Supply of Village Renewal Scoping Study & Animation for Rural Development Programme
Invitation Document
Derry City & Strabane District Council
Council Offices
98 Strand Road
Derry
BT48 7NN
Email:
Web: www.derrystrabane.com
Ref: T BUS16-34
Table of Contents
Contents 2
Introduction & Scope of Works 3
Instructions to Tenderers 12
Evaluation / Award Criteria 19
Form of Tender 22
Terms & Conditions 23
Form of Assurance 24
Collusive Tendering Certificate 25
Declaration of Commitment to
Promoting Equality of Opportunity 26
Fair Employment Declaration 28
Prompt Payment Certificate 29
Statement Relating To Good Standing 30
Freedom of Information 33
Non Submittal Form 34
Appendices:
Appendix 1: Derry and Strabane Rural Partnership Interim Strategy Summary 35
Appendix 2: DAERA Scheme Sheet for Village Renewal 47
Introduction & Scope of Works
1. Introduction & Project Background
Derry and Strabane Rural Partnership
1.1 Derry and Strabane Rural Partnership (the Local Action Group - LAG) was established in 2015 to deliver the LEADER elements (Priority 6) of the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme 2014 –2020. The LAG consists of 24 members - 11 councillors and 13 social partners (representing the business, farming and community/voluntary sectors).
1.2 A budget of £7.54m has been allocated to the LAG with £6.18m available for project funding and 22% (£1.36m) for administration and animation. Derry City and Strabane District Council has been nominated by the LAG to deliver administrative support services to enable it to deliver the programme. The LAG eligible area for funding includes the ‘core rural area’ outside Strabane town and the city of Derry as well as six additional areas of Culmore, New Buildings, Strathfoyle, Drumahoe, Nixon’s Corner and Coshquin.
Derry and Strabane Interim Rural Development Strategy
1.3 An interim strategy submitted by the LAG in December 2015 was approved by DARD (now the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs – DAERA) in February 2016. A summary version of the interim strategy is attached in Appendix 1 (a full approved plan is available on request). The strategy included an analysis of need based on a detailed socio economic profile, significant consultation with over 430 rural stakeholders and a funding gap analysis. The analysis of need informed the overall vision, strategic aims and priorities for the interim strategy as well as allocation of the funding across the main themes (see tables below for funding allocation per scheme as well as plans/timescale for 2016/2017 as part of the delivery of the strategy).
SCHEME / WHAT SCHEME COVERS / ALLOCATION / BENEFICIARIES / GRANTSBusiness Investment / Non-agricultural /non-food activities for micro and small enterprises (mostly capital) / £2,586,000 / Private sector and social economy enterprises / £500 to £90k (50%)
Basic Services / Capital support for key service delivery community hubs where lack of services / £1,725,000 / Community/ voluntary and public sector / £500 to £500k (75%)
Village Renewal / Village plans & village capital projects (e.g. environmental improvements, derelict/vacant sites, shop front enhancements, heritage conservation) / £1,206,400 / Council (& community/ voluntary)
(Council as applicant) / £500 to £500k (75%)
Broadband / Small infrastructure schemes
to help address ‘not spots’ that are not being addressed through any other government initiatives. / £230,000 / Community/ council/social enterprise (Council as applicant) / £5k to £100k
(75%)
Rural Co-operation theme also part of interim strategy (£432,600 allocation)
Timescale and Plans for 2016/2017:
SCHEME / PROPOSALS FOR 2016/2017 / TIMESCALEBusiness Investment / · 1st Call for applications (call closed)
· 2nd Call for applications / May 2016
Oct 2016
Basic Services / · Scoping study/animation to identify priorities & Expression of interest process
· 1st Call for applications / June to Oct 2016
Jan/Feb 2017
Village Renewal / · Scoping study/animation to identify priorities
· Applications for village plans
· Applications for village capital projects / June to Oct 2016
Oct 2016+
Feb/Mar 2017
Rural Broadband / · Further scoping of options and gaps / Sept 2016+
Village Renewal Scheme
1.4 DAERA has provided a scheme sheet for Village Renewal which sets out the description of the operation (see table below), eligible and ineligible costs, beneficiaries as well as funding amounts available and intervention rates (see Appendix 2 for copy of scheme sheet). It states the purpose of the scheme as providing financial support primarily for the drafting of integrated village plans and for the renewal of rural villages through Village Plans. Support for Village Renewal must fit with the Council Community Plans and integrate with the Village Renewal plans supported under the 2007-2013 Rural Development Programme. The beneficiaries of Village Renewal are defined as a local council – community/voluntary partnership where the local authority is the applicant and grant recipient. The measure will aim to:
· Build on the overarching fabric of a village/town integrating with other funding from other government departments and agencies.
