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PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY

Business Support North East Framework

North East Combined Authority · Tender notice on Find a Tender

Tender information last checkedLast checked 19 Oct 2026, 19:31.

Opportunity overview

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. Please see the Market Engagement event recording below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPiuaxY_5JE

Classification

  • CPV79411100 — Business development consultancy services
  • CPV80500000 — Training services

Lots

  • Enterprise, Entrepreneurship and Business Start-up Support£8m · Including VAT
  • Business Growth, Productivity and Specialist Business Support£6m · Including VAT
  • High Growth, Scale-up and Investment Support£3m · Including VAT
  • Sector, Cluster, Supply Chain and Market Development£2m · Including VAT
  • Business Engagement, Development and Programme Delivery Services£4m · Including VAT

Documents and notices

Published notice details

Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.

Scope, procedure and submissions

Id
OPEN-PR-02102026122317339
Status
active
Procurement Method
open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Main Procurement Category
services
Above Threshold
Yes

Legal basis

Id
2023/54
Scheme
UKPGA

Special regime

lightTouch

Techniques

Has Framework Agreement
Yes

Framework Agreement

Is Open Framework Scheme
Yes
Method
withAndWithoutReopeningCompetition
Type
closed
Description
1. Competitive Selection Process All eligible Suppliers appointed to the relevant Lot are invited to tender. The Call-Off Documentation sets out the requirement, budget or Contract Value, pricing basis, timescale, contract terms and award criteria. Evaluation will normally be based on 70% Quality and 30% Price, although criteria must be relevant and proportionate to the individual requirement. The contract is awarded to the Supplier achieving the highest weighted score, subject to meeting any minimum requirements and obtaining the necessary approvals. This route is best suited to requirements where Suppliers need to propose different methodologies, delivery models or prices. 2. Award without further competition All eligible Suppliers within the relevant Lot are assessed using the objective capability-based Supplier-selection mechanism fixed in the Framework. No new award criteria can be introduced and Suppliers cannot submit a new or materially improved tender. As price was not evaluated when Suppliers joined the Framework, price does not form part of the selection assessment. The selected Supplier may be asked to confirm acceptance of the stated budget, Contract Value and payment basis. If the highest-ranked Supplier declines or cannot deliver, the same mechanism may be applied to the next-ranked Supplier. This route is best suited to requirements that can be clearly matched to the capability, capacity and availability information established through the Framework. For either route, the requirement must fall within the relevant Lot, Framework scope, term and value, and The North East MSA must complete the necessary governance, conflicts, exclusions, record-keeping and publication requirements. The North East MSA also reserves the right to use other appropriate procurement or delivery routes where necessary.
Open Framework Scheme End Date
31 Mar 2032, 23:59

Submission terms

Electronic Submission Policy
allowed

Languages

en

Tender Period

Ends
13 Nov 2026, 17:00

Expected award period

Ends
30 Nov 2026, 23:59

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
1
Title
Enterprise, Entrepreneurship and Business Start-up Support
Description
The North East MSA is seeking proposals for the design, mobilisation and delivery of an integrated programme to provide a coordinated pathway supporting individuals from the earliest stages of considering self-employment or entrepreneurship through to business start-up, early trading and progression into wider business support provision as part of the Business North East offer. The service is intended to support the creation of sustainable new businesses across the North East and contribute towards increased entrepreneurial activity, higher business start-up rates and improved business survival rates. Delivery should support the MSA's objective of ensuring that enterprise support is visible, accessible and responsive to all communities and places across the region. The programme is expected to operate across all seven local authority areas and form an integral part of the wider Business North East ecosystem, working closely with the regional hub, local authority spokes and wider partner organisations to ensure participants can access the support most appropriate to their needs.
Status
active
Has Renewal
Yes

Value

Including VAT
8,000,000
Currency
GBP

Award criteria

Criteria

Criterion 1
Type
quality
Name
Quality

Numbers

Entry 1
Number
100
Weight
percentageExact

Suitability

Sme
Yes
Vcse
Yes

Contract period

Starts
1 Jan 2027, 00:00
Ends
31 Mar 2029, 23:59
Max Extent Date
31 Mar 2032, 23:59

