Tender

Exhibition Design Consultancy

ROYAL ARMOURIES MUSEUM

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

TenderUpdate

21 Nov 2025 at 16:20

TenderUpdate

14 Nov 2025 at 10:52

Tender

23 Oct 2025 at 09:09

Planning

13 May 2025 at 15:06

Summary of the contracting process

The Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds is actively seeking a Lead Design Consultant for its "Exhibition Design Consultancy" project, part of the "Armed with Hope & Understanding" initiative. This public procurement involves providing services through RIBA Stages 2-7, with a twelve-month Defects Period, encompassing multidisciplinary exhibition design and consultancy. The project, which holds an open procurement method with a competitive flexible procedure, is valued at £2.5 million (net) to £3 million (gross). Located in Leeds, this opportunity falls under the services industry category, focusing on museum-exhibition services among others, with relevant CPV codes covering architectural and project design services. Important dates include a final tender submission deadline of 1st December 2025, and an anticipated contract start on 16th March 2026, extending through to 30th November 2033. The overall process is currently in the tender update stage, following several updates from October to November 2025.

This tender offers significant opportunities for businesses involved in architectural design, project management, quantity surveying, and exhibition services. The project encourages SMEs and VCSEs to participate, promoting innovative solutions to deliver high-quality, time-bound, and budget-conscious outcomes. Companies experienced in providing flexible, cooperative designs, especially within the realm of cultural or heritage projects, can leverage this tender to expand their portfolio. Additionally, with a requirement for multidisciplinary teams, businesses specializing in museum-exhibition, architectural design, or design consultancy services would find this project particularly beneficial for gaining industry recognition and expanding their operational scope in delivering notable public sector projects. The competitive nature and rigorous assessment process ensure that only those providing the most advantageous tender in terms of quality and pricing will secure this prestigious contract.

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Notice Title

Exhibition Design Consultancy

Notice Description

The Royal Armouries Museum wishes to establish an Agreement for the provision of Lead Design Consultant (LDC) services for RIBA Stages 2-7 with a twelve-month Defects Period, for the Armed with Hope & Understanding project. The Lead Design Consultant will procure a dynamic and multidisciplinary Exhibition Design Team to carry out the Services and all duties and responsibilities required to fully execute the Scope of Services outlined herein. The Exhibition Design Team will be experienced in providing flexible designs that meet project budgets, target timescales, and adhere to statutory legislation, Client guidelines and industry best practice. The Services should not be viewed as definitive or prescriptive. The Lead Design Consultant is encouraged to use their own initiative and expertise to assist the Client in achieving the most appropriate solutions to deliver the project on time, to the target level of quality and in line with the agreed budget. To view this notice, please click here: https://neupc.delta-esourcing.com/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=995914849

Planning Information

The Royal Armouries is preparing to procure a multi-disciplinary exhibition design consultancy to deliver a major, phased redisplay of its permanent galleries at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, as part of the Armouries 700 capital programme. To inform the forthcoming procurement strategy and foster early collaboration, we are undertaking a Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) with interested suppliers. This engagement invites responses from exhibition design consultancies, design-led consortiums, and specialist collaborators experienced in delivering ambitious, inclusive and collection-focused cultural projects. Through this process, we aim to refine our approach, test market capacity, and promote strong alignment between our vision and the delivery model proposed by the market. Scope of Engagement The purpose of this engagement is to: •Introduce the design opportunity for the Armouries 700 gallery redisplay project (approx. 4,740m² of gallery space) •Share a draft Design Brief for early comment and refinement •Gain insight into market capability, appetite, and delivery models •Invite early feedback on potential challenges or risks associated with the proposed timeline, scope or budget •Support the development of an informed procurement approach and tender documentation •To obtain feedback on the draft Design Brief, scope or timeline •Initial thoughts on potential delivery risks or constraints Engagement is non-evaluative and non-competitive and does not form part of any future selection process. Planned Engagement Activities Suppliers will be invited to participate in the following activities as part of the PME process: •Virtual Market Engagement Briefing Webinar Monday 17th June 2025 at 2:30 PM (BST) Hosted via Microsoft Teams A live session open to all interested parties, presenting the project scope, procurement timeline, and key requirements. There will be an opportunity to ask questions, share comments, and request further clarification on the design brief. •Design Brief Distribution A full version of the draft Design Brief will be sent to interested parties ahead of the webinar to enable informed discussion and feedback. How to Express Interest Suppliers who wish to participate in the engagement process, attend the webinar, or submit questions and comments should contact: martin.hughes@armouries.org.uk Subject line: PME – Exhibition Fit-Out Design Please include in your email: •Contact name, organisation, and role •Contact details (email and telephone) •Indication of availability for the webinar on 17th June 2025 Important Dates •Deadline for Expression of Interest (to attend webinar or request briefing pack): 12:00 Noon on Thursday 12th June 2025 •Virtual Market Engagement Webinar: Monday 17th June 2025 at 2:30 PM (via Microsoft Teams) •Distribution of Briefing Pack and Teams Invitation: Beginning immediately and finishing Thursday 13th June 2025 •Deadline for Feedback : Friday 28th June 2025 at 5:00 PM Location and Format All engagement events will be conducted virtually. Please note: • All sessions will be held online via Microsoft Teams • No site visits will be held at this stage of the process • A preliminary design briefing pack will be issued electronically upon registration Who Should Respond This engagement is open to: •Multi-disciplinary exhibition design consultancies •Creative partnerships or consortiums •Architects or interpretive designers with relevant museum or gallery experience •Organisations or individuals specialising in digital media, accessibility, lighting, sustainable design, or co-creation strategies relevant to gallery design We particularly encourage responses from teams with demonstrable experience working on high-value, phased cultural or heritage capital projects, including those involving co-creation, storytelling, live performance, and inclusive interpretation. Future Procurement This engagement is for information and planning purposes only and does not commit the Royal Armouries to any course of procurement or award. Participation in this process will not affect any future application to a formal procurement procedure. Details of the tender opportunity, selection criteria, and contract structure will be confirmed in the Invitation to Tender Documents. If you have any questions regarding this PME or wish to clarify the opportunity before responding, please get in touch using the email address provided. We look forward to engaging with the market and exploring innovative, inclusive, and sustainable ideas to help deliver this once-in-a-generation transformation of the Royal Armouries Museum.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-051250
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/076176-2025
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

45 - Construction work

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services


CPV Codes

45212310 - Construction work for buildings relating to exhibitions

45300000 - Building installation work

71220000 - Architectural design services

71324000 - Quantity surveying services

71520000 - Construction supervision services

72224000 - Project management consultancy services

79415200 - Design consultancy services

79421200 - Project-design services other than for construction work

79930000 - Specialty design services

92520000 - Museum services and preservation services of historical sites and buildings

92521000 - Museum services

92521100 - Museum-exhibition services

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
21 Nov 20253 months ago
Submission Deadline
1 Dec 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
30 Jun 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
16 Mar 2026 - 30 Nov 2033 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
ROYAL ARMOURIES MUSEUM
Contact Name
Procurement Department
Contact Email
procurement@armouries.org.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
LEEDS
Postcode
LS10 1LT
Post Town
Leeds
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLE Yorkshire and The Humber
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLE4 West Yorkshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLE42 Leeds
Delivery Location
TLE42 Leeds

Local Authority
Leeds
Electoral Ward
Hunslet & Riverside
Westminster Constituency
Leeds South

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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