· Address rural dereliction and prioritise reuse of existing derelict buildings, particularly to provide community infrastructure.
DAERA DESCRIPTION OF OPERATION – VILLAGE RENEWALSupport will be limited to within the ‘village’ development limits or in simple terms 30 miles per hour zone and may include:
· Development or updating of integrated village plans for Local Government Districts
· Village investments emanating from the integrated village plans such as:
o Derelict and vacant site enhancement,
o Environmental improvements,
o Shop frontage enhancements,
o Conservation and upgrading of rural culture and heritage (natural and built)*.
o Gateway projects
*Except monuments and wall murals
1.5 The Interim Strategy sets out the aim, objectives, targets and actions under Village Renewal to develop and deliver the scheme in line with the above DAERA requirements (see Appendix 1, with key highlights below):
DERRY & STRABANE INTERIM STRATEGY – VILLAGE RENEWALAim:
Provide capital support to develop collective and/ individual village initiatives that will enhance the role and function of village renewal which will bring life back into the rural area contributing to the creation of vibrant rural communities.
Targets:
· 15 integrated village plans (or update of existing village plans) or as clusters
· 4 large capital projects across a number of key strategic villages
· 8 small capital projects in up to 8 villages
· 8 derelict /vacant properties brought back into use
Animation Actions:
· Develop an animation programme that will bring together key players in the rural areas to identify key village clusters and develop strategic cluster projects for the area which will link in with the Regional Development Strategy, the Local Development Plan and the emerging rural based local community plans.
· Identify the future role and functions of villages within the rural Derry and Strabane area ensuring they link into the Regional Development Strategy 2035, and the Council Community Plan.
Capital Projects:
· Support the implementation of capital projects that will help improve the attractiveness of the local area, tackle dereliction, help create or develop tourism opportunities and improve the health and well-being of all residents.
Bespoke support/ training:
· Bespoke training on implementing and collaboration work aimed at implementing actions of the village plan – assuming that the RDP is but one source of funding support.
1.6 The interim strategy also recognised the potential of the following in the context of Village Renewal:
· The clustering of villages would assist greater sharing of resources and assets and better marketing of tourism assets to a wider audience; and
· The creation of integrated village teams (most logically at local community plan level) would ensure a more integrated approach to village renewal and development.
Village Plans
1.7 The Interim Strategy mapped the number and classification of villages and small settlements within the Derry City and Strabane District Council area – with a total of 47 villages, 23 of these are small towns/villages and 24 are small settlements/ hamlets (see table below).
Strabane Area / Derry Area / TotalSmall towns / 3 / 0 / 3
Villages / 13 / 7 / 20
Hamlets/small settlements / 11 / 13 / 24
TOTAL / 27 / 20 / 47
Source: Derry Area Plan 2011 and West Tyrone Area Plan 2019 (Issues Paper) – see full Strategy for breakdown
1.8 There are currently 13 village plans – six developed through the previous Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 (RDP) and an additional seven funded by the (former) Department of Social Development (DSD) or Strabane District Council (SDC) - see table below for overview and breakdown. The first plans date back to 2011 with the most recent developed in 2015.
