CP848-13 Heart of the South West LEP Rural Growth Network Business Support Programme.
Contract notice
Services
Section I: Contracting authority
I.1)Name, addresses and contact point(s)
Devon County Council
CR Devon Procurement Service, County Hall, Room 120, Topsham Road
For the attention of: Iain Perkins
EX2 4QD Exeter
UNITED KINGDOM
E-mail:
Internet address(es):
General address of the contracting authority: www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk
Further information can be obtained from: Supplying the South West
Internet address: www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk
Specifications and additional documents (including documents for competitive dialogue and a dynamic purchasing system) can be obtained from: Supplying the South West
Internet address: www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to: Supplying the South West
Internet address: www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk
I.2)Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
I.3)Main activity
General public services
I.4)Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities
The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: yes
Section II: Object of the contract
II.1)Description
II.1.1)Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority:
CP848-13 Heart of the South West LEP Rural Growth Network Business Support Programme.
II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance
Services
Service category No 27: Other services
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance: Counties of Devon & Somerset.
Service category No 27: Other services
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance: Counties of Devon & Somerset.
NUTS code UKK
II.1.3)Information about a public contract, a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system (DPS)
The notice involves a public contract
II.1.4)Information on framework agreement
II.1.5)Short description of the contract or purchase(s)
Heart of the South West (HOTSW) is one of 5 pilot Rural Growth Networks across England which have been successful in securing funding from DEFRA to carry out a programme of activity designed to stimulate economic growth in rural areas.
The HOTSW programme consists of a range of capital and revenue based activities, divided into a series of projects. This tender relates to support to rural businesses and seeks to ensure that appropriate support can be delivered to stimulate the local economy to deliver an increase in jobs and Gross Value Added (GVA). In addition, this tender also includes a package of support related to tenants/users of the Devon Work Hub network (which seeks to provide affordable flexible workspace for the micro/home based business market across the County, alongside good quality business support and networking opportunities.) The support and outputs for the work hub network have been integrated within the outputs table specified in the ITT document.
HOTSW includes the unitary authorities of Plymouth and Torbay, alongside the largely rural counties of Devon and Somerset. The RGN Programme only covers the rural settlements of Devon & Somerset. Settlements with greater than 10,000 population are excluded from receiving RGN support. However, the Devon Work Hubs network covers the whole of the Devon County Council area.
The HOTSW programme consists of a range of capital and revenue based activities, divided into a series of projects. This tender relates to support to rural businesses and seeks to ensure that appropriate support can be delivered to stimulate the local economy to deliver an increase in jobs and Gross Value Added (GVA). In addition, this tender also includes a package of support related to tenants/users of the Devon Work Hub network (which seeks to provide affordable flexible workspace for the micro/home based business market across the County, alongside good quality business support and networking opportunities.) The support and outputs for the work hub network have been integrated within the outputs table specified in the ITT document.
Further information on the Devon Work Hubs Network can be found at www.devonworkhubs.co.uk
The overall vision for the HOTSW Rural Growth Networks (RGN) is to create a sustainable rural economy through developing a network of rural enterprise hubs which act as a focal point for support to the micro and small business sector.HOTSW includes the unitary authorities of Plymouth and Torbay, alongside the largely rural counties of Devon and Somerset. The RGN Programme only covers the rural settlements of Devon & Somerset. Settlements with greater than 10,000 population are excluded from receiving RGN support. However, the Devon Work Hubs network covers the whole of the Devon County Council area.
II.1.6)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
79000000
II.1.7)Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): no
II.1.8)Lots
This contract is divided into lots: no
II.1.9)Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: yes
II.2)Quantity or scope of the contract
II.2.1)Total quantity or scope:
Through this tender process, it is our intention to seek a strong consortium to run a programme of RGN business support. The particular elements contained within this contract briefly include:
- Promotion of the overall programme to ensure that rural businesses are aware of and engage with the support is available
- Providing access to further support/information both through a dedicated telephone support line and via the web. Enquiries to be directed to the most appropriate form of support, including those outside the remit of the RGN where necessary.
- Diagnostic of business needs, resulting in an action plan enabling the business to access further support as necessary, either through RGN resources, or through the REG capital grant programme or other non RGN support services
- Provision of specific and focussed support for women entrepreneurs and business owners
- Management of a business support voucher scheme, using the businesses registered on the Buy With Confidence programme within Devon and Somerset.
