Small consultancy and professional services contracts for first-time bidders

There are 55 open consultancy and professional services tenders a small firm new to public sector work could realistically go for. The soonest closes on 9 November 2026.

Every contract here passes all six checks, taken from the official notice:

• Anyone can bid: it is not a call-off for firms already on a framework
• Worth £100,000 or less
• The buyer hasn't marked it as unsuitable for small firms
• No staff to take over (no TUPE)
• No named accreditations required
• At least 7 days until the deadline

Open now

• Local Plan Viability Study, South Staffordshire District Council, £72,000, closes 9 November 2026
  South Staffordshire District Council wants to hire a specialist firm to carry out a viability study for their new local plan. This is a two-stage research project that will examine whether their propo
• Economic analysis of access applications, Office of Rail and Road, £95,000, closes 9 November 2026
  The Office of Rail and Road (the rail regulator) wants a consultancy firm to carry out economic analysis to help it decide four applications from train operators. The operators want rights to run pass
• Provision of Provision of a Cemetery Site Feasibility Assessment and Wider Site Search, Peterborough City Council, £40,000, closes 10 November 2026
  Peterborough City Council wants a consultant to check whether a specific site could work as a new cemetery, looking at ground conditions, water, planning and whether it could be built on. It also want
• Water Treatment Services including Water Risk Asesssments, Solihull College and University Centre, £80,000, closes 10 November 2026
  Solihull College needs a water treatment company to look after water systems across three campuses and carry out annual risk assessments. The current contract ends on 31 December 2026, and they want a
• NCC1999 NE Rural Growth Programme Evaluation, Northumberland County Council, £75,000, closes 10 November 2026
  Northumberland County Council wants an outside organisation to carry out an independent review of the North East Rural Growth Programme, a set of publicly funded projects supporting rural businesses a
• Oakham East Transport and Public Realm Improvements - Multidisciplinary Preliminary Design Consultancy Services, Rutland County Council, £90,000, closes 10 November 2026
  Rutland County Council wants to hire a design consultant to plan improvements to roads, pavements and public spaces in the east part of Oakham. The work focuses on making it safer and easier for pedes
• Footways Maintenance Survey (Lot 3) (2027), West Sussex County Council, £60,000, closes 10 November 2026
  West Sussex County Council wants to hire a surveyor or specialist organisation to inspect and collect data about the condition of footways (pavements) and cycle paths across the county during 2027. Th
• Unclassified Road Conditions Survey (Lot 1) (2027), West Sussex County Council, £75,000, closes 10 November 2026
  West Sussex County Council needs organisations to carry out surveys of unclassified roads (smaller local roads not maintained by the highways authority) across the county during 2027. This is a one-of
• CA18552 - RFQ 2026/40 - NMANDD PEACEPLUS "Thriving Together" - 3.2 Minority Community Support Programme - Journeys & Belonging, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMD), £20,307, closes 10 November 2026
  Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is hiring a consultancy company to design and deliver a community support programme for minority communities in two local areas. The programme will use workshop
• A, B & C Road Conditions Survey (Lot 2) (2027), West Sussex County Council, £90,000, closes 10 November 2026
  West Sussex County Council wants organisations to carry out road condition surveys on A, B and C roads across the county during 2027. This is a one-off contract to inspect and report on the state of t
• RFQ 2026/40 - NMANDD PEACEPLUS “Thriving Together” - 3.2 Minority Community Support Programme - Journeys & Belonging, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMD) , £20,307, closes 10 November 2026
  Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is looking for a consultancy company to design and run a community support programme for minority communities in two local areas. The programme will use worksho
• Provision of Employer's Agent Services - Imperial Garage, Haverfordwest Development, ateb Housing Group Ltd, £44,000, closes 11 November 2026
  ateb Housing Group is looking for a single consultant to act as their Employer's Agent for a 20-unit housing development at Imperial Garage in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire. The role involves overseein
• Solar PV Feasibility Study Consultancy for the Office and Residential Properties at the British High Commission Lusaka, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, £30,000, closes 11 November 2026
