DETI–INI–Delivering Social Change-Delivery&Operation of 9 Social Enterprise Hubs

Tender description

Invest NI is now seeking to appoint a Contractor(s) to design, manage and deliver Social Enterprise Hub activity across 11 locations (within the 9 social investment zones). The aim of the SEH Signature Project is to tackle vacancy and community eyesores and the lack of local employment by encouraging social enterprise business start up within local communities. Objectives The SEIH Pilot Project will be an ‘action and learning’ pilot project supported by DSD and DETI/Invest NI focused on: • Improving the streetscape by reducing street-level vacancy, • creating employment opportunities within the social economy sector; and • promoting the social economy in disadvantaged areas. The Pilot Project objectives are: • The creation of 9 Social Enterprise Hubs across NI with one in each of the 9 designated Social Investment Fund Zones by March 2014; • The removal of community eyesores through targeting clusters of street level vacant or under-used units within eleven communities by November 2013 ; • The encouragement of social enterprise business start-ups within local communities; and • The provision of services for the purposes of facilitating social enterprise. This project will be split into nine (9) separate Lots and each Lot will be evaluated on an independent basis. An exercise to identify suitable locations will be finalised in December 2013. Within each Hub, promoters should work on the basis that the hub will be capable of providing the necessary support services across Social Investment Fund Zone locations. A separate contract will be awarded for each Lot with the result that there will be up to a maximum of nine (9) Contracts awarded. Each tender for individual Social Investment Fund Zones should reflect the needs of that particular zone and delivery thereto. A tenderer may tender for as many lots as they wish and a single tenderer may be awarded the Contracts for all Lots.