Consultancy Services

Framework Accordion Title

Lot listing

With an extensive list of service providers covering a wide range of categories, the framework is organised into lots - each lot is essentially a select list of service providers for that category; all with a proven track record of delivering consultancy services, from whom customers may set up supply arrangements quickly and simply. The framework offers additional flexibility under Lot 10 – Strategic Programmes & Projects, for customers seeking advice and support across a broad range of disciplines in relation to high value and/or complex, strategic projects and programmes. It is anticipated that such projects will require a combination of the consultancy services outlined under Lots 1-9, although the scope of the requirement is not limited to these services. A summary of the type of advice available under each of the framework’s lots can be found below, and a full-service specification is available by contacting ESPO via email to resources@espo.org. The framework structure allows for customers to access quick and compliant routes to market that can also provide customers with flexibility in terms of their requirements, please note that the advice listed under each of the framework’s lots is only designed to be indicative of customers’ requirements and is not intended to be exhaustive. In utilising the framework’s lots, customers are not restricted to seeking advice on the specific areas listed, providing that the advice they are seeking is relevant to the broad heading of the lot.

Lot 1a Business Services

Alternative delivery models; Business continuity and resilience; Business transformation; Change management; Commercialisation; Corporate social responsibility; Disaster recovery systems and testing; Crisis and emergency preparedness, contingency planning, and response; Funding research, applications and bids; Improvement programmes; Income generation; Innovation; Legislation compliance; Net zero (design, procurement, and finance); Marketing services and management; Organisational design and policy; Process mapping; Programme and project management; Project management; Quality management; Risk management and mitigation; Service improvement; Staff recruitment and retention; Strategy development; Supply chain management; Whole-Life carbon, cost and risk, management & planning; Workforce planning and transformation

Lot 1b Procurement and Contract Management Services

Category management; Contract management; Corporate Social Responsibility; E-sourcing; Efficiencies and savings; European and global sourcing; Implementation support; Post procurement support; Process mapping and optimisation; Procurement strategy development and implementation; Procurement support; Social Value; Service Provider integration; Service Provider relationship management; Supply chain resilience

Lot 1c Education Services

Apprenticeships and vocational learning; Academy conversions (including applications, funding, preopening tasks, etc); Adult education; Behavioural improvement programmes; Curriculum development; Early years development; Education strategies and transformation; Employability skills and professional development; Governance Policy & Regulations; Healthy school programmes; Learning; Legislation Compliance; OFSTED support services; Quality and Internal Verification; Recruitment and retention; Research and data analysis; Safeguarding; School admission processes and systems; School policies and initiatives; School improvement plans; School remodelling programmes; SEND Learning; Student journey; Student recruitment and support services

Lot 2a Audit Consultancy

Audit assessments; Audit consultancy; Audit services; Audit strategies and methodologies; Benchmarking and quality assurance; External audits; Financial audits; Governance, risk and internal control; Internal audits

Lot 2b Internal Audit Services

Benchmarking and quality assurance; Compliance reviewing; Corporate governance; Fraud investigation; Internal control reviewing; Internal audits; Operational reviewing; Risk management; Specified purpose audits

Lot 2c External Audit Services

Benchmarking and quality assurance; Compliance reviewing; Corporate governance; External assurance services; External audits; Financial audit; Fraud investigation; Risk management; Specified purpose audits; Statutory audits

Lot 2d General Finance

Actuary, investments and pensions; Banking; Business Cases; External funding; Financial analysis and reporting; Financial modelling and model reviews; Financial options; Financial reviews, evaluations and feasibility studies; Financial policies and strategies; Financial procedures and processes; Funding applications and grants; PFI advisory services; Taskforce Carbon Finance Disclosure (TCFD)

Lot 2e Revenue and Benefits

Efficiency reviews; Government returns; Heath check programmes; Model adoptions; Payment arrears

