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Rural Growth Deal (RGD) Business Skills and Leadership Programme

Highlands and Islands Enterprise

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

28 Jul 2026 at 01:00

OJEU - F3 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

20 Nov 2025 at 00:00

OJEU - F2 - Contract Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Highlands and Islands Enterprise commissioned a business skills and leadership programme for participants in the Argyll and Bute Council area, funded through the Argyll and Bute Rural Growth Deal. The service covers three strands: a Young and Emerging Leaders Programme; a Leadership for Growth and Strategic Leadership Programme; and a Mentoring Programme. The first two strands are cohort-based, using a series of workshop modules. Delivery combines online and face-to-face teaching, while mentoring is mainly online except for its first session, which must be face-to-face. This is a business training, leadership development and mentoring service, including programme management, participant support and arrangements for venues, travel and accommodation. The buying organisation is Highlands and Islands Enterprise, with delivery centred on Argyll and Bute.

The procurement is complete and was run as a single-lot open procedure. The contract was awarded to Skillfluence Limited on 23 December 2025 and signed on 24 July 2026. The contract period recorded for the lot runs from 20 April 2026 to 19 April 2031, comprising an initial three-year term with two possible one-year extensions. The estimated maximum value is £474,000 excluding VAT; the successful price for the initial three years is £249,900. Evaluation weighted price at 40% and management and delivery methodology at 25%. Eleven electronic bids were received, including ten from SMEs. The successful supplier may subcontract up to 3% of the contract. Staff names and qualifications were required, and bids had to be submitted in English.

This award indicates that Highlands and Islands Enterprise values suppliers able to design and deliver structured leadership development for distinct participant cohorts, rather than offering generic training alone. A credible competitor would need proven capability in emerging-leader development, strategic and growth leadership, mentoring, workshop facilitation and programme management. It would also need to demonstrate effective hybrid delivery, combining online learning with face-to-face sessions, including an in-person start to mentoring. Experience of supporting participants across Argyll and Bute, including island-based delivery and associated travel and accommodation arrangements, would strengthen a future response. The requirement for staff names and qualifications means suppliers should have an identifiable, suitably qualified delivery team. The award also shows that an SME can compete successfully for this type of regional skills programme.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Rural Growth Deal (RGD) Business Skills and Leadership Programme

Notice Description

THIS IS A CONTRACT AWARD NOTICE AND AS SUCH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS IS COMPLETE. The supplier will deliver a Business Skills and Leadership Programme specifically for Argyll and Bute Council area. This programme is fully funded by the Argyll and Bute Rural Growth Deal (RGD) and will be available to participants within this geographic area. The programme will consist of 3 strands. 1 Young and Emerging Leaders Programme; 2. Leadership for Growth/Strategic Leadership Programme and 3. Mentoring Programme. Strands 1 and 2 will be delivered to cohort of participants through a series of modules, delivered via workshops. Delivery will be a hybrid model i.e, a blend of on-line and face-to-face delivery. The mentoring programme will be mainly online apart from the first session that must be face-to-face. The contract will be let from 27 July 2026 for 3 years unless terminated in accordance with the provisions of the Contract, with HIE having the option to extend for two periods of one year each (3+1+1) together not exceeding 5 years following the Initial Term.

Lot Information

Lot 1

The value used in II.1.7 and V.2.4 is the estimated total budget figure available over the maximum duration of 3 + 1 + 1 years (GBP 474,000). This figure includes provision for annual price increases, including the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Real Living Wage uplifts, from Year 3 onwards. It also incorporates an allowance to account for variations between initial estimates and actual costs for travel, accommodation, and conference venue hire. The successful bidder price for the initial 3 years is GBP 249,900 - Within this figure there are estimated figures of: - GBP 18,000 (conference venue hire, accommodation for participants for strands 1 and 2); - GBP 4,500 (travel and accommodation for mentors for first in persons session); - GBP 6,000 (travel and accommodation for island-based programme delivery)

Options: In accordance with Regulation 72(1)(a) of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, HIE reserves the right to make changes to the volume and/or scope of the Services to be supplied under the Contract following a review of the Services by HIE, particularly with regard to demand and budgetary availability. This may result in amendments to requirements under the contract, including but not limited to: -The Scottish Government routed via Argyll and Bute Council will provide funding to HIE on an ongoing annual basis. HIE reserves the contractual right, at its sole discretion, to adjust the scope of services under Strands 1, 2, and 3 to align with the available budget. This may include, but is not limited to, reducing activities, pausing delivery, or terminating the programme. -Following the initial 3-year contract term, HIE reserves the contractual right, at its sole discretion, to vary the scope of services under Strands 1, 2, and 3. This may include, but is not limited to, reducing activity, pausing or terminating one or more of the Strands. This contract modification option will be also available for potential year 5 of the contract. -If additional funding becomes available, it may be allocated to expand the number of participants. Bidders' rates will apply to any increases. -If the anticipated number of participants cannot be recruited, service volumes and requirements may be adjusted accordingly.

Renewal: The option to extend for two periods of one year each (3 + 1 +1) together not exceeding 5 years following the Initial Term.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-r6ebe6-0000810046
Publication Source
Public Contracts Scotland
Latest Notice
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUL561035
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
OJEU - F3 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

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

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

72224000 - Project management consultancy services

79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services

79410000 - Business and management consultancy services

79411000 - General management consultancy services

79411100 - Business development consultancy services

80210000 - Technical and vocational secondary education services

80400000 - Adult and other education services

80500000 - Training services

80521000 - Training programme services

80522000 - Training seminars

80532000 - Management training services

80570000 - Personal development training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£474,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£474,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£474,000 £100K-£500K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
28 Jul 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
23 Dec 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
24 Jul 20261 months ago
Contract Period
20 Apr 2026 - 19 Apr 2031 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
INVERNESS
Postcode
IV2 5NA
Postcode Area
Inverness
Country
Scotland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM2 Highlands and Islands
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM20 Highlands and Islands
Delivery Location
TLM63 Lochaber, Skye and Lochalsh, Arran and Cumbrae, and Argyll and Bute
Local Authority
Highland
Electoral Ward
Inverness South
Westminster Constituency
Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Skillfluence Limited

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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