UK5 Notice - Direct Award to Energy Systems Catapult - Mission Innovation Secretariat

Project Description The UK has hosted the Mission Innovation (MI) Secretariat since 2017. Energy Systems Catapult (ESC) support was brought in from 2022 to address specialist skill and capacity gaps. The MI Secretariat is currently transitioning to be hosted at the IEA, however countries with continue to provide in-kind resources until at least 2030. This procurement is to continue the direct award for ESC to provide essential support to the MI Secretariat in the transitional period until June 2027 for a value of £250,000 (exc VAT), with the potential to extend until June 2028. The contract will cover a transitional phase as the MI Secretariat moves from the UK Government to the IEA. The capability built up by ESC in last 4 years is essential to retain whilst the MI secretariat is transitioning to the IEA. This procurement is necessary to ensure continuity of expertise from ESC who have delivered the Secretariat functions work since 2022. ESC’s role will protect UK interests by ensuring effective UK representation at the core of MI's governance. The Direct Award will fund the time of two Specialist leads, a project manager and admin support to deliver: • Event Coordination of the MI Annual Gathering: • Event Programme management of the MI Ministerial • Diplomatic engagement with governments to support the delivery of MI outcomes. • Artificial Intelligence workstream for Mission Innovation • Coordination and Technical Advice to the MI Missions: • Data and Analysis of International Energy Innovation • Enhanced diplomatic and technical capability of the wider MI Secretariat in light of the transition to the IEA. The procurement is required to maintain continuity of Secretariat capability in a transitional period following the end of the current contract. However, the UK has also committed to provide resource for the a core Secretariat team through the remainder of Mission Innovation 2.0, which runs to 2030. Following the initial direct award to 2027, a competitive procurement is expected to be run for an organisation to deliver the remainder of this commitment. ESC’s Direct Award contract will include a potential to extend by 1 year. The variation provision would be used where market engagement supports the existing conclusion that there is no other reasonable supplier to deliver the MI Secretariat role in the next year. An extension woild be accompanied by extensive efforts to ensure a competitive process could be run the following year for services to 2030. as a security net against unforeseen circumstances within DESNZ and/or the IEA Transition that could delay the open procurement for services until 2030.