---
title: "Innovation Hub Operator"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0519a5"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0519a5"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0519a5.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0519a5.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "LANCASHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL"
published: "2025-08-28"
---

# Innovation Hub Operator

Buyer: LANCASHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0519a5

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0519a5)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0519a5.json)

## Summary

Lancashire County Council is currently in the planning stage for the procurement of an operator for the Samlesbury Innovation Hub, a cutting-edge innovation and collaboration environment. The council, acting as the buyer, is located in Preston, United Kingdom, and has published a preliminary market engagement exercise with key dates including a submission deadline for expressions of interest by 26 September 2025. Targeting the services industry, specifically miscellaneous business and business-related services, this process aims to appoint a strategic partner that will handle both commercial management and innovation activation. Notably, the contract is planned to commence on 1 March 2026 and extend over a decade until February 2036.

This tender presents substantial opportunities for businesses with expertise in managing innovation hubs, providing a platform for strategic growth and long-term partnership with a public authority. The procurement is ideal for high-calibre operators in the workspace, innovation hub, and facilities management sectors. The planned introduction of a framework agreement further supports businesses by potentially streamlining future procurement processes. Companies interested in contributing to regional innovation-led growth and capable of assuming commercial and operational risks would find this tender particularly suited to their ambitions.

## Notice

Lancashire County Council is seeking to appoint a high-calibre operator capable of managing and activating the Samlesbury Innovation Hub as a best-in-class innovation and collaboration environment. The successful operator will be expected to deliver a comprehensive package of services, support wider strategic ambitions around innovation-led growth, and assume an agreed degree of commercial and operational risk. The operator will be a long-term strategic partner, not just a facilities manager.

### Planning Information

Lancashire County Council is inviting interested organisations in the workspace, innovation hub, and facilities management sectors to engage with this preliminary market engagement exercise.
Interested organisations should:
- Visit: https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/business/tenders-and-procurement/tenders/
- Navigate to the market engagement project by clicking on the link for Innovation Hub Operator EOI.
- Review the Innovation Hub Operator EOI document(s) contained on the project page. This document provides more in-depth information regarding this preliminary market engagement exercise.
- Submit your expression of interest (EOI) via email to contractscorporate@lancashire.gov.uk by no later than 26 September 2025 at 12 noon.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/052167-2025 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 28 Aug 2025 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 1 Jul 2025 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 1 Mar 2026 - 29 Feb 2036 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Planned |
| Lots status | Planned |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | LANCASHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL |
| Additional buyers | MAKE (NW) LIMITED; SOCIAL VALUE PORTAL LTD |
| Locality | PRESTON |
| Post town | Preston |
| Postcode | PR1 0LD |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLD4 Lancashire |
| ITL 3 | TLD47 Chorley and West Lancashire |
| Local authority | Chorley |
| Electoral ward | Chorley North East |
| Westminster constituency | Chorley |
| Delivery location | TLD4 Lancashire |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

### Codes

- 79900000 - Miscellaneous business and business-related services

## Release History

- 28 Aug 2025 at 15:53 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/052167-2025
- 21 May 2025 at 07:44 - Planning - UK1 - Pipeline Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/023531-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/052167-2025
  28th August 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/023531-2025
  21st May 2025 - Pipeline notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.lancashire.gov.uk
- http://www.make-nw.co.uk
- https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/business/tenders-and-procurement/tenders/
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.socialvalueportal.com/

## 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-0519a5. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0519a5.json.