Planning

Soft Market Testing - STEAM: Museum of the Great Western Railway Catering Review

SWINDON BOROUGH COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

03 Feb 2025 at 11:06

Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Swindon Borough Council is initiating a procurement process titled "Soft Market Testing - STEAM: Museum of the Great Western Railway Catering Review" in the catering services industry. This process is currently in the planning stage, with the overall engagement period set to conclude on 3rd March 2025. The project involves exploring future options for events, corporate hospitality, and café catering at the STEAM museum in Swindon, England. Key deadlines include submitting clarifications by 21st February 2025 and responding to the Soft Market Testing Questionnaire by 3rd March 2025. The proposed initial contract term is 60 months, with a potential extension to a total of 8 years, valued at approximately £2,500,000.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses that specialise in catering services, particularly SMEs and VCSEs. Engaging in this process allows businesses to potentially shape the procurement by providing valuable market insights. Companies well-suited for this tender are those experienced in managing large-scale and diverse catering services within a cultural or museum setting. Participation in this soft market testing could lead to future tender opportunities with Swindon Borough Council, fostering business growth and long-term collaboration.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Soft Market Testing - STEAM: Museum of the Great Western Railway Catering Review

Notice Description

Swindon Borough Council is seeking to explore future options to undertake the events, corporate hospitality and cafe catering opportunities at 'STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway' in Swindon. This short guide and Soft Market Testing (SMT) questionnaire have been produced to enable Swindon Borough Council to engage with potential suppliers and to understand the market and the potential interest in this opportunity. Any information provided will only be used for research purposes. This questionnaire does not constitute an Invitation to Tender process, and will not be judged against any criteria, nor will it inform any potential tender process in the future and no award of any contract will be made as part of this process The proposed initial contract term is 60 months with an option to extend for a further 36 months (2 periods of 12 months) for a potential total contract term of 8 years with a total initial contract spend across 8 years of circa PS2,500,000. Information to the proposed opportunity is provided in the Soft Market Testing (SMT) questionnaire The SMT questionnaire can be found at https://forms.office.com/e/k99zvnvBzg . Please note that when you have completed the SMT questionnaire, this will be submitted directly to Swindon Borough Council (Project Team) and not via the portal. For further background information and the draft terms and conditions, Suppliers will need to Register as a Supplier on the portal, www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk, then Register an Interest before obtaining these documents. In the event of difficulties registering as a supplier, please refer to the System Administrator Proactis support team ProContractSuppliers@proactis.com Clarifications are to be submitted in writing via Messaging in ProContract tender portal by 21st February 2025, 1200 hrs UK Local time. The Council's responses to these clarification questions will be issued periodically on the ProContract tender portal. SMT Responses are required to be directly submitted via the SMT Questionnaire link no later than 3rd March 2025, 1200 hrs UK Local time. Please note this SMT request has been advertised on Contracts Finder, Supplying the South West Portal, https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk/ . This is the only portal that includes the background information and the draft terms and conditions required to respond to this soft market testing, bearing Project Id: DN758076.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-b5fd17-b8209626-2b6a-4053-b1dc-bf682526cdc0
Publication Source
Contracts Finder
Latest Notice
https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/e1dcf887-88d1-46eb-933f-240868466216
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Not specified
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services

CPV Codes

55520000 - Catering services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£2,500,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
3 Feb 20251 years ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
3 Mar 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
SWINDON BOROUGH COUNCIL
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
SWINDON
Postcode
SN1 2JH
Post Town
Swindon
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK71 Swindon
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)
Local Authority
Swindon
Electoral Ward
Eastcott
Westminster Constituency
Swindon South

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts. 

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