Excelerate Labs Partner Procurement 2018-2021

The Excelerate Labs is seeking to procure suitable Delivery Partners to support its application for continuation post December 2018. Delivery Partners are invited from organisations that can provide client delivery and/or business support at a community based level and provide a minimum of 55% match, and up to 100% contribution to support service implementation. Once the full partnership is confirmed a standardised model of match may be applied.

The total eligible budget available is up to £5 Million (including any extension and dependent on EU Programme requirements). The programme is supported by European Regional Development Fund.

Excelerate Labs expect to offer Partnership arrangements to between 2 and 12 organisations as a result of this invitation process.

The purpose is to assist in the project's continued development and implementation of an integrated pre-business startup and business growth support services in Greater Manchester City Region.

Excelerate Labs is a comprehensive community engagement, enterprise promotion and business support programme, which fosters the creation and growth of enterprises from pre-start to early stage businesses, growth oriented businesses and social enterprises. It achieves this through delivering an innovative package of services which helps prepare individuals considering creating or growing an enterprise or a social enterprise. Excelerate Labs deploys a number of measures and community development approaches including community outreach, awareness raising, advice, workshops, mentoring and network development to provide a holistic model of support. In addition, it is now seeking to expand its Delivery Partner collaborative to ensure that it is meeting client need and achieves additional community and neighbourhood reach and added value.

Excelerate Labs provides support to a diverse target group of potential-entrepreneurs living in GMCR including men, women, employed and unemployed residents, BME and disabled residents and graduates mapped against the GMCR Combined Authority footprint and based on specific local authority geography.

Excelerate Labs is led by The Women's Organisation who will act as accountable body and managing partner.