TenderlineUK
Procurement Intelligence
Search
Find a TenderAwardedContract details notice
Published 2 Jan 2026, 15:22 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

Critical Friend - Devolution Programme

Official notice

Authority: Essex County Council (Local council)

Below threshold - unknown
Sectors: Business Services & Consultancy (79) Delivery: East of England (UKH3)
Awarded value£70,400published contract · inc. VAT
Awarded 29 Sept 2025
Awarded to Solace

What is being bought

Published requirement description

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

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · no lot value published
Lot #1Awarded
Delivery: East of England
79410000 Business and management consultancy services

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Below threshold - unknown
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Notice status
Awarded
Procurement threshold
Unspecified in notice
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
2 Jan 2026, 15:22 GMT
Last source update
2 Jan 2026, 15:22 GMT
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-000070
Latest notice
Contract details notice (UK7)
Delivery area
East of England (UKH3)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05fed0 Find a Tender

Notice history

1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender
  1. Contract details notice published
    2 Jan 2026, 15:22 GMT
    UK7

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value (inc. VAT) £70,4001 contract inc. VAT; no net value published
Contracts signed 1latest 29 Sept 2025
Awarded toValueDateStatus
SolaceSME£70,400 inc. VAT †—Awarded

Contracts

  • Contract 1 · SolaceSME

    Signed
    29 Sept 2025
    Value
    £70,400 inc. VAT
    Period
    29 Sept 2025 – 28 Mar 2026 · up to 28 Sept 2026 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    N/A

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Essex County Council

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PWVM-4844-NRQH County Hall, Market Road, Chelmsford, East of England, CM1 1QHContact email

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • SolaceAwarded supplier 6 Mitre Passage, London, London, SE10 0ERContact email

Official documents & specifications (1)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure