INVITATION TO TENDER FOR SUPPORTING HIGH GROWTH AND AMBITIOUS BUSINESSES AS PART OF THE D2N2 GROWTH HUB

Transcription

1 INVITATION TO TENDER FOR SUPPORTING HIGH GROWTH AND AMBITIOUS BUSINESSES AS PART OF THE D2N2 GROWTH HUB TENDER Ref: D2N2PLATHG D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership is inviting submissions to deliver a platinum business support service to high growth businesses in the D2N2 area. We require a service to smartly align with the Growth Hub with consistent branding, making use of the Growth Hub CRM system. Knowledge of the existing D2N2 business support landscape is essential in providing a comprehensive brokerage, support and diagnostic service to high growth businesses and any Advisors/Account Managers must prove their credentials of running or supporting a similar Scale Up business and understand the needs and ethos. 1. Background D2N2 is the Local Enterprise Partnership for Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Our vision is a more prosperous, better connected, and increasingly resilient and competitive economy. The aim is to create 55,000 private sector jobs in the area by The D2N2 Growth Hub draws business support activity together by providing a telephone helpline; on line service ( with a range of professional business advisers available to provide a bespoke diagnostic and growth package for businesses. Its aim is to simplify the business support offer of many local and national partners to help businesses more easily find the right support. We require applicants to demonstrate a working arrangement with the Growth Hub such that existing provision can be mobilised where available in such delivery to this cohort of businesses. The D2N2 Growth Hub has supported almost 4,000 businesses since its launch in December Our recent (Feb 2017) Customer Satisfaction Survey says 73% of users rate us excellent/good and 50% have taken positive action as a result of our intervention. 88% would recommend the service to another business. There are around 70,000 businesses in D2N2, however we anticipate intensive support being offered to a total of 60 businesses in the scale up businesses, potential scale up and ambitious business cohorts, with priority given to Scale Up businesses. As part of the Growth Hub delivery for the year 2017/18, proposals are being sought, making reference to the Scale up Report as to how to provide services around Leadership & Management, Strategic Development and Business Coaching specific to high growth businesses. We recognise the need for a professional diagnostic brokerage service and invite proposals as to how D2N2 can deliver this service to targeted high growth businesses. 1 P a g e Q u o t a t i o n s f o r P l a t i n u m H i g h G r o w t h

2 Definition of a High Growth Business cited in the Scale Up Report: Scale-ups are enterprises with average annualised growth in employees (or in turnover) greater than 20 per cent a year over a three-year period, and with 10 or more employees at the beginning of the observation period. 2. Requirements Through research carried out by the D2N2 Growth Hub, specific gaps in provision have been identified. Key elements must therefore be included in the bid to address the deficiency in support for firms with a 1m - 15m turnover, particularly in relation to Leadership & Management, Routes to market, Investment Readiness and access to other growth support. It is essential that applicants refer to, reflect and address the recommendations and findings in Appendix I, The D2N2 Scoping report produced by FCS Associates, April Applicants are required to construct a package of support to create an integrated model that is consistent with D2N2 s Growth Hub and takes account of the range of existing support. Staff/consultants appointed to deliver direct to businesses would be expected to have a significant level of business experience at a senior level. This provision must be designed to have relevance to high growth and potential high growth businesses and where it exists, referrals to other programmes will be expected. Delivery must be available in the whole D2N2 area and we would welcome a multi-sectoral; multi-partner/agency proposal as this is most likely to bring a good mix of delivery, culture and ethos from partners. To meet the identified strategic need, projects should: support firms with a 1m - 15m turnover create a robust diagnostic suitable for Scale Up businesses include high calibre peer group sessions, networking sessions, 1:1 coaching develop and deliver three key modules: o o o Leadership & Management Development: many of those running high growth businesses are expert in the sector they are operating in, but inexperienced in the challenges of leading and managing a fast growing business particularly planning for future growth and change management Routes to market: every aspect of maximising market advantage including market analysis, the marketing function and the sales function in both national and international marketplaces Investment Readiness: There is a wide range of financial products including the imminent Midlands Engine Investment Fund available, therefore we are 2 P a g e Q u o t a t i o n s f o r P l a t i n u m H i g h G r o w t h

3 looking to tailor support that makes it easy for high growth businesses to access the finance they require. deliver to three Cohorts, however, priority is to focus on the Scale Ups: Scale Up businesses (identify 50 and work with a min 20), Potential Scale Up (Identify 50,work with 20) and Ambitious businesses (identify 60 and work with 20 in early stages) By using the diagnostic to assess business needs, work with and refer to other appropriate Programmes to form seamless support, managing clients through this process. Evidence of at least 20 such interventions (that lead to positive action being taken) will be required. Specific requirements to explain methodology are as follows: A proposal that covers all of D2N2 is essential; methodology as to how (at least) the top 100 high growth businesses shall be identified and approached to offer a support service Set out your proposed financial model, with evidence of match funding or in kind that you can contribute to the delivery, (this could be staff time, cash, venues for meetings or events and assistance or collaboration to run business events) We would also expect that businesses make a contribution to any in depth support or service of at least 50% How you will work with the D2N2 Growth Hub to refer/receive enquiries and input into the CRM system it is envisaged that organisations & advisers delivering the activity will use the CRM and adhere to the systems already in place and business information will be shared with the Growth Hub. You are also required to provide a methodology and metric(s) that can be used to evidence business growth following your proposed interventions. Evaluation of Activity D2N2 LEP aims to improve the evaluation of local growth projects in order to understand the causal effect of funded interventions. Since both policy makers and researchers agree that evaluation is cheaper and more effective if it is integrated into project design, we will seek to collect and analyse participant data to establish causal impact of the programme. This means that we will establish the difference between the outcomes for firms to receive support and the outcomes they might have experienced without it. We will construct this counterfactual group by either creating a control group of similar firms not participating in the programme or offering different types of support to participating firms. It is important to note that this evaluation will not be a means of assessing the provider s performance but rather a part of the continual effort to find what works better and to provide guidance for future programmes and all our partners. This will not form part of the contract costs for this element of evaluation and will be resourced by the LEP, however, co-operation will be required in the supply of data and business contacts. 3 P a g e Q u o t a t i o n s f o r P l a t i n u m H i g h G r o w t h

