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Business Support North East Framework

North East Combined Authority

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

25 Sep 2026 at 15:25

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

North East Combined Authority plans a Business North East framework for specialist business support, enterprise and related services across the North East. The programme is intended to create a coordinated, accessible support system for entrepreneurs and businesses, delivered through a regional hub and local authority networks. Support is expected to span the business lifecycle: encouraging entrepreneurship, helping people prepare business propositions and start businesses, improving established firms’ productivity and resilience, and helping ambitious businesses scale, access finance and enter new markets. The anticipated service areas include finance, workforce development, innovation, digital adoption, mentoring and growth support. Five areas are envisaged: start-up support; business growth and productivity; high-growth and investment; sector, cluster and supply-chain development; and business engagement, training and programme support.

The process is at planning: the authority has stated its intention to establish a framework, but this is not an invitation to tender. A market engagement event is scheduled for 6 October 2026. The framework is anticipated to cover five lots and to run from 4 January 2027 to 4 January 2029. The authority expects to use it as a flexible route for commissioning services in support of Business North East and wider regional economic priorities. The source describes a framework arrangement but gives no procurement method or evaluation basis. The dates and service structure are planning expectations, rather than bid deadlines or a final specification.

The planned framework is intended to accommodate both organisations able to deliver broad business support programmes and specialist providers focused on particular sectors, business needs or interventions. Relevant suppliers are those with the capability and experience to support one or more of the five areas, such as enterprise and start-up advice, productivity and business growth, scale-up and investment, sector or supply-chain development, or engagement, training and programme support. The buyer says suppliers should be suitably qualified, but does not set out specific accreditations or technical qualifications here. Small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community and social enterprises are identified as suitable. The breadth of service areas may suit providers with complementary expertise, including those able to respond as business needs and regional priorities evolve.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Business Support North East Framework

Notice Description

Business North East is a new region-wide approach to business support developed by the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority (North East MSA) in partnership with the seven constituent local authorities. It will provide a simplified, coordinated and accessible business support system for entrepreneurs and businesses across the North East, supporting business The model will include a regional hub, use local authority network to maintaining strong relationships with businesses. The wider Business North East programme is expected to operate through five integrated areas of activity across the business lifecycle: Inspire - increase entrepreneurial awareness and aspiration, particularly amongst younger people and underrepresented groups. Explore - improve enterprise readiness and strengthen the quality of business propositions entering the support system. Start - increase business creation and improve business survival prospects through tailored support and business development assistance. Succeed - improve productivity, innovation, technology adoption and business resilience amongst established businesses. Grow - support ambitious businesses to scale, create jobs, access finance and enter new markets. The North East MSA intends to establish a framework to provide a flexible route through which a range of specialist business support, enterprise and related services may be commissioned in support of Business North East and wider regional economic priorities. It is anticipated that the framework will encompass a broad range of services, across five separate Lots: 1. Enterprise, Entrepreneurship and Business Start-up 2. Business Growth, Productivity and Specialist Support 3. High Growth, Scale-up and Investment 4. Sector, Cluster and Supply Chain Development 5. Business Engagement, Training and Programme Support These areas reflect the anticipated breadth of Business North East, which is intended to respond to business needs including access to finance, productivity, workforce development, innovation, digital adoption, mentoring and growth support. The Framework is intended to enable the North East MSA and constituent local authorities to identify suitably qualified suppliers with the capability and experience to deliver services within one or more of these areas. The approach is intended to accommodate a diverse supplier market, including organisations capable of delivering broad business support programmes alongside specialist providers with expertise in particular sectors, business needs or forms of intervention. It will also support the development of new and emerging provision as business needs, economic conditions and regional priorities evolve.

Planning Information

Please follow the link below to the market engagement event taking place on 6th October 2026. https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eventbrite.co.uk%2Fe%2Fmarket-engagement-event-business-north-east-business-support-framework-tickets-2002281399566%3Faff%3Doddtdtcreator&data=05%7C02%7Cjessica.shield%40northeast-ca.gov.uk%7Ce45e95b955844ade128508df1aef960f%7Cb29fb4c00d044a9fb462c1294b1e1b47%7C0%7C0%7C639259288506405927%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=dUaN7CDXk6h0YMTyI1mVGI4SDVQDOBPr6ruK8S9EoB0%3D&reserved=0

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-077ace
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/091097-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

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

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

66 - Financial and insurance services

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

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

80 - Education and training services

CPV Codes

66171000 - Financial consultancy services

72200000 - Software programming and consultancy services

72413000 - World wide web (www) site design services

73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

79342000 - Marketing services

79410000 - Business and management consultancy services

79950000 - Exhibition, fair and congress organisation services

79990000 - Miscellaneous business-related services

80000000 - Education and training services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
25 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
4 Jan 2027 - 4 Jan 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
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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