Managing Agent to Deliver Northern Ireland Accelerator Programme

‘Support technology based, high growth potential start-ups (HPSUs) to access early stage venture capital/angel investment and establish in Northern Ireland’.

United Kingdom-Belfast: Research and development services and related consultancy services

2014/S 209-370379

Contract notice

Services

Directive 2004/18/EC

Section I: Contracting authority

I.1)Name, addresses and contact point(s)

Invest Northern Ireland
Bedford Square, Bedford Street
Contact point(s): Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment
For the attention of: Steve Campbell
BT2 7ES Belfast
UNITED KINGDOM
Telephone: +44 2890816802
E-mail: steve.campbell@dfpni.gov.uk

Internet address(es):

General address of the contracting authority: www.investni.com

Address of the buyer profile: www.e-sourcingni.bravosolution.co.uk

Electronic access to information: www.e-sourcingni.bravosolution.co.uk

Electronic submission of tenders and requests to participate: www.e-sourcingni.bravosolution.co.uk

Further information can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)

Specifications and additional documents (including documents for competitive dialogue and a dynamic purchasing system) can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)

Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to: The above mentioned contact point(s)

I.2)Type of the contracting authority

Body governed by public law

I.3)Main activity

General public services

I.4)Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities

The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: no

Section II: Object of the contract

II.1)Description

II.1.1)Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority:

Invest NI — Provision of a Managing Agent to Deliver the Accelerator Programme.

II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance

Services
Service category No 8: Research and development services
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance: Northern Ireland.

NUTS code UKN

II.1.3)Information about a public contract, a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system (DPS)

The notice involves a public contract

II.1.4)Information on framework agreement

II.1.5)Short description of the contract or purchase(s)

The over-arching purpose of the Northern Ireland Accelerator is to:
‘Support technology based, high growth potential start-ups (HPSUs) to access early stage venture capital/angel investment and establish in Northern Ireland’.
Invest NI now proposes to establish an Accelerator Programme in Northern Ireland to provide an intensive, time limited period of support for pre-seed businesses which can demonstrate high growth potential. Invest NI is therefore seeking to appoint an experienced Managing Agent to deliver the Accelerator Programme over a period of up to a maximum of five years, to establish, market and manage an Accelerator in accordance with best industry practice.
The proposed Accelerator Programme is consistent with the Programme for Government priorities to grow a dynamic, innovative economy. The Economic Strategy for NI to 2020 aims to create ‘an economy characterised by a sustainable and growing private sector, where a greater number of firms compete in global markets and there is growing employment and prosperity for all’. By supporting a small number of highly specialised, scalable teams, the Accelerator will help to rebalance the economy, providing a strong pool of HPSUs which have the potential to grow into global businesses.

II.1.6)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)

73000000, 79400000, 79000000, 73100000

II.1.7)Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): yes

II.1.8)Lots

This contract is divided into lots: no

II.1.9)Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: no

II.2)Quantity or scope of the contract

II.2.1)Total quantity or scope:

Estimated value excluding VAT: 3 400 000 GBP

II.2.2)Information about options

II.2.3)Information about renewals

II.3)Duration of the contract or time limit for completion

Duration in months: 60 (from the award of the contract)

Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information

III.1)Conditions relating to the contract

III.1.1)Deposits and guarantees required:

Not applicable.

III.1.2)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:

Payment to the Managing Agent delivery will be made monthly, in arrears, upon completion of a satisfactory monthly report and valid invoice. In line with the Northern Ireland Executive’s commitment to pay suppliers as quickly as possible, payment will ideally be made in respect of a validated invoice within 10 working days but certainly within 30 working days.

III.1.3)Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:

III.1.4)Other particular conditions

The performance of the contract is subject to particular conditions: yes
Description of particular conditions: The successful contractor’s performance on the contract will be regularly monitored. Contractors not delivering on contract requirements is a serious matter. It means the public purse is not getting what it is paying for. If a contractor fails to reach satisfactory levels of contract performance they will be given a specified time to improve. If, after the specified time, they still fail to reach satisfactory levels of contract performance, the matter will be escalated to senior management in the Central Procurement Directorate for further action. If this occurs and their performance still does not improve to satisfactory levels within the specified period, it may be regarded as an act of grave professional misconduct and they may be issued with a Certificate of Unsatisfactory Performance and the contract may be terminated. The issue of a Certificate of Unsatisfactory Performance will result in the contractor being excluded from all procurement competitions being undertaken by Centres of Procurement Expertise on behalf of bodies covered by the Northern Ireland Procurement Policy for a period of 12 months from the date of issue of the certificate.

III.2)Conditions for participation

III.2.1)Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: As detailed in the tender documents which can be downloaded from the following location under Current Opportunities:

https://e-sourcingni.bravosolution.co.uk

III.2.2)Economic and financial ability

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: As detailed in the tender documents which can be downloaded from the following location under Current Opportunities:

https://e-sourcingni.bravosolution.co.uk

Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: https://e-sourcingni.bravosolution.co.uk

