A key component of the BBC's public purpose mission is to ensure that audiences can engage fully with major local issues, essential to democracy, keeping audiences informed and holding local authority to account. The BBC works with the local news industry to improve the provision of local journalism and is now conducting a competitive procurement for the reselection of 'Suppliers' for the Local Democracy Reporting Service across the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man, to deliver the recruitment of 165 journalists, employed by local news providers, across 118 Contract Areas. A 'Supplier' receives the free content generated through the Local Democracy Reporting Service, News Hub and Shared Data Unit, and employs one or more of the Local Democracy Reporters to report on local democratic institutions in the relevant Contract Area(s) including county councils, unitary authorities and metropolitan boroughs in the UK. IMPORTANT: It is a Condition of this Procurement that Bidder's MUST have achieved BBC LNP 'Partner' status to be eligible to submit a response to this ITT. The application process to become a Partner Organisation occurs on a rolling basis and further information with details how to apply can be found at https://www.bbc.com/lnp/partners/how-to-apply/ Organisations that do not currently hold 'Partner' status will need to have submitted their application to become a BBC LNP 'Partner' via ttps://www.bbc.com/lnp/partners/how-to-apply/ by 3rd January 2025 at 14.00 UK Time and had this approved to be eligible to submit a response to this ITT by the Tender Response Deadline. Organisations which currently hold current 'Partner' status can submit their response to the ITT ahead of the Tender Response Deadline without having to re-apply to become a Partner for the purpose of this procurement. The ITT Tender Response Deadline is 16th January 2025 at 14.00 UK Time The initial contract term will run for a period of 30 months. Contracts may be extended for up to an additional 30 months to 30th June 2030. Additional information: MPORTANT: It is a Condition of this Procurement that Bidder's MUST either be i) a current BBC LNP 'Partner' or ii) have submitted their application to be a BBC LNP 'Partner' by 14.00 on 3rd January 2025 to be able to submit a response to this ITT by the submission deadline. Please refer to: https://www.bbc.com/lnp/partners/how-to-apply/ Where there is more than one economic operator, the BBC reserves the right to require a grouping of economic operators to take a particular legal form or to require a single economic operator to take primary liability or to require that each party undertakes joint and several liability. Please register your interest in this project by taking the following steps: 1 - Register your company on the Jaggaer eSourcing portal (this is only required once): 1.1 Go to https://bbc.bravosolution.co.uk 1.2 - Click the link on the login page to register. 1.3 Accept the terms and conditions and click 'Continue'. 1.4 - Enter your correct business and user details. 1.5 - Note the username you chose and click 'Save' when complete. 1.6 - You will shortly receive an email with your temporary password. 2 - Express an interest in the tender: 2.1 - Login to the portal with the username/password. 2.2 - Click the 'PQQs/ITTs Open to all Suppliers' link. (These are Pre-Qualification Questionnaires or Invitations to Tender open to any registered supplier). 2.3 - Click on the relevant PQQ/ITT to access the content. 2.4 - Click the 'Express Interest' button at the top of the page. This will move the PQQ/ITT into your 'My PQQs/My ITTs page. (This is a secure area reserved for your projects only. 2.5 - You can now access any attachments by clicking 'Buyer Attachments' in the 'PQQ/ITT Details' box. 3. Responding to the tender: 3.1 - Click 'My Response' under PQQ/ITT Details', you can choose to 'Create Response' or to 'Decline to Respond' (please give a reason if declining). 3.2 - You can now use the 'Messages' function to communicate with the buyer and seek any clarification. 3.3 - Note the deadline for completion, and then follow the onscreen instructions to complete the PQQ/ITT. There may be a mixture of online and offline actions for you to perform (there is detailed online help available). 3.4 You must then submit your reply using the 'Submit Response' button at the top of the page. If you require any further assistance, please consult the online help, or contact the Jaggaer eSourcing help desk.