- Provision of an RGN Innovation support strand, working with appropriate providers including for example the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth.. This service is restricted to Devon only
- Provision of business support and advice for the Devon Work Hub Network, taking into the account the needs of users of these facilities - this service is restricted to Devon only
Tenders should clearly show how they will provide the above service across the whole of the RGN area, where applicable, and how the enterprise hubs will become a focus for business support provision on the ground.
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 1 000 000 and 1 500 000 GBP
- Promotion of the overall programme to ensure that rural businesses are aware of and engage with the support is available
- Providing access to further support/information both through a dedicated telephone support line and via the web. Enquiries to be directed to the most appropriate form of support, including those outside the remit of the RGN where necessary.
- Diagnostic of business needs, resulting in an action plan enabling the business to access further support as necessary, either through RGN resources, or through the REG capital grant programme or other non RGN support services
- Provision of specific and focussed support for women entrepreneurs and business owners
- Management of a business support voucher scheme, using the businesses registered on the Buy With Confidence programme within Devon and Somerset.
- Provision of an RGN Innovation support strand, working with appropriate providers including for example the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth.. This service is restricted to Devon only
- Provision of business support and advice for the Devon Work Hub Network, taking into the account the needs of users of these facilities - this service is restricted to Devon only
Tenders should clearly show how they will provide the above service across the whole of the RGN area, where applicable, and how the enterprise hubs will become a focus for business support provision on the ground.
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 1 000 000 and 1 500 000 GBP
II.2.2)Information about options
Options: no
II.2.3)Information about renewals
II.3)Duration of the contract or time limit for completion
Duration in months: 31 (from the award of the contract)
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1)Conditions relating to the contract
III.1.1)Deposits and guarantees required:
No deposits will be required but where applicable the successful tenderer (or in the case of a consortium bid, each member of the consortium) may be required to provide a parent company guarantee or alternative performance bond.
III.1.2)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:
These conditions will be provided in the invitation to tender documents.
III.1.3)Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:
The contracting authority reserves the right to require groupings of contractors to take a particular legal form or to require a single contractor to take primary liability or to require that each party undertakes joint and several liability.
III.1.4)Other particular conditions
The performance of the contract is subject to particular conditions: no
III.2)Conditions for participation
III.2.1)Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Any supplier may be disqualified who:
(a) is bankrupt or is being wound up, where his affairs are being administered by the court, where he has entered into an arrangement with creditors, where he has suspended business activities or is in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure under national laws and regulations;
(b) is the subject of proceedings for a declaration of bankruptcy, for an order compulsory winding up the administration by the court or of an arrangement with creditors or of any other similar proceedings under national laws and regulations;
(c) has been convicted by a judgment which has the force of res judicata in accordance with the legal provisions of the country of any offence concerning his professional conduct;
(d) has been guilty of grave professional misconduct proven by any means which the contract authorities can demonstrate;
(e) has not fulfilled obligations relating to the payment of social security contributions in accordance with the legal provisions of the country in which he is established or with those of the country of the contracting authority;
(f) has not fulfilled obligations relating to the payment of taxes in accordance with the legal provisions of the country in which he is established or with those of the country of the contracting authority;
(g) is guilty of serious misrepresentation in supplying the information required under this Section or has not supplied such information;
(h) has been the subject of a conviction for participation in a criminal organization, as defined in Article 2(1) of Council Joint Action 98/733/JHA;
(i) has been the subject of a conviction for corruption, as defined in Article 3 of the Council Act of 26 May 1972 and Article 3(1) of Council Joint Action 98/742/JHA3 respectively;
(j)has been the subject of a conviction for fraud within the meaning of Article 1 of the Convention relating to the protection of the financial interests of the European Communities;
(k) has been the subject of a conviction for money laundering, as defined in Article 1 of Council Directive 91/308/EEC of 10 June 1991 on prevention of the use of the financial system for the purpose of money laundering.
