---
title: "Critical Friend - Devolution Programme"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05fed0"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05fed0"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05fed0.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05fed0.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL"
published: "2026-01-02"
---

# Critical Friend - Devolution Programme

Buyer: ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05fed0

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## Summary

The procurement process titled "Critical Friend - Devolution Programme" was conducted by Essex County Council, based in Chelmsford. This contract, falling under the category of business and management consultancy services, aims to assess and enhance the deliverables of the Devolution programme to ensure its objectives are met effectively. The procurement process has reached the award stage, and the contract, valued at £70,400, commenced on 29th September 2025 and is set to complete by 28th March 2026, with potential for renewal until 28th September 2026. The process was identified as below threshold with unknown procurement method, indicating projects of this scale are approachable for a variety of service providers.

For businesses involved in consultancy services, particularly those specialising in public sector advisory roles, this tender represents an opportunity for substantial growth and engagement with critical governmental programmes. Companies with capabilities in strategic insights, compliance, operational efficiency, and investment opportunities would find this contract well-suited to their expertise. Benefiting from collaboration with high-level executives and leaders, the chosen supplier, Solace, demonstrates how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can leverage such opportunities to expand their influence within public sector initiatives, fostering potential long-term relationships and future collaborative projects.

## Notice

The devolution programme team is bringing on external 'critical friends', experts who have been recruited through the company Solace. The purpose of this external critical friend is to independently assess the Devolution programme deliverables and outcomes to ensure that the new MCCA is fit for purpose and to review operational efficiency, compliance and performance outcomes to meet the objectives in the White paper. The assessment should provide recommendations for improvements or corrective actions. Actions will include: Review of Programme with CEOs/Leaders and WSLs. Review approach, strategy, operational, governance and deliverables. Review relationships and ambition with and between Greater Essex and the CA Review of programme governance and Governance approach for CCA , Constitution Strategic insights. Call on for advice/strategic insight as required by Sponsors. Targeted as needed Advise programme team on investment opportunities. Work with team to design investment opportunity options for Mayor Induction pack

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/000070-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - unknown |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 2 Jan 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 28 Sep 2025 |
| Contract period | 28 Sep 2025 - 28 Mar 2026 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £70,400 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## 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 | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | SOLACE |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services

## Release History

- 2 Jan 2026 at 15:22 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/000070-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/000070-2026
  2nd January 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-05fed0. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05fed0.json.