The combined authority for the region including the cities of Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton and more has revealed that it intends to deliver an upgrade programme covering systems, skills and more

The West Midlands Combined Authority is seeking to appoint an expert provider to a near-£5m contract to help fulfil a major digital reform agenda over the coming months and years.

The authority has released a commercial notice outlining its plans for “the appointment of a digital and data strategic partner”. The document marks the opening of bidding for a contract due to begin in March 2026 and last for an initial term of two years, plus a potential extension of a further two years. The deal is forecast to be worth £4.8m to the chosen supplier.

The winning bidder will serve as an expert consultant helping to advise on and shape the local government body’s ambitious technology plans.

“West Midlands Combined Authority is undertaking a significant digital transformation programme,” the notice says. “This encompasses a range of activities from refining the digital operating model and implementing foundational systems improvement  to ensure secure and compliant services, to introducing the skills and capabilities needed across the organisation for it to become truly digital by default. WMCA wishes to secure a strategic partner to support and aid on this journey, to provide assurance for the roadmap, and to supplement people resources where required.”

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Prospective bidders have until midday on 28 November to respond to the invitation to tender. After this, WMCA intends to judge bids using a process that is 65% weighted towards quality and 35% towards commercial aspects, the notice indicates.

Aspects to be assessed include companies’ in various areas of “technical and professional ability”, including “digital transformation strategy and insight [and] product and service discovery and delivery”. Also being  reviewed will be bidders’ ability to deliver “empowered product and service teams” and “flexible resourcing and blended teams”.

WMCA was created in 2017 with a remit to oversee collective decisions and actions across seventeen local authority areas, including the core constituent councils of Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Solihull, Dudley, Sandwell, and Walsall.

The authority – which is led by a directly elected mayor – is also responsible for some frontline council services, including public transport across the region, as well as skills and business support services.