--- title: "SC22223 - C-Care Technology Resilience Voucher Scheme" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-0999ccb7-20d6-4217-98d6-74a383d08ea0" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-0999ccb7-20d6-4217-98d6-74a383d08ea0" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-0999ccb7-20d6-4217-98d6-74a383d08ea0.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-0999ccb7-20d6-4217-98d6-74a383d08ea0.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "KENT COUNTY COUNCIL" published: "2022-08-02" --- # SC22223 - C-Care Technology Resilience Voucher Scheme Buyer: KENT COUNTY COUNCIL Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-b5fd17-0999ccb7-20d6-4217-98d6-74a383d08ea0 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-0999ccb7-20d6-4217-98d6-74a383d08ea0) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-0999ccb7-20d6-4217-98d6-74a383d08ea0.json) ## Summary Kent County Council is currently undertaking the SC22223 - C-Care Technology Resilience Voucher Scheme, aimed at addressing socio-economic challenges exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic within the IT services sector. The procurement process is at the tender stage, with a deadline for submissions set for 1st September 2022. The project is set to support approximately 300 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) based in Kent, focusing on digital resilience and adaptation. This initiative, with an estimated budget of £300,000, launched in November 2021 and will continue until the end of 2022, facilitating the procurement of additional suppliers to meet demand for various digital services in the region. This tender presents significant opportunities for SMEs in the digital services arena, including firms specialising in web development, digital marketing, and technology investments. Businesses that can offer innovative solutions to enhance digital capabilities for the targeted beneficiaries are well-positioned to compete. As the existing suppliers near capacity and with specific needs identified in the voucher scheme, new entrants that can provide the requisite services are likely to find a welcoming market to foster business growth in the Kent region. ## Notice C-Care is cross-Channel Interreg project which aims to respond to some of the socio-economic challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. C-Care is led by Kent County Council and involves 3 other English and 3 French partner organisations who are jointly implementing the project. C-Care will provide support to businesses and individuals at risk of exclusion in the France-Channel England area to aid economic recovery. As part of this project, the Growth & Communities Division within GET is leading on a technology resilience voucher pilot scheme to provide support to Kent businesses. The scheme was launched in November 2021 when Kent SMEs could start to apply for vouchers. A framework of suppliers was procured during the summer of 2021 which resulted in seven suppliers being selected and approved to provide services to Kent businesses under the voucher scheme. A total number of 385 applications were received between November 2021 and June 2022 and 320 were approved. However, 74 (23.12%) of these which have been withdrawn - the main reason being given by SMEs was a lack of a suitable supplier on the framework to deliver the service they wanted. Not every lot was filled by suppliers and only 4 of the 7 suppliers have actually been selected by beneficiary SMEs to complete a voucher project. Some current suppliers have also indicated that they are very near to reaching full capacity to deliver voucher projects. As of July 2022, the scheme has committed around 50% of the available funding but KCC needs to procure the services of some additional suppliers (businesses offering a range of digital services to other companies) with whom, successful voucher applicants can carry out a technology resilience project which will be paid for by the C-Care project. A detailed analysis of the scheme to date has indicated that additional suppliers should be sourced to provide services against the following lots to respond to demand from Kent SMEs: * Web-Based Activities * Digital Marketing and Promotional Activities * Equipment and Small Investments to Facilitate Digital Activity The scheme supports Kent businesses in making changes to their business models or developing new digital processes to build in resilience to the company and finding new ways to connect to customers e.g. adopting a click and collect procedure, putting in place an online payment process, adapting a website to engage with new customers etc. The voucher scheme is worth around PS300,000 (depending on the Euro exchange rate) and aims to support 300 Kent-based SMEs (small & medium sizes enterprises). The scheme launched in November 2021 and will run until the end of 2022 (subject to the number of applications received and the voucher budget being allocated). ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/8e5effa4-bd24-4292-8393-e2153de4c201 | | Notice type | Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Open procedure | | Tender suitability | SME | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 2 Aug 2022 | | Submission deadline | 1 Sep 2022 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 28 Oct 2022 - 31 Mar 2023 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £250,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | KENT COUNTY COUNCIL | | Locality | MAIDSTONE | | Post town | Rochester | | Postcode | ME14 1XQ | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLJ4 Kent | | ITL 3 | TLJ45 Mid Kent | | Local authority | Maidstone | | Electoral ward | Penenden Heath | | Westminster constituency | Maidstone and Malling | | Delivery location | TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support ### Codes - 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support ## Release History - 2 Aug 2022 at 14:35 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/8e5effa4-bd24-4292-8393-e2153de4c201 ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/8e5effa4-bd24-4292-8393-e2153de4c201 2nd August 2022 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder ## Notice URLs - http://www.kent.gov.uk ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. 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