Funding Central is a web-based business information service providing free information, guidance and support on grants, contracts, loans, social investment and other finance streams for voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations.

Facilitation of funds to the VCSE sector through Funding Central makes a significant contribution to the Office for Civil Society and the Contracting Authority's objectives of strengthening the sector and its financial sustainability, by enabling VCSE organisations to access funding from a comprehensive variety of sources.

The current contract expires on 31.3.2014, therefore the objective of this Procurement is to appoint a Supplier on behalf of the Contracting Authority who can deliver the required Services:

— In the case of a new Supplier , work alongside the incumbent Supplier to effectively transition the Services between the commencement date of the Funding Central Business Information Web Portal Service Contract and the end date of the existing contract, taking on service delivery responsibility from 1.4.2014;

— Management of all aspects of the Funding Central Business Information Web Portal Service, and provision of content, direction and outreach for voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations;

— Research, aggregation, maintenance, publishing and presentation of statutory and non statutory funding and business opportunities suitable for VCSE sector; and

— Technical infrastructure and hosting services.

The Potential Provider shall ensure that the Funding Central website is accessible for those users with special access needs, such as but not limited to users of screen readers, screen magnifiers and speech recognition software.