--- title: "Invitation to Tender - Communities of Practice Development" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-679170f5-3b3c-4c86-83eb-d04db6646daf" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-679170f5-3b3c-4c86-83eb-d04db6646daf" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-679170f5-3b3c-4c86-83eb-d04db6646daf.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-679170f5-3b3c-4c86-83eb-d04db6646daf.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR PLACES OF HISTORIC INTEREST OR NATURAL BEAUTY" published: "2026-08-25" --- # Invitation to Tender - Communities of Practice Development Buyer: THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR PLACES OF HISTORIC INTEREST OR NATURAL BEAUTY Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-b5fd17-679170f5-3b3c-4c86-83eb-d04db6646daf [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-679170f5-3b3c-4c86-83eb-d04db6646daf) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-679170f5-3b3c-4c86-83eb-d04db6646daf.json) ## Summary The National Trust is commissioning services to develop and establish a small number of Communities of Practice for the Nature Towns and Cities Network. The work will connect people and organisations creating, improving and caring for urban nature across the UK, including local government, the wider public sector, national non-governmental organisations, voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations, and potentially private-sector organisations. The commission will define what these communities should look and feel like and how they should be delivered. They are intended to help participants address live challenges, share experience, learn from different perspectives and identify practical next steps towards greener, fairer, healthier towns and cities. Delivery is UK-wide and the procurement covers research, development and related consultancy services, with additional business consultancy elements. The process reached tender: the buyer invited offers through an open procedure below the threshold. Tender responses were required by 12 noon on 18 September 2026. The contract period is from 1 October 2026 to 28 February 2027. The available budget is £50,000 including VAT. Responses are evaluated through the proposed approach and outputs, relevant experience demonstrated by at least two examples of similar work, the project timeline or Gantt chart, the responsibilities and time allocations of team members, and a proposed budget breakdown. Bidders therefore need to present a clear delivery plan, evidence directly comparable experience, explain who will undertake the work and how their time will be used, and provide a transparent cost proposal. This opportunity suits SMEs and voluntary, community and social enterprises with experience in designing, developing or delivering communities of practice, networks, peer-learning programmes or comparable collaborative initiatives. Strong candidates are likely to understand urban nature, access to green and blue space, and the practical challenges faced by towns and cities, while being able to work across public, third-sector and potentially private-sector organisations. Relevant capability includes stakeholder engagement, facilitation, workshop or action-learning design, research, synthesis of differing perspectives and translating discussion into practical next steps. Suppliers should be able to shape a working model, define useful outputs and manage delivery across a UK-wide network. The requirement also favours teams that can show at least two similar assignments and allocate clearly identified staff time. ## Notice CONTEXT Nature Towns and Cities is a UK-wide mission to bring nature and green space to urban areas for everyone's benefit. It is backed by coalition of public, private and third sector organisations committed to putting accessible nature at the heart of vibrant, healthy, resilient places and communities, focusing on those areas that will benefit the most. Over the next 10 years we're aiming to help 5 million more people enjoy better access to green and blue space close to home, and 1 million more children to be able to play in nature on their doorstep. THIS COMMISSION To support places and communities on their journey we have already provided training, peer mentoring, action learning, case studies and how to guides, conferences and events and informal opportunities to collaborate, though the Nature Towns and Cities Network. We now wish to develop and establish a small number of Communities of Practice to connect people and organisations working to create, improve and care for urban nature across the UK. These spaces will connect local government and wider public sector, national NGOs, VCSE organisations and possibly private sector organisations around shared ambitions for greener, fairer, healthier towns and cities. Communities of Practice is a working concept, intended to start coalescing the large Nature Towns and Cities network around purposeful activity on specific themes. We want to create spaces where network members can work through live challenges, share experience, learn from different perspectives and identify practical next steps. This commission will determine what these spaces look and feel like, and how they are delivered. INFORMATION TO BE RETURNED Tender responses should be sent to david.coughlin@nationaltrust.org.uk by the deadline of 12pm (midday) on 18/09/26 and include details of the following: * Outline of your proposed approach, including outputs * Description of your relevant experience, including examples of at least two pieces of similar work you have carried out. * Project timeline or Gantt chart * Key responsibilities of team members and time allocations * Proposed budget breakdown The budget available for this work is PS50,000 inc VAT. Please see the full ITT document attached for further details. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/c6e1c7fd-3bfd-4a1f-ac28-bf9297d74962 | | Notice type | Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Open procedure (below threshold) | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 25 Aug 2026 | | Submission deadline | 18 Sep 2026 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 1 Oct 2026 - 28 Feb 2027 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £50,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR PLACES OF HISTORIC INTEREST OR NATURAL BEAUTY | | Locality | SWINDON | | Postcode area | Swindon | | Postcode | SN2 2NA | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) | | ITL 2 | TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire | | ITL 3 | TLK71 Swindon | | Local authority | Swindon | | Electoral ward | Mannington and Western | | Westminster constituency | Swindon South | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services - 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security ### Codes - 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services - 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security ## Release History - 25 Aug 2026 at 11:24 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/c6e1c7fd-3bfd-4a1f-ac28-bf9297d74962 ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/c6e1c7fd-3bfd-4a1f-ac28-bf9297d74962 25th August 2026 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/add5f07f-1dda-4dfa-825f-49757a0c6723 Please find the full Invitation to Tender document. ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-679170f5-3b3c-4c86-83eb-d04db6646daf. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-679170f5-3b3c-4c86-83eb-d04db6646daf.json.