PQ0499 - Access to new markets for med tech and health tech social enterprises (funded by Innovate UK via DIATOMIC project) - AWARD

Birmingham City Council are looking for a supplier to offer a bespoke business support to a minimum of 10 Birmingham based social enterprises (businesses with social mission) interested in accessing health/med tech market.

The aim of the pilot programme is to develop a base of the region's SMEs and social enterprises that have direct access to market. Access to market enables income generation, ensures growth and encourages social and technical innovation. It also breaks grant dependency which stifles growth especially in the social economy sector. The Provider will be required to create a comprehensive business support initiative aiming to improve essential tools, resources and guidance to help women-led and Black Asian and Minority Ethnic businesses thrive in today's competitive landscape and access the innovation ecosystem by enabling access to an existing health/care consortium who already hold contracts with the NHS/BCC.

It is expected that the business support will cover the following specific objectives:

• Supporting new businesses in joining an existing health/care consortium.
• Tailored support delivered to a group of social entrepreneurs (including peer-to-peer mentoring, training and addressing barriers specific to the sector) resulting in 5 businesses joining the consortium and accessing real market opportunities.

The provider of this contract needs to meet the following Specific Requirements:

• represent a consortium of social enterprises who currently deliver contracts for the NHS, adult social care or similar contracts for the public sector;
• be willing to expand their operations and accept new members and provide a bespoke support that would allow the new members to access new contracts.
• design and deliver a bespoke business support focusing on the readiness to enter an existing consortium and participate in the delivery of an existing NHS;
• be able to analyse the process and draw learning from it that could then be shared with the wider sector;
• be open to collaborating within the WM Inclusive Innovation Network and share the learning from the process.

This is being funded by the Innovate UK DIATOMIC Project and all publicity materials and reporting will be required to reference the funder and use the appropriate WMCA, UKRI and Innovate UK's logos.

The Council is looking for an organisation to deliver this service during a period of up to 11 months commencing 15th April 2024 and concluding no later than 15 March 2025.

The Council will be using its free to use e-tendering system (in-tend) for the administration of this procurement process and potential suppliers must register with the system to be able to express an interest. If you wish to express an interest in this opportunity, please click on the following link to access https://in-tendhost.co.uk/birminghamcc/ and submit your details to register. You will then be sent details on how to log on which will ...