INVITATION TO TENDER
Interim Social Enterprise Start-up Support (Countywide)
Contract Value: £15,000 (excl. of VAT)
Contract length: January – May 2012 (may end early if replacement contract in place)
Submission by: 4pm on Thursday 5th January 2012
Background
This tender is issued by Cumbria County Council on behalf of Cumbria Social Enterprise Partnership (CSEP). CSEP is a formally constituted consortium of social enterprises, business support providers and local authorities covering the Cumbria sub-region. It has been operating in its present form since 2003, and now has some 335 members.
The aims of the Partnership are to:
- increase the formation, growth and survival rates of social enterprise;
- improve communication between and outside the social enterprise sector;
- grow market opportunities;
- establish and support a Social Enterprise Network for Cumbria;
- ensure recognition from the public and private sectors that social enterprises provide quality services and goods and increase social inclusion.
Brief
Cumbria Social Enterprise Partnership is looking to appoint a contractor to deliver a business support programme to support the development of new social enterprises in Cumbria. This programme will follow on from the current ISUS programme, and provide an interim service until the start of a new ERDF funded programme which will be funded following a project call in January. It is envisaged that this programme will run from 1 January to May 2012.
Social Enterprise Start-up support is currently provided by various contractors across the County, as follows:
- Allerdale – Co-operative Mutual Solutions
- Barrow-in-Furness: Furness Enterprise
- Carlisle: Cumbria Chamber of Commerce
- Copeland: Cumbria Chamber of Commerce
- Eden: Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency
- South Lakes: Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency
There may be start-ups that are currently in development through the ISUS programme that will transfer to the new provider.
The successful contractor will be expected to deliver a countywide social enterprise start-up programme to include the following:
- promoting the Programme
- engaging clients
- providing business start-up support, including:
- business planning
- financial planning
- governance advice
- funding advice
- provide ongoing support and advice to existing SE’s
Clients who are in the start-up process at the end of this contract may transfer to a new contracted start-up and the provider would be expected to facilitate this.
Outputs
The minimum outputs to be achieved through the delivery of the programme are:
- support all new potential SE Starts in Cumbria
- 5 SE Start-ups to be confirmed by:
- production of viable business plan
- evidence of trading
- 5 jobs to be confirmed by:
- Contract of employment
Tender Assessment
All tenders will be marked according to the criteria below:
- Demonstrable experience and track record in social enterprise start-up
- Qualifications of staff delivery team
- Capacity of supplier to deliver
- Evidence of clear administrative and output recording processes
- Added value or social benefit
Submissions
Tenderers are expected to submit:
- A copy of the latest available audited accounts.
- Details of the company objectives, including any social benefit the company delivers.
- Health and Safety Policy.
- Equal Opportunities Policy.
- Detailed plans of activities to be provided to meet the brief.
- Timescales for delivery.
- CV’s of staff involved in the delivery of the contract.
- Track record of organisation in delivering similar projects.
- Total cost and break down of costs
- Confirmation of the outputs to be achieved, those outlined in the specification being the minimum required.
Tenders, in envelopes marked ‘CONFIDENTIAL - CSEP Tenders’ should be returned to:
Paul Dodson
Community Regeneration Manager
Environment
Cumbria County Council
Unit 5a Lakeland Business Park
Lamplugh Road
Cockermouth
CA13 0QT
Submission by: 4pm on Thursday 5th January 2012
