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Tender description

As part of the Greater Manchester Clean Air Programme, TfGM is looking to establish to appoint a supplier to deliver a service to manage certain aspects of the Clean Vehicle Funds Service (CVFS). The supplier will provide an IS system which will deliver the functionality to manage the Clean Vehicle Funds Scheme. The functionality of the CVFS will be to deliver a ‘digital first’ service whereby eligibility checks of those who wish to apply for financial support applicants against business and vehicle type will be made through an automated process to present an applicant with the funding options applicable.There is also a requirement the supplier to be FCA Regulated. Government has instructed many local authorities across the UK to take action to reduce harmful Nitrogen Dioxide (‘NO2’) levels following the secretary of state issuing a direction under the Environment Act 1995 to a number of authorities to undertake feasibility studies to ‘identify the option which will deliver compliance with legal limits of nitrogen dioxide in the area for which the authority is responsible in the shortest possible time’. In Greater Manchester, the 10 local authorities are working together to develop a clean air plan to tackle NO2 exceedances at the roadside (GM CAP). The GM CAP is being co-ordinated by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM). An outline business case was submitted in March 2019. In March 2020 the ten local authorities received a further ministerial direction to implement ‘a Charging Clean Air Zone Class C with additional measures’ so that: (a) compliance with the legal limit value for nitrogen dioxide is achieved in the shortest possible time and by 2024 at the latest; (b) exposure to levels above the legal limit value for nitrogen dioxide are reduced as quickly as possible. TfGM, on behalf of the ten local authorities, will be distributing funds which are awarded to it by the Government for the purposes of supporting owners or registered keepers of vehicles that are non-compliant with the emissions standards of the Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone (GM CAZ) and would be subject to a daily charge (‘Non-Compliant Vehicle’) to upgrade to a vehicle complaint with the emissions standards of the GM CAZ (‘Compliant Vehicle’), subject to meeting eligibility criteria and subject to availability of funds. The distribution of such funds will be subject to certain rules and such funds will be distributed as either grants or as contributions towards the cost of vehicle finance. The overall scheme is described as the Clean Vehicle Funds Scheme. TfGM is looking to establish a contract to appoint a supplier to deliver a service to manage certain aspects of the Clean Vehicle Funds Service (CVFS). The supplier will provide an IS system which will deliver the functionality to manage the CVFS. The functionality of the CVFS will be to deliver a ‘digital first’ service whereby eligibility checks of those who wish to apply for financial support applicants against business and vehicle type will be made through an automated process to present an applicant with the funding options applicable. Subject to there being funds remaining for TfGM to distribute to Eligible Applicants, each Applicant who passes the eligibility checks will be entitled to benefit from either: — a grant, which TfGM will pay to any vehicle dealer who has been accredited to receive grants and from whom the eligible applicant has decided to purchase a Compliant Vehicle whilst part exchanging an equivalent non-compliant vehicle; or — a contribution which TfGM shall pay to any one of a number of finance providers who will be appointed by TfGM to offer favourable vehicle finance at rates which take account of the value of the contribution. In addition to undertaking eligibility checks, the supplier will also be required to manage the application from vehicle dealers from whom those eligible applicants who elect to receive a grant have decided to purchase a compliant vehicle. In addition, each such dealers must have satisfied certain TfGM mandated criteria to become accredited to receive Grants (‘Accredited Dealers’). The Clean Vehicle Find System is also required to manage this accreditation process. There is also a requirement the Supplier to be FCA regulated. Each eligible applicant who chooses the grant option will be able to access a list of accredited dealers to redeem the grant monies through a voucher/code issued by the Supplier through the Clean Vehicle Funds Service. This voucher/code can be used as a check at the accredited dealer once a compliant vehicle has been selected. All Accredited dealers will need to become accredited before they can receive any grants, the value of which are to be deducted in full from the purchase price of a compliant vehicle by an eligible applicant who wishes to utilise a grant to purchase a compliant vehicle. Grants will be paid automatically through the notification by a dealership that an applicant has purchased a compliant vehicle and presented a valid voucher. This can be checked by dealerships through live access on the platform. The CVFS scope will include for monitoring and control of the drawdown of the funds and provision of management information to