PLACE114 D2N2 Mayoral Combined Authority: Consultancy Requirement

Derby City, Derbyshire County, Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County Councils, "D2N2 Councils" are in discussions with Government to form a 'Level 3' Mayoral Combined Authority. This follows the publication of the Government's Levelling Up White Paper in February 2022 which sets out proposals to broaden and deepen devolution across the country.

The four D2N2 authorities submitted a joint bid to Government on 25 March 2022 following the announcement that Derbyshire and Derby and Nottinghamshire and Nottingham were being considered as pathfinder county areas. The joint bid to Government builds on earlier D2 and N2 County Deal expressions of interest and proposals.

The Government has indicated that it will be taking forward a number of devolution deals as part of a first phase of pathfinder areas by Autumn 2022. The opportunity to be included in the first phase of areas to secure a devolution deal presents a significant opportunity to secure powers and funding for the delivery of enhanced outcomes for the people of Derbyshire and Derby, Nottinghamshire and Nottingham. A previous attempt at securing a devolution deal (in 2016) was unsuccessful. Over time this has led to significant underinvestment with the area and wider East Midlands region falling behind its neighbours in Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire and the West Midlands. The Deal is likely to be the first stage on a journey in securing much needed additional powers, flexibilities and funding. Areas that have secured devolution deals in the past have received funding packages of between £450m and £1.1bn over a thirty-year period.

D2N2 Councils are now seeking consultancy services to maximise the opportunities presented. Once areas have formally been confirmed, timescales for taking forward proposals are likely to be extremely tight. Additional support and capacity, to be in place from 1 June 2022, is therefore required to ensure D2/N2 Councils can meet the Government's indicative Autumn 2022 timetable

Derbyshire County Council will act as the contracting authority, on behalf of all four D2N2 local authorities and has chosen to utilise the Crown Commercial Services Framework RM6187: Management Consultancy Framework Three (MCF3) and commission services under Lot 2 using a Further Competition Procedure.