LCRIBS Specialist Support for Manufacturing and Process Efficiency

The five Liverpool City Region Local Authorities and Liverpool Vision came together with the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership and a number of Chambers of Commerce to form a consortia to bid for European funding under ‘Priority Axis 3 : Enhancing the Competitiveness of SME’s’.

The resulting business support programme, ‘The Liverpool City Region Integrated Business Support Project’ (LCRIBS), will provide a range of no-cost business support services designed to build both the capacity and confidence within those SME’s reluctant to engage with existing business support providers for either lack of knowledge or understanding or simply because they are reluctant to pay for, or do not perceive the value of, existing commercial provision.

The Liverpool City Region Integrated Business Support Project will be positioned between ‘pre-start/start-up/post-start support’, delivered by a consortia led by the Women’s Organisation, and more specialist or bespoke support delivered by the private sector

The Project will provide participating SME’s with the following demonstrable outputs:-

? An intensive Business Diagnostic undertaken by suitably experienced and qualified, competitively procured, external consultants
? An Action Plan for Growth focused upon the initial steps that a company must take, or the issues that the SME must address, to realise sustainability and growth
? The provision of a dedicated contact person within either Halton Borough Council or Halton Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise, who will initially work with the company to begin the process of delivering the Action Plan for Growth but who will support the company with any other elements of their development. Critically, that person will, wherever practical, remain a constant in the life of the business.
? The provision of an informed and managed Brokerage Service, complementing the service provided by the Liverpool City Region Business Growth Hub, which will connect participating SME’s with additional, follow-on, commercial business support.
? The Project will provide additional, more intensive, business support where a participating SME lacks the capacity, expertise or resources to begin the initial roll-out of their individual Action Plan for Growth. Support will be tailored to meet the needs of each individual SME and will focus upon the fundamental elements which businesses must have in place in order to be firstly, sustainable and secondly, to grow. Intensive support will be delivered by suitably experienced and qualified, competitively procured, external consultants

In summary, the provision of a no-cost service by the Liverpool City Region Integrated Business Support Project will provide a valuable resource which will act as a pathway and catalyst for businesses in order that they are able to establish the financial and strategic foundations for future investment in their own sustainability and development.

The Halton element of LCRIBS is contracted to deliver the following outputs:-

Output Target
No. Of Enterprises receiving support (C1) 123
No. Enterprises receiving information, diagnostic & brokerage support (P13) 123
Employment increase in support of enterprises (C8) 123

Based upon the recommendations and priorities contained within the Strategic Plan for Growth Halton Borough Council will endeavour to procure specific business support to facilitate second stage growth within the business subject to the constraints of overall programme resources.

The Halton delivery of the LCRIBS requires a consultant to support individual Halton businesses by:

• Respond to Halton LCRIBS request for assistance with Manufacturing and Process Efficiency where this is identified as a requirement within the “Strategic Plan for Growth”. This will focus primarily upon working with the business to review current and projected manufacturing requirements and assisting in the development of manufacturing and process improvements

• Review the Manufacturing and Process Efficiency requirements identified in the “Strategic Plan for Growth” and work with the business to meet these requirements within the parameters specified within the Halton LCRIBS request for assistance (i.e. scope and duration)

• Ensure that all necessary ERDF documents evidencing the support is completed with the business and returned to the Halton LCRIBS manager(s)

• Provide copies of all materials produced in relation to the Manufacturing and Process Efficiency support in order to evidence the work undertaken to meet the requirement

It is important to note that this project is funded by the European Union using ERDF (European Regional development Fund) and the supplier will be required to complete and submit a range of monitoring and output forms as required by the funders. Given the importance of the collection and maintenance of ERDF documentation it is essential that the supplier is able to demonstrate that they have the experience, business processes and adequate resources available to manage ERDF requirements. This will include:

• Monitoring progress with each client to ensure the completion and submission of all required ERDF documentation
• Sufficient resources who are experienced in the collection and monitoring of ERDF documentation and are available to undertake these tasks
• The ability to create and deliver progress reports on the status of each client as and when requested by Halton Borough Council

Programme performance by the successful applicant will be closely monitored by Halton Borough Council. Performance will be measured and monitored as part of the contract management in line with agreed KPIs. Where performance is identified to be inadequate the Council reserves the right to cancel the contract with that provider.

The daily rate for this service shall not exceed £300 / day. This daily rate is inclusive of all expenses incurred by the appointed supplier. The authority does not guarantee that the supplier will be allocated any set number of referrals for specialist support. The number of referrals for specialist support allocated to the supplier will be determined by demand from SMEs, the recommendations and priorities contained within the Strategic Plan for Growth and the performance of the supplier.

HBC reserves the right to award the contract on the basis of a single supplier