TENDER BRIEF: Liverpool City Region Marine & Maritime Knowledge Hub (LMKH) 1. Background and introduction The Liverpool City Region (LCR) is a global Superport with one of the largest UK clusters of marine and maritime businesses outside London, and across four main sub-sectors: Shipping, Ports and Logistics; Maritime Services; Advanced Engineering, Offshore Energy and professional services. The sector already generates around 2.6 billion (circa 5.5%) of the region s annual GVA 1, and is set to grow even further thanks to 3-4billion currently being invested in offshore wind 2 plus over 1.8billion in intermodal transport infrastructure, with a market of 35 million people within a 150- mile radius 3. The Maritime Knowledge Hub industrial cluster development model - as being successfully applied in Norway and Singapore - is focused on bringing research institutions, businesses and finance together in order to generate knowledge- and innovation-led growth, by helping companies, especially SMEs, to make more effective use of available resources, lower costs, and improve competitiveness. Against this backdrop, the aim of the Liverpool Maritime Knowledge Hub project is to realise the LCR s potential to become one of the world s foremost centres for marine and maritime innovation, knowledge and skills interlinked to other leading EU and international maritime clusters - as a platform for enhancing productivity, economic growth and rebalancing within not just the LCR, North West and Northern Powerhouse, but also the UK as a whole. The overall purpose of this brief is therefore to commission consultants (or a consortium of such) to deliver econometric background data and evidence in support of the proposed LKMH to be located within the Wirral Waters Enterprise Zone. 2. Strategic Context LCR Strategic Economic Plan Low carbon economy (including offshore wind) and SUPERPORT (maritime, port and logistics) are two of the LEP s designated priority growth sectors; the others beingadvanced Manufacturing, Life Sciences & health, Digital & Creative, plus Visitor economy. NB. a variety of different data sets regarding the LCR maritime cluster already exists. LCR Innovation Plan The LCR s smart specialisation based Innovation Plan serves not only as the commissioning framework for the 2014-2020 European Structural & Investment Funds (ESIF) Innovation Economy strand, but also as a strategic advocacy mechanism to unlock future Growth Deal and other largescale fundingin order to transform, drive and sustain local economic competitiveness and growth. To this end, it sets out 12 priority programmes of activity, of which one the Marine Energy and Deployment Centre (MEDOC) has evolved to encompass the wider LKMH proposal that this brief 1 2 3 Liverpool Economic Briefing 2014, Liverpool City Council, March 2014 The LCR is a Centre for Offshore Renewable Engineering, the only such designation on the west coast of England. Cammell Laird has already secured significant offshore wind contracts and Denmark s DONG Energy and Germany s RWE are investing in the region 51% of the combined population of the UK and Ireland
concerns, which is an important prospective pipeline project in terms of the 2014-2020 LCR ESIF programme. The Innovation Plan is currently in the process of being updated. Northern Powerhouse& Devolution The government has a manifest commitment to the Northern Powerhouse as an umbrella term for a concerted approach to economic rebalancing and growth - linked to transport infrastructure integration and the development of strategic sectors (health and technology) and wider governance. The Liverpool City Region is a Core City partner with regard to the Northern Powerhouse, while the proposed LKMH is of sufficient intended scale and import to be a critical growth component and signature project. Moreover the initial LCR devolution submission to government has just been published and includes explicit reference to both maritime and energy. Innovate UK (Cluster Development& Catapult Designation) Innovate UK has expressed its intention to undertake a competitive process to identify and support the accelerated growth of new clusters beyond those already clearly established, in line with a threefold classification: (a) Phoenix emerging out of a collapsing industry; (b) Supply-chain-based around a major industry player; (c) facilities-based, e.g. around unique capabilities. The proposed Maritime Knowledge Hub may prove of sufficient scale to also potentially qualify for future catapult status, competitive selection for which tends to focus on 3 primary criteria: Demonstrable size of the global market opportunity, i.e. at least 10billion Credible and acknowledged UK capability in the given sphere of activity Ability to attract and/or retain major inward investment. 3. The Liverpool Marine & Maritime Knowledge Hub (working title) Objectives The Liverpool City Region is keen to harness, integrate and exploit its considerable latent assets in this regard in order to deliver a world-leading MKH, that becomes a destination in its own right for associated knowledge, expertise, innovation, research, and investment. Within the wider Northern Powerhouse and UK economic rebalancing context, the overarching objective is to create a worldclass marine and maritime knowledge and innovation hub that will directly contribute to: Via: Stimulating and accelerating economic growth Delivering significant productivity increases Increasing the number of new products, processes and services, leading to business growth Investing in higher level skills to create a pool of high-skilled labour Creating more private sector, knowledge-based employment Attracting inward investment Linking to other growth sectors, e.g. advanced manufacturing, digital, and visitor economy. Project Partners The project is led by a partnership representing leading interests in the marine and maritime cluster, i.e. the region s existing maritime business membership body Mersey Maritime; its leading maritime University Liverpool John Moores (LJMU); local government Wirral Council; landowners - the Peel Group; and with the involvement and support of the LCR Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
