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WM Collaborator fund- Networks and Leadership Programme

West Midlands Combined Authority

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

18 Aug 2026 at 14:15

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

West Midlands Combined Authority is exploring a support programme for the West Midlands creative economy. The proposed service would combine grant funding with tailored development support across two linked workstreams: strengthening collaboration and networks between places and creative sectors, and addressing leadership capacity constraints in creative organisations. It is intended for a diverse creative ecosystem including creative businesses, freelancers, cultural organisations, networks and sector bodies. The work would be delivered across the West Midlands. The stated service scope includes financial consultancy, financial transaction processing and project management services. The programme is intended to respond to fragmented networks, uneven access to opportunities and limited collaboration identified through the Creative Places Growth Fund programme. The buyer is seeking views that will help shape the scope, outcomes and delivery model of any future commissioned intervention.

This procurement is at the planning stage and is currently a pre-market engagement exercise, not an invitation to tender. The buyer expects to use responses to test the proposed approach, understand current challenges and identify effective delivery models before designing any future procurement. Suppliers are expected to complete the attached questions by 1 September 2026. The buyer expects the next notice to be published on 5 October 2026. The proposed contract is planned to run from 1 March 2027 to 28 February 2029. Its indicative value is approximately £2.3 million excluding VAT, or £2.76 million including VAT. There is one planned lot, with the procurement classified as services and the lot marked as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. The planned contract is above the relevant threshold.

The work is likely to suit organisations with experience supporting the creative and cultural sectors, particularly those able to combine grant-funding administration with tailored organisational development. Relevant strengths may include building networks across places and creative disciplines, improving collaboration, developing leadership capacity and designing support for businesses, freelancers, cultural organisations and sector bodies. Providers with financial consultancy or transaction-processing capability, alongside strong programme and project management, may be well placed when the requirement reaches the market. The buyer is seeking practical delivery models and evidence of how interventions can improve access to opportunities and strengthen the creative economy. The planned lot is identified as suitable for SMEs, so smaller specialist organisations, partnerships and consortia with complementary creative, financial and programme-delivery expertise should monitor the emerging requirement and prepare relevant case studies.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

WM Collaborator fund- Networks and Leadership Programme

Notice Description

The West Midlands creative economy is supported by a diverse ecosystem of creative businesses, freelancers, cultural organisations, networks and sector bodies. While the region has significant strengths and growth opportunities, evidence gathered through the Creative Places Growth Fund programme highlights ongoing challenges around fragmented networks, limited collaboration between places and sectors, uneven access to opportunities, and leadership capacity constraints within creative organisations. To address these challenges, West Midland Combined Authority (WMCA) is exploring the development of a support programme combining grant funding and tailored development support across two interconnected workstreams with an indicative value of approximately PS2-2.5million. WMCA is undertaking this pre-market engagement exercise to better understand current challenges, test the proposed approach, identify effective delivery models, and gather feedback that will inform the design of any future programme and associated procurement activity. Responses will help shape the scope, outcomes and delivery approach of any intervention that may be commissioned.

Planning Information

The West Midlands creative economy is supported by a diverse ecosystem of creative businesses, freelancers, cultural organisations, networks and sector bodies. While the region has significant strengths and growth opportunities, evidence gathered through the Creative Places Growth Fund programme highlights ongoing challenges around fragmented networks, limited collaboration between places and sectors, uneven access to opportunities, and leadership capacity constraints within creative organisations. To address these challenges, West Midland Combined Authority (WMCA) is exploring the development of a support programme combining grant funding and tailored development support across two interconnected workstreams with an indicative value of approximately £2-2.5million. WMCA is undertaking this pre-market engagement exercise to better understand current challenges, test the proposed approach, identify effective delivery models, and gather feedback that will inform the design of any future programme and associated procurement activity. Responses will help shape the scope, outcomes and delivery approach of any intervention that may be commissioned. Suppliers should read and complete responses to a set of questions attached within the advert by 1st September 2026. Please see link to the advert here: https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=62457f6a-e39a-f111-813c-005056b64545&fromProjectDashboard=True

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06e69b
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078573-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

66 - Financial and insurance services

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

66171000 - Financial consultancy services

66172000 - Financial transaction processing and clearing-house services

79421000 - Project-management services other than for construction work

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£2,300,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
18 Aug 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
5 Oct 20262 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Mar 2027 - 28 Feb 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
West Midlands Combined Authority
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BIRMINGHAM
Postcode
B19 3SD
Postcode Area
Birmingham
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLG West Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLG3 West Midlands
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLG31 Birmingham
Delivery Location
TLG3 West Midlands
Local Authority
Birmingham
Electoral Ward
Newtown
Westminster Constituency
Birmingham Ladywood

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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