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if requirements are met:
Please refer to the invitation to tender documentation for specific details of the qualification and tender process
(a) is bankrupt or is being wound up, where his affairs are being administered by the court, where he has entered into an arrangement with creditors, where he has suspended business activities or is in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure under national laws and regulations;
(b) is the subject of proceedings for a declaration of bankruptcy, for an order compulsory winding up the administration by the court or of an arrangement with creditors or of any other similar proceedings under national laws and regulations;
(c) has been convicted by a judgment which has the force of res judicata in accordance with the legal provisions of the country of any offence concerning his professional conduct;
(d) has been guilty of grave professional misconduct proven by any means which the contract authorities can demonstrate;
(e) has not fulfilled obligations relating to the payment of social security contributions in accordance with the legal provisions of the country in which he is established or with those of the country of the contracting authority;
(f) has not fulfilled obligations relating to the payment of taxes in accordance with the legal provisions of the country in which he is established or with those of the country of the contracting authority;
(g) is guilty of serious misrepresentation in supplying the information required under this Section or has not supplied such information;
(h) has been the subject of a conviction for participation in a criminal organization, as defined in Article 2(1) of Council Joint Action 98/733/JHA;
(i) has been the subject of a conviction for corruption, as defined in Article 3 of the Council Act of 26 May 1972 and Article 3(1) of Council Joint Action 98/742/JHA3 respectively;
(j)has been the subject of a conviction for fraud within the meaning of Article 1 of the Convention relating to the protection of the financial interests of the European Communities;
(k) has been the subject of a conviction for money laundering, as defined in Article 1 of Council Directive 91/308/EEC of 10 June 1991 on prevention of the use of the financial system for the purpose of money laundering.
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if requirements are met:
Please refer to the invitation to tender documentation for specific details of the qualification and tender process
III.2.2)Economic and financial ability
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: (a) appropriate statements from banks or, where appropriate, evidence of relevant professional risk indemnity insurance;
(b) the presentation of balance-sheets or extracts from the balance-sheets, where publication of the balance-sheet is required under the law of the country in which the economic operator is established;
(c) a statement of the undertaking's overall turnover and, where appropriate , of turnover in the area covered by the contract for a maximum of the last three financial years available, depending on the date on which the undertaking was set up or the economic operator started trading, as far as the information of these turnovers is available.
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if requirements are met:
Please refer to the invitation to tender documentation for specific details of the qualification and tender process
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: There will be minimum levels of standards required and these are set out in the Invitation to Tender.
(b) the presentation of balance-sheets or extracts from the balance-sheets, where publication of the balance-sheet is required under the law of the country in which the economic operator is established;
(c) a statement of the undertaking's overall turnover and, where appropriate , of turnover in the area covered by the contract for a maximum of the last three financial years available, depending on the date on which the undertaking was set up or the economic operator started trading, as far as the information of these turnovers is available.
Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if requirements are met:
Please refer to the invitation to tender documentation for specific details of the qualification and tender process
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: There will be minimum levels of standards required and these are set out in the Invitation to Tender.
III.2.3)Technical capacity
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required:
There will be minimum levels of standards required and these are set out in the Invitation to Tender.
There will be minimum levels of standards required and these are set out in the Invitation to Tender.
III.2.4)Information about reserved contracts
III.3)Conditions specific to services contracts
III.3.1)Information about a particular profession
Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession: no
III.3.2)Staff responsible for the execution of the service
Legal persons should indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff responsible for the execution of the service: no
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1)Type of procedure
IV.1.1)Type of procedure
Open
IV.1.2)Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate
IV.1.3)Reduction of the number of operators during the negotiation or dialogue
IV.2)Award criteria
IV.2.1)Award criteria
The most economically advantageous tender in terms of the criteria stated in the specifications, in the invitation to tender or to negotiate or in the descriptive document
IV.2.2)Information about electronic auction
An electronic auction will be used: no
IV.3)Administrative information
IV.3.1)File reference number attributed by the contracting authority:
CP848-13
IV.3.2)Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract
no
IV.3.3)Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents or descriptive document
Time limit for receipt of requests for documents or for accessing documents: 22.4.2013 - 12:00
Payable documents: no
Payable documents: no
IV.3.4)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
22.4.2013 - 12:00
IV.3.5)Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
6.3.2013
IV.3.6)Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up
English.
IV.3.7)Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender
IV.3.8)Conditions for opening of tenders
Persons authorised to be present at the opening of tenders: no
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1)Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: no
VI.2)Information about European Union funds
The contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: yes
Reference to project(s) and/or programme(s): Heart of the South West LEP Rural Growth Network Business Support Programme.
Reference to project(s) and/or programme(s): Heart of the South West LEP Rural Growth Network Business Support Programme.
VI.3)Additional information
Part Funded by DEFRA
VI.4)Procedures for appeal
VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures
VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals
Precise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals: In accordance with Regulation 32 (Information about contract award procedures and the application opf standstill period prior to contract award) and Regulations 47 (Ebforcement of Obligation) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006.
VI.4.3)Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained
VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:
6.3.2013