Consultancy to provide Strategic Investment Model (SIM) Management Services

Tender description

Crown Estate Scotland, on behalf of SOWEC, is seeking to appoint a consultancy to provide a number of management and other associated services (SIM Management Service Provider) to the SIM for an initial period of 12 months. During the first 6 months, the SIM Management Service Provider will be contracted to Crown Estate Scotland (CES) who is procuring this on behalf of the group pending the new legal entity (SIM legal vehicle) being created. Once the SIM legal vehicle has been established, it is intended that the contract with CES will be novated to the new SIM legal vehicle and will continue for the remainder of its term. If the SIM Management Service Provider has demonstrated sufficient value during this initial contract period, the expectation is that the contract will be extended for a further 12 months. The decision to extend will be solely at the discretion of the SIM legal vehicle or, if such has not yet been established, Crown Estate Scotland Management of the SIM is likely to be required longer term and beyond the periods described above. It will be for the SIM legal vehicle or the CFWG at that time to determine the appropriate arrangements for the services required once this appointment has expired. The primary function of the SIM Management Service Provider will be to present investment opportunities on strategic projects for consideration to the CFWG, through the to be established, legal structure of the SIM (Deliverable 1). This will be drawn from information received and requested to enable an initial assessment to be made; and further detail then collated which allows potential investors to make informed decisions about progressing funding opportunities. Governance and reporting is to be established for the SIM, through to the CFWG and SOWEC. The identification of major capital-intensive projects and progressing those identified are the immediate priorities of SIM Stage 1. It is expected that sources of strategic investment will need to be identified and factored into proposals from mid-2023 to maximise the economic value of future offshore wind farms in Scotland and further afield. As CFWG members have been working towards these dates for some time, there are already concepts and proposals in development. The SIM Management Service Provider will be responsible, by Summer 2023, for facilitating the compilation of these proposals, to be agreed by the CFWG. This then represents an initial collective view on the major Scottish port and infrastructure projects which are to be prioritised for strategic offshore wind investment (Deliverable 2). This initial view can evolve and be reactive to additional opportunities or refocus. Supplementary data in support of the initial recommendations will be requested, collated, and presented. The aim shall be, by end 2023, to have a robust and comprehensive definition of initial major projects to be pursued, with investment prospectuses concluded and transitioned to stage 2. (Deliverable 3). For its first year, as noted, the SIM legal vehicle will focus on major port infrastructure projects. However, the intention is to expand SIM activities into other areas such as supply chain, people & skills and innovation. By the end of 2023, the SIM Management Service Provider, with the CFWG, shall have developed a view on what those areas should be together with a comprehensive justification in support of it (Deliverable 4). Bidders are asked to submit proposals setting out their suggested approach for delivering this scope of work in full. Bidders must explain how they would address all other requirements for the delivery of the commission, including any potential legal/regulatory issues. Further information on how to respond to this tender is set out in the ITT.