Lot 2f Tax

Compliance and advisory; Construction Industry Scheme (CIS); Corporation tax; Customs Duties; Efficiency schemes; Employment tax; Land tax; Living and national minimum wage; Nation Insurance Contributions (NICs); PAYE and IR35; Policy development; Stamp duty; Tax accounting services; Tax planning; Tax technologies; Value Added Tax (VAT)

Lot 2g Treasury Management

Accounting treatment; Credit ratings; Codes of practice; Debt management; External loan portfolios; Investment reviews and strategies; Legislation; Market conditions; Prudential indicators; Treasury management risks

Lot 3 Food and Catering

Commercial feasibility and technical reviews; Equipment and facilities; Food and drink menus; Food hygiene; Healthy eating programmes; Legislation compliance; Nutrition; Options appraisals; Soft and Hard Facilities Management; Accident statistics; Assurance reports and model documentation; COSHH and HACCP; H&S legislation; H&S policies and management; Inspections and audits; Notices and corrective action plans; Risk assessments and controls; Safe working procedures

Lot 4a Health

Behavioural science; Biostatistics; Care toolkits; Clinical evaluations; Collaborative working arrangements; Commissioning models; Departmental and service reviews; Demand management; Developing and implementing of public health schemes; Environmental health; Epidemiology; Health education; Health services administration; Healthy and happy workplace schemes; Mental health reviews; New service business cases; Personalisation; Pandemic contingency; Public health programmes and promotions; Service efficiency plans and improvements; Service Transformation; Service user pathways; Technology Developments

Lot 4b Social Care (Adults and Children’s)

Care toolkits; Clinical evaluations; Collaborative working arrangements; Commissioning models; Departmental and service reviews; Demand management; Health and social care integration; Outreach programmes; New service business cases; Personalisation; Safeguarding; Service efficiency plans and improvements; Service user pathways; Technology developments; Vulnerable adults and children’s protection

Lot 5 Highways, Traffic and Transport

Active travel; Business cases; Cycle route planning or improvements; Demand management; Funding and funding applications; Highway Design; Highway Development Management; Impact assessments; Intelligent transport systems; Junction planning or improvements; Management strategies of highway structures and assets; Pedestrian route planning or improvements; Public transport route planning or improvements; Road/Route safety; Spatial planning and health initiatives; Strategic transport planning; Street and traffic management; Transport and transport links; Travel initiatives; Travel plans and planning; Transport planning and modelling; Vehicle parking, charges and EV charging

Lot 6a Operational IT

Artificial Intelligence technology; Cloud Solutions; Server solutions; Software assurance; Systems development and analysis; Telecommunications; Wireless solutions; Cyber security solutions

Lot 6b Strategic IT

Artificial Intelligence; Capability assessment, review and development; Cost analysis and projection; Data Protection and cyber security; Digital Strategy Development; Digital services and transformation; Disaster recovery; Forecast, planning and strategy; IT project and programme management; Intelligent Automation; Policy development, maintenance and review; Process mapping and optimisation; Risk assessment and risk management (specific to IT)

Lot 7 Sport, Leisure, Culture and Tourism

Art and cultural services studies; Child protection; Commercial and efficiency reviews; Customer insight information; Funding and funding applications; Health and Safety; Historic site, building, and monument studies; Increasing public use of services; Leisure facilities and activities; Library service studies; Management improvement programmes; Museum service studies; Outsourcing of services; Physical activity and Wellbeing; Service strategy design; Sport service studies; Technical reviews; Trusts and joint ventures

Lot 8a Asset Management and Delivery

Acquisitions; Evaluations and reviews; Liability; Maintenance; Management and delivery; Management of historic sites, buildings, and monuments; Mapping; Property surveys; Rationalisation; Remodelling; Sale and disposal

