---
title: "BTA1655 - Digital Accessibility Guides & Supporting Services"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-03b626"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-03b626"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03b626.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03b626.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "VISITBRITAIN/VISITENGLAND"
published: "2023-03-27"
---

# BTA1655 - Digital Accessibility Guides & Supporting Services

Buyer: VISITBRITAIN/VISITENGLAND  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-03b626

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## Summary

The contracting authority, VisitBritain/VisitEngland, has awarded a contract to Disabled Enabled Limited t/a AccessAble for the provision of a new Accessibility Guides self-survey tool for tourism businesses in England. The contract is for a maximum value of £175,000 ex VAT over three years, with options for extension. The initiative aims to improve accessibility information for disabled travellers, boost tourism participation, and support the government's goal of making the UK the most accessible tourism destination in Europe by 2025.

This tender opportunity offers businesses in the service industry, specifically those involved in administrative services related to tourism affairs, the chance to provide digital accessibility guides and supporting services. Companies with expertise in industry-specific software packages and information systems may find this contract suitable for their capabilities. VisitBritain/VisitEngland's procurement process is currently in the award stage, following a limited negotiated method without publication of a contract notice. The location for this opportunity is in London, and interested parties have until midday on 3rd April 2023 to consider submitting proposals.

## Notice

VisitBritain/VisitEngland are publishing this notice as a VEAT (Voluntary Ex ante Transparency Notice) with a view to directly awarding a contract to Disabled Enabled Limited t/a AccessAble for the provision of a new Accessibility Guides self-survey tool.

It is proposed that this Accessibility Guides self-survey tool will be used for smaller and less complex tourism businesses in England, on an existing digital platform, with supporting services and access to an established on-site surveyor-assessment service for larger and more complex businesses.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

VisitBritain/VisitEngland are publishing this notice as a VEAT (Voluntary Ex ante Transparency Notice) with a view to awarding a contract to Disabled Enabled Limited t/a AccessAble for the provision of a new Accessibility Guides self-survey tool.

51% of adults in England who identify as disabled did not take a holiday in England in the last 12 months, compared to 40% of non-disabled people (Participation Survey 2021/22). Provision of accessibility information is a key barrier to disabled people participating in tourism:
* 92% of disabled people look for accessibility information before visiting somewhere new and 
* 56% avoid visiting a venue if it has not shared its accessibility information, assuming it is inaccessible (Euan's Guide Survey 2021). 

In response to this, VisitEngland (VE) created a standard approach for tourism venues to provide this information - Accessibility Guides (formerly Access Statements). An Accessibility Guide is a customer-facing marketing document that details the accessibility of a venue so that people with accessibility requirements can make an informed decision as to whether it will meet their individual requirements.

VE has made available a template tool for tourism operators to use to produce their Accessibility Guides since 2007. Research by VE in 2022 provides strong evidence that the disabled consumer supports the provision of Accessibility Guides and as a result will further develop the Accessibility Guides initiative. 

The current tool, provided in-house (and in-partnership with VisitScotland (VS)), is approaching end of life. Therefore, VE proposes to award a contract to AccessAble (an established, dedicated external body) to extend their existing access information provision offer, by developing a new tool on their existing platform (and provide supporting services) that would allow smaller and less complex tourism businesses to create and publish their own Guide for free. 

The contracting authority specifically requires the established AccessAble brand and platform as it is uniquely placed to bring the credibility, visibility and consistency needed by the consumer, reducing duplication by providing a whole-of-industry solution nationwide.

VE may also grant licences to other National Tourist Boards (NTBs). The consistency of approach across nations brought about by such licence arrangements would be of great benefit to not only travellers with accessibility requirements but also visitor economy businesses that have venues located in the different nations of Britain.

This approach would form a key action in support of the Government's ambition to make the UK the most accessible tourism destination in Europe by 2025, by delivering a step change in how the industry tackles a key barrier to disabled people participating in tourism.

The maximum value of the proposed contract to AccessAble by the contracting authority shall not exceed PS175,000 ex VAT. The proposed contract is intended for a three year period, with the option to extend for 2 further periods of 12 months each. 

If any supplier has concerns with the award intentions outlined within this VEAT Notice, please raise this via: procurement@visitbritain.org in the first instance within 10 days of the date of this Notice.

The closing date of this VEAT is midday on 3rd April 2023.

### Procurement Information

The procurement falls outside the scope of the applicable regulations. 

The contracting authority has undertaken market analysis of suppliers and has concluded that AccessAble are the only established supplier providing:

* a nationwide on-site surveyor-assessment service for the production of Accessibility Guides - a key requirement of this project to ensure a whole-of-
industry solution that delivers quality information to the consumer
* distribution channels that deliver strong consumer presence for businesses and 
* a well-established brand that brings the credibility, visibility and consistency needed by the consumer

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/008768-2023 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Negotiated without publication of a contract notice |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 27 Mar 2023 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 24 Mar 2023 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £175,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | VISITBRITAIN/VISITENGLAND |
| Locality | LONDON |
| Post town | South West London |
| Postcode | SW1W 0BD |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West |
| ITL 3 | TLI35 Westminster and City of London |
| Local authority | Westminster |
| Electoral ward | St James's |
| Westminster constituency | Cities of London and Westminster |
| Delivery location | TLI3 Inner London - West |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | DISABLED ENABLED LIMITED T/A ACCESSABLE |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 48 - Software package and information systems
- 75 - Administration, defence and social security services

### Codes

- 48000000 - Software package and information systems
- 48100000 - Industry specific software package
- 75125000 - Administrative services related to tourism affairs

## Release History

- 27 Mar 2023 at 08:46 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/008768-2023

## Notice URLs

- http://www.accessable.co.uk/
- http://www.gov.uk/courts-tribunals
- http://www.visitbritain.org

## 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-h6vhtk-03b626. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-03b626.json.