Business analysis consultancy services

Tender description

FACT wishes to engage the services of a specialist provider with relevant sector knowledge and expertise to develop and deliver a flexible programme of innovation workshops, which will help digital and creative businesses in the Liverpool City Region to develop and commercialise products and services using new and emerging digital technologies. FACT is working with LJMU and LCR LEP to provide a range of support to SMEs working with new and emerging digital technologies across all subsectors of the digital and creative industries in LCR. In particular, FACT will target its support offer toward LCR-based SMEs working with relevant digital technologies in the following areas: — Visual arts, — Film, broadcast, music, audio, — Games and interactive media, — Immersive environments (VR / AR, mixed reality), — Design, fashion and wearable technology, — Big and open data including live data visualisation, — Tech for good’ (health and well-being; education; social, environmental and cultural impact). FACT will also target SMEs seeking the following types of support and engagement: — Collaborative concept and ideas development, — Creative co-design opportunities, — Access to FACT specialist team, creative community, networks and facilities, — Engagement with FACT’s wider programme (e.g. exhibitions, talent development, learning, research). 1. Service Specification The main aim of the workshop programme will be to assist DCI businesses in Liverpool City Region to develop and commercialise innovative products and services using new and emerging digital technologies. The workshops should also complement and help unlock the support resources available through LCR Activate (see ‘related services’) and beyond, with a focus on: — Research & Development (R&D), — Prototyping and Production, — User Experience (UX) Design and User-Testing, — Digital Marketing, — Access to Collaborators, — Access to Finance, — Access to Markets. The workshops will be made available to any SME registered on LCR Activate, but will be targeted, in particular, towards micro- and small enterprises matching the profile described in section 4 above. The appointed provider will be expected to deliver, as a minimum: — 54 hours of workshop delivery time - based on 18 sessions x 3 hours average per session, excluding breaks and networking, — 324 hours of qualifying SME contact time - based on an average attendance of 6 SMEs per session. The workshop programme should focus in particular on the three following areas, in line with programme priorities and feedback received from SMEs to date: 1. Unlocking Emerging Research for business development and growth - to assess where research can support and grow business capabilities and product development. 2. Prototyping, UX and User-Testing - participatory co-design workshops with constituent end users, deploying real-time experimentation and evaluation with closed user groups (e.g. other SMEs, consumers, public service users). 3. Innovations in Marketing – to support market-readiness and commercialization of new products and services.