Social Return & Investment Evaluation (SROI) PEACEPLUS funded Skills Connect Programme
NOW Group
NOW Group is a multi-award-winning social enterprise with operations in Belfast, Dublin, Galway, Donegal and expanding across the island of Ireland. The organisation supports people who are neurodiverse, including those with autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities to secure sustainable employment. The Skills Connect project aims to reduce skills gaps in Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland by addressing systemic barriers to education and employment for people with disabilities or long-term health conditions. Skills Connect is a project supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). Skills Connect is inviting tenders from experienced evaluators to deliver a theory-informed, evidence-based Social Return on Investment (SROI) evaluation aligned with the internationally recognised Seven Principles of SROI. This evaluation will support strategic learning, stakeholder engagement, and policy development across the programme.
DeadlineThe time limit for receipt of tenders was 2026-01-02. The procurement was published on 2025-12-18.
SuppliersThe following suppliers are mentioned in award decisions or other procurement documents:
Who?- โข NOW Group
- โข Research and development services and related consultancy services โบ Design and execution of research and development
- โข Luxembourg โบ Luxembourg
- โข Northern and Western โบ Border
Procurement history
| Date | Document |
|---|---|
| 2025-12-18 | Contract notice |
| 2026-04-22 | Contract award notice |
Contract notice (2025-12-18)
Object
Scope of the procurement
Title: Social Return & Investment Evaluation (SROI) PEACEPLUS funded Skills Connect Programme
Short description:
Type of contract: Services
Products/services: Design and execution of research and development ๐ฆ
Other restrictions on the place of performance: Anywhere in the given country
Description
Title: Social Return on Investment (SROI) Evaluation โ Skills Connect Programme
Description of the procurement:
Country: Ireland ๐ฎ๐ช
Place of performance: Border ๐๏ธ
Duration
Start date: 2026-01-01 ๐
End date: 2029-03-31 ๐
Title
Lot Identification Number:
Description
Main site or place of performance: NE of NI and Border Regions of NI/ROI
Scope of the procurement
Additional products/services: Design and execution of research and development ๐ฆ
Procedure
Type of procedure
Open procedure โ
Legal basis: Directive 2014/24/EU
Main features of the procedure:
Administrative information
Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate: 2026-01-02 17:00:00 ๐
Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: English ๐ฃ๏ธ
Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender: 60 days
Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
Framework agreement with a single operator โ
Maximum number of participants: 1
Tendering terms
Electronic invoicing: Allowed
Electronic payment will be used โ
Legal, economic, financial and technical information
Conditions for participation
Selection criterion: Samples, descriptions, or photographs with certification of authenticity for supply contracts
List and brief description of rules and criteria:
Description of exclusion grounds:
Contracting authority
Name and addresses
Name: NOW Group
National registration number:
Department: Services
Postal code: BT12 5GD
Postal town: Belfast
Region: Border ๐๏ธ
Country: Ireland ๐ฎ๐ช
E-mail: tenders@nowgroup.org ๐ง
Phone: 00 4428 9043 6400 ๐
URL: www.nowgroup.org ๐
Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
Main activity
Economic and financial affairs
Communication
Documents URL: https://www.nowgroup.org/jobs-online ๐
Participation URL: www.nowgroup.org ๐
Electronic submission: Allowed
Complementary information
Review body
Same as: Name and addresses
Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Source: OJS 2025/S 245-848926 (2025-12-18)
Object
Scope of the procurement
Title: Social Return & Investment Evaluation (SROI) PEACEPLUS funded Skills Connect Programme
Short description:
NOW Group is a multi-award-winning social enterprise with operations in Belfast, Dublin, Galway, Donegal and expanding across the island of Ireland. The organisation supports people who are neurodiverse, including those with autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities to secure sustainable employment.
The Skills Connect project aims to reduce skills gaps in Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland by addressing systemic barriers to education and employment for people with disabilities or long-term health conditions. Skills Connect is a project supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).
Skills Connect is inviting tenders from experienced evaluators to deliver a theory-informed, evidence-based Social Return on Investment (SROI) evaluation aligned with the internationally recognised Seven Principles of SROI.
This evaluation will support strategic learning, stakeholder engagement, and policy development across the programme.
Show more
Products/services: Design and execution of research and development ๐ฆ
Other restrictions on the place of performance: Anywhere in the given country
Description
Title: Social Return on Investment (SROI) Evaluation โ Skills Connect Programme
Description of the procurement:
Skills Connect is inviting tenders from experienced evaluators to deliver a theory-informed, evidence-based Social Return on Investment (SROI) evaluation aligned with the internationally recognised Seven Principles of SROI.
This evaluation will support strategic learning, stakeholder engagement, and policy development across the programme.
Key Responsibilities Include:
โข Development of an Outcomes Framework and impact map
โข Annual SROI calculation and impact score
โข Comprehensive end-of-project SROI report
โข Stakeholder engagement and co-design activities
โข Quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis
โข Recommendations for future programme and policy design
Deliverables Include:
โข Quarterly briefings (12 total)
โข Annual interim report
โข Final SROI report with financial valuation of social outcomes
This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a high-impact regional initiative focused on inclusive skills development and social value creation.
