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Tenderpatch

Agreements for Start Up Loans' Business Support Partners

British Business Bank

Open Closes in 32 days

Key facts

Closing date
Tuesday 17 November 2026, 16:00 (UK time) Closes in 32 days
Buyer's estimated value
£104,280,000 (excl. VAT) The buyer's own estimate, not income to you.
Clarification questions deadline
4 November 2026, 12:00
Contract period
31 Mar 2027 to 31 Mar 2030
Procedure
Competitive flexible procedure
Notice type
Tender notice (UK4)
Suitable for SMEs (per buyer)
Yes

Decision brief

Taken from the buyer's published notice (shown as written, shortened where long). Tenderpatch has not added to or interpreted it. Always read the official documents before bidding.

How bids will be scored

Lot 1

  • Quality 65%
  • Social Value 10%
  • Price 25%

Lot 2

  • Quality 65%
  • Social Value 10%
  • Price 25%

Lot 3

  • Quality 65%
  • Price 25%
  • Social Value 10%

Lot 4

  • Quality 65%
  • Social Value 10%
  • Price 25%

Lot 5

  • Quality 65%
  • Social Value 10%
  • Price 25%

Lot 6

  • Quality 65%
  • Social Value 10%
  • Price 25%

Lot 7

  • Quality 65%
  • Social Value 10%
  • Price 25%

Lot 8

  • Quality 65%
  • Social Value 10%
  • Price 25%

Lot 9

  • Quality 65%
  • Social Value 10%
  • Price 25%

Lot 10

  • Quality 65%
  • Social Value 10%
  • Price 25%

Lot 11

  • Quality 65%
  • Social Value 10%
  • Price 25%

Lot 12

  • Quality 65%
  • Social Value 10%
  • Price 25%

Lot 13

  • Quality 65%
  • Social Value 10%
  • Price 25%

Lot 14

  • Quality 65%
  • Social Value 10%
  • Price 25%

Lot 15

  • Quality 65%
  • Social Value 10%
  • Price 25%
Conditions of participation (what you must show)

economic The specific conditions of participation are set out within the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ).

technical At the point of Tender submission Tenderers must be: authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to undertake credit broking as defined in article 36A of Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001, as amended from time to time (RAO); OR not authorised by the FCA to undertake credit broking, as defined in article 36A of the RAO and have obtained independent legal advice setting out the specific exemption(s) or exclusion(s) from the relevant legislation to undertake credit broking activities (“FCA Exempt”). Tenderer to note that (i) limited permission credit broking, i.e. secondary credit broking; (ii) entering into a regulated credit agreement as lender…

technical At the point of Tender submission Tenderers must be: authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)to undertake credit broking as defined in article 36A of Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001, as amended from time to time (RAO); OR not authorised by the FCA to undertake credit broking, as defined in article 36A of the RAO and have obtained independent legal advice setting out the specific exemption(s) or exclusion(s) from the relevant legislation to undertake credit broking activities (“FCA Exempt”). Tenderer to note that (i) limited permission credit broking, i.e. secondary credit broking; (ii) entering into a regulated credit agreement as lender…

Contract length and extensions
31 Mar 2027 to 31 Mar 2030. Extensions: The agreement may be extended by up to 3 years, in any combination of 1, 2 or 3 years.
How to submit
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/JPES858XB5 - this is the link to complete and submit the Confidentiality Agreement via the messaging centre in Delta and which is required before a Tenderer will be granted access to the procurement documents. For information, the list of core procurement doc… Open www.delta-esourcing.com ↗ Electronic submission: allowed.
Tender documents
No document links in the notice. Use the official notice link.
New to public tenders? Plain-English guide to this page
Framework
An agreement that sets terms for work the buyer may order later, often from several suppliers. The value shown usually covers the whole agreement, not one job.
Open for bids / closing date
You must submit by the closing date and time, normally through the buyer's own online portal. Late bids are normally refused.
Clarification questions
A deadline for asking the buyer questions about the tender. It is earlier than the closing date.
Conditions of participation
What the buyer asks suppliers to show before they can be considered, such as experience, insurance or accreditations.
Bids are scored on
How the buyer will compare bids, usually a split between price and quality. A 60/40 split in favour of quality means the cheapest bid will not necessarily win.
Lots
A tender can be split into parts. You can often bid for only the lots that suit you.
Area (ITL)
The buyer names an official statistical area for where the work is, not a street address. Check the tender documents for the actual sites.
UK4 and other notice codes
Official codes for the type of notice. A "tender notice" means bids are being invited.

General explanations written by Tenderpatch, not part of this notice.

