News archive - 2005
21 December 2005
We are currently issuing pre-qualification questionnaires to those institutions that have made an Expression of Interest (EOI) in bidding to provide Growth Fund services. If you have sent in an EOI and have not received your pre-qualification questionnaire by 29 December 2005, please contact us on this email newcastle.thegrowthfund@dwp.gsi.gov.uk.
13 December 2005
The advertisement below – which invites potential bidders to submit an expression of interest (EOI) in contracting to supply Growth Fund services – will appear in the following publications on 14 or 15 December:
- The Guardian
- The Scotsman
- The Times
- Daily Mail
- The Western Mail
- Third Sector magazine
The advert will also appear on the following websites during week commencing 12 December:
- Community Development Finance Association: www.cdfa.org.uk
- Association of British Credit Unions Limited: www.abcul.org
- Scottish League of Credit Unions: www.scottishcu.org
- UK Credit Unions Limited: www.ukcu.co.uk
- ACE Credit Union Services: www.acecus.org
Expressions of interest (EOI) are invited from organisations that wish to be considered for participation in The Growth Fund.
A Growth Fund of £36 million aimed at helping to provide affordable loans to people on low incomes in areas of high financial exclusion is to be managed by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in partnership with HM Treasury.
The Fund will be paid from mid 2006 to increase the service provision of affordable loans to target consumer groups via, for example, Credit Unions (CUs), Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs), other community focused Industrial and Provident Societies (I&PSs) and not for profit institutions. The money has been provided from the Financial Inclusion Fund announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his pre budget speech in October 2004.
If you wish to express an interest in being invited to tender for inclusion in delivery of the Fund, please write, to or e mail, Barbara Elliott at the address below. No other documentation is required at this stage. A Pre Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) will be issued to obtain further information about your eligibility to take part in this exercise. Please note the target date for receipt of EOI is 23rd December 2005.
If you are deemed eligible to take part in the exercise you will be invited to one of seven briefing sessions which are to be held during the period 16th to 24th January at nationwide venues. Attendance at a briefing session is not mandatory, a request for an Invitation to Tender pack can be made at any point up until 3rd February 2006 provided you were deemed eligible to take part following the Pre Qualification exercise. Further information can be found on our web site http://www.dwp.gov.uk/advisers/growthfund/ which is updated regularly.
Address:
Barbara Elliott
1st Floor, Saxon House
50 – 52 Heaton Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE6 1SL
