---
title: "Appointment of an operator to run the historic Carrickfergus & The Gobbins City Deal Tourism Projects in MEA"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-054841"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-054841"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-054841.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-054841.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "MID AND EAST ANTRIM BOROUGH COUNCIL"
published: "2025-06-13"
---

# Appointment of an operator to run the historic Carrickfergus & The Gobbins City Deal Tourism Projects in MEA

Buyer: MID AND EAST ANTRIM BOROUGH COUNCIL  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-054841

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-054841)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-054841.json)

## Summary

The procurement process currently in the planning stage is being conducted by the Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, based in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. This preliminary market engagement exercise focuses on the appointment of an operator to manage and operate the Historic Carrickfergus and The Gobbins visitor attraction projects. This tender falls under various industry categories, including hotel, restaurant and retail trade services, tourist guide services, business services, and recreational services. The engagement is part of the Belfast Region City Deal funding activities, which aim to elevate the tourism potential of the region. Key dates include the deadline for expressing interest in informal meetings by 27th June 2025, with meetings scheduled to commence the week of 30th June 2025. Feedback can also be submitted in writing by 4th July 2025, and a future notice is anticipated on 31st October 2025.

This procurement holds considerable prospects for operators in the tourism and service industries, particularly those experienced in managing multi-site heritage attractions. Opportunities exist for businesses capable of delivering comprehensive visitor services, offering business growth potential within the hospitality, tourism, and cultural sectors. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) might find this tender appealing due to its inclusive approach. Engaging in this contract could enhance a company's portfolio, providing a strategic advantage through the management of significant tourism projects in Northern Ireland. The procurement method focuses on gathering insights to better shape the subsequent tendering process, ensuring that the selected operator meets the Council's expectations in realising their tourism objectives.

## Notice

***PRELIMINARY MARKET ENGAGEMENT EXERCISE*** Mid & East Antrim Borough Council has secured Belfast Region City Deal funding approval for the Historic Carrickfergus and The Gobbins Projects, which are two inter-related visitor attraction projects in Mid and East Antrim Borough, Northern Ireland. The Council is interested in exploring the opportunity to appoint a suitably experienced operator to manage and operate its two interrelated heritage visitor attraction Projects as one operator contract. Prior to commencing a procurement of an operator for the two inter-related visitor attraction projects, the Council wishes to discuss with experienced operators the Council's thinking in relation to its approach to the operator procurement, including scope of operator services, risk allocation, commercial terms and procurement process. By undertaking this initial PME, the Council is seeking to attract strong market interest in any subsequent procurement, resulting in the appointment of an operator with the experience and capability to successfully deliver the Council's aim and ambitions for the two inter-related visitor attraction projects.

### Planning Information

***Preliminary Market Engagement Exercise***
This is a Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) Exercise that the Council is undertaking to inform a future procurement that the Council is considering undertaking (in accordance with the Procurement Regulations 2024) to appoint an operator to manage and operate the Historic Carrickfergus and The Gobbins Projects in Mid and East Antrim Borough, Northern Ireland as one multi-site, visitor attraction project. 
The purpose of this PME exercise is to provide the opportunity for suitably experienced operators to inform the Council's thinking in relation to its approach to the procurement of a suitable operator, including the scope of operator services, risk allocation, commercial terms and procurement process. 
The supporting PME document sets out the process for the PME and presents further information relating to the Historic Carrickfergus and The Gobbins Projects and the Council's requirements and proposals. The PME document can be obtained by registering your interest in this PME Notice on eSourcingNI portal https://e-sourcingni.bravosolution.co.uk.
The Council recognises that suitably experienced operators may not wish to discuss some of these matters in an open forum with market competitors, and accordingly to secure the market insights the Council requires, the Council is proposing to hold informal online one-to-one PME meetings with suitably experienced operators week commencing Monday 30th June 2025. These one-to-one PME meetings will help inform the Council's thinking in relation to its approach to the procurement of a suitable operator.
Should you wish to participate in a one-to-one meeting please email procurement@midandeastantrim.gov.uk titling your email "Appointment of an Operator for the Historic Carrickfergus and The Gobbins Projects" in the subject line by 5pm on Friday 27th June 2025, and please provide the following details: 
• Name of company.
• Experience of the company in managing and operating visitor attractions, and any specific experience operating attractions in the heritage sector or across multi-sites, which would be relevant to the operator contract (maximum 400 words).
• Names of individuals to participate in an on-line meeting with the Council (maximum of three individuals).
• Email addresses for individuals participating in the on-line meeting.
• Times available for a meeting week commencing Monday 30th June 2025.
Alternatively, you can register your interest and provide the above information requirements via the secure messaging function on the eSourcingNI portal (https://e-sourcingni.bravosolution.co.uk). If you are having any problems registering on the portal, please contact the BravoSolution dedicated supplier helpdesk by telephoning 0800 368 4850 or emailing help@bravosolution.co.uk.
If for any reason you are unable to participate in a one-to-one meeting with the Council, the Council would be happy to receive written views on the opportunity. Such views should be submitted to the Council by 5pm on Friday 4th July 2025 by emailing the Council at procurement@midandeastantrim.gov.uk or by registering and messaging the Council via eSourcingNI (see weblink above).
It is important to note that: (a) this notice and the market testing exercise do/will not constitute a call for competition, a pre-qualification questionnaire, part of any pre- qualification/selection process or a current tender opportunity. All interested suppliers will need to express a formal interest in any future tender opportunity in due course once a tender notice (as appropriate) is published; and (b) the Council cannot guarantee it will incorporate all or any feedback received into any subsequent procurement.
The Council will not disclose any confidential information supplied by an interested supplier in response to this notice or during the market testing, other than: (a) to its advisors, members, servants and agents (under similar obligations of confidentiality) for the purposes of this market testing exercise and any subsequent procurement process; or (b) as required under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 or to satisfy any other legislative obligation.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/032176-2025 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| 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 | 13 Jun 2025 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 31 Oct 2025 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 1 Jan 2026 - 31 Dec 2026 |
| 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 | Planning |
| Lots status | Planning |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | MID AND EAST ANTRIM BOROUGH COUNCIL |
| Locality | BALLYMENA |
| Post town | Northern Ireland |
| Postcode | BT43 5EJ |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| ITL 1 | TLN Northern Ireland |
| ITL 2 | TLN0 Northern Ireland |
| ITL 3 | TLN0F Mid and East Antrim |
| Local authority | Mid and East Antrim |
| Electoral ward | Castle Demesne |
| Westminster constituency | North Antrim |
| Delivery location | TLN Northern Ireland |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services
- 63 - Supporting and auxiliary transport services; travel agencies services
- 70 - Real estate services
- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
- 92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services
- 98 - Other community, social and personal services

### Codes

- 55000000 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services
- 63514000 - Tourist guide services
- 70000000 - Real estate services
- 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
- 92000000 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services
- 98000000 - Other community, social and personal services

## Release History

- 13 Jun 2025 at 09:41 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/032176-2025

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/032176-2025
  13th June 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://e-sourcingni.bravosolution.co.uk
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-054841. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-054841.json.