Framework Agreement for Environmental Consultants to deliver energy audits

The Council is looking to create a Framework of up to 12 Environmental Consultants to deliver Energy Audits to SMEs across the Sheffield City Region (SCR) as part of our Low Carbon project. The Environmental Consultants will be called on to conduct energy audits and produce an Energy Audit report which will establish baseline carbon emissions and identify distinct interventions the SME could implement to reduce these, including a detailed breakdown of the carbon saving, cost, and Return On Investment. It is envisaged 260 Energy / Carbon Audits will be required identifying measures SMEs can undertake to reduce their carbon footprint;

This is a Framework Agreement as defined by the Public Contract Regulations 2015 that enables the Council to call off their requirements as and when required. The Council does not guarantee volumes of business or accept any liability for the value of business placed with a supplier(s) through the Framework Agreement.

The Framework Agreement will be in place from October 2021 until June 2023 and the maximum contract value for the entire Framework will be £221,000. Providers will be appointed to the Framework Agreement based on the scoring methodology set out in the Invitation to Tender document. A fixed daily rate will be agreed for each Provider as part of this process.

Following appointment to the Framework Agreement, the Council will, when it requires an audit, conduct a Mini-competition in which the Council will invite all appointed Providers to supplement their bid in response to the enhanced specification provided at the time.

The project is part-funded by the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

The project will provide business support for c260 SMEs across the four Local Authority areas in the City Region (Sheffield, Doncaster, Rotherham and Barnsley) helping to identify, fund and implement Low Carbon improvements within eligible businesses. SMEs receiving support will be helped to tackle barriers to the introduction of efficiency measures/technologies that reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. The project will deliver the following outputs.

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• 140 Low Carbon grants to SMEs to support them to implement carbon reduction measures;
• Reduction in Greenhouse Gases (GHG) equivalent to 450 tonnes CO2; and
• Over £900k private sector match funding secured to support over £1.5m total investment in carbon reduction measures.