**SOFT MARKET TESTING** Management and Consultancy services to support the Essex Renewal Fund

Essex Renewal Fund (“ERF”) is a revolving investment fund for land and property projects, which supports Essex County Council’s (“ECC’s”) commitments to good jobs, future growth and investment, green growth and levelling up the economy. Over the next 20 years, the Fund aims to invest at least £100m, supporting 1,500 jobs and bringing to market enough land to deliver 1,000 new homes across Essex.

ECC is now considering how to structure the independent, specialist support required to achieve the Fund’s objectives and is therefore seeking responses to this market engagement exercise from firms providing the following services:

At this stage this opportunity is soft market test only and NOT A CALL FOR COMPETITION. This market test exercise is to allow the Council to ascertain interest from the market, investigate potential options, and consider the best route for a potential future contract opportunity. Further details and a questionnaire pack can be located via the Council's e-sourcing portal, ProContract: https://procontract.due-north.com/Login Please note that you will need to register a supplier account to access the soft market test questionnaire pack.

However, the registration process is free of charge and provides access to all the current and forthcoming procurement opportunities for Essex County Council alongside several other public sector organisations.

The deadline for the soft market test responses will be Monday 23rd January 2023 at 12:00pm; all responses and clarifications must be submitted via ProContract.