Published date: 31 July 2025
This notice was replaced on 31 July 2025
This notice does not contain the most up-to-date information about this procurement. The most recent notice is:
Opportunity (published 31 July 2025, last edited 1 August 2025)
Open opportunity - This means that the contract is currently active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to fulfil the contract.
Contract summary
Industry
Research and development consultancy services - 73200000
Location of contract
BS1 6AL
Value of contract
£20,000
Procurement reference
CF-0006700DWS000000ED3p2AG
Published date
31 July 2025
Closing date
15 August 2025
Closing time
12pm
Contract start date
15 September 2025
Contract end date
10 November 2025
Contract type
Service contract
Procedure type
Open procedure (below threshold)
Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.
This procedure can be used for procurements below the relevant contract value threshold.
Contract is suitable for SMEs?
Yes
Contract is suitable for VCSEs?
Yes
Description
The Government has recognised the role mayoral combined authorities across England will have in realising its mission to increase growth across the country. It has asked local leaders to produce 'Local Growth Plans' for their areas setting out regional contributions to the national mission. The plans represent strategic partnerships between central government and combined authorities to identify priorities for growth and will be aligned to the Modern National Industrial Strategy launching later this year.
The West of England plan will be a locally owned, 10-year strategy which will set out how the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) will use its devolved powers and funding to drive growth in the region. It will build on the region's unique strengths and opportunities to support growth-driving sectors, identify wider business environment priorities, and provide a framework to focus and unlock investment.
Our region's Local Growth Plan (LGP) will need to relate to Government's thinking around priority sectors set out in the National Industrial Strategy green paper and its emerging sector plans. While many of the strengths in the West of England align with the sectors in the green paper, the economy in the MCA is highly interrelated and relies to a significant extent on cross-sectoral spill overs. In collaboration with Government, our Priority Sectors are defined as -
1. Advanced Manufacturing (our regional AM growth markets being aerospace, space, advanced materials, defence, auto/propulsion, robotics and the supply chains of these subsectors)
2. Clean Energy Industries (our regional CEI growth markets being nuclear, wind, low carbon fuels (esp hydrogen), decarbonisation)
3. Digital and Technology (our regional D&T growth markets being quantum, AI, semiconductors, future telecoms, engineering biology and digital, creative tech)
We also identified Creative industries (including strengths in virtual reality; media production; gaming) as an additional Key Sector that is regionally significant in its ability to support growth and to bolster overall national capability.
Targeted sector support is by no means new to the MCA, whether primarily focussed on high economic growth or on our wider regional priorities. Sector focus is a clear theme of our overarching West of England Strategic Framework, West of England Plan for Innovation, and West of England Digital Plan. It enables and informs the MCA's delivery of a diverse and cross-cutting portfolio including skills support, business support, inward investment, nature recovery and climate resilience.
The MCA's sector development is led by its Economy & Skills Directorate's inward investment and sector development service, with input from other directorates and with significant engagement of stakeholders across the innovation cluster. The MCA is currently planning the resourcing of that service beyond March 2026.
How to apply
Follow the instructions given in the description or the more information section.
About the buyer
Contact name
Sandyp Singh
Address
70 Redcliff Street
Bristol,
BS1 6AL
GB
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