Overview:
Strabane Area / Derry Area / TotalVillage Plans (RDP) / 3 / 3 / 6
Village Plans (DSD/SDC) / 7 / 0 / 7
TOTAL / 10 / 3 / 13
Breakdown:
Strabane Area: / Derry Area:Village / Date / Funder / Village / Date / Funder
Douglas Bridge / 2011 / RDP / Lettershandoney / 2011 / RDP
Newtownstewart / 2011 / RDP / Newbuildings / 2011 / RDP
Plumbridge / 2011 / RDP / Park / 2011 / RDP
Glebe / 2012 / SDC
Glenmornan / 2012 / SDC
Killeter / 2014 / DSD
Clady / 2014 / DSD
Victoria Bridge / 2014 / DSD
Cranagh / 2015 / DSD
Donemana / 2015 / DSD
2. Required Services/ Scope of Works
2.1 Derry City and Strabane District Council on behalf of the Derry and Strabane Rural Partnership is seeking quotation submissions for consultancy services to deliver the following elements to assist with the development of the Village Renewal Scheme (the requirements for each of these elements is outlined in more detail in sections 2.2 to 2.6 below):
· Audit of existing village plans & mapping of assets/investment
· Selection criteria for villages
· Consultation/engagement with key stakeholders
· Scoping of options and recommendations for overall approach to Village Renewal Scheme
Audit and Mapping
2.2 The audit and mapping exercise should include the following to assist with compiling baseline information on the current status of villages across the LAG area (see section 2.7 below for details of Council input/information that will be available to assist in this process):
· Audit of existing 13 village plans in respect of delivery to date, outstanding priority projects/interventions (and fit with scheme eligibility where appropriate), identification of common themes etc;
· Mapping of village assets and recent/planned investments across all villages;
· Identification of role and function of the villages and scoping of potential for key village clusters (e.g. clusters based on common heritage assets/themes, location along arterial routes or rivers etc).
· The scoping should take account of the differing needs/issues of ‘urban villages’ in comparison to the more rurally isolated villages.
Selection Criteria
2.3 The consultants will be required to develop and weight selection criteria to help select villages for capital support and to determine villages that will require new or updated village plans. This should take account of best practice examples from other Councils (or other relevant agencies) where appropriate and could include for example:
· Settlement size
· Deprivation/proximity to services (level of social need)
· Physical form/prevalence of dereliction (level of physical need)
· Role as a local service hub/defined core
· Capacity to deliver
The draft selection criteria will be subject to consultation with key stakeholders as defined below and will be subject to approval by the LAG.
Consultation/Engagement
2.4 Consultation will need to include both areas where village plans are already in place and those without any such plans. Consultation to include the following stakeholders:
· Community/voluntary sector
· Rural network/support organisations
· Relevant Council officers (e.g. Regeneration, Planning, Environment, Capital Development, Community Development & Leisure, Tourism, Arts & Culture, Capital Review Group)
· Relevant agencies and funders – for example:
o Heritage Lottery Fund
o Northern Ireland Housing Executive
o Relevant government departments e.g. DAERA, Department for Infrastructure (DfI)
o Other relevant agencies/organisations as required
2.5 Consultation should include inclusive community engagement and could include a combination of 1:1 (e.g. in person/by phone with individual groups on progress of village plans or with statutory agencies/funders) as well as workshops for community/ voluntary sector and village groups – where appropriate/feasible these could be co-ordinated with proposed animation for the Basic Services scheme (subject to separate procurement exercise).
The approach to consultation should take account of the need to manage expectations in respect of the limited budget and number of projects that can be supported and the DAERA requirement for Council to be the applicant and for all projects to fit with the Community Plan.
Scoping and Recommendations
2.6 The consultants will be required to scope options for the overall approach to the development and delivery of the Village Renewal Scheme and make related recommendations. This should include the following elements:
· Scoping of clustering villages/small settlements or other options for strategic approach to Village Renewal;
· Indicative scoring of villages using the agreed approach and selection criteria;
· Recommended indicative list of proposed interventions (listing priority actions) in the selected villages that meet the eligibility criteria;
· Options/scoping of process, format and approach for updated or new village plans required;
· Options for grant thresholds for large and small capital projects;
· Scoping of approach/options for the bespoke training elements of the Village Renewal scheme to ensure fit with the eligibility criteria and based on learning from the previous RDP programme;
· Phasing of village plans and capital developments to meet the target allocations/timescales of the interim strategy;
· Identification of potential match funders and requirements;
· Recommendations for delivery and ongoing engagement of stakeholders.
Consultants should take note of the following when preparing submissions.
Strategic context
2.7 The assignment should take account of the following:
· Scoping study/development of the Basic Services Scheme for the LAG
· Community Planning (at strategic and local level)
· Relevant planning and conservation policies and initiatives