III.2.3)Technical capacity

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met:
As detailed in the tender documents which can be downloaded from the following location under Current Opportunities:

https://e-sourcingni.bravosolution.co.uk

Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required:
[SC1] The tenderer must provide an example, or examples, from within the last six years, detailing their experience of delivering an Accelerator Programme at an international level that has delivered outcomes broadly in line with the objectives set out for this programme, see Section 2, Specification Schedule. In particular, evidence should be submitted which details how the tenderer has operated Accelerator programmes which have successfully targeted participants who had the potential to achieve the following:
— high growth potential with annual growth rates in turnover or employment of over 20 % per annum over 3 years;
— innovative enterprises in high technology sectors which have the potential to internationalise rapidly, within 2 years of start-up;
— potential to generate sales of over 1 m GBP over 3 years, and;
— potential to export over 60 % of its sales by year 3.
Each example(s) must include the following:
— Project/Programme title;
— Project/Programme objectives;
— Description of the services delivered;
— Commencement and termination dates of Project/Programme;
— Selection process including selection criteria, and;
— Performance against programme objectives including the number of participants, the investment secured and international sales achieved.
In support of the above example(s) Please also provide two programme participant examples that demonstrate benefit from the programme.
Each example(s) must not exceed 2 A4 pages. Responses must be completed in Arial font size 12. (Any additional information outside of the A4 page limit per example will not be evaluated).
(SC2) Using the example/examples submitted in response to question SC1, the tenderer must detail how they accessed a pool of mentors with international experience.
Each example(s) must must not exceed 2 A4 pages. Responses must be completed in Arial font size 12. (Any additional information outside of the A4 page limit per example will not be evaluated).
(SC3) The tenderer must provide an example, or examples, from within the last six years detailing their experience of assisting high growth potential start-ups (HPSUs) to sell in international markets through the tenderers international networks.
Each example(s) must include the following:
— Project/Programme title;
— Project/Programme objectives;
— Description of the services delivered including how the tenderer assisted HPSUs sell to International Markets through their International Networks;
— Commencement and termination Dates of Project/Programme, and;
— Performance against programme objectives including number of participants, profiles of the businesses and investment and international sales achieved.
Each example(s) must not exceed 2 A4 pages. Responses must be completed in Arial font size 12. (Any additional information outside of the A4 page limit per example will not be evaluated).
(SC4) Tenderers must nominate one named executive who will be directly responsible for managing and coordinating the delivery of the seed accelerator programme. The named executive must provide an example or examples, within the last 6 years, to demonstrate experience of successfully managing and coordinating the delivery of a seed accelerator programme of a similar nature to that proposed in the tender, and one which has involved at least two cohorts (groups).
Each example(s) must include the following:
— Programme title;
— Programme objectives;
— The Nominated Executive’s role and responsibility within the project;
— Commencement and termination Dates of Programme, and;
— Each example(s) must not exceed 2 A4 pages. Responses must be completed in Arial font size 12. (Any additional information outside of the A4 page limit per example will not be evaluated).
(SC5) Tenderers must nominate a minimum of one named executive who must provide an example or examples, within the last 6 years, to demonstrate experience of the following:
— Attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) teams of High Potential Start Ups (HPSUs) though the recruitment and selection of local and foreign direct investment teams with the growth potential such as those proposed for the Accelerator programme;
— Sourcing, managing and delivering equity funds, and;
— Assisting HPSUs to sell in international markets.
Each example(s) must include the following:
— Programme title and description of objectives;
— The named executive’s role and responsibility within the programme;
— Dates of Programme.
Each example(s) must not exceed 2 A4 pages. Responses must be completed in Arial font size 12. (Any additional information outside of the A4 page limit per example will not be evaluated).
All the individuals whose experience is relied upon to satisfy the requirements in relation to the minimum standards at criterion SC4 and SC5 must form part of the team that is proposed for delivery of the services at award stage.
CVs or additional information within tender proposals will not be evaluated.
Please note that you should only upload 1 file attachment in response to each question above.

III.2.4)Information about reserved contracts

III.3)Conditions specific to services contracts

III.3.1)Information about a particular profession

Execution of the service is reserved to a particular profession: no

III.3.2)Staff responsible for the execution of the service

Section IV: Procedure

IV.1)Type of procedure

IV.1.1)Type of procedure

Open

IV.1.2)Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate

IV.1.3)Reduction of the number of operators during the negotiation or dialogue

Recourse to staged procedure to gradually reduce the number of solutions to be discussed or tenders to be negotiated no

IV.2)Award criteria

IV.2.1)Award criteria

The most economically advantageous tender in terms of the criteria stated below

1. Establishment and Management of the Accelerator Programme. Weighting 10

2. Promotion and Selection of Teams. Weighting 15

3. Mentors. Weighting 15

4. Funding/Investment Opportunities. Weighting 10

5. Accessing International Markets. Weighting 5

6. Provision of Shared Space. Weighting 5

7. Fixed Cost for Management and Delivery of Programme. Weighting 30

8. Equity Funding Commitment. Weighting 10

9. Mandatory Requirement. Weighting 0

IV.2.2)Information about electronic auction

An electronic auction will be used: no

IV.3)Administrative information

IV.3.1)File reference number attributed by the contracting authority:

project_17610

IV.3.2)Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract

IV.3.3)Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents or descriptive document

Time limit for receipt of requests for documents or for accessing documents: 28.11.2014 – 15:00
Payable documents: no

IV.3.4)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

3.12.2014 – 15:00

IV.3.5)Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates

IV.3.6)Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up

English.

IV.3.7)Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender

in days: 90 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)

IV.3.8)Conditions for opening of tenders

Date: 3.12.2014 – 15:00
Persons authorised to be present at the opening of tenders: no

Section VI: Complementary information

VI.1)Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: no

VI.2)Information about European Union funds

The contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no

VI.3)Additional information

VI.4)Procedures for appeal

VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures

Department of Finance and Personnel
Clare House, 303 Airport Road West, Central Procurement Directorate
BT3 9ED Belfast
UNITED KINGDOM
Internet address: www.cpdni.gov.uk

VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals

Precise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals: CPD will incorporate a standstill period prior to the award of the contract being communicated to tenderers. The notification will provide full information on the award decision. The standstill period, which will be for a minimum of 10 calendar days, provides time for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into.
The Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (SI 2006 No 5) provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland).

VI.4.3)Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained

VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice:

24.10.2014