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Published 23 Sept 2026, 13:28 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Trafford Economic Strategy — UK public procurement notice

Official notice Competition analysis

Authority: Trafford Council (Local council)

2 lotsServicesBelow threshold - open competitionBelow thresholdSME suitable
Sectors: Business Services & Consultancy (79) Delivery: North West (UKD3)
Published estimate£100,000envelope for 2 lots · £120,000 inc. VAT
Submission deadline 5 Oct 202612:00 BST · 11d 19h left
Clarification cut-off 28 Sept 202617:00 BST · questions to the authority
Contract term Varies by lotfirst lot 1 yr 4 mo from 14 Dec 2026 · see each lot
Bids per lot · this authority 4all categories · n=15 · competition analysis ↓

What is being bought2 lots · detail below

Published requirement description

To develop a new Economic Strategy for Trafford covering the period 2026-2036 that provides a robust evidence base, identifies strategic economic opportunities and challenges, informs investment and policy decisions, and establishes a clear framework for achieving inclusive and sustainable economic growth across the borough. The commission will be delivered through a two-part approach comprising an Economic Diagnostic and Strategic Choices phase, followed by preparation of the final Economic Strategy and Delivery Framework

CPV: Economic research services

Lots and requirements (2)Procurement structure

2 lots · all with a published value (£100,000 together)
Lot #1Economic Statergy 1 yr 4 moSMEPublished value£100,000
Phase 1: Economic evidence base, diagnostic, engagement and Strategic Choices Paper. Phase 2: Economic Strategy, Investment Proposition and Delivery Framework (subject to confirmation of the additional funding).
Contract period: 14 Dec 2026 — 31 Mar 2028 (1 yr 4 mo)Eligibility: SME eligibleDelivery: North WestTurnover guideline: ~£154,022/yr≈ 2× annual value
Value
£100,000 exc. VAT · £120,000 inc. VAT
79311400 Economic research services
Award criteria

To be confirmed after Expression of Interest

Who is likely to bid for this lot ↓

Lot #2Economic Strategy Consultancy 2 yrs 4 moSMEPublished value£0
Additional specialist support based on rate-card services, should further support be required
Contract period: 14 Dec 2026 — 31 Mar 2029 (2 yrs 4 mo)Eligibility: SME eligibleDelivery: North West
Value
£0 exc. VAT · £0 inc. VAT
79311400 Economic research services
Award criteria

To be confirmed after Expression of Interest

Who is likely to bid for this lot ↓

Competition analysis · published record, not a forecast of who will bid

How Trafford Council buys Market research services (CPV 7931) — and who usually turns up

Trafford Council’s own published record, next to the North West England market for the same work. Frameworks and DPS are kept out: they attract a different number of bids. Whole-market view: Market research services (CPV 7931) →

1

How the contest usually goes

Left: this authority. Right: the market where the work is delivered. Bids and award-vs-estimate pairs are per lot, from contested contracts only — direct awards (including PA 2023 transparency notices) report one bid by definition and are left out. On Procurement Act 2023 notices the count is the tenders assessed at the final stage, not every submission received; pairs compare like with like (VAT-exclusive, or VAT-inclusive on both sides). Empty means nothing was published, not filled in from elsewhere.

This authority

Trafford Council

contract notices in 36 months: 1 in CPV 7931 · 5 in division 79 (2 route not published) · 58 in all categories (8 without competition · 16 route not published)

Bids per lot
i

How many companies usually bid for work like this.

Middle value of published bid counts, one per lot, for this buyer or this region in the same sector.

Based on this buyer’s tenders in all categories, last 36 months: 15 lots. 9 lots are from Procurement Act 2023 notices (bids assessed, middle 4) and 6 from older notices (bids received, middle 3).

Nothing is filled in from UK-wide numbers. An empty tile means nothing usable was published.

4all categories · 36m · n=15 lots
Single-bid lots
i

How often only one company bid.

Share of lots that received exactly one bid, on the same competitions as the bids figure.

Based on this buyer’s tenders in all categories, last 36 months: 15 lots.