4 3. Deliverables Identifying businesses who meet or have strong potential to achieve the definition of a High Growth business stated earlier Provide a minimum of 5 Case Studies about successful businesses assisted within this contract 20% must be businesses that have not had any publically funded support in the last 3 years To generate leads from these Scale Up, potential for Scale Up and ambitious businesses Work with the D2N2 Growth Hub delivery partnership to refer/receive enquiries and input into the CRM system it is envisaged that organisations & advisors delivering the activity will use the CRM and adhere to the data security systems in place 500 per professional CRM user license in your submission. Produce a final report providing an assessment of achievements and recommendations for improvements with business needs at its heart. Co-operate in the supply of data and business contacts for the LEP Control Group evaluation work. 4. Reporting The contract will be managed by the D2N2 Senior Programme Manager (Business Engagement). Regular monthly feedback on the status of this contract is required to the Executive Operations Team and reports to the Project Board. Day to day management will be delegated to the Growth Hub Manager to ensure services are delivered in line with the Growth Hub protocols. 5. Costings The budget available from the LEP for the project is in the region of 150,000 and the applicant is required to identify match funding, either cash or In Kind and an assessment of the value for money shall be made. You are required to provide a unit cost per business support, detailing the range of support/interventions you plan to deliver. 6. Payments Three payments: 50% to be invoiced by 30 September % to be invoiced (prior to 30 th December 2017) 25% to be invoiced (prior to 20 th March 2018) Provision of a professional, responsive and targeted service to support High Growth businesses as part of the D2N2 Growth Hub Provide regular feedback reports and as required reports to the Project Board for the duration of the contract Final report providing an assessment of achievements and recommendations for improvements 4 P a g e Q u o t a t i o n s f o r P l a t i n u m H i g h G r o w t h

5 N.B. Contracting will be through Derbyshire County Council, the Accountable Body for the funding. 7. Timescale Instructions for Completion Responses and comments should be provided in English and should be as accurate and concise as possible. Proposal documents should be self-contained and supply all information, which are considered necessary for the accurate evaluation of their proposal. Technical and sales literature may be included as part of the proposal document but only as supporting evidence. Replies to questions must be, therefore, complete and not consist of references to such literature. The Derbyshire County Council (Accountable Body) expressly reserves the right to require a Potential Provider to provide additional information supplementing or clarifying any of the information provided in response to the requests set out in this document. Failure to provide the required information within the timescale given may mean that your organisation will not be considered further. Failure to provide the required information, or supply your bid documentation by post and within the specified timescale may lead to your Quotation being judged to be non-compliant. If you have any queries regarding how to complete this documentation please address them Lindsay Allen, D2N2. Quotations/bids should be no more than 4 A4 pages in 12pt Arial to be submitted by post and by noon on Monday 22 May. Decisions made by Tuesday 30 May via a panel consisting D2N2, Chair of the Project Board, Derbyshire County Council (as Accountable Body) and Growth Hub Executive members. The contract is anticipated to begin Thursday 1 June 2017, running until 31 March NB: There is a current ESIF call out for High Growth Business Support that will deliver a similar level of support, estimated to begin Q (Closing date: 13 May 2017). When ing your tender, please send to Lindsay Allen, lindsay.allen@d2n2lep.org putting the following in the header: TENDER FOR D2N2 High Growth ITT (22 May 2017) 5 P a g e Q u o t a t i o n s f o r P l a t i n u m H i g h G r o w t h

6 Assessment will be made from information provided, scored as a High, Medium or Low with and explanatory narrative against the following: Value for Money (40% weighting) Knowledge and understanding of the high growth business needs and gaps in provision in the D2N2 area Quality of support offered (60% weighting) We are keen to deliver a service of quality, with measurable impact to businesses. You are required to explain in your submission how your planned interventions lead to business growth, including how you shall address the key barriers to Scale Up Companies, (In order of importance. Source YouGov survey 362 Scale Up Leaders). You are also asked to provide a methodology and metric(s) that can be used to evidence business growth following your proposed interventions. Methodology to identify and target high growth businesses Knowledge, experience and evidence of undertaking previous, similar activities and work in partnership to deliver the services through the ethos of the Growth Hub. 8. D2N2 Contact Details Lindsay Allen D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership 8 Experian Way Tel: Nottingham Mobile: NG2 1EP lindsay.allen@d2n2lep.org 6 P a g e Q u o t a t i o n s f o r P l a t i n u m H i g h G r o w t h