--- title: "Soft Market Testing for Growth Hub- 2025 (a Business Support Service)" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04de58" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04de58" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04de58.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04de58.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL" published: "2025-02-12" --- # Soft Market Testing for Growth Hub- 2025 (a Business Support Service) Buyer: ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04de58 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04de58) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04de58.json) ## Summary Essex County Council is in the planning stage for a tender titled "Soft Market Testing for Growth Hub- 2025 (a Business Support Service)", classified under the industry category of Business and Management Consultancy and related services. The service is to be provided within the region of UKH3, encompassing Chelmsford, Essex. The procurement process aims to identify a specialist provider to offer Growth Hub support services, with key dates including an anticipated launch date in April 2025. Interested providers are encouraged to express their interest by contacting Mr Craig Johnson at Essex County Council. This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in consultancy and business support services, particularly those with experience in providing structured support to small and medium enterprises. Firms that can offer coordinated, multi-channel services and one-to-one business advisory might find this opportunity particularly advantageous. This service is government grant-funded, ensuring a sustainable contract arrangement. Businesses equipped to deliver comprehensive consultancy services and navigate complex business needs are well-suited to compete for this tender. ## Notice Essex County Council (ECC) intends to procure a specialist provider to provide Growth Hub support. Growth Hubs are an established business support service provided, 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. This Prior Information Notice (PIN) is intended to alert providers to an opportunity to deliver the Growth Hub service for Essex County Council. The estimated launch date for the opportunity is April 2025. Please contact Craig Johnson at craig.johnson@essex.gov.uk to express an interest in the Growth Hub service. ### 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 provided, 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. This Prior Information Notice (PIN) is intended to alert providers to an opportunity to deliver the Growth Hub service for Essex County Council. The estimated launch date for the opportunity is April 2025. Please contact Craig Johnson at craig.johnson@essex.gov.uk to express an interest in the Growth Hub service. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004818-2025 | | 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 | 12 Feb 2025 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 31 Mar 2025 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | 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 - 12 Feb 2025 at 17:30 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/004818-2025 ## 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-04de58. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04de58.json.