services • Develop their assets • Increase employment opportunities and manage volunteers more effectively.

The work is expected to include, but not be limited to: • Pre start advice • Advice on legal structures, • Strengthening governance. • Business and financial planning including access to finance • Developing income streams • Development of new products and services

Areas of support provided may include: • Overcoming barriers to growth • Managing people performance • Succession planning • Systems and processes • Identifying and responding to new markets • Social impact and measuring social return on investment. • Asset development

The programme will involve delivery of activity to engage and support a minimum of 30 Social Enterprises (15 Hull, 15 East Riding), with each receiving a minimum of 12 hours of support of which a minimum of 6hrs must be 1-2-1 support, including initial diagnostic and action planning activity, this must be followed up by a Final Review after the completion of the 12hrs of support. All activity will need to be recorded and signed off by the social enterprise receiving the support.

We are wanting to work with a responsive, adaptable partner organisation(s) or individual(s) to deliver this support on our behalf. We are looking for tender responses to include a clear delivery model and how you would identify need and support social enterprises through the journey.

Please see the attachments for further details.

Questions about the specification should be directed to the Business Support team via [email protected] by noon Wednesday 8th May 2024.

If you are interested in this opportunity responses should be sent to [email protected] by 8am Monday 13th May 2024.

Additional information: Timescales

1. Tender advertised Friday 26th April 2024 2. Final submission of queries and questions regarding tender Noon Wednesday 8th May 3. Closing date for submissions 8am Monday 13th May 2024 4. Review and scoring of submissions Monday 13th May / Tuesday 14th May 2024 5. Potential face to face interviews by shortlisted applicants (if applicable) Friday 17th May 2024 6. Notification of successful applicant/s Monday 20th May 2024 7. Inception meetings and agreement of approach W/C Monday 20th May 2024 8. Delivery of contract Between 1st June 2024 and 28th February 2025

Response should include as a minimum:

Knowledge & experience • Details of up-to-date experience of individual/agency, that substantiate you meet the requirements of the opportunity • Name of key developers/deliverer/s and Curriculum Vitae/s of identified parties. Please note, sub-contractors will be accepted and should be identified where available within the tender response. • Evidence to demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the subject matter and how you maintain a consistent and up to date knowledge base. • Proposed delivery model, including examples of proposed documentation/paperwork, style of delivery and handouts and resources that would be made available to social enterprises accessing the support (where appropriate). • Examples of previous delivery of similar work.

Project Management skills • Explain how you will maintain consistent and relevant delivery of information • Evidence of how you would manage the portfolio of work within timescales and need for flexibility of delivery • Availability of time for the undertaking of this contract. • Explanation of your own present evaluation and improvement process

Price • Clear cost breakdown either hourly rate/s to be applied or cost per social enterprise supported.

The maximum value of the contract is £30,000 + VAT to include any additional costs including travel and other expenses. These costs should be factored into your submission.

The number of social enterprises to be supported within the potential budget should be defined by you which will be informed by your experience and delivery model. Explanations should be given within your response of your chosen methods of delivery and the rationale applied.

Contract for the work will be up to 28th February 2025 in line with present UKSPF timelines or earlier if demand exceeds expectations or funding ceases.

Marketing of the project: ERYC and HCC will undertake marketing activities aimed at promoting the programme and it is expected that the successful bidder will also undertake their own marketing activity to their current database of clients and networks.

ERYC and HCC will develop marketing collateral as needed.

Where businesses are identified by ERYC and HCC these will be forwarded to the successful bidder for consideration for support through the programme.