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003550 - Flagship Festival 2027

Durham County Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

09 Sep 2026 at 14:48

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Durham County Council is procuring a delivery partner to develop and deliver a new flagship cultural event for County Durham. The requirement covers exhibition, fair and congress organisation services, with the event intended to be original, participatory and distinctive rather than a traditional festival. It should combine culture, creativity, innovation, technology and community engagement, drawing on County Durham’s identity. The council wants the event to create a defining cultural moment, strengthen the county’s reputation for creativity and excellence, and deliver lasting cultural, social and economic benefits. Local communities should have an active role in shaping and delivering the event, with opportunities for participation, skills development and talent progression, particularly for children and young people. Delivery is in County Durham.

The procurement reached tender: Durham County Council invited offers through an open competitive flexible procedure. The process has three stages: a Procurement Specific Questionnaire and conditions of participation; competitive dialogue and presentation; then a second competitive dialogue session and final proposal. Enquiries had to be submitted by 7 October 2026 at 12:00, and tenders by 8 October 2026 at 12:00. The contract period is 1 February 2027 to 31 January 2029, with renewal options described as two years plus two years plus two years; the maximum extent date is 31 January 2031. The estimated value is £1.5 million excluding VAT, or £1.8 million including VAT. Award is scheduled by 18 January 2027. Evaluation weights final proposal quality at 60%, price at 30% and social value at 10%.

This opportunity suits an experienced cultural event producer or consortium able to develop an ambitious, original proposition and deliver a large, high-profile public event. Strong candidates will be able to combine creative programming with practical event delivery, innovation, technology and meaningful community engagement. The requirement particularly favours organisations that can create participation opportunities, support skills development and progress talent, including children and young people, while involving local communities in both shaping and delivering the event. Suppliers should be able to root the proposition in County Durham’s identity and demonstrate how it can create lasting cultural, social and economic benefits. Experience of developing distinctive events with the potential to recur and achieve national recognition will be relevant, alongside the capacity to work through dialogue, presentations and a final proposal.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

003550 - Flagship Festival 2027

Notice Description

Durham County Council is seeking an experienced and innovative delivery partner to develop and deliver a new flagship cultural event for County Durham. The Council is looking for a bold, ambitious and distinctive proposition that represents a step change from traditional festival models and has the potential to become a recurring, nationally recognised event. The successful proposal should be original, participatory and rooted in County Durham's unique identity, bringing together culture, creativity, innovation, technology and community engagement. The event should create a defining cultural moment for the county, enhancing its reputation as a place of creativity and excellence, while delivering lasting cultural, social and economic benefits. Proposals must demonstrate strong opportunities for participation, skills development and talent progression, particularly for children and young people, ensuring local communities play an active role in shaping and delivering the event.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: 2 years + 2 years + 2 years, as this is will be a bi-annual event. Multiple extensions are possible depending on the success of the first festival in 2027.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f5ce
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085456-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
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
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

CPV Codes

79950000 - Exhibition, fair and congress organisation services

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
9 Sep 20266 days ago
Submission Deadline
8 Oct 20263 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Feb 2027 - 31 Jan 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Durham County 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
DURHAM
Postcode
DH1 5WB
Postcode Area
Durham
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC41 Durham
Delivery Location
TLC14 Durham
Local Authority
County Durham
Electoral Ward
Framwellgate & Newton Hall
Westminster Constituency
City of Durham

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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