  The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) wants a consultant to assess whether solar panels and battery storage would work at the British High Commission in Lusaka, Zambia. This covers t
• Extending the Cost of Food Crime Analysis: Additional Case Studies and Assessing the Impact of NFCU Activity, Food Standards Agency, £100,000, closes 12 November 2026
  The Food Standards Agency wants a research team to develop a methodology and framework for measuring and communicating the impact of the National Food Crime Unit (NFCU). You will produce a final repor
• Nature recovery and intangible cultural heritage, Natural England, £20,833, closes 12 November 2026
  Natural England wants a researcher to review existing published and informal (grey) literature on Intangible Cultural Heritage, meaning living traditions, skills and community practices, and how they
• CA18575 - RFQ 2026/42 - Conservation Engineer for St Paul's Church The Crag Cemetery Rostrevor, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMD), £15,000, closes 13 November 2026
  Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is looking for a Conservation Engineer to inspect the ruins of St Paul's Church in a cemetery and create a detailed repair plan. The church is in poor condition
• Tees Bird Mapping Project, Natural England, £33,330, closes 13 November 2026
  Natural England, the government body that looks after England's wildlife sites, wants a specialist study of how protected coastal birds use the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast. The work will produce det
• High-Level Conservation Measures for a Solent Estuaries Nutrient Environmental Delivery Plan (EDP) and Assessment of Delivery Alignment Opportunities, NATURAL ENGLAND, £50,000, closes 13 November 2026
  Natural England, the government body that protects England's wildlife sites, wants a short, high-level list of permanent conservation measures for the Solent coast. These measures would help protectio
• CM141 - Bathymetry & Topographic Surveys - Smalls, Eddystone and Les Hanois Lighthouses, TRINITY HOUSE, £90,000, closes 13 November 2026
  Trinity House, which maintains lighthouses around England, Wales, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar, wants accurate maps of the seabed (bathymetry) and the land and rock surfaces (topography) around t
• ACE 1122 ITQ - 'Artsmark 25 Young People Commissioners' Project Partner, ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND, £15,000, closes 16 November 2026
  Arts Council England wants a supplier to run a project where a group of young people chooses and commissions an artist to create artwork and resources for schools taking part in the Artsmark programme
• Housing Needs Assessment for Hull Local Plan, Hull City Council, £45,000, closes 16 November 2026
  Hull City Council wants an organisation to carry out a housing needs assessment, which is a study of how many homes of which types and sizes the city needs. The results will feed into the council's Lo
• Green Links Study, New Forest National Park, New Forest National Park Authority, £100,000, closes 16 November 2026
  The New Forest National Park Authority wants a consultant to produce a four-part study on how to link green land outside the National Park boundary with land inside it, and how to link areas in the co
• Sector research for councils to learn from collaborative ICT delivery in local government, Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government (IDeA), £29,999, closes 16 November 2026
  A government research organisation wants someone to conduct sector research on how local councils work together to deliver IT services. They want to understand what makes these collaborative arrangeme
• Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment for Hull Local Plan, Hull City Council, £30,000, closes 16 November 2026
  Hull City Council wants a supplier to carry out a Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment, which studies how many homes or pitches Gypsy and Traveller communities need in Hull. The results will f
• Local Nature Recovery Strategies - harnessing geodiversity for nature recovery, Natural England, £25,000, closes 16 November 2026
  Natural England, the government body that looks after England's natural environment, wants an independent review of how geology and landscape features (geodiversity) are included in Local Nature Recov
• Invitation to Tender- For the provision of viability evidence and assessment of the West Suffolk Local Plan and the introduction of a CIL charging schedule., West Suffolk Council, £60,000, closes 16 November 2026
  West Suffolk Council is hiring a specialist to provide evidence and assessment work for their Local Plan and set up a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) charging schedule. This is technical planning
