Tender

RBGKEW1418 - Kew Gardens and Wakehurst Creative Programming Framework

• Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

UK4: Tender notice - Procurement Act 2023 - view information about notice types

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-012631

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04efef (view related notices)

Published 2 April 2025, 5:11pm

Last edited 3 April 2025, 9:55am

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• 3 April 2025, 9:55am

• 2 April 2025, 5:11pm (this version)

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Scope

Reference

RBGKEW1418

Description

The purpose of this procurement exercise is to develop a Framework of Suppliers that work with Kew Gardens and Wakehurst to deliver and contribute to our creative vision for our programmes.

A Framework is essentially a list of ranked suppliers. Suppliers are ranked according to the scores awarded by RBG Kew's evaluation panel during this procurement process and are awarded according to the Evaluation Criteria - as detailed in Part 1: ITT. The Evaluation Criteria is the methodology showing what percentage of the overall score can be awarded for each element of Supplier tender submissions.

The goal of the procurement exercise is that we will have two lists of Suppliers (one for each Lot: Design & Fabricate; and Theatrical Performance) and we would like to see up to five Suppliers on each list.

This procurement comprises two Lots:

Lot 1: Design & Fabricate - We will expect the Supplier to respond creatively to the Brief and use their design and inventive problem-solving expertise to develop playful, inviting, unique, innovative and aesthetically sensitive responses, and to then manufacture, install, maintain and deinstall all programme deliverables, as well as undertake all associated project management.

Lot 2: Theatrical Performance - We will expect the Supplier to respond creatively to the Creative Brief and use their design and theatrical skills to develop imaginative, immersive and participatory theatrical programming together with the project management, design, install, maintenance and deinstallation of sets, stages, props and costumes to creatively cast and stage the performances within Kew landscapes.

Commercial tool

Establishes a framework

Total value (estimated)

• £1,500,000 excluding VAT
• £1,800,000 including VAT

Above the relevant threshold

Contract dates (estimated)

• 31 August 2025 to 30 August 2027
• Possible extension to 30 August 2029
• 4 years

Description of possible extension:

One extension option of up to 2 years

Main procurement category

Services

Contract locations

• UKI - London
• UKJ - South East (England)

Lot constraints

Description of how multiple lots may be awarded:

Both Lots will be evaluated separately. The top 5 scoring suppliers in each lot (using the published award criteria in this notice and the associated ITT documents ) will be awarded to contract and appointed to the framework.

Not the same for all lots

CPV classifications are shown in Lot sections, because they are not the same for all lots.

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Lot 1 (was RBGKEW1418). Design & Fabricate

Description

We will expect the Supplier to respond creatively to the Brief and use their design and inventive problem-solving expertise to develop playful, inviting, unique, innovative and aesthetically sensitive responses, and to then manufacture, install, maintain and deinstall all programme deliverables, as well as undertake all associated project management.

Projects will include all or a combination of the following:

·Interactive installations

·Stand-alone vignettes

·Set dressing

·Props

·Wayfinding

·Interpretation panels

Full detailed specification provided in Part 2:specification and associated appendices

Lot value (estimated)

• £1,000,000 excluding VAT
• £1,200,000 including VAT

Framework lot values may be shared with other lots

CPV classifications

• 79952000 - Event services

Same for all lots

Contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.

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Lot Lot 2. Theatrical Performance

Description

We will expect the Supplier to respond creatively to the Brief and use their design and theatrical skills to develop imaginative, immersive and participatory theatrical programming together with the project management, design, install, maintenance and deinstallation of sets, stages, props and costumes to creatively cast and stage the performances within Kew landscapes.

Depending on the programme, the Creative Brief may be for any or all of the following programme deliverables (these lists are not exhaustive):

·Narrative and script development

·Experience development

·Stage sets

·Installations

·Props

·Costumes

·Music and choreography

·Cast

Lot value (estimated)

• £500,000 excluding VAT
• £600,000 including VAT

Framework lot values may be shared with other lots

CPV classifications

• 79952000 - Event services
• 92312100 - Theatrical producers', singer groups', bands' and orchestras' entertainment services
• 92312110 - Theatrical producer entertainment services

Same for all lots

Contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.

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Framework

Maximum number of suppliers

10

Maximum percentage fee charged to suppliers

0%

Framework operation description

Framework Call off procedures

During the lifetime of the Contract, RBG Kew may call-off from this framework agreement in two different ways.

Option 1: Ranked direct award

Option 2: Further competition between all suppliers on the framework

The option chosen will depend upon the individual requirements of each programme.

Option 1: Direct Award

Direct Award to the top ranked Supplier. The ranking of the Suppliers is determined through the Framework Agreement ITT process.

