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ID 5449059 - Invest NI - Graduate to Export Development programme

Invest Northern Ireland · compiled

Tender information last checkedLast checked 29 Sept 2026, 20:17.

Opportunity overview

Invest NI’s Graduate to Export Development Programme (G2E Programme) launched in February 2019, and targets SMEs in Northern Ireland to help expand their business internationally with the assistance of a supported graduate.  As part of the programme, participating companies will develop their international business capabilities, gained from having a dedicated market research resource and on completion of the graduate intervention, they will have an export development / market entry plan for their chosen market.  The Programme, in turn, will provide graduates with a valuable opportunity to gain practical experience and business skills in international business development in addition to obtain academic qualifications.   Invest NI is seeking to engage a Contractor for the development, delivery, and management of future G2E cohorts with an anticipated launch date of March/April 2025.  The Contractor shall design and deliver a Post Graduate Diploma for participating graduates which will have a commercial focus and a meaningful accreditation focusing on global best practice in international business development.    The Contractor shall also work with the participating companies to assist them develop / refine their market research projects and oversee their execution by the programme graduates.  The completion of these projects by the graduates should be a prerequisite of academic accreditation.  The G2E Programme will comprise of up to 3 cohorts of 201 graduates per cohort all of whom are employed by Invest NI client companies (primarily SME’s).  It is anticipated that the contract will be for an initial period of 5 years with each cohort lasting 18 months. Invest NI reserve the option to extend the contract for a further period of 12 months. Each cohort is subject to budgetary approval and to satisfactory Contractor performance.

Awarded to

Amounts belong to published awards or contracts. Where several suppliers share one value, it is labelled as shared and is not a supplier-specific allocation.

Contract value
£381.2k
Awarded
Not supplied
Contract signed
7 Mar 2025
Award ID
008525-2025-1-1
Status
active
Location
Newtownabbey, UKN, BT37 0QB, United Kingdom

Classification

  • CPV80000000 — Education and training services
  • CPV79000000 — Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
  • CPV79310000 — Market research services
  • CPV79342000 — Marketing services
  • CPV80430000 — Adult-education services at university level
  • CPV80510000 — Specialist training services
  • CPV80570000 — Personal development training services

Lots

  • Invest NI’s Graduate to Export Development Programme (G2E Programme) launched in February 2019, and targets SMEs in Northern Ireland to help expand their business internationally with the assistance of a supported graduate.  As part of the programme, participating companies will develop their international business capabilities, gained from having a dedicated market research resource and on completion of the graduate intervention, they will have an export development / market entry plan for their chosen market.  The Programme, in turn, will provide graduates with a valuable opportunity to gain practical experience and business skills in international business development in addition to obtain academic qualifications.   Invest NI is seeking to engage a Contractor for the development, delivery, and management of future G2E cohorts with an anticipated launch date of March/April 2025.  The Contractor shall design and deliver a Post Graduate Diploma for participating graduates which will have a commercial focus and a meaningful accreditation focusing on global best practice in international business development.    The Contractor shall also work with the participating companies to assist them develop / refine their market research projects and oversee their execution by the programme graduates.  The completion of these projects by the graduates should be a prerequisite of academic accreditation.  The G2E Programme will comprise of up to 3 cohorts of 201 graduates per cohort all of whom are employed by Invest NI client companies (primarily SME’s).  It is anticipated that the contract will be for an initial period of 5 years with each cohort lasting 18 months. Invest NI reserve the option to extend the contract for a further period of 12 months. Each cohort is subject to budgetary approval and to satisfactory Contractor performance.£444k

Published notice details

Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.

Scope, procedure and submissions

Id
5449059
Status
complete
Has Recurrence
Yes
Review Details
CPD will comply with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and, where.. appropriate, will incorporate a standstill period (i.e. a minimum of 10 calendar days) at the point information on the award of contract is. communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the award decision. This provides time for the unsuccessful. tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into.
Procurement Method
open
Main Procurement Category
services
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure

Covered By

GPA

Bid Opening

Date
15 Jan 2025, 15:30

Legal basis

Id
32014L0024
Scheme
CELEX

Expected award period

Starts
15 Jan 2025, 15:30

Tender Period

Ends
15 Jan 2025, 15:00

Classification

Id
80000000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Education and training services

Submission terms

Languages

en

Bid Validity Period

Ends
15 Apr 2025, 23:59

Submission Method

written

Participation Fees

Entry 1
Id
1

Type

document

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
1
Status
cancelled
Has Options
Yes
Has Renewal
Yes
Description
Invest NI’s Graduate to Export Development Programme (G2E Programme) launched in February 2019, and targets SMEs in Northern Ireland to help expand their business internationally with the assistance of a supported graduate.  As part of the programme, participating companies will develop their international business capabilities, gained from having a dedicated market research resource and on completion of the graduate intervention, they will have an export development / market entry plan for their chosen market.  The Programme, in turn, will provide graduates with a valuable opportunity to gain practical experience and business skills in international business development in addition to obtain academic qualifications.   Invest NI is seeking to engage a Contractor for the development, delivery, and management of future G2E cohorts with an anticipated launch date of March/April 2025.  The Contractor shall design and deliver a Post Graduate Diploma for participating graduates which will have a commercial focus and a meaningful accreditation focusing on global best practice in international business development.    The Contractor shall also work with the participating companies to assist them develop / refine their market research projects and oversee their execution by the programme graduates.  The completion of these projects by the graduates should be a prerequisite of academic accreditation.  The G2E Programme will comprise of up to 3 cohorts of 201 graduates per cohort all of whom are employed by Invest NI client companies (primarily SME’s).  It is anticipated that the contract will be for an initial period of 5 years with each cohort lasting 18 months. Invest NI reserve the option to extend the contract for a further period of 12 months. Each cohort is subject to budgetary approval and to satisfactory Contractor performance.

