--- title: "Supply of Storage Boxes" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-079490" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-079490" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-079490.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-079490.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "Natural History Museum" published: "2026-10-30" --- # Supply of Storage Boxes Buyer: Natural History Museum Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-079490 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-079490) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-079490.json) ## Summary The Natural History Museum plans to buy collection-storage materials for a new science and digitisation centre at Thames Valley Science Park, as well as for internal moves. The range includes lidded archival-card boxes and trays, lidded plastic boxes, plastic pallets, Plastazote and acid-free tissue. The containers will house Museum collections, including specimens and Library and Archive material being transferred from the Museum’s existing sites. Most boxes are expected to be between 5 cm by 5 cm and 1.5 m by 1 m, although some may fall outside that range. The work is a supply of storage and archival packaging products, rather than a services or construction contract; delivery is associated with the new centre and collection moves. This is at the planning stage: the Museum has stated its intention to procure, but has not issued an invitation to tender. It expects the physical collection moves to begin in 2028, with a contract period planned from March 2027 to December 2030. The estimated value is £2 million excluding VAT (£2.4 million including VAT). A framework agreement is envisaged. The Museum is conducting preliminary market engagement through a survey, which it expects to close on 13 November 2026; this is an engagement date, not a bid deadline. No procurement procedure, lot structure, eligibility rules or evaluation basis has yet been set out. This is likely to suit suppliers of archival storage and specialist packaging products able to provide a varied range of box, tray and protective-material formats, including plastic and acid-free products. Suppliers should be prepared for differing container sizes, with most boxes within the stated range but some possible outliers, and for requirements linked to protecting museum collections over time. Some materials will need to pass an Oddy test, which checks whether they release harmful volatile compounds that could damage or corrode collections; the Museum says it will conduct the test on supplied samples. Businesses with product samples and the ability to demonstrate material suitability may find it useful to respond to the market survey as the Museum develops its procurement plans. ## Notice The Natural History Museum is one of the world's best-loved visitor attractions, as well as a leading science research centre and commercial event space. We use the unique collection of more than 80 million objects we look after and our unrivalled expertise to tackle the biggest challenges facing the world today. The Museum has been awarded a substantial government investment to create a new science and digitisation centre at Thames Valley Science Park (TVSP), which is owned by the University of Reading. This is a once in a century opportunity to shape the future of the Museum, protect and share our unique collection and further our science. The new centre will include large collections stores alongside new specialist laboratories and non-technical workspaces. As part of this development, the Museum will be moving over a third of its 80 million specimens and Library and Archive collections from its four sites to the new site, plus undertaking substantial internal moves. The physical moves are currently scheduled to take place from 2028, with an extensive programme of preparation that has already commenced. The Museum is seeking to procure containers for housing Museum collections. There will be a variety of types and sizes required including the following: -lidded archival card boxes -archival card trays -lidded plastic boxes -plastic pallets -plastazote -acid free tissue ### Planning Information To respond to our survey, please use this link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/ZZdJGRTrwP The Museum is seeking to procure containers for housing Museum collections. There will be a variety of types and sizes required including the following: lidded archival card boxes, archival card trays, lidded plastic boxes, plastic pallets, plastazote, acid free tissue. The majority of the boxes are likely to fall between 5cm x 5cm and 1.5m x 1m, but there might be some outliers. The materials used in some of these products will be required to pass an Oddy test, to confirm that they do not release harmful volatile compounds that could damage or corrode collections over time. The Museum will carry out this test on supplied samples. The survey closes end of the day GMT Friday 13th November 2026. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/103155-2026 | | Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Framework | | Procurement category | Goods | | 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 | 30 Oct 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 1 Mar 2027 - 31 Dec 2030 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £2,000,000 | | 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 | Natural History Museum | | Locality | LONDON | | 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 | TLI London | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 30 - Office and computing machinery, equipment and supplies except furniture and software packages - 39 - Furniture (incl. office furniture), furnishings, domestic appliances (excl. lighting) and cleaning products - 92 - Recreational, cultural and sporting services ### Codes - 30199500 - Box files, letter trays, storage boxes and similar articles - 39221160 - Trays - 92500000 - Library, archives, museums and other cultural services ## Release History - 30 Oct 2026 at 12:14 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/103155-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/103155-2026 30th October 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/ZZdJGRTrwP - 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-079490. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-079490.json.