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ITT - Swindon Archive Decarbonisation Design Team (UID 320)

Historic England

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

09 Oct 2026 at 18:33

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Historic England is appointing a multidisciplinary design team for the decarbonisation of its national archive facility in Swindon. The team will develop the preferred option to RIBA Stage 3, coordinating architectural, structural and building-services design while protecting the archive’s environmental conditions and collections. The project covers replacement of ageing environmental-control systems, rationalisation of archive zones, building fabric improvements, fire-safety upgrades and additional storage created by repurposing plant-room space. Services also include developing the existing building-physics model, using the client’s Revit model, interpreting specialist surveys, preparing a planning application, cost and whole-life carbon assessment, stakeholder workshops, and support for fundraising. This is architectural and engineering design consultancy for an energy-efficiency and building-upgrade project.

Historic England invited suppliers to compete through a two-stage competitive flexible procedure: a participation questionnaire first, followed by an invitation to tender for shortlisted suppliers. The questionnaire deadline was 4 November 2026 at 09:30; questions were due by 28 October 2026 at 17:00. The contract was planned to run from 28 January to 30 September 2027, with possible extension to 30 August 2028. The estimated value is £149,000 excluding VAT (£178,000 including VAT). Quality accounts for 70% of the evaluation and price 30%. Quality covers project objectives and option review, design methodology, archive collection needs and environmental risks, relevant experience, cost management and buildability, team resources, and environmental stewardship, skills and wider benefits. Stage 4 may be awarded after satisfactory Stage 3 completion and an acceptable methodology and pricing schedule.

This opportunity suits a coordinated design consultancy able to bring architectural, structural and building-services expertise together for a specialist archive refurbishment. Suppliers will need to demonstrate understanding of collection-care requirements and environmental risk, including the application of BS EN 16893:2018 to mechanical design. Relevant capability includes developing energy-efficient environmental-control systems, coordinating work in Revit, interpreting thermographic and airtightness investigations, and developing building-physics models against environmental, energy, carbon and future-climate requirements. The team must also be able to prepare planning applications, manage cost and value, assess whole-life cost and carbon, engage stakeholders and support funding applications. The evaluation rewards relevant project experience, sound technical delivery, buildability and committed team resources, alongside environmental stewardship, skills and wider social value. A supplier with multidisciplinary capacity and experience working around sensitive collections is well placed to compete.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

ITT - Swindon Archive Decarbonisation Design Team (UID 320)

Notice Description

Historic England is seeking to appoint a multidisciplinary design team to develop the Archive Decarbonisation Project at its national archive facility in Swindon through RIBA Stage 3. Under the terms of this contract, we reserve the right to award RIBA stage 4 following the satisfactory completion of stage 3 and the receipt of an acceptable return for Stage 4 methodology and pricing schedule (in line with rates provided at stage 3). The Historic England Archive is one of the nation's most significant collections of records relating to England's historic environment. The purpose-built archive store was constructed in 1993 to BS5454 standards and provides specialist environmental conditions for the long-term preservation of nationally important photographic, film and documentary collections. However, the building and its associated mechanical and electrical systems were not designed with energy efficiency or net-zero objectives in mind. The project forms a key part of Historic England's commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 and responds to the urgent requirement to replace ageing building services plant that has reached, and in some cases exceeded, its operational life. Recent equipment failures have highlighted the increasing risk to collection preservation, building resilience and operational continuity. A RIBA Stage 2 feasibility study has recently been completed. The study explored a range of options to reduce operational carbon, improve energy performance and secure the long-term sustainability of the archive while maintaining stringent environmental conditions required for collection care. Based on the information provided, Historic England's preferred option currently involves: * Replacement of existing end-of-life environmental control systems with significantly more energy-efficient solutions. * Rationalisation of archive environmental zones to improve operational efficiency. * Fabric improvements to enhance thermal performance and airtightness. * Fire safety upgrades and associated building works. * Creation of additional archive storage capacity through the repurposing of existing plant room space, reducing reliance on external storage facilities and supporting future collection growth. Scope of Services The appointed design team will be required to lead the project through: RIBA Stage 3 - Spatial Coordination Including but not limited to: * Review and validation of the completed RIBA Stage 2 outputs. * Development of the preferred design solution. * Coordination of architectural, structural and building services design, ensuring full integration of archive operational, conservation and storage requirements, and compliance with relevant standards and guidance, including BS EN 16893:2018 Evaluation and mitigation of collection care risks associated with proposed mechanical solutions. * Interpretation and integration of thermographic surveys, air-tightness testing and other specialist investigations. * Use and develop the client-provided Revit BIM model as the principal tool for multidisciplinary spatial coordination, ensuring that all proposed building-services systems, plant, access requirements and interfaces are accurately modelled and coordinated with the architectural and structural design. * Review, validate and develop the existing building physics model to a level appropriate for RIBA Stage 3, reflecting the spatially coordinated design and demonstrating performance against the agreed environmental requirements, energy and carbon targets, plant loads and future climate scenarios. * Planning application preparation and submission. * Cost planning and value management exercises. * Development of a robust whole-life cost and carbon assessment. * Stakeholder engagement and workshop facilitation. * Support Historic England's fundraising activities for the project by providing reasonable information, evidence, and documentation to assist fundraising and grant applications where requested.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: RIBA stage 4 - we reserve the right to award RIBA stage 4 following the satisfactory completion of stage 3 and the receipt of an acceptable return for Stage 4 methodology and pricing schedule (in line with rates provided at stage 3).

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078534
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/095864-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

45 - Construction work

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

CPV Codes

45262640 - Environmental improvement works

71200000 - Architectural and related services

71220000 - Architectural design services

71240000 - Architectural, engineering and planning services

71242000 - Project and design preparation, estimation of costs

71313000 - Environmental engineering consultancy services

71320000 - Engineering design services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£149,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£149,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
9 Oct 20263 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
28 Jan 2027 - 30 Sep 2027 6-12 months
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
Historic England
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
SWINDON
Postcode
SN2 2EH
Postcode Area
Swindon
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK71 Swindon
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Swindon
Electoral Ward
Mannington and Western
Westminster Constituency
Swindon South

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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