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UKRI Venue Booking

UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

14 Oct 2026 at 12:34

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Planning

14 Oct 2026 at 11:10

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

UK Research and Innovation intends to replace its current venue management contract with a service for finding and booking venues. The requirement is described as UKRI Venue Booking and is classified as a service. The planned procurement is for venue finding and supporting services for meetings, conferences and events, through the relevant lot of the Government Commercial Agency’s Travel, Transport, Accommodation and Venue Solutions framework. The service is intended to support UKRI’s venue needs across the United Kingdom. UK Shared Business Services Ltd is managing the procurement on UKRI’s behalf. The published scope is limited to venue management and booking; it does not describe specific event types, venue volumes or operational requirements.

This is at the planning stage: UKRI has set out an intention to procure a replacement, but has not yet invited tenders. The buyer expects to use a selective route through lot 3 of the GCA RM6342 framework, described as a pre-Procurement Act commercial tool. The estimated value is £9 million excluding VAT (£10.8 million including VAT). The anticipated contract is scheduled to run from 27 March 2027 to 27 March 2029, with a maximum extent to 26 March 2031; the lot indicates that renewal is possible. The stated reason for the procurement is that UKRI’s existing venue management contract is due to expire in March 2027 and has no extension options. The procurement is one lot.

The planned requirement is most directly relevant to suppliers providing venue-finding, booking and supporting services for meetings, conferences and events, particularly businesses already able to compete through the relevant GCA framework lot. The lot is marked as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community and social enterprises, so businesses in either group may be well placed to prepare. The planned contract covers UKRI’s venue management needs across the UK and is intended to replace an existing service, making experience in handling venue requirements relevant. The information published so far does not set out particular accreditations, staffing levels, technical standards or past-performance thresholds, so suppliers should monitor the procurement as the buyer develops its requirements.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

UKRI Venue Booking

Notice Description

This pipeline notice is for information only. UKRI's current Venue Management Contract is due to expire in March 2027 with no options to extend. UKRI will be looking to procure a replacement Venue Management Contract via the GCA framework RM6342 lot 3 Venue Find and Supporting Services For Meetings, Conferences and Events. At this stage, no further details are available beyond what is published here.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078746
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/096966-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Using pre-Procurement Act commercial tool
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services

63 - Supporting and auxiliary transport services; travel agencies services

CPV Codes

55000000 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services

63516000 - Travel management services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£9,000,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
14 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
27 Mar 2027 - 27 Mar 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION
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 1FL
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
Rodbourne Cheney
Westminster Constituency
Swindon North

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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