Tender

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Child Poverty Action Plan - Programme Evaluation

North East Combined Authority

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Tender

11 Sep 2026 at 12:16

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

25 Aug 2026 at 12:04

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

North East Combined Authority is seeking an external consultant to provide an independent, programme-level evaluation of the Child Poverty Action Plan. The work covers a complex, multi-strand programme intended to reduce child poverty and improve economic inclusion for families across the North East. It will assess the programme’s design, implementation, outcomes, impact and learning, bringing together evidence from directly funded activities, wider activities mobilised through the programme and selected aligned activity. The evaluation will provide a coherent assessment of the Action Plan as a whole, rather than repeating individual project evaluations. It will also examine how child poverty reduction has influenced regional priorities, programme and project design, funding, delivery decisions, policies and practice. This is a social research, evaluation and research consultancy services opportunity delivered across the North East of England.

The procurement has reached tender: the buyer invited offers through an open procedure. It comprises one lot and is above threshold, with a total value of £220,000 including tax. The contract period is 1 December 2026 to 1 December 2030. Enquiries had to be submitted by 9 October 2026 at 23:59, and tenders by 12 October 2026 at 23:59. The planned award decision date is 12 November 2026. Electronic submission is allowed and tenders must be in English. Evaluation is weighted 80% quality and 20% price. Quality covers approach and methodology, understanding of the brief, delivery team, project management, value for money, added value and social value. Tender documents are available through the stated procurement portal using project reference OPEN20261874.

This opportunity suits evaluation consultancies, social research organisations and specialist independent consultants able to evaluate complex, multi-strand public programmes. Strong candidates will need to design and deliver a robust programme-level methodology, synthesise evidence from project monitoring, evaluations and research, and assess combined contributions towards intended outcomes. The brief calls for evidence on what works, for whom and under what circumstances, alongside strategic assurance, learning and support for future policy and investment decisions. Relevant capability includes assessing implementation, outcomes, impact, influence on policy and practice, and how a cross-cutting priority is embedded across an organisation and its partners. Suppliers should be able to work across a portfolio, distinguish programme-level evaluation from primary project evaluation, and demonstrate a capable delivery team, effective project management, added value and social value.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Child Poverty Action Plan - Programme Evaluation

Notice Description

The North East Mayoral Strategic Authority (North East MSA) seeks to commission an external consultant to undertake an independent programme level evaluation of the Child Poverty Action Plan 2025-2030. The evaluation will assess the design, implementation, and impact of a complex, multi-strand programme delivered between August 2025 and March 2030. This will include directly funded activities, wider activities mobilised through the programme and selected aligned activities where appropriate and supported by the available evidence. The commissioned evaluation is intended as a cross-cutting programme-level evaluation of the Child Poverty Action Plan as a whole. It is recognised that individual projects, interventions and delivery activity within the wider programme will be subject to separate monitoring, evaluation and research activity commissioned by the North East MSA or undertaken by delivery partners. The evaluation will synthesise evidence generated through proportionate project level evaluations (including light touch monitoring and in depth project deep dives) to provide a coherent, programme wide assessment and will not be responsible for conducting primary project-level evaluations, except where explicitly agreed. This will support strategic assurance, learning and decision making, and inform future iterations of the Action Plan and wider North East MSA and regional policy and investment decisions. The programme-level evaluation will therefore consider both the evidence relating to individual interventions and the combined contribution of the wider programme towards the intended outcomes of the Child Poverty Action Plan. The programme-level evaluation will also seek to determine the degree to which reducing child poverty has been embedded as a cross-cutting theme across North East MSA activity, and that of partners. This will include examining how the Child Poverty Reduction Unit and the regional Child Poverty Action Plan have influenced strategic priorities, programme and project design, funding and delivery decisions, and whether they have contributed to changes in policies, practices and activities beyond those directly funded through the programme.

Planning Information

The North East Mayoral Strategic Authority will be holding an online market engagement event for organisations interested in the forthcoming opportunity to evaluate the Child Poverty Action Plan Programme. This session will provide an overview of the proposed specification, including the aims, scope and expected outcomes of the evaluation. Attendees will have the opportunity to gain an understanding of the programme and the Authority's evaluation requirements ahead of the procurement process commencing. The evaluation will assess the implementation, outcomes and learning emerging from a portfolio of interventions designed to reduce child poverty and improve economic inclusion for families across the North East. The Authority is seeking an evaluation partner capable of generating robust evidence on what works, for whom and under what circumstances, while supporting continuous learning and improvement throughout programme delivery. Event Details Format: Online (Microsoft Teams) Date: Tuesday 15 September 2026 Time: 2:00pm to 3:00pm (BST) Organisations wishing to attend should register via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/market-engagement-event-child-poverty-programme-evaluation-tickets-1998544705012?aff=oddtdtcreator Attendance at the market engagement event is optional and is not a prerequisite for participating in the subsequent procurement process. Any clarification questions arising from the event should be submitted through the procurement portal once the opportunity is formally advertised. Expressions of interest should also be submitted through the procurement portal in accordance with the instructions that will be included within the tender documentation.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06eb72
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/086360-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

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

CPV Codes

73210000 - Research consultancy services

79315000 - Social research services

79419000 - Evaluation consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£220,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£220,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
11 Sep 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
12 Oct 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Dec 2026 - 1 Dec 2030 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
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
TLC14 Durham, TLC2 Northumberland, and Tyne and Wear
Local Authority
Newcastle upon Tyne
Electoral Ward
Arthur's Hill
Westminster Constituency
Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West

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...