--- title: "Business Grant Scheme (Lot 1) and Business Support / Mentoring Services (Lot 2)" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-c369b201-0353-42ac-93ef-c64a952334d3" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-c369b201-0353-42ac-93ef-c64a952334d3" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-c369b201-0353-42ac-93ef-c64a952334d3.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-c369b201-0353-42ac-93ef-c64a952334d3.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "GRAVESHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL" published: "2024-12-17" --- # Business Grant Scheme (Lot 1) and Business Support / Mentoring Services (Lot 2) Buyer: GRAVESHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-b5fd17-c369b201-0353-42ac-93ef-c64a952334d3 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-c369b201-0353-42ac-93ef-c64a952334d3) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-c369b201-0353-42ac-93ef-c64a952334d3.json) ## Summary Gravesham Borough Council is inviting proposals for the delivery of a Business Grant Scheme (Lot 1) and Business Support/Mentoring Services (Lot 2) aimed at small businesses in north Kent. The procurement is at the tender stage and employs an open procedure method. Proposals are especially sought for innovative approaches to provide responsive, personalised, and flexible mentoring services to pre-start and new businesses aiming for growth. Furthermore, the Council seeks to administer a small grant scheme to support early-stage businesses in making small investments. This process is especially targeted towards improving business formation and survival rates in lower represented demographics. The tender period ends on 10 January 2025 at 17:00 GMT, with the contract period running from 1 February 2025 to 1 February 2027. The estimated contract value is £97,000. This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in consultancy, business services, and mentoring. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations are particularly encouraged to apply. Companies with a proven track record in delivering business support and mentoring, especially those capable of providing a mix of in-person and virtual services, would be well-suited for this opportunity. The flexible nature of the support services and the focus on diverse community needs will allow participating businesses to not only contribute to local economic development but also expand their service offerings and broaden their client base. ## Notice Overall Summary In north Kent, Gravesham Borough Council is seeking proposals to deliver a personalised, demand-responsive business support service, delivered as flexible mentoring support for small businesses that are pre-start, new and aiming for growth. Linked to business support, the Council is advertising an opportunity to administer and deliver a small grant scheme to early stage and growing businesses (with a trading history), to make small investments in support of their growth. The economic development team is looking for a high quality, creative and flexible approach to in-person and virtual delivery over a 12-month period, that is informed by a provider's experience and ability to deliver a local service that is responsive to the needs of a diverse community. Delivery will be able to make use of community and other business locations secured through the Council and other local organisations. Lot 1 - Business Grant Scheme For early-stage businesses, a small grant scheme to assist a diverse range of micro businesses to make small investments that will help them grow through new capital equipment, workspace or other revenue projects with a clear business case. Successful outreach into geographies and demographic groups that tend to have lower rates of business formation and survival, will be an important focus. The preferred solution will provide a simple, clear application process and would ideally be linked to the Business Support / Mentoring service in order to incentivise take up of advice and also to allow for independent assessment of the likely impact of a grant. Lot 2 - Business Support / Mentoring Services The availability of good quality, visible and independent advice for small businesses is a key ingredient of creating a supportive eco-system to promote the health of local economies. Gravesham Borough is seeking innovative proposals for a blend of personalised (highly flexible) in-person and virtual advice and guidance to pre and post-start businesses looking to establish and grow. A number of specialist areas of business support knowledge are suggested, to be delivered in a mentoring format that is responsive to the needs of individual enterprises, including social businesses. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/85d32105-5eda-4673-89ea-6712a2187f7e | | Notice type | Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Open procedure (below threshold) | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 17 Dec 2024 | | Submission deadline | 10 Jan 2025 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 1 Feb 2025 - 1 Feb 2026 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £97,000 | | 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 | GRAVESHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL | | Locality | GRAVESEND | | Post town | Dartford | | Postcode | DA12 1AU | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLJ4 Kent | | ITL 3 | TLJ43 Kent Thames Gateway | | Local authority | Gravesham | | Electoral ward | Town | | Westminster constituency | Gravesham | | 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 - 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security ### Codes - 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security ## Release History - 17 Dec 2024 at 14:12 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/85d32105-5eda-4673-89ea-6712a2187f7e - 13 Dec 2024 at 11:54 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/3b1fb5f0-57f0-48bd-9192-01ccee53776d - 13 Dec 2024 at 11:52 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/63accf79-6c46-4f6f-83d6-092d3e18f5b0 ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/85d32105-5eda-4673-89ea-6712a2187f7e 17th December 2024 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/3b1fb5f0-57f0-48bd-9192-01ccee53776d 13th December 2024 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/63accf79-6c46-4f6f-83d6-092d3e18f5b0 13th December 2024 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder - https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=7cf6f1da-47b9-ef11-8132-005056b64545 Advert ## Notice URLs - http://www.gravesham.gov.uk ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-c369b201-0353-42ac-93ef-c64a952334d3. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-c369b201-0353-42ac-93ef-c64a952334d3.json.