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Small Venues Fund - Fund Administrator

North East Combined Authority

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

07 Sep 2026 at 16:19

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

North East Combined Authority is procuring a fully managed fund administration service for the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority’s Small Venues Fund. The service will support creative grassroots venues across North East England, helping them host events and provide space and platforms for artists and other creatives. The appointed administrator will manage the programme from initial enquiries through to project closure, including mobilisation, applicant support, expressions of interest, full applications, appraisal, due diligence, independent assessment panels, grant contracting, subsidy control compliance, monitoring, financial administration, payments, reporting, management information and evaluation support. This is a public-sector grant administration service within the creative and cultural sector, with related financial administration and loan brokerage classifications. Delivery covers North East England.

The procurement has reached tender: the buyer invited offers through an open procedure, with submissions uploaded to the OPEN portal. Enquiries close at 23:59:59 on 28 September 2026 and tenders must be submitted by 17:00 on 5 October 2026. The anticipated award date and contract start date are 14 November 2026. The contract runs to 31 August 2029, with an option for the authority to extend it by up to 12 months, to 31 August 2030. The administrator contract is valued at up to £250,000 excluding VAT, or £300,000 including VAT. The wider project is valued at £2.45 million, including £2.2 million for grant awards. Quality carries 80% of the evaluation and price 20%.

This opportunity suits organisations experienced in administering public-sector grants and knowledgeable about the creative and cultural sector. Strong candidates will be able to provide an end-to-end managed service covering programme mobilisation, applicant and enquiry handling, expressions of interest, full applications, appraisal, due diligence and independent panel support. They will also need capability in grant contracting, subsidy control compliance, grant monitoring, financial management, payment administration, reporting, management information and programme evaluation. The work is suited to a supplier with established processes, suitably skilled staff and the capacity to manage a phased programme from initial enquiry through to closure. Experience supporting grassroots creative venues, artists or cultural organisations would be directly relevant, alongside the ability to work across North East England and manage public funding compliantly.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Small Venues Fund - Fund Administrator

Notice Description

Following the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority (North East MSA) Cabinet meeting in March 2026, North East Mayor Kim McGuiness announced a package of PS104million to turbocharge the region's creative industries driving new jobs and opportunities for local people. As part of that package, a commitment was made to back small venues across North East England. Working alongside the sector, the North East MSA's Small Venues Fund (SVF) has been developed to support creative grassroots venues, providing them with the resources and capacity to host events and provide space and a platform for creatives to thrive. It has been shaped to ensure that this fund is fit for purpose and supports an array of artists from across the creative industries. The fund will support an increase in opportunities for both artists and venue operators supporting the exposure of such facilities both within the region and further afield. The fund will open more opportunities to touring artists, providing an increase in the visitor economy and a wider economic impact. The North East MSA is looking to appoint an external Fund Administrator with experience of public sector grant administration and knowledge of the creative and cultural sector to manage the programme from initial enquiry through to project closure. The fund will be delivered on a phased basis. The successful bidder will provide a fully managed grant administration service for the Small Venues Fund. Services will include: o Programme mobilisation. o Applicant support and enquiry management. o Expression of Interest management. o Full application management. o Application appraisal and due diligence. o Independent assessment panel administration. o Grant contracting and subsidy control compliance. o Grant monitoring and compliance activity. o Financial management and payment administration. o Reporting and management information. o Support for programme evaluation. The overall project value is PS2.45m million, of which PS2.2 million is set aside for grant awards. The value of the contract for the Fund Administrator is up to PS250,000 excluding VAT, for the duration of the contract.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: The term of the contract will be from the date of contract award until completion of Phase 2 delivery and programme closure activities, anticipated to be August 2029. The contract will include an option to extend to be exercised by the North East MSA in line with reporting requirements for a period of up to 12 months.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f3da
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084573-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

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

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

66 - Financial and insurance services

CPV Codes

66150000 - Financial markets administration services

66190000 - Loan brokerage services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£250,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£250,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
7 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
5 Oct 20263 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
14 Nov 2026 - 31 Aug 2029 2-3 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)

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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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