Renewal

Description
3x 12 month increments
Entry 2
Id
2
Title
Business Growth, Productivity and Specialist Business Support
Description
The North East MSA is seeking proposals for the design, mobilisation and delivery of a Succeed in Business: Access to Expert Specialists programme as part of the Business North East offer. The programme would provide established businesses with access to specialist expertise, practical support and targeted interventions designed to address barriers to survival, resilience, growth, productivity and innovation. The purpose of the programme is to help existing businesses identify and implement solutions to the key issues limiting their performance, enabling them to improve competitiveness, strengthen operational capability, operate successfully and realise sustainable growth opportunities. The service is intended to support the growth and development of businesses operating across all sectors of the North East economy. Whilst specialist sector knowledge may be required in some circumstances, the primary focus of the programme is on helping businesses overcome common challenges relating to areas such as leadership, workforce development, marketing, exporting, technology adoption, productivity, finance, innovation and operational performance. The programme should operate as part of the wider Business North East ecosystem and work closely with the regional hub, local authority spokes and wider business support partners to ensure businesses receive coordinated and complementary support.
Status
active
Has Renewal
Yes

Value

Including VAT
6,000,000
Currency
GBP

Award criteria

Criteria

Criterion 1
Type
quality
Name
Quality

Numbers

Entry 1
Number
100
Weight
percentageExact

Suitability

Sme
Yes
Vcse
Yes

Contract period

Starts
1 Jan 2027, 00:00
Ends
31 Mar 2029, 23:59
Max Extent Date
31 Mar 2032, 23:59

Renewal

Description
3x 12 month increments
Entry 3
Id
3
Title
High Growth, Scale-up and Investment Support
Description
This Lot covers the provision of intensive and targeted support for businesses with the ambition and potential to achieve significant growth, scale their operations, access investment or expand into new markets. Services commissioned under this Lot may include high-growth diagnostics; strategic growth planning; scale-up and accelerator programmes; leadership and management development for growth; investment and equity readiness; access to growth finance and investor engagement; innovation and commercialisation; internationalisation and market expansion; executive mentoring and coaching; peer learning; and connections to investors, professional advisers and specialist networks. Services may be delivered through individual, cohort, accelerator or other intensive models, and the Lot may also be used for new or emerging forms of high-growth and scale-up support designed to accelerate the development, investment potential and growth of ambitious businesses.
Status
active
Has Renewal
Yes

Value

Including VAT
3,000,000
Currency
GBP

Award criteria

Criteria

Criterion 1
Type
quality
Name
Quality

Numbers

Entry 1
Number
100
Weight
percentageExact

Suitability

Sme
Yes
Vcse
Yes

Contract period

Starts
1 Jan 2027, 00:00
Ends
31 Mar 2029, 23:59
Max Extent Date
31 Mar 2032, 23:59

Renewal

Description
3x 12 month increments
Entry 4
Id
4
Title
Sector, Cluster, Supply Chain and Market Development
Description
This Lot covers the provision of services that strengthen sectors, clusters, supply chains and wider business ecosystems, including activity designed to develop collective capability, stimulate collaboration and enable businesses to respond to existing and emerging market opportunities. Services commissioned under this Lot may include sector and cluster development; cluster management and capability building; sector-specific business support; supply-chain development and supplier readiness; industry and business-to-business collaboration; innovation networks; market and commercial opportunity development; sector events and networking; and the design and delivery of interventions aligned to priority sectors or areas of economic opportunity. The Lot may also be used to commission research-led, developmental or responsive activity that identifies and addresses emerging sector, cluster, supply-chain or market opportunities and enables groups of businesses to collaborate, innovate and grow.
Status
active
Has Renewal
Yes

Value

Including VAT
2,000,000
Currency
GBP

Award criteria

Criteria

Criterion 1
Type
quality
Name
Quality

Numbers

Entry 1
Number
100
Weight
percentageExact

Suitability

Sme
Yes
Vcse
Yes

Contract period

Starts
1 Jan 2027, 00:00
Ends
31 Mar 2029, 23:59
Max Extent Date
31 Mar 2032, 23:59

Renewal

Description
3x 12 month increments
Entry 5
Id
5
Title
Business Engagement, Development and Programme Delivery Services
Description
This Lot covers a broad range of enabling, engagement and delivery services required to support the effective development and implementation of business and economic development programmes and interventions. Services commissioned under this Lot may include business engagement and outreach; programme activation and participant recruitment; local or place-based engagement; business events, networking, workshops and seminars; training, mentoring and coaching programmes; peer networks; adviser development; development of business support content, tools and digital resources; programme and intervention design; fund and programme management and delivery; programme and project evaluation, and associated marketing and communications activity. The Lot is also intended to provide flexibility to commission cross-cutting, pilot, innovative or responsive business support activity where requirements emerge during the life of the Framework and do not naturally sit within another Lot.
Status
active
Has Renewal
Yes

Value

Including VAT
4,000,000
Currency
GBP

Award criteria

Criteria

Criterion 1
Type
quality
Name
Quality

Numbers

Entry 1
Number
100
Weight
percentageExact

Suitability

Sme
Yes
Vcse
Yes

Contract period

Starts
1 Jan 2027, 00:00
Ends
31 Mar 2029, 23:59
Max Extent Date
31 Mar 2032, 23:59

