ENQ1304 - Derby Culture Strategic Review
DERBY CITY COUNCILEstimated Value
£50,000 – £0
Deadline
30 June 2026
Published
15 June 2026
Type
services
Overview
Derby City Council seeks to appoint a suitably experienced consultant or consortium to undertake a strategic review of Derby's cultural infrastructure, governance, organisational arrangements and investment model. The contract is estimated to commence on 16th July 2026 and expire on 26th February 2027.
Please note suppliers wishing to express interest and obtain the documentation must do so by 11:00 on Tuesday 30th June 2026. The deadline for returns is 12:00 on Tuesday 30th June 2026.
Documents are available at www.eastmidstenders.org (https://www.eastmidstenders.org) Please search for ENQ1304 or DN818876. Please note: we will only accept expressions of interest through the e-tendering system.
Key dates
- Commences
- 16th July 2026
Submission
It is recommended that you express interest and obtain the documentation well before this time to allow sufficient time to prepare and submit a bid.
AI Analysis
Powered by AI — always verify against official documents
Derby City Council is looking for a consultant or team of consultants to review how Derby's cultural services are run, including their structure, management, and how they're funded. The work runs from mid-July 2026 to late February 2027 (about 7-8 months).
Requirements
- Must be a consultant or consortium (group of organisations working together)
- Must have relevant experience in strategic reviews of cultural infrastructure
- Must have experience with governance and organisational arrangements in the cultural sector
- Must have experience analysing investment and funding models
- Must submit expression of interest through the e-tendering system (eastmidstenders.org) by 11:00 on 30th June 2026
- Must submit final bid by 12:00 on 30th June 2026
- No specific certifications or accreditations mentioned in the notice
Key Tasks & Deliverables
- Conduct a strategic review of Derby's cultural infrastructure (buildings, facilities, services)
- Review the governance structure of cultural organisations in Derby
- Analyse current organisational arrangements and report on how they work
- Examine the current investment model (how money is allocated and spent)
- Produce findings and recommendations (deliverable format not specified in notice)
How to Read This Tender
- 1This is a consultancy review contract, not a delivery or construction project — you're being paid to analyse and advise, not to build or install things.
- 2The deadline is the same day for both expressing interest AND submitting your bid (30th June 2026 at different times). You must register interest first to get the full documents, so do this immediately — don't wait until the last minute.
- 3The notice doesn't detail the budget, scope depth, or exact deliverables — you must obtain the full tender documents from eastmidstenders.org to understand what Derby City Council actually wants.
- 4Look for the evaluation criteria in the full documents — this will tell you what matters most (e.g. is it price, experience, approach, or a mix?). The notice doesn't mention this.
- 5Check whether this is a fixed-price contract or day-rate based — this affects your bid structure significantly and should be in the full tender pack.
Tips for Small Businesses
- If you're a small consultancy, consider forming a consortium with other specialists (e.g. team up with someone strong in cultural sector governance if that's your weak point). The notice specifically allows consortiums, which levels the playing field against large firms.
- This is a strategic review role — emphasise any previous cultural sector work, local authority experience, and case studies where your recommendations led to real change. Derby City Council will want to see you understand their sector and can influence decision-makers.
- Get the documents immediately when you express interest (well before 30th June) so you have time to understand what's being asked and build a strong bid. The same-day deadline is tight — don't scramble at the last minute.
Likely incumbents
Suppliers who won similar work from this buyer in the last 5 years.
- 1
Counterculture Partnership LLP
1 contract wonlatest 13 Jul 2026ends 26 Feb 2027£48,900
total awarded
- 2
5TH STUDIO LTD
1 contract wonlatest 1 Jun 2026ends 30 Sept 2026£27,479
total awarded
Counterculture Partnership LLP is the most likely incumbent based on recency and category match. To win, bidders typically need a clearly differentiated proposition or a price advantage.
Before you bid, buyers check
two years of filed accountsyour financial standingturnover vs contract valueyour Companies House recordcash flow for 30-day termscredit scores and ratios
Actions
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How to Apply
Step-by-step submission guide
Submission Portal
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Submit your response
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Buyer Profile
DERBY CITY COUNCILKey Dates
Published
15 June 2026
Submission deadline
30 June 2026
Notice type
Contract
Source
contracts finder
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