Working in partnership since 2022, Consultancy+ has supported City of Doncaster Council to bring Doncaster Sheffield Airport back to life, with passenger flights set to return in 2028.
Statement of work and services procurement
Aviation and public sector
• Coordinated a full programme of specialist suppliers, all contracted compliantly through YPO frameworks
• Supported the airport's path to reopening, with passenger flights planned for 2028
• Helped unlock a project expected to support 12,000 jobs and deliver a £3bn economic boost by 2050
• Provided complete visibility of project activity through a single, streamlined invoicing and reporting process
Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) ceased passenger flight operations in 2022, following a determination by the previous Operator that the airport was no longer financially viable. City of Doncaster Council saw things differently. To the council, and its communities, DSA represented a genuine catalyst for the growth and regeneration already taking shape across South Yorkshire and beyond.
Reopening an airport is no small undertaking. The council needed to test the feasibility of the project, build a credible business case, secure a long-term lease, and subsequently manage a complex web of reinstatement activities that meet the strict regulatory requirements set by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
This has meant bringing together highly specialised suppliers across feasibility analysis, aviation consultancy, airspace reinstatement, airport operations, and recruitment. Each appointment had to deliver against clearly defined outcomes. Just as importantly, every contract had to be awarded compliantly, at pace, and with full transparency over spend.
How could the council access this breadth of niche expertise, keep the programme moving through each stage gate, and demonstrate value for money to the public throughout? That was the challenge we were engaged to solve.
As the sole provider on the YPO 1141 Managing Consultancy and Professional Services framework, our team gave the council a compliant, efficient route to the specialist suppliers it needed. The framework's tiered pricing structure, alongside the ability to award and mobilise contracts quickly, has delivered significant value for money from the outset.
Our partnership began with an initial feasibility assessment and grew alongside the programme as the South Yorkshire Airport City Programme took on additional workstreams. Throughout, all procurement activity ran through YPO frameworks: 1141 for consultancy and professional services, and 1140 Managing Recruitment and Resourcing, where our sister company, Reed Talent Solutions, is the leading managed service provider for DSA.
We coordinated a powerful network of suppliers across each phase of the project.
• Feasibility analysis
Northpoint Aviation Services undertook a detailed review of DSA's financial accounts, alongside an aviation investment market analysis, to assess the viability of reopening the airport. This work informed the business case to proceed, and in 2024 the Mayor of Doncaster secured a 125-year lease following negotiations with the freeholder.
• Reinstatement consultancy
With approval to proceed, Cyrrus Limited was appointed to help maximise the airport's development potential. This included assessing existing assets and infrastructure and identifying opportunities to introduce new technologies and future developments.
• Reopening management and transition support
Munich Airport International was then appointed as the airport consultant, with Consultancy+ coordinating delivery of its consultancy services, including compliant contracting and payment management for the Germany-based organisation.
• Airport development and advisory
We appointed and managed Paul Eden Advisory Limited, which provides strategic aviation and airline industry expertise. This work has included preparing briefing papers, advising on potential risks, and providing expert representation across meetings and events linked to the reopening.
• Recruitment
Recruitment activity began in 2025, delivered through Reed Talent Solutions' specialist managed service via the Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation – Managing Recruitment and Resourcing framework 1140.
The partnership between Doncaster Council, Consultancy+, and our suppliers has enabled every workstream to be completed compliantly and at pace, helping the DSA programme move quickly through each stage gate.
Every statement of work project has been captured and invoiced through Consultancy+, giving stakeholders complete visibility of project activity and efficient process management. For a public sector programme of this scale and profile, that transparency over spend is invaluable.
The wider impact is significant. According to South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard, the reopening is expected to:
• Support 12,000 jobs
• Deliver a £3bn economic boost
• Generate an additional £2bn in wider benefits by 2050
Perhaps most importantly, the partnership has been built on genuine human interaction across the stakeholder community. Regular, open communication has kept everyone aligned on what needs to be achieved and focused firmly on ‘lift-off’ in 2028.
If you're looking to deliver a complex programme compliantly, at pace, and with full visibility over spend, contact Consultancy+ to find out how our statement of work and services procurement solutions can support you.
