--- title: "Soft Market Testing - STEAM: Museum of the Great Western Railway Catering Review" ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-b8209626-2b6a-4053-b1dc-bf682526cdc0" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-b8209626-2b6a-4053-b1dc-bf682526cdc0" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-b8209626-2b6a-4053-b1dc-bf682526cdc0.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-b8209626-2b6a-4053-b1dc-bf682526cdc0.json" source: "Contracts Finder" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "SWINDON BOROUGH COUNCIL" published: "2025-02-03" --- # Soft Market Testing - STEAM: Museum of the Great Western Railway Catering Review Buyer: SWINDON BOROUGH COUNCIL Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-b5fd17-b8209626-2b6a-4053-b1dc-bf682526cdc0 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-b8209626-2b6a-4053-b1dc-bf682526cdc0) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-b8209626-2b6a-4053-b1dc-bf682526cdc0.json) ## Summary Swindon Borough Council is initiating a procurement process titled "Soft Market Testing - STEAM: Museum of the Great Western Railway Catering Review" in the catering services industry. This process is currently in the planning stage, with the overall engagement period set to conclude on 3rd March 2025. The project involves exploring future options for events, corporate hospitality, and café catering at the STEAM museum in Swindon, England. Key deadlines include submitting clarifications by 21st February 2025 and responding to the Soft Market Testing Questionnaire by 3rd March 2025. The proposed initial contract term is 60 months, with a potential extension to a total of 8 years, valued at approximately £2,500,000. This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses that specialise in catering services, particularly SMEs and VCSEs. Engaging in this process allows businesses to potentially shape the procurement by providing valuable market insights. Companies well-suited for this tender are those experienced in managing large-scale and diverse catering services within a cultural or museum setting. Participation in this soft market testing could lead to future tender opportunities with Swindon Borough Council, fostering business growth and long-term collaboration. ## Notice Swindon Borough Council is seeking to explore future options to undertake the events, corporate hospitality and cafe catering opportunities at 'STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway' in Swindon. This short guide and Soft Market Testing (SMT) questionnaire have been produced to enable Swindon Borough Council to engage with potential suppliers and to understand the market and the potential interest in this opportunity. Any information provided will only be used for research purposes. This questionnaire does not constitute an Invitation to Tender process, and will not be judged against any criteria, nor will it inform any potential tender process in the future and no award of any contract will be made as part of this process The proposed initial contract term is 60 months with an option to extend for a further 36 months (2 periods of 12 months) for a potential total contract term of 8 years with a total initial contract spend across 8 years of circa PS2,500,000. Information to the proposed opportunity is provided in the Soft Market Testing (SMT) questionnaire The SMT questionnaire can be found at https://forms.office.com/e/k99zvnvBzg . Please note that when you have completed the SMT questionnaire, this will be submitted directly to Swindon Borough Council (Project Team) and not via the portal. For further background information and the draft terms and conditions, Suppliers will need to Register as a Supplier on the portal, www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk, then Register an Interest before obtaining these documents. In the event of difficulties registering as a supplier, please refer to the System Administrator Proactis support team ProContractSuppliers@proactis.com Clarifications are to be submitted in writing via Messaging in ProContract tender portal by 21st February 2025, 1200 hrs UK Local time. The Council's responses to these clarification questions will be issued periodically on the ProContract tender portal. SMT Responses are required to be directly submitted via the SMT Questionnaire link no later than 3rd March 2025, 1200 hrs UK Local time. Please note this SMT request has been advertised on Contracts Finder, Supplying the South West Portal, https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk/ . This is the only portal that includes the background information and the draft terms and conditions required to respond to this soft market testing, bearing Project Id: DN758076. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Contracts Finder | | Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/e1dcf887-88d1-46eb-933f-240868466216 | | Notice type | Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Not specified | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 3 Feb 2025 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 3 Mar 2025 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £2,500,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Not specified | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | SWINDON BOROUGH COUNCIL | | Locality | SWINDON | | Post town | Swindon | | Postcode | SN1 2JH | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) | | ITL 2 | TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire | | ITL 3 | TLK71 Swindon | | Local authority | Swindon | | Electoral ward | Eastcott | | Westminster constituency | Swindon South | | Delivery location | TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services ### Codes - 55520000 - Catering services ## Release History - 3 Feb 2025 at 11:06 - Planning - Market Engagement Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/e1dcf887-88d1-46eb-933f-240868466216 ## Documents - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/e1dcf887-88d1-46eb-933f-240868466216 3rd February 2025 - Early engagement notice on Contracts Finder - https://procontract.due-north.com/ProjectManagement/ProjectDashboard?projectId=aae28264-b4cd-ef11-8133-005056b64545 To obtain access to the background information and draft terms and conditions, click on the link. - https://forms.office.com/e/k99zvnvBzg Soft Market Testing Questionnaire - to access the questionnaire, click on the link. ## Notice URLs - http://www.swindon.gov.uk/ - https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk/ ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. 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