UK Public Sector Contracts & Tenders

A key part of the new Government's mission to kick-start growth is a commitment to building an inclusive and thriving labour market where everyone has the opportunity of good work, and the chance to get on at work. This will improve living standards and ensure funding for vital public services. It is also central to delivering on missions to break down the barriers to opportunity, and to improve the health of the nation. As part of this mission, the Government has set a long-term ambition to achieve an 80% employment rate. This would place the UK among the highest performing countries in the world, with the equivalent of over two million more people in work. The recently launched "Get Britain Working" White Paper outlines Government's strategy to invest £240m to support this ambition and help improve workplace health and keep people in work, including trials of combined public services for those out of work due to ill health. The strategy will bring fundamental reform that transforms relationships with local areas and ensures a strong foundation of partnership working to support people into good, sustainable work. Connect to Work is the first major element of the Get Britain Working Strategy. It will take a collaborative, locally led approach to tackling 'Hidden Unemployment'. It will help connect local work, health and skills support. The funding provides a coherent, systematic and joined up approach to maximise the benefits available for individuals and local communities. Connect to Work will support the wider development of locally planned systems to drive growth, working jointly with the Government. It will be an important strand in local plans to tackle inactivity and expand employment opportunity. By encouraging join up between health systems and employment support, Connect to Work will support those, primarily, currently outside the workforce and facing greater labour market disadvantages, to stay in work and get back into work. In turn, supporting the Government's ambition for a more inclusive economy, supporting local people to realise their potential and supporting local and national growth.

North East CA are looking to appoint a range of experienced consultants who can undertake business case appraisals in accordance with the required assurance processes. This guidance will be used to support judgements and funding decisions and the award of public funding to applicants. Appointed supplier(s) will undertake appraisals which are compliant to the Treasury Green Book Standard , DfT WebTAG and North East Combined Authority Single Assurance Framework . Appraisal advice will be provided at the varying stages of review, including but not limited to Appraisal Summary Report, Outline and Full Business Case.

This project will develop the evidence base and design and test practical solutions, to inform local and national policy, with the aim of removing barriers and enabling fairer access to work for people living in supported accommodation. This project will also consider how factors beyond direct costs, such as stigma, lack of employer flexibility, and the intersection with domestic abuse recovery, compound financial barriers to work. the project is not only about financial disincentives but also about psychological, structural and practical.

The funding for children and young people's programmes intends to build an inclusive economy, where all children and young people have equal opportunities to realise their potential and be part of the region's future success. To achieve this, the former North of Tyne Combined Authority launched a Children and Young People's Flexible Procurement Framework for delivery in the North of Tyne area and invited a wide range of organisations and providers including public and private sector, independent training organisations, Voluntary and Community Sector Organisations (VCSE) organisations and other stakeholders, to tender for a place on the Framework. Following the transition of North of Tyne Combined Authority to the North East Combined Authority, encompassing four additional local authority areas, the North East CA is now reopening this framework to enable procurement of activity across the full North East CA. The Flexible Procurement Framework will initially be utilised to procure providers for North East CA investment fund allocation for excellence in education and child poverty reduction programmes.

The purpose of the 'Advice in community settings and schools' service is to provide income maximisation, benefits and debt advice across our region, making this available within a wider range of trusted community spaces - such as early years settings - to help families receive their entitlement, including those who are in work. North Tyneside Council (the Council) procuring on behalf of the North East Mayoral Combined Authority (North East CA) which has been duly authorised. All references to the Council in documentation should be understood to include North Tyneside Council's procuring role as the representative of North East Mayoral Combined Authority (North East CA). North Tyneside Council is the procuring authority, the North East Mayoral Combined Authority (North East CA) is the contracting authority.

The Create Talent Programme is an innovative, industry led skills programme that will support the North East's thriving creative sector, focusing on the music, arts, writing and publishing and the screen industry. The programme will play a key part in delivering the Mayor and Cabinet's mission 'Home to a growing and vibrant economy for all', providing our workforce with the right skills and training to build an inclusive and competitive economy. The programme will provide sector-leading, inclusive and needs-led pathways for aspiring creatives, encouraging people of all ages from diverse backgrounds to aspire to a career in the creative sector. Alongside this, it will support freelancers and enterprises to develop high-level skills in creative practices. By focusing on identified skills needs and transferable skills, it will equip our freelance community with the fundamental skills to build, sustain and grow their practice as effective freelancers employed in the creative sector. This procurement opportunity is seeking delivery partnerships led by creative industry specialists, provision must combine practical experience with theoretical knowledge and be delivered in real work environments (e.g., studios, writing hubs) alongside community venues. In the partnership arrangement, a lead provider will be responsible for coordinating delivery across all partners, ensuring that the target number of participants is supported and that the allocated funding is utilised effectively and in line with programme objectives.

