---
title: "The Provision of Investment Management Services for the Scottish Universities Fund Ignition Strategy"
ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000840049"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000840049"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000840049.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000840049.json"
source: "Public Contracts Scotland"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "Scottish National Investment Bank"
published: "2026-10-09"
---

# The Provision of Investment Management Services for the Scottish Universities Fund Ignition Strategy

Buyer: Scottish National Investment Bank  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000840049

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## Summary

The Scottish National Investment Bank is seeking an investment management firm to establish and manage a segregated mandate for its Scottish Universities Fund Ignition Strategy. The manager will set up and operate an investment vehicle, with the Bank as its sole investor, and have delegated discretion to manage the mandate under an agreed investment management contract. The strategy is part of a wider fund intended to support the creation, growth and long-term development of companies originating from Scottish universities. This is a specialist financial and investment management service focused on early-stage, innovation-led businesses. The work concerns investment in Scotland; the Bank is based in Edinburgh.

The Bank invited offers through an open procedure. The procurement is divided into one lot. The tender deadline was 10 November 2026 at 12:00, and the stated contract period is 3,600 days, with two possible 12-month extensions. The estimated procurement value is £6.5 million; the investment mandate to be managed is £15 million. Bids are assessed on quality, weighted at 80%, and price, weighted at 20%. The tender requires English-language submissions, and bids must remain valid for 90 days. Bidders must confirm they hold, or will provide evidence of, the FCA authorisation and permissions required to perform the services. The procurement was not stated as cancelled or withdrawn.

This opportunity is suited to investment managers authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority, with the permissions needed to manage the services. Bidders need to demonstrate a comparable, attributable track record in managing funds or strategies, reporting performance on both gross and net bases and including TVPI, DPI, IRR and MOIC. They must also provide two relevant case studies of early-stage, innovation-led investments, showing experience in sourcing, underwriting and scaling companies, alongside their role, investment thesis, risks, value-creation approach and outcomes. Suppliers must meet the specified professional indemnity, employers’ liability, and product and public liability insurance levels, and demonstrate satisfactory financial standing through audited accounts or a banker’s letter. The contract also offers scope to contribute skills and training opportunities, such as mentoring, apprenticeships and structured learning.

## Notice

The Bank is seeking proposals from suitably qualified and authorised investment management firms to establish and manage a 15 million GBP segregated investment mandate for the delivery of the Scottish Universities Ignition Fund Strategy ("the Mandate"). The successful bidder will be expected to establish and operate an appropriate investment vehicle through which the Mandate will be delivered, with the Bank acting as the sole investor. The Mandate forms one of two complementary investment strategies within the Scottish Universities Fund ("SUF"), a broader investment platform designed to support the creation, growth and long-term scaling of university-originated companies in Scotland. The purpose of this Invitation to Tender (ITT) is to appoint an investment manager with delegated discretion to manage the Mandate in accordance with an agreed Investment Management Contract and the requirements set out in this ITT.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

The Bank is seeking proposals from suitably qualified and authorised investment management firms to establish and manage a 15 million GBP segregated investment mandate for the delivery of the Scottish Universities Ignition Strategy ("the Mandate"). The successful bidder will be expected to establish and operate an appropriate investment vehicle through which the Mandate will be delivered, with the Bank acting as the sole investor. The Mandate forms one of two complementary investment strategies within the Scottish Universities Fund ("SUF"), a broader investment platform designed to support the creation, growth and long-term scaling of university-originated companies in Scotland. The purpose of this Invitation to Tender (ITT) is to appoint an investment manager with delegated discretion to manage the Mandate in accordance with an agreed Investment Management Contract and the requirements set out in this ITT.

Renewal: 2 x 12 month extension periods

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland |
| Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=OCT566430 |
| Notice type | OJEU - F2 - Contract Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Tender |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 9 Oct 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 10 Nov 2026 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £6,500,000 |
| Lots value | £6,500,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Scottish National Investment Bank |
| Locality | EDINBURGH |
| Postcode area | Edinburgh |
| Postcode | EH1 3EG |
| Country | Scotland |
| ITL 1 | TLM Scotland |
| ITL 2 | TLM1 East Central Scotland |
| ITL 3 | TLM13 City of Edinburgh |
| Local authority | City of Edinburgh |
| Electoral ward | City Centre |
| Westminster constituency | Edinburgh East and Musselburgh |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 66 - Financial and insurance services

### Codes

- 66100000 - Banking and investment services

## Release History

- 9 Oct 2026 at 01:00 - Tender - OJEU - F2 - Contract Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=OCT566430

## Documents

- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=OCT566430
  The Provision of Investment Management Services for the Scottish Universities Fund Ignition Strategy - The Bank is seeking proposals from suitably qualified and authorised investment management firms to establish and manage a 15 million GBP segregated investment mandate for the delivery of the Scottish Universities Ignition Fund Strategy ("the Mandate"). The successful bidder will be expected to establish and operate an appropriate investment vehicle through which the Mandate will be delivered, with the Bank acting as the sole investor. The Mandate forms one of two complementary investment strategies within the Scottish Universities Fund ("SUF"), a broader investment platform designed to support the creation, growth and long-term scaling of university-originated companies in Scotland. The purpose of this Invitation to Tender (ITT) is to appoint an investment manager with delegated discretion to manage the Mandate in accordance with an agreed Investment Management Contract and the requirements set out in this ITT.

## Notice URLs

- http://
- http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk
- http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=840049
- http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx
- http://www.thebank.scot
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000840049
- https://www.gov.scot/policies/public-sector-procurement/community-benefits-in-procurement/
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/ESPD/ESPD_Download.aspx?id=840049

## 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-r6ebe6-0000840049. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000840049.json.