---
title: "Manufacturing Innovation Centre Moray (MICM) - Service Operator: Request for Information"
ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000779076"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000779076"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000779076.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000779076.json"
source: "Public Contracts Scotland"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS ENTERPRISE"
published: "2024-10-17"
---

# Manufacturing Innovation Centre Moray (MICM) - Service Operator: Request for Information

Buyer: HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS ENTERPRISE  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000779076

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## Summary

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has initiated a planning stage for the Manufacturing Innovation Centre Moray (MICM), a strategic project under the Moray Growth Deal aimed at enhancing regional economic growth. The procurement seeks a service operator to run the MICM, providing key services like diagnostics, advice, and funding brokerage within the UK's innovation landscape, particularly targeting the manufacturing sector. The MICM will be located at Enterprise Park Forres, Inverness, and the project includes the refurbishment and energy efficiency upgrade of existing facilities. Interested parties are invited to respond by 13 November 2024, with further notice expected on 30 January 2025. The primary procurement category for this project is services and it falls under the industry category "Economic affairs" (COFOG: 04).

This tender presents significant business growth opportunities by enabling companies to engage in a project pivotal to the regional innovation infrastructure. Businesses specializing in service operation, advanced technology demonstration, and innovation management in the manufacturing industry would be particularly suited to compete. The MICM offers a robust platform for firms to expand their footprints by participating in a project central to the Highlands and Islands' economic strategy, benefiting from the cross-links to national services and programmes. Organisations experienced in operating innovation centres or providing similar services are encouraged to contribute with their insights during this preliminary information-gathering phase.

## Notice

Manufacturing Innovation Centre Moray (MICM) is one of eight strategic projects forming part of the Moray Growth Deal which aims to drive economic growth across the region and provide opportunities to build on the existing strengths of Moray's culture, tourism, and world-renowned manufacturing sectors. MICM will provide a single-entry point into the Scottish and UK innovation landscape of products and services providing diagnostics, advice, information, signposting and brokerage to other services and funding. It will stimulate innovation and growth around product and process development and the transition to net zero primarily within the manufacturing sector. MICM will also provide physical space for incubation, demonstration of advanced technology and equipment, and provide an east gate into the wider Highlands and Islands Region for concentrated access to national services and programmes. The MICM facility is being developed in existing facilities on the Enterprise Park Forres which will be refurbished and upgraded for energy efficiency. HIE will require a service operator to develop and deliver the MICM service. The purpose of this Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to gauge interest as well as seek views and information from the market place in relation to a potential future contract opportunity for the MICM service operator. We also welcome responses from organisations who have experience in buying similar services or who do not intend to bid, but have experience in operating an innovation centre and/or would like to contribute with their thoughts.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Please note this Notice is not a Call for Competition. Any future contract opportunities related to this requirement may be published on Public Contracts Scotland (PCS). However, by issuing this Request for Information (RFI), HIE does not make any commitment to procure any of the stated services. Please note, the estimated date for the publication of the Contract Notice is indicative only and may be subject to change. Please return your completed response by noon on Wednesday 13 November 2024 to hieprocurement@hient.co.uk using the title "MICM operator - PIN response" in your email header.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland |
| Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=OCT516394 |
| Notice type | OJEU - F1 - Prior Information Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 17 Oct 2024 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 30 Jan 2025 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Planned |
| Lots status | Planned |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS ENTERPRISE |
| Locality | INVERNESS |
| Post town | Inverness |
| Postcode | IV2 5NA |
| Country | Scotland |
| ITL 1 | TLM Scotland |
| ITL 2 | TLM2 Highlands and Islands |
| ITL 3 | TLM20 Highlands and Islands |
| Local authority | Highland |
| Electoral ward | Inverness South |
| Westminster constituency | Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire |
| Delivery location | TLM62 Inverness and Nairn, Moray, and Badenoch and Strathspey |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
- 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
- 80 - Education and training services

### Codes

- 71310000 - Consultative engineering and construction services
- 71314300 - Energy-efficiency consultancy services
- 71600000 - Technical testing, analysis and consultancy services
- 71620000 - Analysis services
- 71621000 - Technical analysis or consultancy services
- 71630000 - Technical inspection and testing services
- 72220000 - Systems and technical consultancy services
- 72221000 - Business analysis consultancy services
- 72224000 - Project management consultancy services
- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 73100000 - Research and experimental development services
- 73200000 - Research and development consultancy services
- 73210000 - Research consultancy services
- 73220000 - Development consultancy services
- 73420000 - Pre-feasibility study and technological demonstration
- 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services
- 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services
- 79411000 - General management consultancy services
- 79411100 - Business development consultancy services
- 79415000 - Production management consultancy services
- 79415200 - Design consultancy services
- 79420000 - Management-related services
- 79421000 - Project-management services other than for construction work
- 79900000 - Miscellaneous business and business-related services
- 79930000 - Specialty design services
- 79933000 - Design support services
- 80000000 - Education and training services
- 80500000 - Training services
- 80510000 - Specialist training services
- 80531000 - Industrial and technical training services

## Release History

- 17 Oct 2024 at 00:00 - Planning - OJEU - F1 - Prior Information Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=OCT516394

## Documents

- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=OCT516394&idx=1
  17th October 2024 - MICM: PIN - Request for information
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/NoticeDownload/DownloadDocument.aspx?id=OCT516394&idx=2
  17th October 2024 - MICM: PIN Response Form
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=OCT516394
  Manufacturing Innovation Centre Moray (MICM) - Service Operator: Request for Information - Manufacturing Innovation Centre Moray (MICM) is one of eight strategic projects forming part of the Moray Growth Deal which aims to drive economic growth across the region and provide opportunities to build on the existing strengths of Moray's culture, tourism, and world-renowned manufacturing sectors. MICM will provide a single-entry point into the Scottish and UK innovation landscape of products and services providing diagnostics, advice, information, signposting and brokerage to other services and funding. It will stimulate innovation and growth around product and process development and the transition to net zero primarily within the manufacturing sector. MICM will also provide physical space for incubation, demonstration of advanced technology and equipment, and provide an east gate into the wider Highlands and Islands Region for concentrated access to national services and programmes. The MICM facility is being developed in existing facilities on the Enterprise Park Forres which will be refurbished and upgraded for energy efficiency. HIE will require a service operator to develop and deliver the MICM service. The purpose of this Prior Information Notice (PIN) is to gauge interest as well as seek views and information from the market place in relation to a potential future contract opportunity for the MICM service operator. We also welcome responses from organisations who have experience in buying similar services or who do not intend to bid, but have experience in operating an innovation centre and/or would like to contribute with their thoughts.

## Notice URLs

- http://
- http://www.hie.co.uk
- http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=779076
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000779076

## 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-r6ebe6-0000779076. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000779076.json.