Official UK procurement notice
YOUTH GUARANTEE TRAILBLAZER MANAGING AGENT FOR GRANTS PROGRAMME IN LIVERPOOL CITY REGION
Authority: Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (Local council)
Sectors: Financial and insurance services (66)Research & Development (R&D) (73) Delivery: North East (UKC)North West (UKD)Yorkshire & Humber (UKE)
Published estimate£790,000£948,000 inc. VAT
Submissions closed 28 Jul 2025awarded 12 Sept 2025
Award (standstill) to VOLA CONSORTIUM
Contract term 6 moends 31 Mar 2026 · up to 31 Mar 2029 with extensions · starts 1 Oct 2025
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionLCRCA are seeking to procure a Managing Agent (MA) to deliver a Community Grants programme. Community and local place-based projects will be funded via Community Grants (up to the value of £790k, inclusive of up to 10% available for programme administration). Grants are to be delivered by VCSE sector organisations working with unemployed and inactive young people from across Liverpool City Region or at risk of becoming disengaged and for the purpose of supporting them to gain further skills and employment. The YGT's primary focus is on those aged 18-21 but those aged 16 and 17 may be eligible for support where there is evidence of limited or no engagement with learning or work post-16.
CPV: Design and execution of research and development · Research and development consultancy services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1AwardedRenewalPublished value£790,000
What it takes to wini
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 morei
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).
How bids were scored
Published sub-criteria (1)
- Quality Questions: 100%
Published award criteria (1)
- Quality Questions: I. Methodology - Weighting 20% Please include: - How you would deliver the scope of work required for the YGT community grants thematic strand - Providers/stakeholders/networks you would engage to deliver the scope of work required II. Workplan and project management - Weighting 20% Please include: - A high level indicative project plan identifying substantive activities, key dates and deliverables - An explanation of the proposed team structure, including any sub-contractors, and the process for managing the project - An explanation of how you will mobilise the relevant resources within the time constraints of this project III. Relevant experience and team Weighting 20% You must provide evidence of previous experience relevant to this project and which shows: - An understanding of the overall aims and objectives of the Youth Guarantee Trailblazer programme - An understanding of the local VCS in LCRCA and placed-based partnerships within the LCR's 6 constituent Local Authority areas, particularly within the context of engaging and supporting young people in accessing education, employment and training by removing key barriers - Experience of commissioning, administering and reviewing the impact of community grants to meet user needs and meeting -Existing contacts and good relationships with LCRCA local VCS and other relevant stakeholders such as CVSs and charitable organisations, and with a particular focus on supporting young people in the 18-21 age group. IV. Milestones and risks to operationalising the Community Grants scheme Weighting 20% Developing services, staff recruitment and operationalising a community grant funding scheme can be a lengthy process, and timescales should be realistic and appropriate. Managing agent applicants should ensure readiness to deliver and provide approximate timescales from inception until the first call for applications indicating appropriate milestones and risks to delivery. V. Equality And Diversity Impact Measures - Weighting 10% The Equality Act 2010 legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society. Liverpool City Region has an ageing population, and a workforce that has an underrepresentation of Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic people; disabled people; people of marginalised genders; carers and those with caring responsibilities. VI. Social Value And Net Zero Measures - Weighting 10% Part of the aim of this tender is to ensure additional social value to the programme through the targeting of grant recipients across Liverpool City Regions voluntary and community sector groups and local community based third sector organisations who work within local communities. Liverpool City Region has a Social Value Framework Social Value Framework Social Value Framework | Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk) Social Value considers social, environmental, and economic benefits to capture the difference an organisation or project can make to the communities it operates in. It encompasses a wider definition of value than simply financial outcomes. As a public body, we have a duty to consider Social Value as an integral part of procurement processes. However, our commitment to Social Value goes beyond procurement processes. The Service Provider will detail social value outcomes as part of their Lot Delivery Plan and collate the wider impact of this work and respond to social value impact questionnaires submitted by LCRCA. For net zero carbon and net zero waste to happen, we need to make significant changes - the Service Provider may be required to demonstrate their commitment to net zero in Liverpool City Region through qualitative and quantitative reporting on how delivery has reduced the carbon footprint.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 30 Jun 2025, 15:04 BST
- Last source update
- 18 Sept 2025, 17:17 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 4 Aug 2025
- Authority reference
DN780411- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-036163- Latest notice
- Contract award notice (UK6)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05560cFind a Tender
How it was run
Official noticeRun through: ProContract (Due North) · Who buys & how to bid on ProContract
Access & registration note: Free · short registration with manual review; public opportunity list
- Submission deadline
- 28 Jul 2025, 12:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 21 Jul 2025, 11:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release
All communications relating to this procurement and submissions must be submitted via The Chest: www.the-chest.org.uk ↗
Reference Number: DN780411
Timeline
30 Jun 2025 → 1 Oct 2025 · 8 dates- Tender notice published30 Jun 2025, 15:04 BST
- Clarification questions by21 Jul 2025, 11:00 BST
- Submission deadline28 Jul 2025, 12:00 BST
- Award decision expected by4 Aug 2025, 23:59 BST
- Assessment summaries sent18 Sept 2025, 00:00 BST
- Latest notice published18 Sept 2025, 17:17 BST
- Standstill ends393 days ago29 Sept 2025, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts392 days ago1 Oct 2025, 00:00 BST
Notice history
4 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 30 Jun 2025- Tender notice published30 Jun 2025, 15:04 BSTUK4
- Contract award notice published18 Sept 2025, 17:17 BSTUK6
- Status changed to complete18 Sept 2025, 17:17 BST
- Contract signature expected30 Sept 2025, 23:59 BSTscheduled
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecastAwards 1
Awarded value £79,0001 award exc. VAT
Bids received 43 from SMEs
| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| VOLA CONSORTIUMVCSE1 Oct 2025 – 31 Mar 2026 · up to 31 Mar 2028Extensions: Options to extended 3 x 12 Months | £79,000 | 12 Sept 2025standstill to 29 Sept 2025 | Standstill |
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4final-stage tenders | 3 | 1 | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- VOLA CONSORTIUMAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender