UK Research & Innovation: UKRI-2310 Hub function for the UK Rare Disease Research Platform

UK-Swindon: Project management consultancy services.


Preliminary Questions
   This notice is for prior information only: Yes
   This notice aims at reducing time-limits for receipt of tenders: No
   This notice is a call for competition: No
         
Section I: Contracting Authority

I.1) Name and addresses:
       UK Research & Innovation
       https://www.ukri.org/, North Star Avenue, Swindon, SN2 1FL, United Kingdom
       Tel. +44 7563420665, Email: Elizabeth.Gage@ukri.org
       Contact: Elizabeth Gage
       Main Address: https://www.ukri.org/
       NUTS Code: UK
      Specifications and additional documents: As Above
I.2) Joint procurement:
   The contract involves joint procurement: No.
   The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body: Yes .

I.3) Communication          
   Further information can be obtained from: the above mentioned address

I.4) Type of the contracting authority    
   Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity:    
   Other activity: Research

Section II: Object
      
II.1) Scope of the procurement - 1
   II.1.1) Title: UKRI-2310 Hub function for the UK Rare Disease Research Platform    
          Reference number:
   II.1.2) Common Procurement Vocabulary:       
      72224000 - Project management consultancy services.
   II.1.3) Type of contract: SERVICES
   II.1.4) Short description:    
      This is a Tender to create a ‘Hub Function’ to coordinate the planned new UK Rare-Disease Research Platform (UK-RDRP). The Hub Function will provide coordination and project management support to a set of around 10 individual Node awards (each award will do networking and 2-3 ‘enabling science’ projects within a specified subset of rare disease research (a ‘domain’)) as well as providing a broad service to all UK rare disease research interests. The Nodes, Hub and all stakeholders and related interests will collectively form the Platform (the UK-RDRP). The purpose of the Hub and how it links to the Platform and Nodes is outlined within the funding opportunity page for the Node call (see ‘Platform Hub’ description within the ‘Additional Information’ section). (https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/establish-an-integrated-uk-rare-disease-research-platform-nodes/)
The Nodes themselves will be funded via an open research funding call, which launched in August 2022 with decisions in March 2023 and nodes starting work within 3-6 months of the decision date. The Hub should be in place to assist in the coordinated start-up of the Nodes. Details of the call are available on the UKRI Funding Finder Rare Disease Research Platform Node call page. (https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/establish-an-integrated-uk-rare-disease-research-platform-nodes/)

The Platform is co-funded by MRC and NIHR, following MRC processes unless stated otherwise, and is an activity that will support the UK Rare Disease Framework (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-rare-diseases-framework), in particular the ‘pioneering research’ theme.

The Platform, including the Hub, will be overseen by a Platform Executive Board (including the funders, node directors, stakeholders and independent members).

The total Funder cost of the Platform will be £12 million, over five years, and the budget for the Hub function is envisaged to be in £100,000 to £150,000 per year.          
   II.1.5) Estimated total value:       
      Value excluding VAT (give figures only) : 750,000 - GBP
   II.1.6) Information about lots:
      This contract is divided into lots: No          
      Maximum number of lots that may be awarded to one tenderer: Not Provided       
      The contracting authority reserves the right to award contracts combining the following lots or groups of lots: Not Provided

II.2) Lot Description    
   II.2.3) Place of performance:       
      Region Codes:               
         UK - UNITED KINGDOM    
   II.2.4) Description of the procurement:       
      This procurement exercise will commission a Hub function for the UK Rare Disease Research Platform (UK-RDRP). The Hub will be critical to the formation of a cohesive platform and will provide visibility to the external community and cross-node coordination. The Hub will connect a set of around 10-12 funded nodes, and provide a well signposted route into the Platform for external collaborators, including patients, researchers, industry and international partners.

The Hub will have the following objectives, to:
• Coordinate and bring cohesion to the Platform (including Nodes and a range of stakeholders)
• Establish and maintain a website, mailing lists and social media presence for the Platform
• Provide a point of contact for external stakeholders, including researchers, clinicians, research and clinical infrastructure, industry, charity sector, international interests and patients, families and the wider public
• Administer the Platform

Major Hub activities will include: project management, administration and reporting, communications and engagement, meeting/workshop delivery.

Remote/physical operation
Both remote/virtual and physical meetings are expected, and the provider is expected to accommodate changes in the balance of remote and physical working as these change over time. Hybrid meetings may be preferred in many cases, in order to maximise attendance including for diverse audiences. The location of physical meetings will need to respect the geographical spread of researchers and patients.

Data
Data should be handled in accordance with all legal requirements and the expectations of participants, and must be available to the Platform for its purposes, including at the end of the Hub contract. Web sites and mailing lists should be appropriately and securely maintained and handed over at the end of any contract to relevant parties, to be identified by the Funders. On conclusion or termination of the Hub, data and material should be archived and provided to the relevant parties for continuity and sustainability of the Platform or the collaborations formed within it.    
   II.2.14) Additional information          
      UKRI will be holding a Supplier event for these requirements on 10:00am on Wednesday 16th November 2022. If your organisation is interested in attending this event, please send an email with your contact details to Elizabeth.Gage@ukri.org no later than Friday 11th November 2022.    


II.3) Estimated Date of publication
         06/12/2022
      
      
Section IV: Procedure   

IV.1) Description       
   IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA )
         The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) - NO

Section VI: Complementary Information    
VI.3) Additional Information:       
   To view this notice, please click here:
https://ukri.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=720833027
GO-20221018-PRO-21183195 TKR-20221018-PRO-21183194        

VI.5) Date Of Dispatch Of This Notice: 18/10/2022