Start-up Support to Stimulate Demand and Create Sustainable Businesses

The Business Growth Hub (BGH) wishes to appoint a framework of providers to enter into contracts for the delivery of pre start and post start support to individuals wishing to start and sustain their own business in the Greater Manchester area.

The service will engage with individuals, help develop their understanding, knowledge and capability to create successful and sustainable businesses, and support them to access follow-on growth support where appropriate.

This tender will be in the form of a Framework of suppliers from which individual Programmes of Work (Call-Off Contracts) will be commissioned during its life.

It is envisaged that the Framework will remain live for an initial period of one year, to December 2018, and may be extended after that point for a period of up to five years subject to demand, market conditions and funding.

The first phase of delivery will commence on 2 January 2018 and will initially run through to 31 December 2018 with an option to extend this on a rolling basis, subject to market needs.

Specific programmes of work will be procured through mini-competitions, consisting of an Invitation to Quote (ITQ) issued to suppliers within the framework of appointed providers.

Specific information in relation to costs, targets and delivery requirements for each individual Call-Off Contract will be contained within the ITQ documents.

As the nature of the Call-Off Contracts will vary, the pricing structure for each may also vary and may encompass for example: • Payment by Results only • Combined Payment by Results and Service Charge • Day rate This list is not exhaustive; it is illustrative of the pricing models which may be used.

Each individual Call-Off Contract will have its own pricing structure aligned with the nature of the required service.

The required pricing structure will be clearly set out in each Call-Off specification, and suppliers' pricing submissions will be assessed as part of the ITQ process.

Indicative areas of specialism we are looking to appoint within the framework include: • Client engagement including community based outreach • Delivery of bespoke, intense one to one support • Delivery of specialised workshops • Sector specialisms to include but not exclusively: Digital and Creative Tech, Professional Services, Low Carbon, Construction, Life Sciences, Food and Drink, Leisure & Tourism, Retail • Delivery of Lean Start Up methodologies • Expertise with priority client groups but not exclusively: economically inactive, benefit recipients, 50 plus, women, black and ethnic minority groups, people with disabilities, people from disadvantaged wards, those without basic skills and lone parents • Key note speakers for conferences and events