Project Components A Business Plan has been developed on the basis of four themes: Innovation R&D; Education and Training; Commercial Support; Knowledge-sharing and Network Building. The intention is to integrate core facilities to support these themes within one campus based in the Wirral Waters Enterprise Zone, which would start with the initial co-location of LJMU and Mersey Maritime. This prospective campus will have 3 primary elements: A private sector operated Offshore Survival Training Centre (OSTC), and LJMUs Maritime Simulation Centre to provide a range of offshore and maritime training,in line with identified market demand,to improve the operational efficiency and safety of personnel employed across the marine, offshore and maritime sectors. A Maritime Industries Centre providing commercial and business support plus incubation facilities for SMEs and facilities to stimulate public engagement with the maritime sector. A new branch of the existing Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) Catapult but with a specific maritime focus, providing the proven knowledge exchange infrastructure that will link the maritime business sector and LJMU s specialist knowledge to deliver cluster-based knowledge transfer programmes. Progress & State of Play Wirral Council and Peel Holdings have identified demand for an offshore survival training centre Peel Holdings has identified a site within the Wirral Waters Enterprise Zone for the location of the MKH; an associated business case has been prepared and space requirements and outline drawings produced for the Hydraulic Tower and adjacent land in Wirral Waters Enterprise Zone. LJMU is already formally collaborating with the MTC to run a Business Launch Centre - MTC@LJMU - with MTC staff currently based at LJMU s Faculty of Engineering and Technology. LJMU and Mersey Maritime have signed an agreement to work in partnership on skills, innovation and business growth, whereby sharing the knowledge, skills and expertise of both organisations will aid growth in the sector through increased industry engagement with research and development. The partnership has already submitted to EU proposals around innovation and business support including one with seven other EU clusters. Wirral Council has identified the LMKH as a priority project within the Enterprise Zone. Work is ongoing to identify funding for the centre; a Heritage Lottery Fund Heritage Enterprise bid for an element of the site will be submitted in October 2015. Work is also ongoing to develop a suitable brand for the initiative. 4. Objectives & Requirements The primary objectives of this work are to: Underpin the preparation of external UK and EU capital and revenue funding bids to realise the ambition of the MKH by providing econometric data and intelligence on the international, national, and LCR/NW maritime sectors Underpin submissions for other strategic initiatives, including Northern Powerhouse evidencebased strategy formation plus prospective Innovate UK cluster analysis work and/or potential future Catapult selection Support strategic project advocacy and promotion, to both government and private sector/investment audiences
Specifically pitch the LMKH as a signature Northern Powerhouse project. Inform detailed forward project planning, development and delivery. Directly linked to the above, we require the chosen consultant(s) to produce the following: 1. A baseline analysis of the Liverpool City Region s marine and maritime cluster, plus wider supply chain: (a) Definition and scope in terms of basic metrics, to include employment, investment in R&D and training, plus levels of innovation in SMEs. (b) Delineation of core marine and maritime and offshore assets and capabilities, particularly re. innovation, R&D, professional services, and education/training (c) Current value and volume (d) Potential for sector growth, including spillover into other sectors (e.g. advanced manufacturing, food, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, digital etc.) 2. An analysis of the value, volume and market opportunities re. the marine and maritime sector, nationally and globally, referencing national/international studies 3. A defensible assessment of the potential for the intended LMKH to capture relevant national and global market opportunities, with associated possible values (linked to Innovate UK thinking) 4. Identification of relevant funding, investment, and other strategic opportunities, leads and contacts, both UK and international. 5. Identification of other significant foreseeable national and international factors (technological, legislative, industrial etc.) that could impact on future LMKH project development and phasing. 5. Instructions to Tenderers The successful consultancy will have a contract with the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, acting on behalf of the LMKH Steering Group, comprising all project partners. The lead officer in terms of primary contact and ongoing project liaison will be John Whaling, Strategic Investment Lead Innovation & Superport, LCR LEP, 12 Princes Parade, Liverpool, L2 1BG, johnwhaling@liverpoollep.org, 0151 237 3918. The maximum budget is 21,000, excluding VAT but including all expenses and disbursements. NB. this is subject to confirmation of funding from the 2014-2020 LCR ESIF Programme. The phasing of payments will be agreed with the consultants selected. Tenders will be judged on the perceived quality and robustness of the proposal together with an overall assessment of value for money. In responding to this tender, please ensure you provide all of the following: a) Your understanding of the brief and its requirements, plus confirmation of the deliverables you will supply b) The proposed methodology to be employed in order to fulfil the terms of the brief, plus a detailed work programme highlighting what tasks will be undertaken when c) Previous experience of successfully delivering relevant similar assignments, citing specific examples, plus details of the members of the team to be assigned to the project (including subcontractors), highlighting their prospective roles and relevant expertise d) Detailed breakdown of fees, team members, time allocations, costs and expenses, clearly explaining how they have been attributed / derived
e) Details with regard to the added value your company will provide, including any areas of particular professional innovation, specialism or expertise The deadline for submission is: 10am on Monday 12 October 2015 Please send 2 hard copies plus an electric version of your tender to John Whaling using the above contact details. Please note that any submission received after the deadline will not be considered. 6. Timeline It is anticipated that the project will take around 8 weeks to complete in line with the following indicative timetable: Tender brief issued: 25 September Deadline for receipt of proposals: 10am on Monday, 12 October Consultant selection interviews: Friday, 16 October (please allocate availability in advance) Inception meeting: Week commencing 19 October Completion by: Christmas 2015. More precise project milestones and the completion date for study implementation will be agreed with the chosen consultant. 7. Evaluation Criteria All tenders will be evaluated on the basis of a balance of perceived quality and price in accordance with the following weightings: a) Understanding of the brief, plus deliverables to be supplied: 15% b) Methodology & work programme: 15% c) Experience: 35% d) Pricing: 10% e) Added value & innovation: 25% ----------------------------------------------- NB. all project partners will provide the fullest cooperation to the chosen consultants in order to enable completion on time and within budget, e.g. in terms of: the provision of relevant existing documents access to staff and data introductions to relevant external partner organisations. Thank you in advance for your interest!