Find a TenderAwarded
Published 23 Jun 2023, 15:57 BST

Official UK procurement notice

CARDIFF CAPITAL REGION CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT & GROWTH PROGRAMME

Official notice

Authority: Cardiff Council (Central government)

4 lotsServicesOpen procedureSME suitableMax 4 lots to bid
Final published estimate£3,990,000initial estimate £3,924,000 · 1 value update
Submissions closed 3 Aug 2023awarded 2 Oct 2023
Awarded to Cardiff & Vale College +2 more4 awards

What is being bought4 lots · detail below

Published requirement description

Cardiff Council on behalf of Cardiff Capital Region has received an allocation of UK Shared Prosperity Funding, matched with wider CCR funds to deliver the SPF’s Supporting Local Business priority within the region.

CCR with Cardiff Council as the accountable body will deliver a Cluster Development & Growth Programme. The Cluster Development and Growth Programme (CDGP) aims to support CCR’s priority clusters of Fintech, MedTech, Creative Industries, Cybersecurity and Compound Semiconductor, alongside supporting wider Advanced Manufacturing and Net Zero capability. This includes academic, education and business partnerships, accelerators, and higher-level skills programmes to spur economic growth and

prosperity across the region.

There are four Lots within the programme:

Lot 1 Digital Skills

Lot 2 Net Zero and Advanced Manufacturing Skills

Lot 3 Academic Industry Partnership

Lot 4 Business Growth Programme

Cardiff Capital Region wish to procure a managing agent for each lot to plan, design and deliver the Lot.

CPV: Education and training services · Specialist training services · Training services · Vocational training services

Lots and requirements (4)Procurement structure

4 lots · no lot values published · a supplier may bid for at most 4 of them · same evaluation weights on every lot
Lot #1Digital SkillsAwarded

CCR wish to procure a managing agent, to oversee the design, coordination, delivery design and deliver a programme of impactful digital skills interventions, which meet the needs of identified skills shortages, across the priority clusters, whilst tackling wider

social mobility challenges across the region, via:

A - Discovery phase.

Determining priority digital skills gaps and challenges via proactive engagement

and consultation with industry, representative forums, and relevant

stakeholders.

Identification of ubiquitous digital skills gaps that can support several clusters.

Mapping of existing digital skills provision to avoid duplication.

Engagement with public and third sector stakeholders to determine most

appropriate methods of supporting diversity and inclusion objectives.

Identification of delivery partners, across education, academia, the third sector

and technology providers.

Tenderers will note that CCR requires several pre-determined new-skilling

activities for approximately 40 participants, to be delivered upon contract

commencement and completed by December 2023.

B - Co-design a priority skills roadmap and programme of bespoke solutions, including

opportunities to support multiple clusters with ubiquitous skills activities and

formalise consortium of delivery partners, via a Build & Recruit phase.

C - Launch and manage the programme of skills interventions, via a Delivery phase.

Tenderers will note that CCR may require the delivery of several pre-determined

skills activities upon project commencement.

The digital skills interventions will seek to support at least 200 enterprises in the region,

via new skilling & upskilling activities for 400 participants, leading to the creation of 150

digitally focussed jobs created as a result of support.

Delivery: Wales · Cardiff Capital Region
Variant bids: not allowed
Lot #2Net Zero & Advanced Manufacturing SkillsAwarded

CCR wish to procure a Managing agent, to oversee the design, coordination, and

delivery of a series of impactful skills interventions, which support CCR’s priority

clusters, inward investment & CCR’s wider investment programmes.

Interventions will include.

  • Upskilling for existing enterprises to help meet their Net Zero and advanced

manufacturing skills requirements.

  • New skilling activities to develop talent pipelines for in demand jobs, leading to

jobs created as a result of support.

The Managing agent will be required to:

A - Proactively engage and consult with CCR, industry and relevant stakeholders

to determine higher level Net Zero and Advanced Manufacturing skills gaps,

map existing skills provision to avoid duplication of provision and identify in

demand associated job opportunities, via a Discovery phase.

B - Identify a consortium of appropriate delivery partners, across education,

academia, and wider relevant providers.

C - Co-design with stakeholders, a skills roadmap and series of skills solutions, via

a Build and Recruit phase.

D - Launch and manage the delivery of skills interventions via a Delivery Phase.

The skills interventions will seek to support at least 200 enterprises in the region by

providing business advice, guidance, mentoring and training. This must involve some

form of direct interaction with members of the enterprises. The skills intervention will

also seek to deliver new skilling & upskilling of 250 participants and 100 jobs created

as a result of support.

Delivery: Wales · Cardiff Capital Region
Variant bids: not allowed
Lot #3Academic-Industry PartnershipsAwarded

CCR wish to procure a managing agent to tackle industry challenges in CCR priority

clusters - FinTech, Creative Industries, Compound Semiconductors, MedTech and

Cybersecurity, by working with academic centres of excellence across Higher

Education and/or Further Education , to transfer knowledge, technology, and

skills, through short, targeted interventions.

The programme will bring together industry and academia to identify innovative

solutions to support enterprise growth, particularly amongst micro and small and

medium-sized enterprises. Outcomes of the programme for enterprises are

likely to include improved quality and operations, increased sales, and access to new

markets, leading to increased profitability as a direct result of Research & Development

activity.

The managing agent will oversee the delivery and coordination of the programme,

bringing together a consortium of academic expertise, in a multi-disciplinary approach

to solving challenges, from multiple HE and/or FE partners, within the region.

The initiative can establish new partnerships and consolidate existing collaborations

between academia and industry partners, through knowledge exchange.

It is envisaged the delivery of the programme will comprise.