Renewal

Description
3x 12 month increments

Items and delivery

Item 1
Id
1
Related Lot
1

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
CPV
Id
79411100
Description
Business development consultancy services
Entry 2
Scheme
CPV
Id
80500000
Description
Training services

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UKC14
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Entry 2
Region
UKC2
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Item 2
Id
2
Related Lot
2

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
CPV
Id
79411100
Description
Business development consultancy services
Entry 2
Scheme
CPV
Id
80500000
Description
Training services

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UKC14
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Entry 2
Region
UKC2
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Item 3
Id
3
Related Lot
3

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
CPV
Id
79411100
Description
Business development consultancy services
Entry 2
Scheme
CPV
Id
80500000
Description
Training services

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UKC14
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Entry 2
Region
UKC2
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Item 4
Id
4
Related Lot
4

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
CPV
Id
79411100
Description
Business development consultancy services
Entry 2
Scheme
CPV
Id
80500000
Description
Training services

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UKC14
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Entry 2
Region
UKC2
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Item 5
Id
5
Related Lot
5

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
CPV
Id
79411100
Description
Business development consultancy services
Entry 2
Scheme
CPV
Id
80500000
Description
Training services

Delivery locations

Entry 1
Region
UKC14
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Entry 2
Region
UKC2
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom

Published documents

Entry 1
Id
conflictOfInterest
Document Type
conflictOfInterest
Description
Not published
Entry 2
Id
L-1
Document Type
biddingDocuments
Description
OPEN-PR-02102026122317339
Entry 3
Id
098708-2026
Document Type
tenderNotice
Notice Type
UK4
Description
Tender notice on Find a Tender
Published
19 Oct 2026, 17:57
Format
text/html

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1
Name
North East Combined Authority
Id
GB-PPON-PJMR-6594-BRGH

Identifier

Scheme
GB-PPON
Id
PJMR-6594-BRGH

Address

Street Address
The Lumen, St James' Boulevard
Locality
Newcastle Upon Tyne
Postal Code
NE4 5BZ
Country
GB
Country Name
United Kingdom
Region
UKC22

Contact

Roles

buyer

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Scheme
UK_CA_TYPE
Id
publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment
Description
Public authority - sub-central government

Recorded locations

  • Buyer location · Newcastle Upon Tyne · UKC22 · NE4 5BZ · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UKC14 · United Kingdom
  • Delivery location · UKC2 · United Kingdom

Notice and amendment history

2 published notice versions reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

2 VERSIONS
  1. 091097-2026Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ·
  2. 098708-2026Tender notice on Find a Tender ·

PROCURAAXIS ANALYSIS

ProcuraAxis Analysis

Our approved analysis of the opportunity appears below the official tender information.

ANALYSIS PREVIEW

Opportunity intelligence at a glance

Open tender for a £23m Business Support North East framework across five lots, covering start-up support, business growth, scale-up and investment, sector and supply-chain development, and programme engagement/delivery services.

Who this may suit

Suitable for providers of business-support programmes and specialist enterprise, growth, training, mentoring, investment-readiness, sector-development or programme-delivery services. Suppliers may bid for one or more lots.

Key points identified

  • Service capabilityCapability and experience to deliver services within one or more framework areasEvidence: “identify suitably qualified suppliers with the capability and experience to deliver services within one or more of these areas.”
  • Lot 1 deliveryDesign, mobilisation and delivery of an integrated enterprise and start-up support programmeEvidence: Lot 1: “seeking proposals for the design, mobilisation and delivery of an integrated programme”.
  • Lot 2 deliveryDesign, mobilisation and delivery of an expert-specialist business-support programmeEvidence: Lot 2: “seeking proposals for the design, mobilisation and delivery of a Succeed in Business: Access to Expert Specialists programme”.
94% approved-analysis confidence4 supplier criteria identified3 risks or unknowns

SOURCE AND FRESHNESS

Traceable procurement data

Source
Find a Tender
Notice reference
098708-2026
OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-077ace
First published
25 Sept 2026
Last checked
19 Oct 2026, 19:31
Notice versions reviewed
2
View Find a Tender notice ↗

HOW THIS WAS PREPARED

Approved, evidence-bound analysis

ProcuraAxis structures information found in published procurement records, checks the result for consistency and publishes only approved analysis. Confidence describes the completeness and consistency of the available source information; it is not a guarantee of eligibility or contract award.

Analysis status
Approved for publication
Analysed
19 Oct 2026
Read the analysis methodology →