High means a thin market or an incumbent that is hard to beat.

27%all categories · 36m · n=15 lots
Award vs estimate
i

Do awards for work like this land above or below the estimate.

Estimate against award per lot, for this buyer or this region in the same sector.

Based on this buyer’s tenders in all categories, last 36 months: 6 pairs.

A past pattern, not a price to bid.

17% belowall categories · 36m · n=6 pairs
Deadline → award date
i

How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.

Middle value in days from the deadline to the first award notice, on competitions that published both dates.

Based on this buyer’s tenders in all categories, last 36 months: 9 notices.

Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.

Last 36 months.

49dall categories · 36m · n=9 notices
Notice updates
i

How often this buyer changes a notice after publishing it.

Middle number of amendments per notice. Deadline extensions and corrections both count.

Based on this buyer’s tenders in all categories, last 24 months: 59 notices.

Last 24 months.

0all categories · 24m · n=59 notices
Awarded without competition
i

How often this buyer awards without a competition.

Direct or limited awards as a share of its notices that say which procedure was used. These routes are legal in defined cases. This is just the record.

Based on this buyer’s tenders in this industry (CPV 79), last 36 months: 3 notices.

Last 36 months.

0%division 79 · 36m · n=3 notices
Bids per lot · history, not this notice’s lots robust · n=15
i

How the number of bidders is spread across lots.

Each lot with a published bid count is put in a band: one bid, two to three, four to six, seven or more. Real competitions only.

Based on 15 lots on 15 contested notices · all categories, last 36 months.

  • 1 bid 27%
  • 2–3 20%
  • 4–6 33%
  • 7+ 20%

Median 4 · 15 lots on 15 contested notices · all categories.

Winning award vs estimate robust · n=6
i

How often winners come in below, near or above the estimate.

Each lot with both an estimate and an award is placed by how far the award sat from the estimate.

Based on 6 lot pairs · all categories, last 36 months.

A past pattern, not a price to bid.

  • Below estimate 83%
  • Within ±2% 17%
  • Above estimate 0%

6 lot pairs · all categories.

The market · delivery region

North West England · Market research services (CPV 7931)

contract notices delivered in North West England in 36 months: 40 in CPV 7931 (29 competed, 8 route not published) · 705 in division 79 (471 competed, 122 route not published)

Bids per lot
i

How many companies usually bid for work like this.

Middle value of published bid counts, one per lot, for this buyer or this region in the same sector.

Based on this region’s tenders in this sector (CPV 7931), last 36 months: 20 lots. 16 lots are from Procurement Act 2023 notices (bids assessed, middle 5) and 4 from older notices (bids received, middle 8).

Nothing is filled in from UK-wide numbers. An empty tile means nothing usable was published.

5CPV 7931 · 36m · n=20 lots
Single-bid lots
i

How often only one company bid.

Share of lots that received exactly one bid, on the same competitions as the bids figure.

Based on this region’s tenders in this sector (CPV 7931), last 36 months: 20 lots.

High means a thin market or an incumbent that is hard to beat.

5%CPV 7931 · 36m · n=20 lots
Award vs estimate
i

Do awards for work like this land above or below the estimate.

Estimate against award per lot, for this buyer or this region in the same sector.

Based on this region’s tenders in this sector (CPV 7931), last 36 months: 16 pairs.

A past pattern, not a price to bid.

at estimateCPV 7931 · 36m · n=16 pairs
Deadline → award date
i

How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.

Middle value in days from the deadline to the first award notice, on competitions that published both dates.

Based on this region’s tenders in this sector (CPV 7931), last 36 months: 14 notices.

Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.

Last 36 months.

37dCPV 7931 · 36m · n=14 notices
SME bidders
i

How much of this market goes to small and medium firms.

SME bidders where buyers published the split, otherwise SME winners.

Based on this region’s tenders in this sector (CPV 7931), last 36 months: 18 lots.

Last 36 months.

74%CPV 7931 · 36m · n=18 lots
Winners based in the region
i

How much work like this goes to companies based in the delivery region.

Awards in this category delivered here where the winner’s registered address is in the region.

