Glasgow Business Growth Programme- Phase 3 Framework

Tender description

Glasgow City Council is exploring the establishment of a framework for the delivery of consultancy services in the area of Business Growth. The consultancy services would be delivered to SMEs across the city, to help deliver the sustainable growth agenda and improve business start-up and survival rates in the city. These services are likely to be delivered under a multi-Lot framework, through a mix of 1-2-1 and group consultancy sessions related to an anticipated 10 specific specialist areas. Lot 2: Business Growth The Business Growth lot will provide support to identify areas of improvement processes which help with improving some measure of an enterprise's success. Business growth can be achieved either by boosting the top line or revenue of the business with greater product sales or service income, or by increasing the bottom line or profitability of the operation by minimizing costs. Business growth is a function of the business lifecycle and can be influenced by industry growth trends. Services for this Lot should include, but not be limited to, the following: Strategic Planning Sales & Marketing Change Management Pitching & Procurement Procurement Operations Management Turnaround Mergers & Acquisitions Lot 3: Leadership, Skills and Resource The Leadership, Skills and Resource lot will provide support to involve reviewing existing Leadership Development processes and preparing a report on their future suitability and/or making recommendations for future actions. It will also provide a range of support across leadership and management as well as capacity building and comprehensive HR support. Services for this Lot should include, but not be limited to, the following: Organisational Development and Succession Planning Leadership and Management Capacity Building and HR Support Lot 4: Business Financial Management The Business Financial Management Lot will allow support to be provided across a range of areas which will help with the efficient and effective management of money / funds in such a manner as to accomplish the objectives of the organisation. Strategic financial management not only manages a company's finances but allows them to be managed with the intention to succeed. Services for this Lot should include, but not be limited to, the following: Financial Management Financial Readiness Preparing for Investment Alternative Finance Company Valuation Taxation Lot 5: Design Thinking The Design thinking Lot will integrate design thinking principles into a range of organisations across different industry sectors. Promoting the use of design principles and educating SMEs on the benefits directly linked to innovation, sustainability and resilience, this Lot will see an increase in available support that creates design-led companies who can improve effective strategy and product/service development and manage organisational change. Services for this Lot should include, but not be limited to, the following: Problem Solving Development Testing and validation Lot 6: Business Innovation The Business Innovation Lot will support the development of organisational processes for introducing new ideas, workflows, methodologies, services and/or products. This should help enable the achievement of goals across the entire organisation, with sights set on accomplishing core business aims and initiatives. Innovation often begins with idea generation, wherein ideas are narrowed down during facilitated sessions, after which leaders consider the business viability, feasibility and desirability of each idea. Services for this Lot should include, but not be limited to, the following: Understanding Innovation (Architectural, Radical, Incremental and Disruptive) Product (Market-driven) Innovation Service (Business Model) Innovation Lot 7: Internationalisation The Internationalisation Lot will support businesses access overseas markets, offering an opportunity to increase sales to a much wider customer base. Exporting can be profitable for businesses of all sizes and lead to new job opportunities. Scottish businesses trading internationally have high productivity rates and are often more competitive, with research suggesting that SMEs who export perform better financially and grow more than twice as fast as those that do not. There is already a comprehensive support structure nationally through SDI for exporting support, therefore this Lot aims to fill the gaps in expertise or support businesses unable to leverage other public sector support. Services for this Lot should include, but not be limited to, the following: Support for Exporting Market Analysis and Development Structuring for Internationalisation Lot 8: Digital Development and Innovation The Digital Lot will provide support to businesses to use technology to benefit to its internal and external operations. The types of digital support will be varied but will allow businesses to use Technology solutions to help their business to the next level. Services for this Lot should include, but not be limited to, the following: Social Media eCommerce Support Data Analytics Mobile or internet technologies Customisation of software or App development Cloud Computing Digital Strategy Lot 9: Business Resilience The Resilience Lot will provide support that enables organisations to quickly adapt to disruptions while maintaining continuous business operations and safeguarding people, assets and overall brand equity. Business resilience goes a step beyond disaster recovery by offering post-disaster strategies to avoid costly downtime, shore up vulnerabilities and maintain business operations in the face of additional, unexpected breaches. Services for this Lot should include, but not be limited to, the following: Business Resilience Business Continuity Risk Management Business Sustainability Lot 10: Business Acceleration The Business Accelerator Lot will provide support in a different, more targeted and innovative way for companies at various stages of growth. They will combine traditional teaching methodologies with guidance and mentorship. Evidence suggests that SMEs and entrepreneurs who engage with business accelerators benefit from the opportunity presented, leading to greater collaboration with other entrepreneurs and businesses that can yield benefits that allow the business to grow at an accelerated rate. All Accelerator programmes under this Lot must be delivered over a maximum 6 month period. Each programme will accommodate between 10 – 15 participants. The duration and frequency of the programme is down to the supplier, but should be a minimum of 8 days face-to-face. There are four distinct Acceleration areas that this framework seeks to develop: High Growth Acceleration Pre-start/Early Stage Acceleration Social Enterprise Growth Acceleration Creative Industries Acceleration Lot 1: Business Structuring The Business Structuring Lot will provide support to help determine the assignment and coordination of roles, power and responsibilities within a business. It also defines how information flows between the different levels of management. Introducing a formal organisational structure can help put your business in a better position to achieve its objectives. Services for this Lot should include, but not be limited to, the following: Board Development Company Structuring Franchising Business Succession Company Governance Ethical Management