• GB-Middlesbrough: Borderlands Phase 2 Evaluation, Teesside University, £10,000 – £25,000, closes 16 November 2026
  Teesside University is looking for an independent evaluator, or a small team of evaluators, to assess its Borderlands programme from 2026 to 2029. The work is worth roughly £10,000 to £25,000 and aims
• SE1286 Transgender Inclusion in Domestic Sports Guidance Review, Sport England, £96,000, closes 16 November 2026
  Sport England is looking for a consultant or research firm to review and update their guidance on transgender inclusion in domestic sports. This guidance helps sports clubs and governing bodies create
• 1074032381 T1424 Passenger Rolling Stock Emergency Window Repair Procedures, Rail Safety Standards Board (RSSB), £50,000, closes 18 November 2026
  The Rail Safety Standards Board wants research and guidance on how to safely repair passenger train windows temporarily. They need clear evidence about which repair methods work best, what conditions
• Request for Quotation North Lincolnshire Rail Freight Feasibility Study, North Lincolnshire Council, £72,000, closes 18 November 2026
  North Lincolnshire Council is buying a feasibility study to find out whether more freight can move by rail in the area. The study will look at existing rail sidings and terminals, possible new sites,
• Request for Quotation Feasibility Study and Business Case to assess the introduction of additional rail services between Doncaster and Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire Council, £36,000, closes 18 November 2026
  North Lincolnshire Council wants a consultant to produce a feasibility study and an investment-ready business case. The work will support the case for reinstating an hourly rail service between Doncas
• Provision of Payroll Services, THE PIRBRIGHT INSTITUTE, £85,000, closes 18 November 2026
  The Pirbright Institute, a UK animal and virus research body, wants an outside company to run its staff payroll. The supplier would calculate and pay wages accurately and on time, and make sure paymen
• ITT - Demonstrating the impact of Historic England’s planning advice - UID 368, Historic England, £40,000, closes 19 November 2026
  Historic England, the public body that advises on protecting England's historic buildings, wants an outside researcher to find out whether its advice on Grade II listed building consent applications a
• RHA_316_Appointment of Design Team_7 Unit Social Housing Scheme_Cashel Cross Garrison, Rural Housing Association (RHA), £75,000, closes 19 November 2026
  Rural Housing Association wants to appoint a team of designers to redesign a planned development of seven homes at Cashel Cross Garrison. The homes already have planning permission as private houses,
• Historical and Cultural Analysis of Deer in the New Forest Landscape to support current deer management, New Forest National Park Authority, £5,000, closes 20 November 2026
  The New Forest National Park Authority wants a historical and cultural study of how deer have shaped the New Forest landscape over time. The findings will inform stakeholder discussions and help shape
• Assessment of Deer Management Capacity and Workforce in and around the New Forest National Park, New Forest National Park Authority, £25,000, closes 20 November 2026
  The New Forest National Park Authority, Natural England and the Forestry Commission want an outside expert to assess how much deer management capacity and skilled workforce exists in and around the Ne
• Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA) for the Boston and South Holland Joint Local Plan, Boston Borough Council, £85,000, closes 20 November 2026
  Boston Borough Council and South Holland District Council want an outside consultant to carry out an Integrated Impact Assessment, a study that checks how their emerging joint Local Plan (the document
• Economic Analysis of Deer Management with a Focus on Venison Supply Chain Development in and around the New Forest National Park, New Forest National Park Authority, £15,000, closes 20 November 2026
  The New Forest National Park Authority wants an outside expert to study the economics of managing deer across the New Forest National Park and the surrounding area. The main focus is whether a better
• NDC0129-26 - Heanton Embankments Study, North Devon District Council, £78,000, closes 20 November 2026
  North Devon District Council wants an engineering study of the Heanton embankment, a sea or river defence wall that protects land and property from flooding. The study will assess how well it currentl
• Extra Care Feasibility Study, Bracknell Forest Borough Council, £40,000, closes 20 November 2026
  Bracknell Forest Borough Council wants to hire a specialist consultant to study whether an Extra Care Housing scheme is viable. Extra Care is housing for older or disabled residents who need some supp
• New Stanton Park Access Improvements: Economic Appraisal of Options, Erewash Borough Council, £80,000, closes 20 November 2026
