Planning

Forest Saunas

FORESTRY COMMISSION

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

02 Mar 2026 at 13:02

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Forestry Commission, located in Bristol, UK, has initiated a procurement process for the development of innovative forest sauna experiences. This venture, titled "Forest Saunas," is intended to enhance wellbeing and recreation offerings across the nation's forests. The procurement is in the planning stage with expressions of interest due by 31 March 2026. The contract, under the services category with a concession and light-touch regime, envisages a contract period from 1 March 2027 to 28 February 2037, presenting potential opportunities for SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) and VCSEs (Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprises). The project caters primarily to the sporting services sector and aims to incorporate sustainable and nature-immersive spa experiences into multiple forest locations managed by Forestry England.

This tender presents a valuable opportunity for businesses specialising in sauna, spa, wellbeing, and outdoor leisure to broaden their market reach. With a gross value of £4,000,000, it offers significant growth potential for partners who can align their projects with Forestry England's focus on nature and public health. The procurement method encourages third-party delivery, allowing operators to take charge of planning, investment, and operation while benefitting from brand association with Forestry England. Ideal candidates should bring innovative ideas and a commitment to environmental and commercial sustainability to expand their operations either nationally, regionally, or locally, catering to the diverse needs of the nation's forests and their visitors.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Forest Saunas

Notice Description

Forestry England is exploring an exciting opportunity to work with experienced, likeminded operators to develop high-quality, sustainable, nature-immersive forest spa experiences with sauna facilities across multiple locations within the nation's forests. We are seeking partners who can help us expand our growing wellbeing and recreation offer through innovative, forest-based spa/sauna experiences that complement our landscapes and enhance visitor enjoyment and engagement. Forestry England manages the nation's forests for people, nature and the economy. As England's largest land manager, we care for over 1,500 forests and woods, including 40 key visitor destinations, welcoming around 300 million visits each year. Our forests play a vital role in public wellbeing, offering extensive recreation opportunities including walking, cycling, running, play, and nature experiences. We work with hundreds of commercial partners - from national operators to local businesses - to deliver high quality visitor services that enhance the forest experience while supporting the long-term sustainability of the nation's forests. As we continue to diversify our income, to grow our resilience and respond to the needs of people, nature, and climate, we actively seek partnerships with organisations who can invest in and operate new recreation and wellbeing offers aligned with our values, landscapes, and audiences. Our ambition is to develop an all-year, all-weather, inclusive, and accessible offer that enhances wellbeing experiences and complements our wider recreation portfolio, while continuing to support our long term environmental, social, and commercial objectives. At this early stage, we are seeking to understand which organisations may be interested in this emerging opportunity, and to gain a sense of what the market could offer. We are not requesting detailed proposals or fully developed concepts. Instead, we would like to build an initial picture of: - Who is interested in providing forest-based spa/sauna experiences - What kind of spa, sauna or wellbeing offer you could envisage in a forest setting - At what level you could operate - national, regional, or local - and what your implementation capacity per year would be - How your organisation's experience and values align with ours We are keen to gain a sense of the range of ideas within the market and welcome early thoughts on innovative, distinctive, or creative approaches that could bring something new to a forest-based wellbeing offer. We are particularly interested in hearing from operators with experience in sauna, spa, wellbeing, or outdoor leisure, who feel their approach could complement forest landscapes and support the wellbeing of our visitors by offering fresh, nature connected ideas that enhance the overall experience. Above all, we are looking to engage with operators who share our values: caring for nature, enhancing public wellbeing, operating responsibly, and delivering offers that are both environmentally sensitive and commercially sustainable. Forestry England typically works through full third-party delivery, with operators responsible for planning, investment, design, installation, and operation, while Forestry England provides land access and brand association via a commercial agreement.

Planning Information

Expressions of interest should be submitted via email to commercial.services@forestryengland.uk Following consideration of the initial expressions of interest, Forestry England may wish to engage in further soft market testing with respondents. Therefore, at this stage the scope of the contract is still subject to change based on feedback from the market. This preliminary market engagement notice does not commit Forestry England to any future procurement or any subsequent decisions based on the output of the market sounding exercise. Forestry England reserves the right not to proceed to a formal procurement process.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-065f8a
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/018424-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services

CPV Codes

92600000 - Sporting services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£4,000,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
2 Mar 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
31 Mar 20263 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Mar 2027 - 28 Feb 2037 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
FORESTRY COMMISSION
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BRISTOL
Postcode
BS16 1EJ
Post Town
Bristol
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK5 West of England
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
South Gloucestershire
Electoral Ward
Stoke Park & Cheswick
Westminster Constituency
Filton and Bradley Stoke

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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