Show more
Place of performance: Border ๐๏ธ
Duration
Start date: 2026-01-01 ๐
End date: 2029-03-31 ๐
Title
Lot Identification Number:
LOT-0001
Description
Main site or place of performance: NE of NI and Border Regions of NI/ROI
Scope of the procurement
Additional products/services: Design and execution of research and development ๐ฆ
Procedure
Type of procedure
Open procedure โ
Legal basis: Directive 2014/24/EU
Main features of the procedure:
Interested parties must submit an application by the deadline indicated in this notice.
Applications will be assessed against the eligibility and selection criteria set out in the procurement documents.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to negotiate terms and conditions before final award.
The purpose of this stage is to ensure that the final offer represents the most economically advantageous solution while maintaining transparency and fairness. Participation in negotiations does not guarantee contract award; the final decision will be based on the criteria specified in the procurement documents.
The contract will be awarded to the most economically advantageous tender based on the criteria specified.
Show more
Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate: 2026-01-02 17:00:00 ๐
Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: English ๐ฃ๏ธ
Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender: 60 days
Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
Framework agreement with a single operator โ
Maximum number of participants: 1
Tendering terms
Electronic invoicing: Allowed
Electronic payment will be used โ
Legal, economic, financial and technical information
Conditions for participation
Selection criterion: Samples, descriptions, or photographs with certification of authenticity for supply contracts
List and brief description of rules and criteria:
Provide examples of:
๏ง Facilitating co-design processes
๏ง Policy-impacting research/evaluation
๏ง Delivering developmental evaluations (last 3 years)
๏ง Managing projects over โฌ100,000
Exclusion ground: Agreements with other economic operators aimed at distorting competition
Description of exclusion grounds:
anti-competitive agreements between businesses that are designed to restrict or distort competition in the market
Contracting authority
Name and addresses
Name: NOW Group
National registration number:
NOW Group
Department: Services
Postal code: BT12 5GD
Postal town: Belfast
Region: Border ๐๏ธ
Country: Ireland ๐ฎ๐ช
E-mail: tenders@nowgroup.org ๐ง
Phone: 00 4428 9043 6400 ๐
URL: www.nowgroup.org ๐
Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
Main activity
Economic and financial affairs
Communication
Documents URL: https://www.nowgroup.org/jobs-online ๐
Participation URL: www.nowgroup.org ๐
Electronic submission: Allowed
Complementary information
Review body
Same as: Name and addresses
Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
10-day standstill period between the notification of the award decision and the signing of the contract by the successful supplier
Information about electronic workflows
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Source: OJS 2025/S 245-848926 (2025-12-18)
Contract award notice (2026-04-22)
Object
Scope of the procurement
Maximum value of the framework agreements in this notice: 150 000 EUR ๐ฐ
Description
Internal identifier:
Products/services: Research and development services and related consultancy services ๐ฆ
Award criteria
Quality criterion (name): The award criterion is based on quality, with the contract being awarded to the tender that demonstrates the highest level of qualitative merit in line with the specified standards.
Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded โ
Lot Identification Number:
Contract Number:
Date of conclusion of the contract: 2026-04-21 ๐
Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 1
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0
Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Maximum value of the framework agreement: 150 000 EUR ๐ฐ
Tender identifier:
Identifier of lot or group of lots:
Information about tenders
Name of the tendering party: Business Improvement Solutions
Name and address of the contractor
Name: Business Improvement Solutions
National registration number:
Postal code: BT9 5NA
Postal town: Belfast
Region: Border ๐๏ธ
Country: Ireland ๐ฎ๐ช
E-mail: f.fitzpatrick@bisimprovement.com ๐ง
Phone: +442890309007 ๐
Size of the economic operator: Micro
Contracting authority
Name and addresses
National registration number:
Postal code: BT12 4GN
Phone: +4428 9043 6400 ๐
Complementary information
Review body
Name: Business Improvement Solutions
National registration number:
Postal code: BT9 5NA
Source: OJS 2026/S 080-282467 (2026-04-22)
Object
Scope of the procurement
Maximum value of the framework agreements in this notice: 150 000 EUR ๐ฐ
Description
Internal identifier:
LOT-0001
Products/services: Research and development services and related consultancy services ๐ฆ
Award criteria
Quality criterion (name): The award criterion is based on quality, with the contract being awarded to the tender that demonstrates the highest level of qualitative merit in line with the specified standards.
Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded โ
Lot Identification Number:
LOT-0001
Contract Number:
LOT-0001
Date of conclusion of the contract: 2026-04-21 ๐
Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 1
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 1
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: 0
Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Maximum value of the framework agreement: 150 000 EUR ๐ฐ
Tender identifier:
LOT-0001
Identifier of lot or group of lots:
LOT-0001
Information about tenders
Name of the tendering party: Business Improvement Solutions
Name and address of the contractor
Name: Business Improvement Solutions
National registration number:
BNI059590
Postal code: BT9 5NA
Postal town: Belfast
Region: Border ๐๏ธ
Country: Ireland ๐ฎ๐ช
E-mail: f.fitzpatrick@bisimprovement.com ๐ง
Phone: +442890309007 ๐
Size of the economic operator: Micro
Contracting authority
Name and addresses
National registration number:
NI043774
Postal code: BT12 4GN
Phone: +4428 9043 6400 ๐
Complementary information
Review body
Name: Business Improvement Solutions
National registration number:
BNI059590
Postal code: BT9 5NA
Source: OJS 2026/S 080-282467 (2026-04-22)
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