This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

03 May 2024 at 15:33

TenderUpdate

15 Nov 2023 at 10:11

Tender

14 Nov 2023 at 16:47

Summary of the contracting process

North Ayrshire Council is implementing a framework agreement for Business Support Consultancy Services, focusing on Financial Management, Business Strategy, Digital and Social Media Support, Digital Transformation, Procurement & Tender Support, HR Support, Energy Efficiency, Carbon Accounting, Workplace Development & Training, ISO/Quality Management, and Exporting & International Strategy. The procurement stage is complete, and active contracts have been awarded for various lots. The latest tender update extended response deadlines by 1 day due to a system error.

This procurement opportunity offers business growth potential for consultancy firms specialised in various areas such as financial planning, business strategy, digital marketing, HR development, energy efficiency, carbon reduction, workplace training, and international market expansion. Businesses with expertise in quality management, skilled workforce development, and sustainable solutions are well-suited to compete for these contracts and provide valuable services to North Ayrshire Council.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

Framework Agreement for Business Support Consultancy Services

Notice Description

North Ayrshire Council (NAC) is seeking to implement a framework agreement for the provision of Business Support Consultancy Services as detailed in this Invitation to Tender. The Council currently has a contract in place for this requirement, which is due to expire on 9th February 2024, therefore the requirement is being re-tendered.

Lot Information

Lot 1 - Financial Management / Analysis

Financial Management: support is required to enable businesses to develop and refine financial management skills, such as an understanding of financial statements and cash-flow as well as the application of sales, pricing, costing, interest and borrowings, taxation, investment and performance measurements. Financial Readiness: business support will be required to allow interrogation of their forecasting methodologies and assessing their fitness for purpose in terms of their effectiveness in predicting future performance. Preparing for Investment: information and support to prepare businesses for investment as an attractive proposition for potential investors and loan funders. Alternative Finance: information and support around the main forms of alternative business funding for SMEs, including short to long-term loans/debt/equity, asset finance, invoice financing, advice around self-investment and exploring available grant assistance. Taxation: providing support to businesses across any taxation issues that they may have during their business cycle.

Renewal: Option to extend for up to an additional 24 months.

Lot 2 - Business Strategy & Business Development Support

Services for this Lot should include, but not be limited to, the following: Strategic Planning: this may involve support relating to challenging existing approaches, developing new strategies and performance measurement. Business Growth / Productivity: growth / productivity gains can be achieved by either boosting the top line or revenue of the business with greater product sales or service income, or by increasing the bottom line or profitability of the operation by minimising costs - beneficial to help businesses explore both options. Organisational Management: assisting with the organisational management activity that is used to set priorities, focus energy and resources, strengthen operations, ensure that employees and other stakeholders are working toward common goals, and establish agreement around intended outcomes/results. Business Development: analysing current client base, identifying a potential sales pipeline, qualifying lead opportunities, producing a value proposition and clearly demonstrating a USP for the business. Change Management: intervention to help a business move through the growth life-cycle, ensuring due consideration is made to the impact of change on the business, and its people, because of growth.

Renewal: Option to extend for up to an additional 24 months.

Lot 3 - Marketing and Branding Support

Services for this Lot should include, but not be limited to, the following: Market Analysis capability - including market research and surveys. Developing Marketing Strategies (incorporating traditional offline areas of the marketing mix, such as advertising, print, PR) General Digital Marketing (including knowledge of websites, SEO, analytics and ecommerce and social media platforms Target market and customer development (including developing customer personas, user journeys etc) Branding (including working with clients to create a brief, business values, band positioning, mission statement and USPs; and conducting brand audits) Content creation (both online and offline materials, including copywriting, tone of voice, blogs, podcasts, image creation etc)

Renewal: Option to extend for up to an additional 24 months.

Lot 4 - Digital and Social Media Support

Services for this Lot should include, but not be limited to, the following: Social Media principles and knowledge of all current tools and platforms Search Engine Optimisation Best Practice Developing Digital Marketing Strategies Cyber Security Principles Artificial Intelligence Tools & Tactics for Digital Marketing Google Analytics 4 and other data analytics tools Web Design & Development tools and Content Management Systems (e.g., WordPress, WIX, Squarespace, Shopify) Ecommerce and off the shelf platforms and marketplaces (e.g., Ebay, Amazon and Etsy) Mobile web development (including mobile apps) Email marketing

Renewal: Option to extend for up to an additional 24 months.

Lot 5 - Digital Transformation & IT

Examples of topics that are offered under Information and Digital Technology are: Improvements in efficiency and productivity through Digital Capabilities, including automation and artificial intelligence IT systems and process advice Support to increase productivity with digital technology, including epos systems, cloud accountancy and other cloud-based software.

Renewal: Option to extend for up to an additional 24 months.

Lot 6 - Procurement & Tender Support

Services for this Lot should include, but not be limited to, the following: Review Current Tender Library: reviewing existing tender documentation and suggest best practice amendments. Support on how to identify key future contract opportunities, ensuring Public Contracts Scotland profile is up to date, how to complete an SPD, deciding on what opportunities to bid/tender for and improving business visibility within the public sector. General Procurement Support: evaluate past tendering performance and providing feedback on improvements, interpreting tender feedback and incorporating this into future bids. Live Tenders: advice and support on how to complete live opportunities, SPDs and Quick Quotes, helping businesses decide if they should bid, registering on other procurement portals and producing best tender documents possible.