Lot 8b Environmental and Sustainability

Assessments and appraisals; Alternative energy; Archaeology studies; Biodiversity; Carbon foot-printing and reduction; Carbon reduction and climate change adaptation; Climate change adaptation and mitigation; Eco-towns; Environmental audits; Environmental initiatives; Environmental legislation; Energy efficiency and targets; Flood defences, alleviation and drainage; Green technologies; Heat networks; Landscape management; Mapping; Modelling; Pollution; Resource efficiency behaviour change programmes; Smart cities; Sustainability; Water management; Waste auditing

Lot 8c Facilities Management

Delivery models; Fire risk; Hard FM consultancy; Outsourcing of FM services; Premises, caretaking and cleaning; Property security; Reorganisation of FM services; Soft FM consultancy

Lot 8d Health and Safety

Accident statistics; Assurance reports and model documentation; Building surveys and risk assessments; COSHH and REACH; H&S legislation; H&S policies and management; Inspections and audits; Notices and corrective action plans; Risk assessments and controls; Safe working procedures

Lot 8e Housing and Housing Support

Asset Management; Benchmarking; Development project management; Governance; Homelessness; Housing needs and assessments; Investment programmes; Living standards, stock condition surveys and risk assessments; Management and support; Quality assurance; Process mapping; Regeneration project management; Revenue optimisation and funding; Risk and internal control; Service improvement and performance; Supported housing; Tenant participation schemes; Tenant scrutiny; Transfers and de-commissioning

Lot 8f Planning, Valuation and Infrastructure

Agricultural and retail planning; Employment land reviews; Local economic assessments; Planning applications and appeals; Planning legislation; Planning taxes and levies; Spatial planning; Specialist planning

Lot 8g Regeneration and Regional Development

Business case development; Employment land reviews; Government policy and awareness; Historic site, building and monument assessments; Income generation schemes; Local business development; Local economic assessments; Regeneration and economic development; Supply chain development; Sustainable community strategies; Sustainable economic growth plans

Lot 8h Waste and Recycling

Auditing services; Alternative waste treatment; Business cases; Campaigns; Carbon assessments; Commercial waste; Domestic waste; Illegal waste tipping; Legislation; Management investment programmes; New waste sites; Options appraisals; Permits and accreditations; Policies and strategies; Service reviews; Street cleansing support service

Lot 9a Research and Engagement

Academic research; Communication; Community research and strategies; Customer insight information; Demand management; Feedback facilitation; Public dialogue, engagement and consultation; Soft market testing; Staff Surveys; Stakeholder engagement

Lot 9b Marketing, Communications and PR

Branding; Creative communications; Communication and marketing materials; Crisis management; Digital communications; Events management; Market research; Marketing campaigns, plans and strategies; Media relations; Training for reporting to Government, Parliament and Public Enquiries; Public relations; Social media; Targeting strategies; Website design

Lot 10 Strategic Programmes and Projects

This Lot is for Customers whose project and programme requirement is for advice and support across a range of consultancy disciplines in relation to high value and/or complex, strategic projects and programmes which require multi-specialism consultancy that bridge several Lots and/or Sub-Lots of the framework, for example encompassing Sub-Lots 8a, 8b and 9a. Examples of such projects may include, but is not limited to, the following Infrastructure Projects: Organisational reviews and re-design; Community Research and Regeneration Projects; Outsourcing Projects and Programmes; Shared Services implementations; Business start-ups and joint partnerships;

Benefits

Includes 10 Lots, with multiple sub-Lots, to provide a variety of consultancy services on areas such as health and safety, IT, finance services and general business services. The framework includes a specific lot for Education Services.
Includes a specific Lot (Lot 10 Strategic Programmes and Projects), so if you require advice across multiple areas or have a particularly complex requirement, the framework can be tailored to you.
Our suppliers have been assessed on track record and experience, so you can be sure that you’re getting legitimate, trustworthy advice.
This framework has over 200 suppliers, ranging from large specialist consultancy companies to smaller more boutique organisations.
Pricing has been structured based on consultant seniority level, ensuring that customers have access to the best resource for the best value for money.