---
title: "ID 5449059 - Invest NI - Graduate to Export Development programme"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04be3b"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04be3b"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04be3b.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04be3b.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "INVEST NORTHERN IRELAND"
published: "2025-03-10"
---

# ID 5449059 - Invest NI - Graduate to Export Development programme

Buyer: INVEST NORTHERN IRELAND  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04be3b

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04be3b)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04be3b.json)

## Summary

Invest Northern Ireland is initiating the procurement process for the "ID 5449059 - Invest NI - Graduate to Export Development programme," which focuses on education and training services within the Northern Ireland region. The tender aims to engage a contractor to develop, deliver, and manage future cohorts in the Graduate to Export Development Programme (G2E Programme), launching in March/April 2025. The programme will support SMEs in expanding their businesses internationally by providing a dedicated market research resource, resulting in an export development/market entry plan. The procurement is currently in the tender stage, with the application deadline set for 15 January 2025, and the project commencing on 7 March 2025, lasting for an initial period of 5 years with potential for a 12-month extension.

This tender presents considerable opportunities for businesses, especially those specializing in executive education, market research, and international business development. Companies with expertise in designing and delivering postgraduate programmes with a commercial focus and accreditation aligned with international business development best practices will find this tender particularly suited. SMEs capable of providing market research support and overseeing project execution by programme graduates will be well-positioned to contribute to and benefit from this programme, thus fostering business growth and expanding their operational capabilities.

## Notice

Invest NI's Graduate to Export Development Programme (G2E Programme) launched in February 2019, and targets SMEs in Northern Ireland to help expand their business internationally with the assistance of a supported graduate. As part of the programme, participating companies will develop their international business capabilities, gained from having a dedicated market research resource and on completion of the graduate intervention, they will have an export development / market entry plan for their chosen market. The Programme, in turn, will provide graduates with a valuable opportunity to gain practical experience and business skills in international business development in addition to obtain academic qualifications. Invest NI is seeking to engage a Contractor for the development, delivery, and management of future G2E cohorts with an anticipated launch date of March/April 2025. The Contractor shall design and deliver a Post Graduate Diploma for participating graduates which will have a commercial focus and a meaningful accreditation focusing on global best practice in international business development. The Contractor shall also work with the participating companies to assist them develop / refine their market research projects and oversee their execution by the programme graduates. The completion of these projects by the graduates should be a prerequisite of academic accreditation. The G2E Programme will comprise of up to 3 cohorts of 201 graduates per cohort all of whom are employed by Invest NI client companies (primarily SME's). It is anticipated that the contract will be for an initial period of 5 years with each cohort lasting 18 months. Invest NI reserve the option to extend the contract for a further period of 12 months. Each cohort is subject to budgetary approval and to satisfactory Contractor performance.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Invest NI's Graduate to Export Development Programme (G2E Programme) launched in February 2019, and targets SMEs in Northern Ireland to help expand their business internationally with the assistance of a supported graduate. As part of the programme, participating companies will develop their international business capabilities, gained from having a dedicated market research resource and on completion of the graduate intervention, they will have an export development / market entry plan for their chosen market. The Programme, in turn, will provide graduates with a valuable opportunity to gain practical experience and business skills in international business development in addition to obtain academic qualifications. Invest NI is seeking to engage a Contractor for the development, delivery, and management of future G2E cohorts with an anticipated launch date of March/April 2025. The Contractor shall design and deliver a Post Graduate Diploma for participating graduates which will have a commercial focus and a meaningful accreditation focusing on global best practice in international business development. The Contractor shall also work with the participating companies to assist them develop / refine their market research projects and oversee their execution by the programme graduates. The completion of these projects by the graduates should be a prerequisite of academic accreditation. The G2E Programme will comprise of up to 3 cohorts of 201 graduates per cohort all of whom are employed by Invest NI client companies (primarily SME's). It is anticipated that the contract will be for an initial period of 5 years with each cohort lasting 18 months. Invest NI reserve the option to extend the contract for a further period of 12 months. Each cohort is subject to budgetary approval and to satisfactory Contractor performance.

Options: There is one option to extend the contract for an additional 12 months

Renewal: As per tender documents

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/008525-2025 |
| Notice type | Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 10 Mar 2025 |
| Submission deadline | 15 Jan 2025 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 7 Mar 2025 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £444,000 |
| Lots value | £444,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £381,200 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Cancelled |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | INVEST NORTHERN IRELAND |
| Locality | BELFAST |
| Post town | Northern Ireland |
| Postcode | BT3 9ED |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| ITL 1 | TLN Northern Ireland |
| ITL 2 | TLN0 Northern Ireland |
| ITL 3 | TLN06 Belfast |
| Local authority | Belfast |
| Electoral ward | Central |
| Westminster constituency | Belfast South and Mid Down |
| Delivery location | TLN Northern Ireland, TLN0 Northern Ireland |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER BUSINESS INSTITUTE |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
- 79310000 - Market research services
- 79342000 - Marketing services
- 80000000 - Education and training services
- 80430000 - Adult-education services at university level
- 80510000 - Specialist training services
- 80570000 - Personal development training services

## Release History

- 10 Mar 2025 at 13:01 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/008525-2025
- 22 Nov 2024 at 17:33 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/037917-2024

## Notice URLs

- https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps

## 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-h6vhtk-04be3b. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04be3b.json.