---
title: "Creative Business Programme"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06f1e1"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f1e1"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f1e1.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f1e1.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "East Sussex County Council"
published: "2026-09-04"
---

# Creative Business Programme

Buyer: East Sussex County Council  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06f1e1

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[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f1e1.json)

## Summary

East Sussex County Council commissioned a business support and mentoring programme for creative businesses across East Sussex. The requirement is a business development consultancy service, covering the design and delivery of support intended for creative-sector enterprises. The work is for businesses located across the county, with East Sussex County Council as the public-sector buyer. This is a service opportunity for organisations that can combine programme design, business advice and mentoring for creative businesses. The requirement concerns a single programme rather than separate lots, and its purpose is to strengthen the capability and development of creative businesses through structured support delivered across East Sussex.

The procurement has been completed and the contract was awarded through a below-threshold limited competition. The single lot was awarded to STUDIO ZAO INNOVATIONS LTD. The award is active and the contract is active. The award date was 13 August 2026, and the contract was signed on 13 August 2026. The contract period runs from 17 August 2026 to 31 March 2027. Its value is £40,000 excluding VAT and £48,000 including VAT. The procurement used a limited procedure rather than an open competition. The award covers business development consultancy services for the design and delivery of the creative-business support and mentoring programme across East Sussex.

This procurement indicates demand from East Sussex County Council for specialist support to creative businesses, delivered through a defined programme rather than one-off advice. A credible future competitor would need to show experience designing and running business-support programmes, with the ability to mentor creative-sector businesses and tailor guidance to their development needs. Relevant capability would include programme management, business development consultancy, practical mentoring and engagement with a varied group of creative enterprises across a county-wide area. The awarded supplier is an SME, indicating that delivery at this scale is accessible to smaller specialist consultancies as well as larger providers. Organisations building evidence in these areas would be better placed when this buyer next requires comparable support.

## Notice

East Sussex County Council is seeking a provider to design and deliver a programme of business support and mentoring for creative businesses across East Sussex.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083741-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - limited competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 4 Sep 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 17 Aug 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £40,000 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | East Sussex County Council |
| Locality | LEWES |
| Postcode area | Brighton |
| Postcode | BN7 1UE |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLJ2 Surrey, East and West Sussex |
| ITL 3 | TLJ22 East Sussex CC |
| Local authority | Lewes |
| Electoral ward | Lewes Priory |
| Westminster constituency | Lewes |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | Studio Zao Innovations Ltd. |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 79411100 - Business development consultancy services

## Release History

- 4 Sep 2026 at 09:36 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083741-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083741-2026
  4th September 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.studiozao.com
- https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/
- 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-06f1e1. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f1e1.json.