Stage 2 Appointment of an Operator for the i4C Innovation and Cleantech Centre, Ballymena, Northern Ireland

Mid & East Antrim Borough Council has secured funding approval for the business case for the development of a new i4C Innovation and Cleantech Centre (herein referred to as “i4C”) located on the St Patrick’s Regeneration Site in Ballymena, Northern Ireland.

It is anticipated that the i4C will have a gross internal floor area of circa 7,000 sq. metres, with current concept proposals interpreting this to be a four-storey building comprising laboratories, workshops, Grade A office space for rent by corporate tenants and co-working office space for entrepreneurs/SMEs. It will also contain an iLAB (innovation laboratory), a staffed ‘makerspace’ workshop. The i4C will be sited adjacent to the new Northern Region College (NRC) education campus and in close proximity to the ECOS Business and Conferencing Hub, a Council owned and managed facility.

Construction of the i4C is planned to commence in February 2026, with the Centre opening in August 2027.

The Council is seeking to appoint a suitably experienced Operator to manage and operate the i4C in the medium to long term (from its planned opening in August 2027) and, in the short term, to inform the design and advise on the branding, marketing and fit-out of the i4C prior to its opening.

Pre-operations phase (from late 2024 to August 2027)

During the pre-operations phase (from late 2024 to August 2027), the Council requires the Operator to provide early operator involvement in the final design of the i4C (collaborating with the Council’s appointed design team), build relationships with the ECOS Business and Conferencing Hub, develop an understanding of related Cleantech initiatives in Ballymena and Northern Ireland, develop the brand of the i4C, market the i4C in advance of its opening, develop an initial programme of specialist Cleantech and SME supports in advance of opening, advise on the i4C fit-out, and secure funding bids to support the i4C’s activities, such as, for example, Innovate UK funding. As part of the pre-operations phase, the Operator will also develop the operational business plan for the i4C.

Operating phase (from August 2027)

During the operating phase (from August 2027), the Operator will be responsible for the management of the i4C and its operations, including but not limited to i4C marketing, sales, management of tenancies and workspace rentals, provision of enterprise, innovation and specialist Cleantech supports for tenants of the i4C and for SMEs across the Borough (including wider community outreach around enterprise and innovation), identifying and securing funding for activities and the provision of front office and facilities management services.

Additional Optional Service - iLAB

The Council intends to include the specialist iLAB operations in the i4C and the provision of an initial phase of the iLAB (prior to the opening of the i4C) in the i4C operator contract as optional additional services. The i4C operator would not be obligated to provide the specialist iLAB services, rather the inclusion of these services as additional optional services would provide the Council the ability to add the provision of the iLAB services to the i4C operator contract during the term of the i4C operator contract.

Additional Optional Service - ECOS Business and Conferencing Hub

The Council also intends to include services relating to the operation of the ECOS Business and Conferencing Hub as optional additional services within the i4C operator contract, to provide the Council with the flexibility to avail of any strategic efficiencies and/or economies of scale in future through closer alignment of the operations of the i4C and ECOS.

The i4C Centre is a focus for social regeneration. The Economic Operator appointed will be required to address Social Value during the operation of the i4C Centre.

For a complete description of this procurement please refer to the Pre-Qualification Documents.