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New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership
Contract for the provision of self-employment support to
individuals in Norfolk and Suffolk
Part of the C-CARE project funded by the European Regional
Development Fund via the Interreg France (Channel) England
programme.
Scope of Work
Background
C-Care is a cross-Channel Interreg France (Channel) England project which aims to respond to some
of the socio-economic challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. C-Care is led by Kent
County Council and is run by four English and three French partner organisations
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, working with a
wide network of stakeholders. C-Care aims to provide support to over 1,900 businesses and 4,500
individuals at risk of exclusion in the France-Channel England (FCE) area to aid economic recovery.
France and the UK are two of the economies forecast to be hardest hit by COVID. The short-term
impact is severe: unemployment is rising, and businesses are suffering (250,000 closures in UK - FSB
Feb 21): Norfolk unemployment benefit claims rose 120% across all age groups between 2019 and
2020; French GDP contracted by 13.8% in Q2 2020, the worst decline since 1944 (The Spectator,
03/08/20); UK GDP fell 19% March-May 2020 and all economic sectors experienced significant
contraction (Office for National Statistics (ONS), May 2020).
There is emerging evidence that most vulnerable in society are likely to be most affected by COVID:
Those on the lowest wages have seen the biggest impact on their jobs and income - nearly 9 million
people had to borrow more money than usual with the poorest 20% most likely to have reduced
income (March-December 2020, ONS). The lowest paid hold jobs that are least likely to be able to be
done from home or to have digital capability (skills, access, or hardware to benefit from new digital
offers). The rural/coastal FCE area may be more affected by the crisis. COVID impacts the ability of
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C-Care Partnership Organisations: Kent County Council, New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, Norfolk
County Council, Plymouth City Council, Conseil Départemental du Finistère, Pas-de-Calais Tourisme, ‘Campus
d’Enseignement Supérieure et de Formation Professionnelle’ in Normandy.
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businesses to trade, e.g., traditional delivery via direct retail is restricted. Key Programme area
sectors such as tourism are worse hit. Many businesses must learn to trade in different ways, e.g.,
increasing their digital offer and individuals have to respond to these offers.
C-Care aims to deliver an ambitious targeted programme of support and strategic planning in the
next stage of pandemic response, bringing together best practice from across the FCE Programme
area to inform and drive new, bespoke project interventions, and to ensure they have maximum
impact on the need for an inclusive recovery which preserves and creates employment and
opportunity for all.
The project includes delivery of initiatives put in place to help businesses and individuals during the
Covid-19 pandemic and will build on these to design and deliver a new range of schemes on both
sides of the Channel including:
• Training programmes in Finistère and the New Anglia area to help individuals gain new
knowledge and skills with a view to transitioning into self-employment or starting a business.
• Creating a community hub in Plymouth and running a training programme in Finistère to help
people to gain new digital skills.
• Providing people with equipment needed to undertake an apprenticeship in Norfolk and
providing businesses with additional ICT equipment to enable them to host an apprenticeship
placement.
• Developing a new training programme aimed at people seeking a career in the hospitality
sector in Northern France to develop the necessary skills for employment.
• Running a ‘green recovery’ voucher scheme in Kent to help small businesses to adopt more
sustainable practices as they seek to recover and grow.
• A new business support programme in Plymouth to enable companies to adapt their business
models to the needs of the changing business environment.
• Developing a new model for business resilience and adaptability that will be testing with
businesses on both sides of the Channel.
• Voucher schemes in Kent and Norfolk to enable small businesses to enhance their digital
capabilities and find new ways to connect to customers.
• A Covid-secure accredited training module for the home improvement and maintenance
sector in Kent.
• Feasibility studies and blueprints to plan for future business and community activity in town
centres in the France Channel England area.
• A new coordinated approach to tackling food poverty in Finistère.
• A promotional campaign to boost the hospitality and leisure sector in Pas de Calais.
• Tools and models for businesses on both sides of the Channel to help them recover and grow
sustainably and become more resilient to future economic challenges.
• Producing a range of tools and models that can be used by other organisations and areas to
provide similar support to businesses and individuals and alleviate the worst effects of the
pandemic.
The project will deliver the following cross-border work packages aimed at supporting individuals at
risk of exclusion and businesses at risk of closure to reverse some of the negative impacts of the
pandemic.
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T1. Respond, Reflect, Report will enable partners, stakeholders and other FCE projects to review
initial Covid-response, gather good practice and bring together lessons learnt to shape a new
package of Covid-19 response and recovery actions
T2. C-Care Support for Social Inclusion will deliver targeted support to more than 4,547
individuals to develop new skills and tools to help them into employment or start a business
T3. C-Care Support for Business Recovery will provide direct support to over 1,947 businesses via
advice, vouchers and grants aimed at helping sectors hard-hit by the pandemic to develop
new business models to respond to market changes and ensure a green, inclusive, and
sustainable economic recovery.
T4. C-CARE Reset and Redesign will develop blueprints for future town centres to improve long
term prospects for businesses and work on new ways to tackle social exclusion and in
particular digital and food poverty.
This tender
This tender seeks a suitably qualified and experienced organisation to deliver a programme of self-
employment support under T2 C-CARE Support for Social Inclusion, entitled C-CARE Support for Self-
Employment.
The successful organisation will be expected to deliver a programme of support as outlined below,
and engage with the wider evaluation and information sharing goals of the project partnership as
outlined above.
Background to this tender
We currently offer a funded business start-up programme within our ERDF Business Growth
Programme, which is due to end this autumn. Details on our website here -
https://newanglia.co.uk/grant/start-up-programme/ . This provision supported by the European
Regional Development Fund is delivered by Nwes and Menta.