Description

The Start-Up Loans Company (SUL) is part of the British Business Bank (the Bank), which is a government-owned economic development bank that makes finance markets for smaller businesses work more effectively. The Bank’s mission is to drive economic growth by helping smaller businesses get the finance they need to start, scale and stay in the UK. In doing so, the Bank helps capture the economic value of innovation for the UK and create jobs and prosperity for people across the country. The Bank designs, delivers, and manages a range of products through over 200 Delivery Partners, helping to increase both the supply and diversity of finance available to smaller businesses. Through our Banking business, the Bank increases the availability of debt finance for businesses right across the UK so promising businesses are much more likely to get the loan they need to start and grow. We do this by providing start up loans for entrepreneurs so people with great ideas have a better chance of getting started, no matter what their background is or where they are in the country. Alongside this, our Government-backed guarantees support banks and other finance providers to lend more to businesses who need debt finance to grow. The Start-Up Loans Company (SUL, the Contracting Authority) is a wholly owned subsidiary of British Business Finance Ltd, which is in turn wholly owned by the Bank. SUL delivers the government’s Start Up Loans Scheme, which provides personal fixed-interest loans and support to aspiring and early-stage business owners from across the UK who might be struggling to access finance from other sources. The Scheme supports employment, enables economic growth, and has a transformational impact on the lives of thousands of people. SUL’s mission is to help new and early-stage UK businesses access affordable finance and mentoring support. More than 130,000 Start Up Loans have been delivered since 2012, delivering over £1.4Bn of funding to Start Up Loans borrowers. The Start Up Loans scheme utilises the services of Business Support Partners who play a key role in supporting entrepreneurs, that are looking to start or grow a business, through pre-application and application-stage activities, helping prospective applicants access the support they need throughout the Start Up Loans journey. Business Support Partners are credit brokers for the Start Up Loans Scheme. The current suite of National, Regional and Specialist Business Support Partner (BSP) contracts will end in March 2027: this procurement is to secure replacement Business Support Partner Services from 1 April 2027. The scheme operating model will remain broadly as is: •Twelve (12) Regional Business Support Partners will provide pre-loan support to specific regions of the UK, including to the devolved Nations (Lots 1-12). •Up to four (4) National Business Support Partners will provide pre-loan support nationally, including to the devolved Nations (Lot 13). •Two (2) Specialist Business Support Partners will provide pre-loan support nationally, including to the devolved Nations, explicitly focussing on ex-military personnel and their families, and young people, respectively (Lot 14, 15). The estimated Total Value for all of these Contracts is as follows: £85,800,000 (Excluding VAT) £102,960,000 (including VAT) This is lower than the calculated Total Value (estimated) figure below as that figure sums up all of the individual Lot Values and over-inflates the actual estimated Total Value (stated above). This is because either none or only some of the individual contracts let under this procurement will become reflective of the individual total Lot Value over the course of each individual contract. The overall Start Up Loans scheme will be managed within the estimated Total Value set out above, subject to no permitted modifications being necessary. The following is repeated from each individual Lot description. Individual Lot Values are the estimated maximum total contract value that the Contracting Authority expects to pay under each Business Support Partner agreement (or all Business Support Partner agreements in respect of Lot 13). The Lot Value of each Lot takes account of the following, which may not be needed or applied under each contract over its duration: estimated volumes for years 4, 5, and 6, should the contracts be extended; reallocation (increases) in volume in any year of the agreement; one or more increases in the Administration Charge to take account of CPI or other potential increases during the term of each contract. Each Lot Value is, therefore, not a commitment to any additional volumes, any extension(s) or any increases in the Administration Charge during the term of each Contract. Separately, there is a risk that, at the point of any actual contract extension from year 4 onwards, the overall volume of the Start Up Loans scheme increases significantly above the currently estimated volumes from year 4 onwards, leading to a significant increase in the Value of each contract. The Contracting Authority may modify the Contracts in reliance on paragraph 5 of Schedule 8 of the Procurement Act 2023. If the services are required beyond the expiry of the contacts, the Contracting Authority expects to publish a tender notice for replacement contracts on or around September 2032. Prior to releasing the procurement documents, potential Tenderers are required to register on the delta e-sourcing platform and complete and submit a Confidentiality Agreement by following the links below.

Lots (15)

  1. Lot 1: East Midlands Regional Business Support Partner

    Value: £3,510,000 (excl. VAT)

    Credit broking services for personal loans (Start Up Loans) for individuals to start or grow an early stage business in the East Midlands Region. Target volumes of drawn down personal loans to be brokered under this Lot, for the first three (3) years are: Year 1: 481; and in each of Years 2 and 3: 538 – further details can be found in the procurement documents. The Lot Value is the estimated maxim...

  2. Lot 10: Wales Regional Business Support Partner

    Value: £3,320,000 (excl. VAT)

    Credit broking services for personal loans (Start Up Loans) for individuals to start or grow an early stage business in the Wales Region. Target volumes of drawn down personal loans to be brokered under this Lot, for the first three (3) years can are: Year 1: 456; and in each of Years 2 and 3: 510 – further details be found in the procurement documents. The Lot Value is the estimated maximum total...

  3. Lot 11: West Midlands Regional Business Support Partner

    Value: £4,030,000 (excl. VAT)

    Credit broking services for personal loans (Start Up Loans) for individuals to start or grow an early stage business in the West Midlands Region. Target volumes of drawn down personal loans to be brokered under this Lot, for the first three (3) years are: Year 1: 552; and in each of Years 2 and 3: 617 – further details can be found in the procurement documents. The Lot Value is the estimated maxim...