This opportunity is to enter into Contract(s) for Service with Provider(s) for an Independent Auditor of the North East Combined Authority's (North East CA) Bus Franchising Scheme Assessment. On 30 July 2024 the North East Mayor Kim McGuiness and Cabinet approved a project to undertake a Franchising Scheme Assessment (FSA) and the Authority is currently preparing an assessment of the proposed bus franchising scheme in accordance with section 123B of the Transport Act 2000 as amended by the Bus Services Act 2017 (the "Act"). The FSA is delivered collaboratively with partners across the region, supported by specialist consultants, with a cabinet decision on whether to proceed to Audit expected in March 2026. As part of meeting the requirements of the Act, if a decision is made to proceed to obtaining a report from an [auditor][independent approved person], the Authority will require a suitably qualified organisation (the "Auditor") to undertake an audit of the Assessment and to provide an opinion in relation to the following areas required by section 123D of the Act: • Whether the information relied on by the Authority in considering the matters referred to in section 123B(3)(d) of the Act (the affordability of the scheme) or section 123B(3)(e) of the Act (the value for money of the proposed scheme) is of sufficient quality; • Whether the analysis of that information in the Assessment is of sufficient quality; and • Whether the Authority had due regard to the Guidance issued under section 123B of the Act in preparing the Assessment. The objective of this project is to deliver an independent audit to the North East CA of the FSA in accordance with relevant requirements of the Act.

This invitation to tender (ITT) invites bidders to develop a Regional Childcare Strategy for the North East Combined Authority region as part of a wider programme of work delivering against the North East child poverty action plan. This ITT will comprise one lot for the whole of the region covering the local authority areas of County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside Northumberland, South Tyneside, and Sunderland. The purpose of this commission for a Regional Childcare Strategy is to assimilate a robust, evidence-based strategy, framework for action and recommendations to drive forward the work of the North East Combined Authority, its constituent authorities and other regional partners and stakeholders. The commissioned organisation and its partners will be responsible for ensuring that the work represents the diverse experiences from across the region and system; recognising local nuance and focussing on the experiences of low-income families and the priority groups identified in the regional child poverty action plan (Annexe 1). We are seeking a partnership approach to this work, providing diverse perspectives on this complex challenge. The approach will be evidence-led with the views and needs of parents/carers and communities at its heart. The work will engage with professionals and other local, regional, and national stakeholders. Deadline for clarification questions is 16th January 2026 5pm.

We invite consultants to express their interest in supporting the North East Mayoral Combined Authority (North East CA) with developing a regional identify and a creative treatment framework. The consultancy work will need to be completed over a 10-week period, with the contract commencing in April 2026. The maximum total budget for this contract is £70,000.

We invite consultants to express their interest in supporting the North East Mayoral Combined Authority (North East CA) to undertake Market and Stakeholder Research for the Regional Identity Framework - North East England. The consultancy work will need to be completed over a 10-week period, with the contract commencing in April 2026. The maximum total budget for this contract is £35,000.

This invitation to tender invites bidders to develop and run a data-driven campaign, designed to increase take-up of entitlements and other support for care-experienced young people. This is part of a wider programme of work delivering against the North East child poverty action plan. The maximum total budget for this contract is £30,000

The North East Combined Authority (North East CA) is inviting suitably qualified and experienced suppliers to tender for appointment to a framework agreement for event management services. The framework will support North East CA and its partners in the planning, delivery and evaluation of key agreed events that showcase and promote regional initiatives to a range of audiences, including businesses, stakeholders and local communities. High-quality, well-targeted and professionally managed events are a key part of how the North East CA engages partners, communicates strategic priorities and demonstrates the impact of regional programmes. Please note the deadline for clarifications is 29th April.