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Belfast Stories Experience Design Team

Belfast City Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

24 Jul 2026 at 16:12

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

20 Feb 2026 at 12:57

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Belfast City Council procured an experience design team for the Belfast Stories project in Belfast. The work is museum and exhibition design, including development of an existing interpretive masterplan and concept design from RIBA stages 3 to 7. The appointed team is responsible for leading and managing the experience design team and integrating the interpretive framework across the project, including the main exhibition, the wider site and connections into the city. Required disciplines include interpretive planning, exhibition design, visitor experience consultancy and curation, supported by digital design engineering, specialist lighting and sound, display structural, mechanical and electrical design, digital leadership, graphic design, specialist curation and BIM design. The procurement was categorised as services, including architectural design and museum-exhibition services, delivered in Belfast.

The procurement is complete and was awarded to Ralph Appelbaum Associates on 16 July 2026. Belfast City Council used an open competitive flexible procedure under the Most Advantageous Tender approach. The single lot had an estimated value of £1,500,000 excluding VAT and £1,800,000 including VAT; the award value was £1,736,159.25 excluding VAT and £2,083,391.10 including VAT. Bids were due by 24 March 2026, with the award period ending on 30 June 2026. The awarded contract is scheduled to run from 5 August 2026 to 30 June 2031. Evaluation weighted quality at 70%, social value at 10% and price at 20%, with the highest overall score determining the award. Electronic submission in English was allowed.

This procurement demonstrates substantial, multi-disciplinary demand from Belfast City Council for cultural, visitor-attraction and exhibition development expertise. A credible competitor for a future requirement would need to lead an integrated design team across interpretive planning, exhibition and visitor experience design, curation, digital systems, graphic design, specialist lighting and sound, display engineering, mechanical and electrical design, and BIM. Experience developing an established concept through detailed design, construction support and later project stages would be relevant, as would the ability to connect an exhibition with its wider site and city context. Suppliers would also need to present strong quality evidence and a clear social value offer, since these carried greater combined weight than price. The requirement suits an established specialist consultancy or a consortium able to coordinate varied technical and creative disciplines.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Belfast Stories Experience Design Team

Notice Description

The purpose of this procurement process is to successfully appoint an Experience Design Team ("EDT" or "Designer") for the Belfast Stories Project. An interpretive masterplan has been previously completed along with a concept design to RIBA stage 2. This procurement process is to appoint a team to take the existing interpretive masterplan and concept design and develop them further from RIBA stages 3 to 7. The overarching interpretive framework is critical to ensuring that the concept of Belfast Stories is fully integrated across all elements of the project including but not limited to the main exhibition. The exhibition design and its content will be central to delivering an excellent visitor experience and maximising connectivity across the site and into the city. The Experience Design Team (EDT), is to lead and manage the EDT. The EDT shall include the DTM disciplines of Interpretative Planner, Exhibition Designer, Visitor Experience Consultant and Curator and shall also include, but is not limited to, Digital Design Engineers, Specialist Lighting and Sound Designers & Engineers , Specialist Display Structural Designers & Engineers, Specialist Display Mechanical and Electrical Designers & Engineers, Digital Lead, Graphic Designer, Specialist Curatorial Team Building Information Modelling (BIM) Designer.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06593c
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/070457-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services

CPV Codes

71220000 - Architectural design services

71221000 - Architectural services for buildings

92521100 - Museum-exhibition services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1,500,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£1,500,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
£1,736,159 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
24 Jul 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
24 Mar 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
16 Jul 20261 months ago
Contract Period
5 Aug 2026 - 30 Jun 2031 4-5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Belfast City 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
BELFAST
Postcode
BT2 8DJ
Postcode Area
Northern Ireland
Country
Northern Ireland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLN Northern Ireland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLN0 Northern Ireland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLN06 Belfast
Delivery Location
TLN06 Belfast
Local Authority
Belfast
Electoral Ward
Central
Westminster Constituency
Belfast South and Mid Down

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Ralph Appelbaum Associates

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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