Renewal: Option to extend for up to an additional 24 months.

Lot 7 - HR Support

Services for this Lot should include, but not be limited to, the following: HR Policy: reviewing existing HR processes and policies, ensure they are fit for purpose and cover mandatory legal obligations. Employee Engagement: enable implementation of appraisals, how to broker and manage tough discussions, developing clear roles and responsibilities for all staff and development and of employee handbooks. Performance Management: improving individual employee performance and linking this to employee roles and responsibilities and contractual obligations, workforce relationship building and employee consultation projects.

Renewal: Option to extend for up to an additional 24 months.

Lot 8 - Family Business and Succession Planning Support

Services for this Lot should include, but not be limited to, the following: Family Business Support Governance & Structure: creating the correct structures and practices needed to achieve best practice in governance of a family business, how to view the business as a family and as a business, development of a shared purpose, defining employee and family roles. Succession Planning succession planning, conflict resolution, next generation career and skills development, developing family communications and planning an elegant exit. Succession Planning Support Existing Business Position: formulating exit strategies, preparing business for sale, business continuity and safe-guarding people and assets. Business Structure: provide support to help determine the assignment and coordination of roles, power and responsibilities within a business. Define how information flows between the different levels of management. Board Development: value and creation of a board, or recruitment of a non-executive director. Review composition and effectiveness at both an individual and group level. Business Continuity: how to deal with disruptions to supply chains, reputation, loss of premises or loss of technology. Risk Management: enable businesses to make well-informed decisions and to identify and protect the most critical aspects of their operations. Mitigating or reducing risks to an acceptable level can create more agile businesses.

Renewal: Option to extend for up to an additional 24 months.

Lot 9 - Energy efficiency and EPC Services

Services for this Lot should include, but not be limited to, the provision of the following: Ad-hoc Energy Efficiency Audit Reporting services EPC Rating services

Renewal: Option to extend for up to an additional 24 months.

Lot 12 - ISO/Quality Management Consultancy & Training

Services for this Lot should include, but not be limited to, the following: Support and advice for North Ayrshire businesses with a desire to achieve ISO/Quality Management accreditation. This will involve supporting businesses/organisations with the development, documentation and implementation of quality management systems where needed, prior to application for ISO/Quality Management accreditation.

Renewal: Option to extend for up to an additional 24 months.

Lot 13 - Exporting and International Strategy

Services for this Lot should include, but not be limited to, the following: Support businesses to access overseas markets, supporting the opportunity to reach a wider customer base and increase sales. Support for Exporting, including documentation. Market Analysis, Strategy and Development.

Renewal: Option to extend for up to an additional 24 months.

Lot 10 - Carbon Accounting and Carbon Reduction Strategy

Services for this Lot should include, but not be limited to, the following: Carbon Auditing/Accounting Net Zero Route Mapping Carbon Reduction Strategies

Renewal: Option to extend for up to an additional 24 months.

Lot 11 - Workplace Development & Training Support

Services for this Lot should include, but not be limited to, the following: Skills Mapping of Business/Employees: reviewing existing skills and talent within a business, leadership development, review of business culture, internal project management, capacity building, people development and productivity improvements. Leadership and Management: as the business grows, so does the need for strong leadership and guidance. Support to equip owners and entrepreneurs with the skills required to develop and achieve key business aspirations. Productivity: plans and processes to improve productivity, identifying CIPD opportunities, implementing new ideas and structures.

Renewal: Option to extend for up to an additional 24 months.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0419cd
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/014401-2024
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large, SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

66 - Financial and insurance services

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

85 - Health and social work services


CPV Codes

66170000 - Financial consultancy, financial transaction processing and clearing-house services

71314300 - Energy-efficiency consultancy services

79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services

79413000 - Marketing management consultancy services

79414000 - Human resources management consultancy services

79418000 - Procurement consultancy services

85312330 - Family-planning services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£400,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£468,000 £100K-£500K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
3 May 20242 years ago
Submission Deadline
14 Dec 2023Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
9 Apr 20242 years ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
6 months prior to framework end

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Active, Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
North Ayrshire Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
IRVINE
Postcode
KA12 8EE
Postcode Area
Kilmarnock
Country
Scotland

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM9 Southern Scotland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM93 North Ayrshire and East Ayrshire
Delivery Location
TLM93 North Ayrshire and East Ayrshire

Local Authority
North Ayrshire
Electoral Ward
Irvine South
Westminster Constituency
Central Ayrshire

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
29
Supplier Names

1.Thorough Brand

Big Pond Digital ltd

Booth Welsh Automation Ltd

Business Success Partnership

CJM Project Financial Management Ltd

Carbonzone Ltd

Caughey Solutions Limited

Concept HR Solutions

Enterprise North East Trust Ltd

Ferguson King Consulting Ltd

GAP Communications

GSM (UK) Associates

Goaco Group Ltd

Intend Business Development Ltd

J&G3 Ltd

Katie Bell HR Ltd

Mabbett & Associates Ltd (Main Quick Quote Contact)

Macdonald Strategy Partners Limited

Managed IT Experts Ltd.

Maureen Johnstone HR & Executive Coachin

NSDesign Ltd

P&Z Consulting

SCMG

Stewart Miller associates (Scotland) Ltd

Sweco UK Limited

Tinto Procurement

Uxl ltd

Whitewall Marketing

Zoe Stirton

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

Loading OCDS record...