UKVI BUSINESS MIGRATION ENDORSING BODIES

The Home Office is seeking to improve immigration arrangements for entrepreneurial talent from overseas, including further reform of the existing routes. As an example one of the routes (Innovator route) offers a pathway for the worlds brightest and best entrepreneurs looking to come to the UK to establish new and pioneering businesses in the UK with the potential for high and early growth. Applicants to the route must have an innovative, viable and scalable business idea which is supported by an Endorsing Body. The role of Endorsing Bodies in assessing the credibility and potential of business proposals, is key to the effective operation of the routes. The Home Office currently has 56 different Endorsing Bodies, and the purpose of this tendering exercise is to put the endorsing body relationship on a commercial footing allowing the system to be streamlined and scaled to ensure the best candidate business founders are identified and allowing a smooth and efficient process for migrants. The Home Office’s intention is to launch a competition early in 2022 to find new provider or providers to deliver Endorsing Bodies services throughout the UK. Bids will be welcomed from single organisations, and it is the intention that a number of single contracts will be awarded. The number of Endorsing Bodies taken on to the route will be dictated by the quality and number of bids. There is potential for the service requirement in respect of the role of Endorsing Bodies in supporting business migration to expand beyond current arrangements, and further information about this will be provided in due course. Indicative timescales are of competition launch in early 2022, these dates are indicative only, and may be subject to change. Following the publication of this PIN, there will be a Supplier Event in order to engage with potential bidders and provide further information, and to afford prospective bidders an opportunity to ask questions. Additional information: Prospective suppliers are invited to express an interest in the provision of services by e-mailing the project at the address given at section I.1. of this notice. The Authority uses an eSourcing toolkit to enable its sourcing activities to be conducted over the internet. Further documentation will be made available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge via the eSourcing portal,