Value

Amount
444,000
Currency
GBP

Options

Description
There is one option to extend the contract for an additional 12 months

Renewal

Description
As per tender documents

Award criteria

Criteria

Criterion 1
Name
AC1 Executive Education Training - Design and Content
Type
quality
Description
24.75
Criterion 2
Name
AC2 Executive Education Training – Training Provider Experience
Type
quality
Description
15.75
Criterion 3
Name
AC3 Academic Supervisor Experience
Type
quality
Description
15
Criterion 4
Name
AC4 Social Value
Type
quality
Description
10.5
Criterion 5
Name
AC5 Implementation Plan
Type
quality
Description
9
Criterion 6
Name
AC6 Total Contract Price
Type
cost
Description
25

Contract period

Duration In Days
1,800

Submission terms

Variant Policy
notAllowed

Items and delivery

Item 1
Id
1
Related Lot
1

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UKN
Entry 2
Region
UKN0
Entry 3
Region
UKN
Entry 4
Region
UKN0
Entry 5
Region
UKN
Entry 6
Region
UKN0

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Id
79000000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
Entry 2
Id
80430000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Adult-education services at university level
Entry 3
Id
80510000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Specialist training services
Entry 4
Id
80570000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Personal development training services
Entry 5
Id
79310000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Market research services
Entry 6
Id
79342000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Marketing services

Published documents

Entry 1
Id
technical
Document Type
technicalSelectionCriteria

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1
Id
GB-FTS-131127
Name
Invest Northern Ireland

Roles

buyer
centralPurchasingBody

Address

Region
UKN
Locality
BELFAST
Postal Code
BT3 9ED
Country Name
United Kingdom
Street Address
303 Airport Road West

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Id
BODY_PUBLIC
Scheme
TED_CA_TYPE
Description
Body governed by public law
Entry 2
Id
04
Scheme
COFOG
Description
Economic affairs

Identifier

Legal Name
Invest Northern Ireland

Contact

Name
SSDAdmin.CPDfinance-ni.gov.uk
Organisation 2
Id
GB-FTS-51529
Name
The UK does not have any special review body with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures in public procurement competitions. Instead; any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued regarding alleged breaches of the PCR2015 as amended.

Roles

reviewBody
mediationBody

Address

Locality
Belfast
Country Name
United Kingdom

Identifier

Legal Name
The UK does not have any special review body with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures in public procurement competitions. Instead; any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued regarding alleged breaches of the PCR2015 as amended.
Organisation 3
Id
GB-FTS-140223
Name
Invest Northern Ireland

Roles

buyer

Address

Region
UKN
Locality
BELFAST
Postal Code
BT2 7ES
Country Name
United Kingdom
Street Address
Bedford Square 1, Bedford Street

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Id
BODY_PUBLIC
Scheme
TED_CA_TYPE
Description
Body governed by public law
Entry 2
Id
01
Scheme
COFOG
Description
General public services

Identifier

Legal Name
Invest Northern Ireland

Contact

Organisation 4
Id
GB-FTS-140224
Name
University of Ulster Business Institute

Roles

supplier

Address

Region
UKN
Locality
Newtownabbey
Postal Code
BT37 0QB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Street Address
Business Institute Shore Road

Details

Scale
sme

Identifier

Legal Name
University of Ulster Business Institute

Contact

Telephone
+44 2890368088
Organisation 5
Id
GB-FTS-20217
Name
The UK does not have any such bodies with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures. Instead; any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued regarding alleged breaches of the PCR 2015 as amended.

Roles

reviewBody

Address

Locality
Belfast
Country Name
United Kingdom

Identifier

Legal Name
The UK does not have any such bodies with responsibility for appeal/mediation procedures. Instead; any challenges are dealt with by the High Court, Commercial Division, to which proceedings may be issued regarding alleged breaches of the PCR 2015 as amended.

Award information

Award 1
Id
008525-2025-1-1
Title
Contract
Status
active

Suppliers

Supplier 1
Id
GB-FTS-140224
Name
University of Ulster Business Institute

Related lots

1

Contracts and changes

Entry 1
Id
008525-2025-1-1
Title
Contract
Status
active
Award ID
008525-2025-1-1
Date Signed
7 Mar 2025, 00:00

Value

Amount
381,200
Currency
GBP

Recorded locations

  • Buyer location · BELFAST · UKN · BT2 7ES · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UKN
  • Delivery location · UKN0

Notice and amendment history

1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

1 VERSION
  1. ocds-h6vhtk-04be3b-2025-03-10T13:01:01Zcompiled ·