Business development consultancy services

Tender description

Delivery of a strategic and comprehensive business growth support programme, tailored to the specific needs of eligible SMEs within Lincolnshire via the Business Lincolnshire Growth Hub. The Hub will provide information, covering all sectors and growth stages through a collaborative partnership approach to business support, growth and advice. It will also provide a single access point to a targeted package of information, diagnostic, advisory, coaching, mentoring and business development programmes. This includes specialist support around: Growth Advice Service (diagnostic, action planning and brokerage), Supply Chain Development (previously Supply Lincolnshire) Resource Efficiency (previously Sustain Lincolnshire), Investment Readiness / Investor Matching Service (previously Lincolnshire Investment Network), Digital Business Support (previously Onlincolnshire). Growth Hubs are locally-led partnerships that coordinate business, innovation and trade support within a Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) area and make it simple for businesses to access the support they need. They aim to bring together all of the local bodies involved in supporting businesses, working with national bodies such as UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and Innovate UK to ensure that national and local business support works together in the most streamlined and effective way possible, putting the business customer at the centre of the system. Specifically, they raise awareness of national and local business support, provide a single access point for businesses and provide a diagnostic and signposting service to make sure that all businesses, no matter what their size or sector, knows what is available and can access the right support for them. Through the Business Lincolnshire Growth Hub, Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) wish to develop and deliver a strategic and comprehensive business growth support programme, tailored to the specific needs of eligible SMEs within Lincolnshire. The Business Lincolnshire Growth Hub will provide information, covering all sectors and growth stages through a collaborative partnership approach to business support, growth and advice. It will also provide a single access point to a targeted package of information, diagnostic, advisory, coaching, mentoring and business development programmes. The Business Lincolnshire Growth Hub will incorporate all of the business support activity that has previously been delivered under discrete brand names. These include: — Growth Advice Service (diagnostic, action planning and brokerage), — Supply Chain Development (previously Supply Lincolnshire), — Resource Efficiency (previously Sustain Lincolnshire), — Investment Readiness / Investor Matching Service (previously Lincolnshire Investment Network), — Digital Business Support (previously Onlincolnshire). The Contract will be let for an initial period of 3 years intended to commence on Monday 11.7.2016 with the option to extend for 2 further periods of up to 3 years each, up to a maximum contract period of 9 years, dependent on performance and further funding.