--- title: "Soft Market Testing for Growth Hub Service a Business Support Service" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-044ae3" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-044ae3" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-044ae3.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-044ae3.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL" published: "2024-03-20" --- # Soft Market Testing for Growth Hub Service a Business Support Service Buyer: ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-044ae3 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-044ae3) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-044ae3.json) ## Summary The Essex County Council is planning a tender titled "Soft Market Testing for Growth Hub Service a Business Support Service" in the services category. The procurement aims to find a specialist provider for Growth Hub support, offering business navigation and signposting services. The anticipated budget for this service is £100,000. Interested parties must submit their responses by 5pm on 3 April 2024. This tender opportunity provided by Essex County Council presents a chance for businesses to engage in providing business support services to help businesses succeed. Companies specializing in business and management consultancy and related services would be well-suited to compete. The procurement process is currently at the planning stage, with responses required by the deadline specified for consideration. ## Notice Essex County Council (ECC) intends to procure a specialist provider to provide Growth Hub support. Growth Hubs are an established business support service, which provide free and impartial signposting, information, and advice to all businesses looking to succeed, helping them to navigate the national and local support landscape. It is Government grant funded annually by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and provides a one stop shop for business support services that offers: * Information, navigation, and signposting via a coordinated, multi-channel service * One-to-one structured support to small and medium enterprises, incorporating a diagnostic assessment of business needs and advice and guidance. The existing contract expires on 30th June 2024. ECC would like to gauge the interest for a contract that would start on the 1 July 2024 and expire on 31 March 2025. Bids can be from a single organisation, a consortium or a lead entity with sub-contracting; this will be at the supplier's discretion but is subject to agreement from Essex County Council. The estimated budget for this service is PS100,000. The budget is based on previously received grants for the same service, however the exact budget is dependent on the value of the grant received from the DBT. To confirm your interest in the opportunity please email Daniel.Gaimster@essex.gov.uk. Responses should be submitted by 5pm 3 April 2024. Please note this PIN/Early Engagement/Request for Information is not intended as a call for competition. ### Lot Information Lot 1 Essex County Council (ECC) intends to procure a specialist provider to provide Growth Hub support. Growth Hubs are an established business support service, which provide free and impartial signposting, information, and advice to all businesses looking to succeed, helping them to navigate the national and local support landscape. It is Government grant funded annually by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and provides a one stop shop for business support services that offers: * Information, navigation, and signposting via a coordinated, multi-channel service * One-to-one structured support to small and medium enterprises, incorporating a diagnostic assessment of business needs and advice and guidance. The existing contract expires on 30th June 2024. ECC would like to gauge the interest for a contract that would start on the 1 July 2024 and expire on 31 March 2025. Bids can be from a single organisation, a consortium or a lead entity with sub-contracting; this will be at the supplier's discretion but is subject to agreement from Essex County Council. The estimated budget for this service is PS100,000. The budget is based on previously received grants for the same service, however the exact budget is dependent on the value of the grant received from the DBT. To confirm your interest in the opportunity please email Daniel.Gaimster@essex.gov.uk. Responses should be submitted by 5pm 3 April 2024. Please note this PIN/Early Engagement/Request for Information is not intended as a call for competition. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/009058-2024 | | Notice type | Planning Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 20 Mar 2024 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 20 Mar 2024 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £100,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planned | | Lots status | Planned | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL | | Locality | CHELMSFORD | | Post town | Chelmsford | | Postcode | CM1 1QH | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLH East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLH3 Essex | | ITL 3 | TLH36 Heart of Essex | | Local authority | Chelmsford | | Electoral ward | Moulsham and Central | | Westminster constituency | Chelmsford | | Delivery location | TLH3 Essex | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security ### Codes - 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services ## Release History - 20 Mar 2024 at 15:17 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/009058-2024 ## Notice URLs - https://procontract.due-north.com/ - https://www.essex.gov.uk/ ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-044ae3. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-044ae3.json.