Published date: 13 December 2024

Last edited date: 17 December 2024

Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.


Closing: 10 January 2025, 5pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security - 79000000

Location of contract

England

Value of contract

£97,000

Procurement reference

GRVSHAM001-DN756093-64490556

Published date

13 December 2024

Closing date

10 January 2025

Closing time

5pm

Contract start date

1 February 2025

Contract end date

1 February 2026

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Open procedure (below threshold)

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

This procedure can be used for procurements below the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

Yes

Description

Overall Summary
In north Kent, Gravesham Borough Council is seeking proposals to deliver a personalised, demand-responsive business support service, delivered as flexible mentoring support for small businesses that are pre-start, new and aiming for growth.

Linked to business support, the Council is advertising an opportunity to administer and deliver a small grant scheme to early stage and growing businesses (with a trading history), to make small investments in support of their growth.

The economic development team is looking for a high quality, creative and flexible approach to in-person and virtual delivery over a 12-month period, that is informed by a provider's experience and ability to deliver a local service that is responsive to the needs of a diverse community.

Delivery will be able to make use of community and other business locations secured through the Council and other local organisations.

Lot 1 - Business Grant Scheme
For early-stage businesses, a small grant scheme to assist a diverse range of micro businesses to make small investments that will help them grow through new capital equipment, workspace or other revenue projects with a clear business case.

Successful outreach into geographies and demographic groups that tend to have lower rates of business formation and survival, will be an important focus.
The preferred solution will provide a simple, clear application process and would ideally be linked to the Business Support / Mentoring service in order to incentivise take up of advice and also to allow for independent assessment of the likely impact of a grant.

Lot 2 - Business Support / Mentoring Services
The availability of good quality, visible and independent advice for small businesses is a key ingredient of creating a supportive eco-system to promote the health of local economies.

Gravesham Borough is seeking innovative proposals for a blend of personalised (highly flexible) in-person and virtual advice and guidance to pre and post-start businesses looking to establish and grow.

A number of specialist areas of business support knowledge are suggested, to be delivered in a mentoring format that is responsive to the needs of individual enterprises, including social businesses.

More information

Previous notice about this procurement

Business Grant Scheme (Lot 1) and Business Support / Mentoring Services (Lot 2)

  • Opportunity
  • Published 13 December 2024, last edited 13 December 2024

Links

About the buyer

Contact name

Gary Giles

Address

Civic Centre
Windmill Street
Gravesend
DA12 1AU
United Kingdom

Email

gary.giles@gravesham.gov.uk

Website

http://www.gravesham.gov.uk