Award

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Community Impact Fund: Programme Mobilisation

North East Combined Authority

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

20 Aug 2026 at 14:58

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

North East Combined Authority is procuring mobilisation and delivery-partner support for the North East Community Impact Fund (CIF), a programme within its Inclusive Futures service. The work is designed to move the fund into operational delivery, aligned with ambitions on child poverty, resilient communities, good work and inclusive growth. The provider will finalise the operating model and governance, prepare delivery plans, design the Outcomes Match Fund framework, scope providers for programme management, grant administration and evaluation, and support procurement and grant procedures. It will also develop pipelines of potential VCSE providers, commissioners and outcomes-based opportunities, plus communications and stakeholder engagement plans. Delivery is across the North East, with the authority based in Newcastle upon Tyne. This is a public-service consulting opportunity, classified under business services.

The procurement is complete and a supplier has been selected through a direct award below the threshold, without competition. It comprises one completed lot, suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises. Social Finance Limited was selected for services valued at £90,720 gross, including the same amount net, in GBP. The contract period runs from 7 September 2026 to 5 February 2027, with one six-month extension option allowing the period to run to 5 August 2027. The award is recorded as pending, with signature scheduled for 20 August 2026. The stated requirement covers mobilisation, governance, delivery planning, market and pipeline development, procurement support, stakeholder engagement and preparation for programme launch.

This requirement shows demand for a specialist delivery partner able to turn a public-sector funding programme from business-case stage into operational delivery. A credible competitor would need experience designing operating models and governance, producing practical delivery plans, and establishing programme infrastructure, milestones, roles and dependencies. Relevant capability includes outcomes-based commissioning and funding, match-fund design, market development, grant and procurement procedures, and identifying delivery partners. Strong candidates would understand VCSE organisations, their capacity-building needs and routes into outcomes-based provision, as well as the priorities of local authorities and public-service commissioners. Evidence of stakeholder engagement, communications, pipeline development, programme assurance and onboarding delivery teams would also be important for a future requirement from this buyer.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Community Impact Fund: Programme Mobilisation

Notice Description

The North East Mayoral Strategic Authority (North East MSA) seeks to appoint a delivery partner to mobilise the North East Community Impact Fund (CIF) and support its timely transition into operational delivery, with clear governance, delivery plans, procurement routes, partner roles, programme infrastructure and initial opportunity pipelines in place. The North East CIF programme primarily speaks to 'the home of real opportunity' mission, and forms part of our Inclusive Futures service, within the Skills, Inclusion and Public Service Reform Directorate. It aligns closely with the MSA's ambitions on child poverty, resilient communities, good work, and inclusive growth. The appointed provider will: 1. Build on the Full Business Case (FBC) and take into account the funding conditions and recommendations from the appraisal process, to finalise the design of the CIF programme, including its operating model and governance structures, ensuring the CIF is ready to begin delivery by early 2027. * Create a clear delivery plan for the programme including a timeline with key milestones, dependencies, roles and responsibilities, with particular detail given for 2026/27. * Create a delivery framework for the Pillar 3 Outcomes Match Fund, including how the budget, approach, and decision-making process to allocate funds will: o In year 1, prioritise match funding for ready-to-go outcomes-based models/projects with a proven track record of delivery, to enable an agile response to emerging funding opportunities (e.g. BFF round 1), and to provide learning to inform the MSA's approach to match funding in later stages of the CIF. o Particularly during years 2 and 3, if funds allow and organisations are at the required state of readiness, enable regional organisations, including those supported through the capacity-building elements of the CIF, to benefit from match funding for outcomes-based programmes, as per the intentions outlined in the FBC. * Scope the market to identify potential providers for the other contracted elements of the CIF, including the Programme Management Office function (PMO), grant administration and evaluation elements, taking into particular consideration the capability and capacity of regional VCSE organisations, whilst ensuring compliance with the MSA's financial and procurement rules at all times. * Work with North East MSA colleagues (including in the Procurement and Programme Assurance Teams) to agree and implement the necessary procurement and grant award procedures to mobilise the programme, enabling the appointment of key delivery partners and supporting infrastructure - particularly for the PMO and regional VCSE support. * Work with VONNE and key stakeholders to identify potential regional strategic projects that will enable the delivery of Pillar 2 (System Resilience and Capability) and support VCSE organisations to access outcomes-based commissioning approaches, providing recommendations of how such work should be delivered and by whom. * Establish initial pipelines, each in an updatable format and with a defined scope and approach, for: o VCSE organisations with potential to become outcomes-based providers, including insight into their development needs and state of readiness, to inform the activity to be delivered through Pillar 2 (System Resilience and Capability Support). o Local authorities and other public service commissioners who are motivated, or have potential, to commission on an outcomes basis, including early insight into their priorities, opportunities, readiness, and interest in outcomes-based commissioning. o Outcomes-based tender and funding opportunities aligned with the priorities of the North East MSA, particularly to inform the delivery and planning of the Outcomes Match Fund under Pillar 3. * Work with North East MSA communications colleagues, and partners such as VONNE, to develop a communications and stakeholder engagement plan, in particular to ensure clear and timely communication with the VCSE sector and share opportunities whilst managing expectations in relation to the scope, opportunities and limitations of the CIF. * Prepare the North East MSA and appointed CIF PMO for programme launch and transition into operational delivery, including onboarding of PMO staff and other key appointments and contractors during the mobilisation phase.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06e8ca
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/079533-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - without competition
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

CPV Codes

79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£90,720 Under £100K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
20 Aug 20266 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
20 Aug 20266 days ago
Contract Period
7 Sep 2026 - 5 Feb 2027 1-6 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Pending
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
North East 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
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE
Postcode
NE4 5BZ
Postcode Area
Newcastle upon Tyne
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC43 Tyneside
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Newcastle upon Tyne
Electoral Ward
Arthur's Hill
Westminster Constituency
Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

SOCIAL FINANCE LIMITED

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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.

Loading OCDS record...