The C-CARE Support for Self-Employment activity which is the subject of this tender should build on
the learning from current and previous provision. However, it is an entirely new project, with a
strong emphasis on the self-employment skills needs of individuals rather than on business start-up
potential as in the current programme.
Scope of Work
This procurement is to deliver C-CARE Support for Self-Employment, a strand of T2, C Care Support
for Social Inclusion. We are seeking a contractor to deliver project outputs as part of the larger
programme. The whole delivery will take place in Norfolk and Suffolk with both online and face-to-
face support required in both counties, and evidence that the successful organisation can deliver
activity at locations right across Norfolk and Suffolk as demand requires.
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We are seeking organisations who can deliver these outputs across Norfolk and Suffolk with delivery
1
st
November 2021 to 31
st
March 2023. See below for the stages for confirmation of the budget
available.
We would expect the programme to be in place and development of a clear methodology of delivery
by 1
st
November 2021.
The contract will require a package of support in topic areas as outlined below. The aim of the
activity is to train, upskill, and aid individuals into self-employment, and to support them on the start
of their journey to create successful and stable businesses which have the potential to grow and to
develop further, providing employment opportunities as they grow.
The formal required outputs for this programme are: -
• Minimum of 620 participants
• 300 new businesses to be created.
• 60 additional employees within those businesses
Work Required for this programme
We are seeking organisations to deliver across Norfolk and Suffolk via a bespoke package of support
to be agreed. The programme will have a particular focus on encouraging people from
disadvantaged communities to make the most of self-employment opportunities and should
provide a delivery plan for the following: -
• Assessment of individuals
• Identified wrap-around support and signposting
• Assist individuals in the undertaking of market research
• Workshops (virtual and/or actual)
• One to one mentoring/coaching support
• Access to upskilling of digital skills
• Raise awareness of business appropriate applications/tools
• Signpost to workspace as required, hot desking, shared space, units.
• To encourage the individuals to join business communities.
• Recording all aspects of the programme including evidencing outputs for data reporting
according to Interreg FCE programme rules.
Please describe how you would deliver the above, by providing the following: -
1. Delivery plan across the full seventeen-month period.
2. Provide a description of bespoke packages of support to be offered.
3. Explain your experience at delivering this type of contract, with examples of contracts
successfully delivered in the past.
4. Details of premises and locations to be used for delivery.
5. Provide Curriculum Vitae of staff delivering the programme.
6. Provide a marketing plan to support the delivery as part of your bid and supporting the
larger project.
7. Provide two referees.
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We are keen to hear from organisations that can evidence all the following: -
o Are well networked within Norfolk and Suffolk.
o Can signpost the applicants to further local support.
o Understand the local business support landscape and have knowledge of Norfolk and
Suffolk.
o Have capacity to deliver the programme with a mix of face to face, and electronic meetings
within Norfolk and Suffolk.
o An understanding of EU programme regulations and a track record in evidencing EU
programme outputs and results.
Deliverables
The following must be delivered and evidenced through this scope of work:
• At least 1,200 individuals to be interviewed for inclusion in the programme.
• At least 620 participants to complete the programme.
• 300 new businesses supported as start-ups with evidence of a new business.
• New businesses started as a result of the project to recruit at least 60 new employees.
• Case Studies – development of a minimum of 6 case studies of start-up business across
Norfolk and Suffolk that can be shared as part of the wider programme.
• 2-4 advice factsheets on starting a business will be developed and made available across the
partnership
• Engagement with wider C-CARE project meetings and workshops (mainly online) as required,
taking part in the wider information sharing work of the project partnership
Budget
Tenders are expected to quote for an overall budget of 800,000 Euros inclusive of VAT for the full
period of delivery. Due to likely exchange rate fluctuations and variations in project funding
available, funding will be awarded to the successful organisation as follows -
667,500 Euros
Will be contracted at project inception w/c 25
th
October 2021.
Up to 132,500 Euros
Will be contracted in November 2022 for
delivery from January 2023 to 31 March 2023 –
may be less than 132,000 Euros depending on
exchange rate fluctuations.
Up to 800,000 Euros total
An additional amount may be made available as
a contract addition up to a maximum value of
80,000 Euros at any point during the contract-
this would require additional deliverables on a
pro rata basis.
Any contract addition would also be subject to
evidence of strong performance against existing
targets.
To be awarded as a contract amendment at any
point during the project when any additional
funding is confirmed, with additional
deliverables to be confirmed on a pro rata
basis.
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Timeline:
We are looking for this work to commence on 1
st
November 2021 to 31
st
December 2022 with a
planned extension, subject to final budget confirmation to 31
st
March 2023.
Response before 5.00pm Monday 27
th
September 2021
An interview will also be conducted with shortlisted organisations.
Set out below is the timetable for this contract:
Timescales and Milestones
Dates
Invitation tender published
10
th
August 2021
Deadline for submission
27
th
September 2021
5.00pm
Interviews for shortlisted organisations
w/c 4
th
October 2021
Contract awarded and notification
By 8
th
October 2021
Standstill Period ends
25
th
October 2021
Inception meeting
w/c 25
th
October 2021
Contract start
1
st
November 2021
Tender process
Suppliers will be shortlisted based on their proposals which will be assessed on the following basis:
Criteria
Weighting
Capability/similar examples of the type of work being contracted
for
20%
Demonstrate best practice in delivery of similar programmes
20%
The approach to delivering the contract
25%
Experience of the personnel to be used
25%
Value for money
10%
Total
100%
Contact:
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If you are interested in discussing this proposal further or would like clarification on any points,
please do contact Rose Joy in the first instance
Email: Rosemar[email protected]
Tel: 01603 510085