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IWM Immersive Experience

Imperial War Museums

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

07 Oct 2026 at 11:43

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

07 Oct 2026 at 11:28

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Planning

07 Oct 2026 at 11:12

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Imperial War Museums is commissioning an artistic immersive experience at its IWM Lambeth site in London, using virtual-reality headsets. The requirement is for a cultural experience built around original creative work, rather than a standalone software product: the rationale describes co-developing new work with the museum and presenting it to public audiences. The service combines content development and storytelling with archival and collections research, curatorial content, filmmaking and VR technical expertise. It also extends to operating and business models, touring and licensing, development and exploitation of intellectual property, and links with arts and heritage venues and potential funders. The work is classified as entertainment software development services, but the stated scope is a broader artistic and visitor-facing museum experience.

The procurement is complete and the contract has been awarded to East City Films Ltd. The award was made on 7 October 2026 through a direct award, justified by technical and creative reasons: the museum says its market research identified the supplier’s combination of museum-sector VR experience, proprietary methods and intellectual property, specialist expertise and venue networks. The award value is £1,000,000 excluding VAT (£1,200,000 including VAT). The contract period runs from 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2031, with a two-year extension at the museum’s discretion, potentially extending the period to 31 October 2033. There is one lot, deemed suitable for small and medium-sized businesses. The award is recorded as pending, with contract signature scheduled for 30 October 2026.

For a supplier considering similar museum commissions, this award shows that Imperial War Museums values a joined-up creative and commercial capability, not just VR production. A credible competitor would need evidence of developing compelling, large-scale, multisensory VR documentary experiences for museums or cultural venues, supported by strong storytelling, filmmaking and technical delivery. The selected supplier’s profile also points to the importance of archive- and collection-led research, curatorial understanding, and a proven production methodology or distinctive intellectual property. Beyond making the experience, the buyer sought capability to operate it, tour it, license it and develop its intellectual property over time. Established relationships with arts and heritage venues, a practical touring model, and experience building audiences and engaging potential funders would strengthen a competing offer. The requirement was considered suitable for SMEs, but calls for a broad mix of creative, technical and exploitation expertise.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

IWM Immersive Experience

Notice Description

At our IWM Lambeth site we are looking at developing and hosting an artistic commission using immersive VR headset technology. Estimated value of PS1M.

Planning Information

The discovery phase comprised extensive market research to identify existing provision and key operators in the sector, which was supplemented with attendance at a sector trade show. Information on operating and business models was gathered via desk research, conversations with a sample of providers who had expressed interest in working with us at the trade show and via email/ LinkedIn and visits to immersive experiences.

Procurement Information

At our IWM Lambeth site we are looking at developing and hosting an artistic commission using immersive VR headset technology. A discovery phase comprised extensive market research to identify existing provision and key operators in the sector, which was supplemented with attendance at a sector trade show. Information on operating and business models was gathered via desk research, conversations with a sample of providers who had expressed interest in working with us at the trade show and via email/ LinkedIn and visits to immersive experiences. This process highlighted East City Films who bring a combination of experience that spans content development and storytelling, underpinned by archival/ collections research and curatorial content, filmmaking, technical knowledge/ expertise, operational and business modelling, knowledge of touring models and an established network of arts/ heritage venues that positions them to meet the requirements of the IWM brief. Over the last decade, they have developed a distinctive production methodology for creating large-scale, multi-sensory VR documentary experiences designed for cultural venues and public audiences. Critically, East City Film's capability extends beyond production into touring, licensing and long-term IP development and exploitation and brings the creative and technical knowledge to co-develop new work with IWM as well as the infrastructure and commercial experience to ensure that work reaches the widest possible audience over time. It is this combination of archive-led storytelling expertise, proprietary production methodology and proven exploitation capability that we seek to enable a genuine co-creation partnership underpinned by existing know-how and IP that directly accelerates and de-risks the development of new work. We will be awarding the contract to East City Films, as we have not found a creative agency with experience of developing critically acclaimed, award-winning (in film/ art-form category) VR headset experiences for the museum sector who also bring this the requisite combination of proprietary IP, proven methodology, specialist know-how and established networks of venues and relationships with potential funders.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-07825f
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/094650-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

CPV Codes

72212932 - Entertainment software development services

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
7 Oct 20266 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
7 Oct 20266 days ago
Contract Period
1 Nov 2026 - 31 Oct 2031 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Imperial War Museums
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SE1 6HZ
Postcode Area
South East London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI4 Inner London - East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI44 Lewisham and Southwark
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Southwark
Electoral Ward
St George's
Westminster Constituency
Bermondsey and Old Southwark

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

EAST CITY FILMS LTD

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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