The Big Lottery Fund Scotland is currently applying to act as a lead partner to deliver European Social Funds (ESF) in Scotland. Our desire to deliver work in this area is due to the clear potential for us to align European funds with our own mission, to help those most in need, and lever in additional monies to support structural change for disadvantaged areas.

If we are successful we will procure providers to deliver contracts that contribute to the ESF thematic objective “Promoting social inclusion, combating poverty and any discrimination”, and investment priority “Active inclusion, including with a view to promoting equal opportunities and active participation, and improving employability”.

This week we have published a prior information notice in relation to a market testing exercise for this planned procurement. You can read the full prior information notice here.

Our contracts will focus on delivering the following two outcomes:

• Disadvantaged participants in workless, lone parent or low income households obtain improved money management skills; and
• Participants are no longer affected by debt as a barrier to social inclusion.

Our proposals will form part of an overall Poverty & Social Inclusion programme being managed by Scottish Government and further details of this can be found on their website.

The Big Lottery Fund intends to procure five service contracts to deliver support to meet the contract outcomes set out above; increasing the financial capability of the most disadvantaged individuals and households in the following five areas in Scotland;

• Argyll and Bute: estimated contract value is £3.75M (inc VAT)
• Inverclyde: estimated contract value is £2.25M (inc VAT)
• Dundee: estimated contract value is £3M (inc VAT)
• North Ayrshire: estimated contract value is £3M (inc VAT)
• Glasgow: estimated contract value is £4.25M (inc VAT)

We encourage bids from all public, private and third sectors . Smaller organisations may wish to bid in partnership for this contract. We would welcome partnership bids.

Before we begin formal procurement we will also be holding open market testing events , for each area on the following days. Please register to using the individual links below.

• 23th June 2015 Glasgow– Big Lottery Fund, 1 Atlantic Quay, 1 Robertson Street, Glasgow G2 8JB

Registerfor Glasgow here

• 24th June 2015 Argyll and Bute – Lochgilphead Community Centre, Blarbuie Road, Lochgilphead PA31 8JZ

Register for Argyll and Bute here

• 29th June 2015 Dundee – Number 10, Dundee Voluntary Action, 10 Constitution Road, Dundee DD1 1LL

Register for Dundee here

• 30th June 2015 Inverclyde – West College Scotland – Greenock Campus, Finnart Street, Greenock PA16 8HF

Register Inverclyde here

• 1st July 2015 North Ayrshire – Pryde, Cambusdoon Place, Kilwinning, Ayrshire KA13 6SL

Register North Ayrshire here

And in the meantime you can complete the short questionnaire here please note the deadline for returning completed questionnaires is 12 noon on 6 July 2015.

For more information please contact the Big Advice Team Scotland

Enquiries.scotland@biglotteryfund.org.uk