Based on this region’s tenders in this sector (CPV 7931), last 36 months: 23 awards.

Registered address, so a national firm with a local branch counts as outside.

Last 36 months.

74%CPV 7931 · 36m · n=23 awards
Bids per lot · history, not this notice’s lots robust · n=20
i

How the number of bidders is spread across lots.

Each lot with a published bid count is put in a band: one bid, two to three, four to six, seven or more. Real competitions only.

Based on 20 lots on 17 contested notices · CPV 7931, last 36 months.

  • 1 bid 5%
  • 2–3 15%
  • 4–6 35%
  • 7+ 45%

Median 5 · 20 lots on 17 contested notices · CPV 7931.

Winning award vs estimate robust · n=16
i

How often winners come in below, near or above the estimate.

Each lot with both an estimate and an award is placed by how far the award sat from the estimate.

Based on 16 lot pairs · CPV 7931, last 36 months.

A past pattern, not a price to bid.

  • Below estimate 44%
  • Within ±2% 50%
  • Above estimate 6%

16 lot pairs · CPV 7931.

robust · n=6
i

Where this tender’s estimate would land if the usual pattern repeats.

We apply the buyer’s usual movement between estimate and award (or the region’s) to the estimate on this notice.

This notice gives one total for several lots, so we show the percentage but do not turn it into pounds.

A benchmark, not a price to bid.

Awards in Trafford Council (all categories, n=6 pairs) land a median 17% below. Applied to each lot’s own published value in the lot table below — the notice total (£100,000) is an envelope for 2 lots and is not converted.
Coverage and what to read with care
  • Each tile explains itself. The on a figure says what it is, how it is counted and which scope this notice’s own record came from (class, division, all categories, or the authority’s 24-month row). The two columns are never blended and nothing is filled from a UK-wide figure; an empty tile means the source published nothing usable. Long form: Methodology.
  • Coverage. Roughly 40 % of notices publish a bid count; about half publish an ITL1 delivery location, so the market column reads the authority’s registered region when the notice has none (labelled). About 30 % of award-vs-estimate pairs are exact matches — the buyer published the award at the estimate. n is on every figure; a thin sample is muted, never hidden.
  • “Match” and “relevance” are model scores from the nightly matcher, not published facts. Find a Tender does not publish who is bidding. Never shown: contact details, payment behaviour, or a recommended price.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Below threshold - open competition
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Open for tender
Procurement threshold
Below threshold
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
No (one-off requirement)
First published
23 Sept 2026, 13:28 BST
Last source update
23 Sept 2026, 13:28 BST
Latest notice
Tender notice (UK4)
Classification (CPV)
Economic research services
Delivery area
North West (UKD3)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-077899 Find a Tender

How to participate & submission route

Official notice Submit via ProContract (Due North)
Submission portal named on this notice: ProContract (Due North) · Who buys & how to bid on ProContract
Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowed
Access & registration note: Free · short registration with manual review; public opportunity list
Expression of interest (EOI)
—
Tender submission deadline
5 Oct 2026, 12:00 BST
Clarification deadline
28 Sept 2026, 17:00 BST
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release
procontract.due-north.com/Login ↗ REF DN830577 Trafford Economic Strategy

Timeline

4 published dates · Europe/London
  1. Tender notice publishedearlier today
    23 Sept 2026, 13:28 BST
  2. Clarification questions byin 5 days
    28 Sept 2026, 17:00 BST
  3. Submission deadlinein 12 days
    5 Oct 2026, 12:00 BST
  4. Contract startsin 81 days
    14 Dec 2026, 00:00 GMT

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Nothing awarded yet
Awards (0)
No award published
Contracts (0)
No contract published
Bid statistics
No aggregate bid statistics published

Notice history

1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender
  1. Tender notice published
    23 Sept 2026, 13:28 BSTUK4

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Trafford Council

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PGZW-1429-QQZQ Trafford Town Hall, Talbot Road, Manchester, North West, M32 0TH [email protected]

Official documents & specifications (3)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

Notices published for this procedure

  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender