External Services for ERDF projects at Lancaster University

Lancaster University is developing proposals for investment from the European Structural and Investment Fund programme to enable small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) from (or re-locating to) the Northwest to access innovation and research and development expertise and facilities on the Lancaster campus.

The programmes will include; support for open innovation, innovation in management practice and leadership; access to a wide range of expertise, facilities and equipment centred on chemistry, physics (including quantum technology) and engineering (including advanced additive manufacturing); assisting companies with digital innovation in three key market areas of health care, data science and cyber security; and eco-innovation support centred on the development of low carbon technologies and services.

The total combined bid for investment in these areas is anticipated to be in excess of £10 million matched by an equivalent amount of funding from other sources, including the university and private sector partners.

The university is considering partnering on these proposals with one or more commercial partners.

The work has been divided into 3 lots: Lot 1 – Service development partner which may include but is not limited to the following: market research to identify opportunities and routes to market by sector, development and costing of service packages, price intelligence and pricing structure to meet market demand, development of appropriate sales channels and associated marketing plans and marketing collateral. “Back office” functions for sales and marketing support including technical tele-sales support.

Lot 2 – Service delivery partner which may include but is not limited to: Business to business sales of technology services for environmental, chemical, physical, digital and engineering sectors including sales of technical and scientific consultancy, access to equipment, method development, measurement, analysis, engineering prototyping, hardware and software development.

Development, management and delivery of business oriented workshops including delegate acquisition.

Lot 3 – Service support partner which may include but is not limited to: Innovation centred training and development for new technologies, products and processes; commercial, technical and financial due diligence of existing business and for technology acquisition; IP evaluation, product development, costing and scale-up for market entry; strategic advice on business growth and financing options.

The university is seeking responses from companies to work in partnership on each opportunity for one or more of these projects.

Companies may wish to respond to one or more of the opportunities (lots) for partnering.

The university reserves the right not to partner with any of the opportunities (lots) after considering responses to this tender.

The university also reserves the right to create a consortium of partners with it across all three oppor...