CONTRACT NOTICE – NATIONAL

1 Authority Details

1.1

Authority Name and Address

1.2

Address from which documentation may be obtained

As in 1.1

1.3

Completed documents must be returned to:

As in 1.1

2 Contract Details

2.1

Title

Digital Xtra Fund - Competitive Grant

2.2

Description of the goods or services required

The Scottish Government strategy sets out an ambitious plan to make Scotland a world class digital nation by 2020. Skills development will be an integral component in helping young people prepare for the digital future.

At a time when the Scottish digital technologies sector is forecast to grow and there is increasing demand for staff with high level digital technology skills, there is clear evidence that the talent pipeline in Scotland needs to expand to meet this demand. More young people should be encouraged to study computing science related subjects at school, college and university and redressing this balance is crucial to ensure the competitiveness of Scottish companies both within the digital technology sector and beyond.

Broadening the talent pipeline and addressing these longer term challenges will require co-ordinated action across a number of areas. One such area is the stimulation of interest in the sector through the provision of high quality, relevant extracurricular activities that support young people in developing computer science and digital technology skills and careers awareness.

The Digital Xtra Fund has been developed and funded by the Digital Scotland Business Excellence Partnership whose partners include Scottish Government, Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Island Enterprise, Scottish Funding Council, Education Scotland, ScotlandIS and ICT Sector industry representatives.

Grants are available to support enterprising organisations that will ensure the provision of extracurricular computing science related activities are extended and made available more consistently across Scotland.

The fund will support objectives of the ICT/Digital Technologies Skills Investment Plan:

- Increase participation by young people in extracurricular computer

science related initiatives

- Broaden the future talent pipeline for computing science and

digital technology skills

- Deliver activities that enrich and enhance those which are

currently offered through formal education routes

- Expand the reach of extracurricular computing science related

activities across Scotland

- Encourage greater female participation in computing science

- Encourage greater links between Industry and young people

- Raise the attractiveness of the digital technology sector

NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=446117.

The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.

Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.

2.3

Notice Coding and Classification

2.4

Total quantity or scope of tender

A total of £250,000 grant funding is available from June 2016 for projects that will be completed by 31st March 2017.

Eligible organisations can bid for grants from £500 to a maximum £50,000 per project.

3 Conditions for Participation

3.1

Minimum standards and qualification required

As detailed in attached Competitive Grant Instructions / and Grant Application Form documents attached to this notice.

4 Administrative Information

4.1

Type of Procedure

Single stage

4.2

Reference number attributed to the notice by the contracting authority

G16-002

4.3

Time Limits

4.5

Language or languages in which tenders or requests to participate can be drawn up

4.6

Tender Submission Postbox

5 Other Information

5.1

Additional Information

All Grant Application Forms must be submitted via the Public Contracts Scotland (PCS) Electronic Tender Post Box. Any application forms not submitted via the post box will not be considered. Any queries relating to the Digital Xtra Fund must be raised via the 'Question & Answer' function of the PCS website.

(SC Ref:446117)

5.2

Additional Documentation

5.3

Publication date of this notice