  • Creating a robust academic consortium of Higher Education and Further

Education establishments, with expertise aligned to support industry challenges

from CCR’s priority clusters.

  • Establishing 25 short-term collaborative projects by entering into a formal

academic – industry partnership, with enterprises, to solve specific challenges.

  • It is also envisaged that industry-led, postgraduate research will be generated

as a by-product of the short-term collaborative projects, enabling postgraduate

students to work on live industry challenges, and apply their learning, as part of

their postgraduate qualification.

Delivery: Wales · Cardiff Capital Region
Variant bids: not allowed
Lot #4Business Growth ProgrammeAwarded

CCR wishes to procure a managing agent, to design, develop, and implement a growth

programme for twelve high-growth potential enterprises for inclusion in a single

cohort, multiple cohorts or tailored 1:1 mentoring/coaching.

The programme can be delivered virtually or in person and will provide peer-to-peer

learning, masterclasses led by expert business coaches, and customised support and

resources to support participant enterprises accelerate growth and achieve their full

potential.

The initiative will focus on high-growth potential enterprises in CCR’s priority clusters

and located in the region. The managing agent will be responsible for recruiting

enterprises that can demonstrate the drive and ability to scale and will firmly commit to

the programme. The managing agent will collect data demonstrating growth indicators

for a period of five years for all participant enterprises that successfully complete the

growth programme.

Delivery: Wales · Cardiff Capital Region
Variant bids: not allowed

What it takes to win
i

How this buyer will score bids.

The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).

Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add more
How bids were scored · same split on all 4 lots
Quality: 55%Price: 40%Social value: 5%
Published award criteria (3)
  • Quality: 55
  • Social Value: 5
  • Price: 40
Conditions of participation1
  • Suitability

    See ITT

Staff
Names and qualifications of delivery staff must be submitted
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 40 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 4 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record · publisher note attached
Procedure method
Open procedure
Legal basis
CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Awarded
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement
No (one-off requirement)
First published
23 Jun 2023, 15:57 BST
Last source update
17 May 2024, 16:02 BST
Award evaluation window
3 Aug 2023 – …
Authority reference
ERFX 1008153
FTS notice number
2024/S 000-015748
Classification (CPV)
Education and training servicesSpecialist training servicesTraining servicesVocational training services
Delivery area
Wales (UKL)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-03dc2b Find a Tender

Publisher note: Please refer to the documentation for further information available on Proactis. (WA Ref:140930)

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: ProContract (Due North) · Who buys & how to bid on ProContract
Supplier login requiredLanguage: EN, CY
Access & registration note: Free · short registration with manual review; public opportunity list
Submission deadline
3 Aug 2023, 12:00 BST
Submission channel
{"electronicSubmission"}
Accepted languages
en, cy
Bid validity
90 days from the deadline
Bids opened
3 Aug 2023, 12:00 BST
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Timeline

3 Aug 2023 → 17 May 2024 · 3 dates
  1. Submission deadline
    3 Aug 2023, 12:00 BST
  2. Bids opened
    3 Aug 2023, 12:00 BST
  3. Notice published
    17 May 2024, 16:02 BST

Notice history

2 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 14 Jul 2023
  1. Published value updated to £3,990,000
    14 Jul 2023, 11:31 BST
    was £3,924,000
  2. Status changed to complete
    17 May 2024, 16:02 BST

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 4
Awarded value £7,939,8004 contracts exc. VAT
Bids received 125 from SMEs
Contracts signed 4latest 2 Oct 2023
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Lot 1 · Digital Skills1 award
Cardiff & Vale College£3,450,000 †—Awarded
Lot 2 · Net Zero & Advanced Manufacturing Skills1 award
Cardiff & Vale College£3,450,000 †—Awarded
Lot 3 · Academic-Industry Partnerships1 award
USW£490,000 †—Awarded
Lot 4 · Business Growth Programme1 award
GRANT THORNTON£549,800 †—Awarded

Contracts

  • Net Zero & Advanced Manufacturing Skills · Cardiff & Vale College

    Signed
    2 Oct 2023
    Value
    £3,450,000
    Status
    active
  • Business Growth Programme · GRANT THORNTON

    Signed
    2 Oct 2023
    Value
    £549,800
    Status
    active
  • Academic-Industry Partnerships · USW

    Signed
    2 Oct 2023
    Value
    £490,000
    Status
    active
  • Digital Skills · Cardiff & Vale College

    Signed
    2 Oct 2023
    Value
    £3,450,000
    Status
    active

Bid statistics published by the authority

LotBidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
1 · Digital Skills2bids · 2 electronic1——
2 · Net Zero & Advanced Manufacturing Skills1bids · 1 electronic0——
3 · Academic-Industry Partnerships1bids · 1 electronic0——
4 · Business Growth Programme8bids · 8 electronic4——

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Cardiff Council

Contracting authorityCentral GovernmentRegional or local authorityGeneral public services County Hall, Atlantic Wharf, Cardiff, Wales, CF10 4UWContact email, phone Published organisation website ↗

Dispute resolution & review bodies

  • High CourtReview body LondonContact phone

Bidders & participating suppliers

3 commercial parties on the notice
  • Cardiff & Vale CollegeAwarded supplier City Centre Campus, Dumballs Road, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, Wales, CF105BFContact phone
  • Grant ThorntonAwarded supplier 30 Finsbury Square, London, Wales, EC2A1AGContact phone
  • USWAwarded supplier Treforest, Pontypridd, Wales, CF371DLContact phone

Official documents & specifications (4)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

  • Economic and financial selection criteriatenderEconomic and financial selection criteria
  • Technical selection criteriatenderTechnical selection criteria
  • Economic and financial selection criteriatenderEconomic and financial selection criteria
  • Technical selection criteriatenderTechnical selection criteria