Awarded without open competition
Awarded without open competition. The buyer went directly to one or a few suppliers instead of advertising the contract. Procurement rules allow this only in specific cases, such as extreme urgency, when only one supplier can do the work, or for call-offs from an existing framework.
Key facts
- Buyer
- West Midlands Combined Authority · Regional or local authority
- Supplier
- Aston University
- Value
- £155,522.50
- Procedure
- Competitive quotation (below threshold)
- Sector
- Business services · Business development consultancy services (CPV 79411100)
- Region
- West Midlands
- Official notice
- View on Contracts Finder
- Timeline
-
- Contract date14 Jan 2026
- Published6 Feb 2026Published 23 days after the contract date
Description
The successful supplier will deliver a learning programme and administer grant incentives to a minimum of 70 Social Impact Economy organisations ("Participants") who are in the early stages of their development (i.e., less than 2 years old and with a turnover below £100k per annum). Participants must operate in the Social Economy as a not-for-profit trading organisation (e.g., Social Enterprise, Community Business, Cooperative, Charity, etc). This programme will increase business skills (e.g., business and financial planning, sales & marketing etc) of Participants, leading to improved sustainability, increased trading income, reduced dependency on grants, job creation and greater social impact.
About the supplier
Aston University: every public contract they have won, plus their Companies House record (company RC000904).