--- title: "EHC 0825 Pre Market Engagement -Commercial Family Pantomime Contract" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05809c" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05809c" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05809c.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05809c.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "EAST HERTFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL" published: "2025-08-04" --- # EHC 0825 Pre Market Engagement -Commercial Family Pantomime Contract Buyer: EAST HERTFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05809c [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05809c) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05809c.json) ## Summary The East Hertfordshire District Council is in the planning stage of a procurement process titled "EHC 0825 Pre Market Engagement -Commercial Family Pantomime Contract," classified under the 'Entertainment services' industry category. This initiative is centred around BEAM, a newly opened Arts & Culture destination in Hertford, UK. The current engagement process involves pre-procurement market engagement, allowing interested organisations to express interest and participate in supplier meetings. The deadline for submitting the Supplier Questionnaire is set for 21st August 2025. This market engagement aims to gather insights for a future procurement process commencing on 1st March 2026, with completion expected by 28th February 2029, subject to potential renewals. The procurement value is estimated at £1,200,000 gross. Key communication milestones include a future notice date of 1st October 2025. This tender represents significant opportunities for businesses in the entertainment and cultural sectors, particularly SMEs and VCSEs, to partner with the Council in delivering family pantomime performances at the BEAM facility. This pre-procurement stage allows businesses to influence the scope and strategy of the potential procurement process by sharing expertise, innovative ideas, and market trends with the Council. It provides an ideal platform for businesses with relevant experience and capabilities in entertainment production to engage with the Council, understand its objectives and challenges, and prepare for future formal tendering opportunities. Organisations participating in this consultation phase can position themselves strategically to respond effectively to the Council's needs and contribute to the cultural offering in Hertfordshire. ## Notice In August 2024, East Herts Council opened BEAM- a multi-faceted Arts & Culture destination in the centre of Hertford. BEAM sits on the site of the former Hertford Theatre and is the result of a significant investment by the council. BEAM has a range of facilities including a 550-seat Theatre, a flexible Studio space, with seating for 140+, three dedicated cinema screens, a dance studio and community space, as well as Hospitality spaces. BEAM is now looking to partner with an established Producer to deliver future pantomimes, and is looking to engage with the market so the Council can discuss the opportunity with potentially interested organisations prior to a formal procurement process. The purpose of the Council's pre-procurement market engagement process is to allow and enable, potentially interested organisations with appropriate expertise and relevant experience to:- o Outline and generate initial views/ideas around the outcomes, scope and the potential procurement strategy (i.e. with no commitment to themselves or the Council). o Engage with the Council to understand its challenges, intentions and desired Outcomes. o Inform the Council of current market developments. o Enable the Council to understand how the Current Requirements could be shaped and delivered. This stage of the project allows the Council to understand the strengths and weaknesses of options available to deliver its outcomes. Furthermore, this process enables organisations to effectively plan for any potential forthcoming procurement. The Council will consider the input and responses received as part of this pre-procurement market engagement to help inform the Council's options and further decision making. Process The pre-procurement market engagement will comprise:- o Seeking expressions of interest and the option for organisations to attend a tour of BEAM and individual, time limited, supplier meeting, bringing no more than 2x representatives. o Submission of the Supplier Questionnaire (please see Appendix A - separate MS Word document) following the instructions in section 11. Supplier Questionnaire's must be received by 21st august 2025. For the avoidance of doubt, this stage of the project is not part of a formal procurement process and the Council is not committing, at this stage to carrying out such a process. To participate in this pre-procurement market engagement, organisations must submit their completed Supplier Questionnaire, together with any supporting documents, through the In-Tend system by the return deadline of 12.00 Noon on 21st August 2025. Supplier Questionnaires cannot be uploaded after the closing date/time. ### Planning Information Process The pre-procurement market engagement will comprise:- o Seeking expressions of interest and the option for organisations to attend a tour of BEAM and individual, time limited, supplier meeting, bringing no more than 2x representatives. o Submission of the Supplier Questionnaire (please see Appendix A – separate MS Word document) following the instructions in section 11. Supplier Questionnaire’s must be received by 21st august 2025. For the avoidance of doubt, this stage of the project is not part of a formal procurement process and the Council is not committing, at this stage to carrying out such a process. To participate in this pre-procurement market engagement, organisations must submit their completed Supplier Questionnaire, together with any supporting documents, through the In-Tend system by the return deadline of 12.00 Noon on 21st August 2025. Supplier Questionnaires cannot be uploaded after the closing date/time. Link to the In- Tend system https://in-tendhost.co.uk/supplyhertfordshire/aspx/Home ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/045773-2025 | | 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 | 4 Aug 2025 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 1 Oct 2025 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 1 Mar 2026 - 28 Feb 2029 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £1,000,000 | | 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 | EAST HERTFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL | | Locality | HERTFORD | | Post town | Stevenage | | Postcode | SG13 8EQ | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLH East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLH2 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire | | ITL 3 | TLH26 North and East Hertfordshire | | Local authority | East Hertfordshire | | Electoral ward | Hertford Castle | | Westminster constituency | Hertford and Stortford | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services ### Codes - 92300000 - Entertainment services ## Release History - 4 Aug 2025 at 15:20 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/045773-2025 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/045773-2025 4th August 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://in-tendhost.co.uk/supplyhertfordshire/aspx/Home - 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-05809c. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05809c.json.