  4. Lot 12: Yorkshire and The Humber Regional Business Support Partner

    Value: £6,660,000 (excl. VAT)

    Credit broking services for personal loans (Start Up Loans) for individuals to start or grow an early stage business in the Yorkshire and The Humber Region. Target volumes of drawn down personal loans to be brokered under this Lot, for the first three (3) years are: Year 1: 914; and in each of Years 2 and 3: 1022 – further details can be found in the procurement documents. The Lot Value is the est...

  5. Lot 13: National Business Support Partners

    Value: £39,200,000 (excl. VAT)

    Credit broking services for personal loans (Start Up Loans) for individuals to start or grow an early stage business across the whole of the United Kingdom, including the devolved nations. Up to four (4) contracts may be awarded to different organisations under this Lot. Tenderers in this Lot are invited to tender for a target volume of drawn down personal loans (within a defined range of 9.4 to 1...

  6. Lot 14: Military Specialist Business Support Partner

    Value: £4,960,000 (excl. VAT)

    Credit broking services for personal loans (Start Up Loans) for individuals who fall under the Military definition in the application process to start or grow an early stage business across the whole of the United Kingdom, including the devolved nations. Target volumes of drawn down personal loans to be brokered under this Lot, for the first three (3) years are: Year 1: 680; and in each of Years 2...

  7. Lot 15: Young Specialist Business Support Partner

    Value: £1,240,000 (excl. VAT)

    Credit broking services for personal loans (Start Up Loans) for individuals who fall under the Young definition in the application process to start or grow an early stage business across the whole of the United Kingdom, including the devolved nations. Target volumes of drawn down personal loans to be brokered under this Lot, for the first three (3) years are: Year 1: 170; and in each of Years 2 an...

  8. Lot 2: East of England Regional Business Support Partner

    Value: £4,260,000 (excl. VAT)

    Credit broking services for personal loans (Start Up Loans) for individuals to start or grow an early stage business in the East of England Region. Target volumes of drawn down personal loans to be brokered under this Lot, for the first three (3) years are: Year 1: 585; and in each of Years 2 and 3: 654 – further details can be found in the procurement documents. The Lot Value is the estimated max...

  9. Lot 3: London Regional Business Support Partner

    Value: £8,870,000 (excl. VAT)

    Credit broking services for personal loans (Start Up Loans) for individuals to start or grow an early stage business in the London Region. Target volumes of drawn down personal loans to be brokered under this Lot, for the first three (3) years are: Year 1: 1217; and in each of Years 2 and 3: 1360 – further details can be found in the procurement documents. The Lot Value is the estimated maximum to...

  10. Lot 4: North East Regional Business Support Partner

    Value: £3,840,000 (excl. VAT)

    Credit broking services for personal loans (Start Up Loans) for individuals to start or grow an early stage business in the North East Region. Target volumes of drawn down personal loans to be brokered under this Lot, for the first three (3) years are: Year 1: 527; and in each of Years 2 and 3: 589 – further details can be found in the procurement documents. The Lot Value is the estimated maximum...

  11. Lot 5: North West Regional Business Support Partner

    Value: £6,830,000 (excl. VAT)

    Credit broking services for personal loans (Start Up Loans) for individuals to start or grow an early stage business in the North West Region. Target volumes of drawn down personal loans to be brokered under this Lot, for the first three (3) years are: Year 1: 936; and in each of Years 2 and 3: 1046 – further details can be found in the procurement documents. The Lot Value is the estimated maximum...

  12. Lot 6: Northern Ireland Regional Business Support Partner

    Value: £3,320,000 (excl. VAT)

    Credit broking services for personal loans (Start Up Loans) for individuals to start or grow an early stage business in the Northern Ireland Region. Target volumes of drawn down personal loans to be brokered under this Lot, for the first three (3) years are: Year 1: 456; and in each of Years 2 and 3: 510 – further details can be found in the procurement documents. The Lot Value is the estimated ma...

  13. Lot 7: Scotland Regional Business Support Partner

    Value: £3,130,000 (excl. VAT)

    Credit broking services for personal loans (Start Up Loans) for individuals to start or grow an early stage business in the Scotland Region. Target volumes of drawn down personal loans to be brokered under this Lot, for the first three (3) years are: Year 1: 429; and in each of Years 2 and 3: 480 – further details can be found in the procurement documents. The Lot Value is the estimated maximum t...

  14. Lot 8: South East Regional Business Support Partner

    Value: £5,650,000 (excl. VAT)

    Credit broking services for personal loans (Start Up Loans) for individuals to start or grow an early stage business in the South East Region. Target volumes of drawn down personal loans to be brokered under this Lot, for the first three (3) years are: Year 1: 775; and in each of Years 2 and 3: 866 – further details can be found in the procurement documents. The Lot Value is the estimated maximum...

  15. Lot 9: South West Regional Business Support Partner

    Value: £5,460,000 (excl. VAT)

    Credit broking services for personal loans (Start Up Loans) for individuals to start or grow an early stage business in the South West Region. Target volumes of drawn down personal loans to be brokered under this Lot, for the first three (3) years are: Year 1: 750; and in each of Years 2 and 3: 838 – further details can be found in the procurement documents. The Lot Value is the estimated maximum...