Research and development services and related consultancy services

Tender description

This is an award notice and this opportunity is now closed. Please see Section V (Award of Contract) for further details. The LEP has 3 work streams: 1) Skills and employment; 2) Strategic Infrastructure; and 3) Enterprise and Innovation where additional resource is required to augment the resources and expertise within the LEP team. Resource is required to: — support the development and refresh of an evidence based Strategic Economic Plan (SEP) and local industrial strategy for Hertfordshire including the development of processes for engaging business, gathering business and stakeholder input, — support the development and refresh of the SEP in Hertfordshire, in addition to any policy instruments required to underpin this activity, — identify and prioritise activities/initiatives to support the growth and development of Hertfordshire’s leading technology/industry clusters and their role in the implementation of the Local Industrial Strategy, — supporting the LEP’s Executive team in research specific to key LEP investment programmes and attending and presenting at the LEP Board and their supporting programme boards, — supporting the LEP Executive team to develop or respond to bespoke activity that complements and supports the economic development and regeneration agenda. For further detail relating to the requirements under this lot please see the lot specific specification. Hertfordshire LEP has been successful in being awarded Single Local Growth Fund and Growing Places funding and will be bidding for additional funds from central Government over the coming years. It requires support for individual projects and assistance with developing bids for future funding, including advice on delivery vehicles. All projects are required to meet the LEP’s priorities which have been set out in its growth strategy and strategic economic plan. The key support required is to provide the LEP Executive Team with additional capacity and expertise for the bidding, development and delivery of projects as well as for the overall process of developing bids. For further detail relating to the requirements under this lot please see the lot specific specification. Herts LEP requires consultancy services for the role of independent appraiser to submit written reports setting out how a project meets or doesn’t meet LEP investment criteria. Herts LEP has set out its investment priorities within its Strategic Economic Plan, local industrial strategy or any future plans. The projects supported by the Local Growth Fund (LGF) are consistent with the SEP and have been identified as being required to unlock development across the Herts LEP area, in terms of delivering new houses, jobs and skills. Projects will be subject to a proportionate appraisal process: 1) Smaller schemes requiring a light touch assessment; 2) A full WebTAG, or equivalent, compliant appraisal for transport schemes (if not already completed by Hertfordshire County Council (HCC); 3) Green Book appraisal for larger non-transport projects; and 4) Schemes which require Government oversight. A small number of projects will have their appraisal undertaken by the Government or their nominated evaluator due to their significance or that the funding is being retained centrally by the Government; in these instances the role of the Herts LEP Independent Appraiser will be to review the appraisal undertaken and provide professional advice to the LEP Executive of any key risks or issues arising from that assessment that need to be considered by the Programme and LEP Boards to support the associated decision for funding. For further detailed information relating to the requirements of this lot please see the lot specific specification. The LEP is looking for a contractor who can provide the planning, transport and infrastructure policy support to the LEP. This will need to range from making representations on draft local plans, to acting for the LEP on stakeholder engagement through to lobbying for transport investment by responding to rail industry consultations in liaison with HCC. This will need to lead to the identification of key infrastructure projects which the LEP will support through its Local Growth Deal and possible future Hertfordshire devolution deals. For more specific information about the requirements of this lot please refer to the lot specification.