Rural Growth Deal (RGD) Business Skills and Leadership Programme

THIS IS A CONTRACT AWARD NOTICE AND AS SUCH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS IS COMPLETE. The supplier will deliver a Business Skills and Leadership Programme specifically for Argyll and Bute Council area.

This programme is fully funded by the Argyll and Bute Rural Growth Deal (RGD) and will be available to participants within this geographic area. The programme will consist of 3 strands. 1 Young and Emerging Leaders Programme; 2.

Leadership for Growth/Strategic Leadership Programme and 3. Mentoring Programme.

Strands 1 and 2 will be delivered to cohort of participants through a series of modules, delivered via workshops. Delivery will be a hybrid model i.e, a blend of on-line and face-to-face delivery.

The mentoring programme will be mainly online apart from the first session that must be face-to-face. The contract will be let from 27 July 2026 for 3 years unless terminated in accordance with the provisions of the Contract, with HIE having the option to extend for two periods of one year each (3+1+1) together not exceeding 5 years following the Initial Term.

The value used in II.1.7 and V.2.4 is the estimated total budget figure available over the maximum duration of 3 + 1 + 1 years (GBP 474,000). This figure includes provision for annual price increases, including the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Real Living Wage uplifts, from Year 3 onwards.

It also incorporates an allowance to account for variations between initial estimates and actual costs for travel, accommodation, and conference venue hire. The successful bidder price for the initial 3 years is GBP 249,900 - Within this figure there are estimated figures of: - GBP 18,000 (conference venue hire, accommodation for participants for strands 1 and 2); - GBP 4,500 (travel and accommodation for mentors for first in persons session); - GBP 6,000 (travel and accommodation for island-based programme delivery)