---
title: "Art Programme Principal Contractor"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06f85b"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f85b"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f85b.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f85b.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "Natural History Museum"
published: "2026-09-11"
---

# Art Programme Principal Contractor

Buyer: Natural History Museum  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06f85b

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## Summary

The Natural History Museum engaged a principal contractor to build setworks for an upcoming exhibition featuring artwork by Sir John Akomfrah. This is a works requirement covering exhibition construction and museum construction work, classified under CPV 45212313. The buyer is the Natural History Museum, based at Cromwell Road in South Kensington, London. The requirement relates to the physical delivery of the exhibition rather than general museum services, so it is most relevant to contractors specialising in exhibition builds, art installations, set construction or comparable museum environments. The appointed supplier is Bild Studios Ltd, an SME, indicating that the work can be delivered by a specialist smaller contractor rather than only a large construction business.

The procurement is complete and has been awarded. The Natural History Museum used a direct award below the applicable threshold without competition, under the Public Procurement Act 2023. Bild Studios Ltd was awarded the single lot on 11 September 2026. The award is worth £260,000 excluding VAT, or £312,000 including VAT. The contract period runs from 24 September 2026 to 21 May 2027, with signature scheduled for 23 September 2026. The procurement was evaluated through the direct-award route rather than a competitive tender, and the award is active. There was one completed lot, covering the principal-contractor setworks requirement for the exhibition.

For a supplier that did not win this requirement, the award provides a clear example of the Natural History Museum’s demand for specialist exhibition construction. A credible competitor for comparable work would need to act as a principal contractor and demonstrate the ability to build setworks for major exhibitions involving high-profile artwork. Relevant experience could include museum construction, exhibition fit-out, set design and fabrication, or art-led installation work. The appointed SME shows that a focused specialist business can match this type of requirement. Businesses should be able to evidence practical delivery of complex exhibition environments, appropriate project capacity and experience working to the standards expected by a national museum and its exhibition programme.

## Notice

The Natural History Museum wishes to secure the services of a Principal Contractor to undertake the build of setworks for an upcoming exhibition featuring art work from Sir John Akomfrah.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/086538-2026 |
| Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Works |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - without competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 11 Sep 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 11 Sep 2026 |
| Contract period | 24 Sep 2026 - 21 May 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £260,000 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Natural History Museum |
| Locality | SOUTH KENSINGTON |
| Postcode area | South West London |
| Postcode | SW7 5BD |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLI London |
| ITL 2 | TLI3 Inner London - West |
| ITL 3 | TLI33 Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham |
| Local authority | Kensington and Chelsea |
| Electoral ward | Brompton & Hans Town |
| Westminster constituency | Kensington and Bayswater |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | Bild Studios Ltd |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 45 - Construction work

### Codes

- 45212313 - Museum construction work

## Release History

- 11 Sep 2026 at 15:13 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/086538-2026
- 11 Sep 2026 at 15:12 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/086535-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/086538-2026
  11th September 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/086535-2026
  11th September 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- 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-06f85b. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f85b.json.