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Contract for Machine Bulb Planting

City & County of Swansea

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

28 Sep 2026 at 16:40

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The City & County of Swansea intends to procure machine planting of mixed bulbs in grass verges and other grassed areas across Swansea. The planting scheme covers butterfly, bee and native mixes, selected for long flowering periods, strong visual displays and benefits to bees, butterflies and other pollinators. The butterfly and bee mixes are intended to flower from February to July, while the native mix is intended to flower from February to May. The planned areas are 694 m² for the butterfly mix, 405 m² for the bee mix and 15 m² for the native mix. This is a horticultural planting service for public green spaces, rather than a supply-only purchase; the planting densities are approximately 120 bulbs per m² for the butterfly mix, 450 for the bee mix and 300 for the native mix.

This procurement is at the planning stage. Swansea Council is undertaking preliminary market engagement to assess supplier capacity and technical ability, and to inform its decision about how to run a competitive procurement. The engagement questionnaire is due by noon on 16 October 2026; participation is not a prerequisite for any future procurement. The buyer expects a further notice on 28 October 2026, but this is an indicative date. The planned contract period runs from 16 November to 1 December 2026. The estimated value is £41,784 excluding VAT (£50,140.80 including VAT). The work is planned as one lot and is marked as suitable for small and medium-sized businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises. No tender invitation has been issued.

The work may suit specialist horticultural contractors and landscape maintenance businesses with the equipment and crews to plant bulb mixes mechanically across multiple grassed sites. Suppliers should be prepared to demonstrate capacity to deliver the stated planting areas and densities within the planned contract period, while handling different mixes and flowering objectives. Knowledge of bulb selection and planting that supports pollinators would be relevant to the council’s stated aims. The engagement is an opportunity for interested organisations to explain their technical ability and capacity, helping shape the council’s approach to any later competition. Small and medium-sized businesses and voluntary, community or social enterprises are explicitly considered suitable. The council has not yet set out qualification or accreditation requirements, so businesses can use engagement to inform the procurement design rather than prepare a bid.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Contract for Machine Bulb Planting

Notice Description

Swansea Council intends to undertake pre-market engagement for the machine planting of various bulb mixes at locations across Swansea. The mixes must provide long flowering periods, strong visual displays and benefits for bees, butterflies and other pollinators. The butterfly and bee mixes should flower from February to July, with planting densities of approximately 120 bulbs per m2 and 450 bulbs per m2 respectively. The native mix should flower from February to May and be planted at approximately 300 bulbs per m2. The total planting areas are 694 m2 for the butterfly mix, 405 m2 for the bee mix and 15 m2 for the native mix. Planting will take place on grass verges and other grassed areas throughout Swansea.

Planning Information

This Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) seeks those organisations that may be interested in providing this service . The exercise will be used to understand the markets capacity and technical ability. Swansea Council has created an Market Engagement Questionnaire (MEQ) which will be used to understand the markets capacity and technical ability. The Market Engagement Questionnaire (MEQ) can be accessed by emailing chris.waters@swansea.gov.uk. Please submit your completed MEQ by no later than 12:00 noon on the 16th October 2026 by email to chris.waters@swansea.gov.uk. Participation in this engagement exercise is not a mandatory requirement for participating in any potential future procurement; however, responses received will assist to inform Swansea Council as to the level of interest from the market and will be used to evidence a decision as to how to undertake a competitive procurement. This notice is not a call for competition. Swansea Council reserves the right to withdraw from undertaking a tender process at any point.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-077bd7
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/091580-2026
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

77 - Agricultural, forestry, horticultural, aquacultural and apicultural services

CPV Codes

77000000 - Agricultural, forestry, horticultural, aquacultural and apicultural services

77300000 - Horticultural services

77310000 - Planting and maintenance services of green areas

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£41,784 Under £100K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
28 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
28 Oct 20263 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
16 Nov 2026 - 1 Dec 2026 30 days
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
City & County of Swansea
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
SWANSEA
Postcode
SA1 3SN
Postcode Area
Swansea
Country
Wales
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLL Wales
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLL4 Mid and South West Wales
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLL43 Swansea
Delivery Location
TLL18 Swansea
Local Authority
Swansea
Electoral Ward
Waterfront
Westminster Constituency
Swansea West

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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