  Erewash Borough Council wants a transport consultant to study how to improve road access to New Stanton Park, near the M1. The work covers listing the options, narrowing them to a shortlist, and compa
• Heritage Airframe Surveys, Science Museum Group, £40,000, closes 20 November 2026
  The Science Museum Group wants a specialist to survey 13 historic aircraft stored at the Science and Innovation Park in Swindon. The survey will check each aircraft's structural safety and other hazar
• Erewash Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) & Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA), Erewash Borough Council, £55,000, closes 23 November 2026
  Erewash Borough Council wants an outside consultant to produce two evidence studies for its new Local Plan. The first assesses what types of homes the borough needs as part of its 6,800 new homes targ
• Opportunity Mapping for Open Mosaic Habitat at the Tees Estuary, Natural England, £20,330, closes 23 November 2026
  Natural England wants a research project that maps Open Mosaic Habitat (a rare, protected habitat of bare, disturbed ground, usually on former industrial land) across the Tees Estuary. The work will s
• THE PROVISION OF EXTERNAL AUDIT SERVICES FOR 2 COUNCIL OWNED COMPANIES, Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk, £100,000, closes 23 November 2026
  Two council-owned companies, West Norfolk Housing Company Ltd and West Norfolk Property Ltd, need an external firm to audit their accounts, starting with the 2026/2027 financial year. The contract run
• Passenger Services Cost Benchmarking Study, Office of Rail and Road, £90,000, closes 23 November 2026
  The Office of Rail and Road, the independent regulator of Britain's railways, wants an expert study to work out why the costs of running passenger train services differ between operators and how those
• Masterplan Feasibility Visioning Architect​, Science Museum Group, £100,000, closes 24 November 2026
  The Science Museum Group wants to hire an architect to lead early-stage feasibility and vision work for a masterplan of its sites. The contract is estimated at £100,000. The notice describes this as e
• Tree and Woodland Assessments for Cambridgeshire, Cambridgeshire County Council, £65,000, closes 25 November 2026
  Cambridgeshire County Council wants a specialist firm to survey and assess trees and woodland across the county. The work covers the condition of the council's own woodlands and a countywide mapping o
• Habitat Regulations Assessment, Borough Council of Kings Lynn and West Norfolk, £90,000, closes 25 November 2026
  King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council is buying a legally required environmental assessment of its new Local Plan (covering 2026 to 2044). The assessment must check how the plan could affect pr
• Mechanical & Electrical Consultancy Services - Replacement of Depot Heating System, North East Derbyshire District Council, £66,666, closes 27 November 2026
  North East Derbyshire District Council wants to hire engineering consultants to plan the replacement of the ageing gas-fired heating system at its Eckington Depot. The work covers the early technical
• North York Moors Active Travel - Esk Valley Feasibility Study, North York Moors National Park Authority, £50,000, closes 29 November 2026
  The National Park Authority wants a study of how easy it is to walk, cycle and use public transport to reach railway stations and schools in the Esk Valley. The study will also involve gathering views
• Lot 4 - SCRIM Road Surveys (2027), West Sussex County Council, £30,000, closes 30 November 2026
  West Sussex County Council needs specialist road survey work in 2027. They want organisations to conduct SCRIM surveys, which measure how slippery road surfaces are to check safety and grip levels.
• Research into Doctors Registered without a Licence to Practise , General Medical Council (GMC), £58,333, closes 1 December 2026
  The General Medical Council (GMC), the body that regulates doctors in the UK, wants a research study into doctors who are registered with it but do not hold a licence to practise. The findings will gi
• The Design and Installation of Land Drainage at Cambridge Crematorium, Cambridge City Council, £36,000, closes 4 December 2026
  Cambridge City Council wants a consultant to design land drainage at Cambridge Crematorium. The work starts with a brief options report recommending a drainage solution, then a full detailed design, w
• Burnley Canalside Conservation Area Appraisal, Masterplan and Design Guide, Burnley Borough Council, £75,000, closes 14 December 2026
  Burnley Borough Council wants a consultant to produce a conservation area appraisal, a masterplan and a design guide for the Canalside area of Burnley. A conservation area appraisal describes what mak

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