Process

1. RBG Kew draft a Creative Brief and issue it to the top ranked supplier.

2. Supplier reviews the Creative Brief and provides a response in the required timescales in accordance with the method detailed in the Creative Brief

3. If the Supplier is unable to provide a response for any of the following reasons:

• They do not have capacity to undertake the work; or

• Cannot respond within the required timescales as detailed in the Brief; or

• There are other relevant issues such as conflict of interest.

the second ranked supplier should be appointed. If the second ranked supplier cannot meet the need, the third ranked supplier should be approached. This process is repeated until a supplier can meet the requirements.

4. The relevant Supplier responds to the Creative Brief as per the method outlined in the documentation.

5. An Order (Call Off Contract) will be placed after RBG Kew has discussed its specific requirements with the Supplier and agreement has been reached as to timescales, methodology/approach, specific service requirements, key milestones and performance indicators to be met. The Standard Terms and Conditions of any call-off contract shall be as those stated in the Framework Agreement Contract

Option 2: Further Competition.

Further competition between all suppliers on the framework.

Process

1. RBG Kew to draft a Creative Brief and further competition documentation and issue to all suppliers

2. Suppliers to respond as per the method outlined in the further competition documentation

3. RBG Kew assess responses using the evaluation criteria below

4. RBG Kew places an Order (Call Off Contract) with the successful Supplier. The Standard Terms and Conditions of any call-off contract shall be as those stated in the Framework Agreement Contract.

Due to the individual nature of all programmes the pricing for each programme will be requested during the chosen call off procedure.

Award method when using the framework

Either with or without competition

Contracting authorities that may use the framework

Establishing party only

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Participation

Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation

Lot 1 (was RBGKEW1418). Design & Fabricate

Full details provided in the ITT documentation Part 1: ITT and Part 4: PSQ. Full ITT is available on our eSender portal (Delta

Lot Lot 2. Theatrical Performance

Full details provided in the ITT documentation Part 1: ITT and Part 4: PSQ. Full ITT is available on our eSender portal (Delta)

Technical ability conditions of participation

Lot 1 (was RBGKEW1418). Design & Fabricate

Full details provided in the ITT documentation Part 1: ITT and Part 4: PSQ. Full ITT is available on our eSender portal (Delta

Lot Lot 2. Theatrical Performance

Full details provided in the ITT documentation Part 1: ITT and Part 4: PSQ. Full ITT is available on our eSender portal (Delta)

Particular suitability

Lot 1 (was RBGKEW1418). Design & Fabricate

Lot Lot 2. Theatrical Performance

• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
• Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)

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Submission

Enquiry deadline

23 April 2025, 3:00pm

Submission type

Requests to participate

Deadline for requests to participate

28 April 2025, 11:00am

Submission address and any special instructions

https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/289T697S9H

Use this link to access full tender pack, register and submit documents for Stages 1 and 2 of this procurement process.

Suppliers MUST submit their completed documents via the etendering portal SQ or Tenderbox.

RBG Kew will not accept tenders submitted by email or the portal messaging facility.

Tenders may be submitted electronically

Yes

Languages that may be used for submission

English

Suppliers to be invited to tender

Lot 1 (was RBGKEW1418). Design & Fabricate

Maximum 10 suppliers

Selection criteria:

In addition to the checks using mandatory and discretionary exclusions grounds the following conditions of participation will be used to select tenders to apply for this lot.

Suppliers must pass all of the following questions

Question 13 Terms & Conditions Pass/Fail

Question 14 Insurance

Question 15 Working at Kew & Wakehurst

All suppliers that pass these questions will then be evaluated by the following 8 questions

All carry a weighting of 10 each (maximum score is 80)

16.1 Demonstration of work for family audiences

16.2 Demonstration of work that took place in an outdoor environment.

16.3 Demonstration of work that used a licenced property or helped to tell a mission-based story for the client

16.4 Demonstration of work that was interactive, included challenge and reward, or learning through play

16.5 Demonstration of work that included installations or sets

16.6 Demonstration of a clear understanding of health and safety and how this was applied to the project

16.8 Demonstration of a commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

16.9 Demonstration of a commitment to sustainability

Each question will be allocated a score out of 5 using the scoring methodology detailed in Part 1 - ITT. Total of all weighted questions is 80

Suppliers must achieve a minimum score of 3 out of 5 to pass.

The top 10 scoring suppliers will be invited to submit a tender for this lot at Stage 2 - tendering.

Award decision date (estimated)

22 July 2025

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Award criteria

Lot 1 (was RBGKEW1418). Design & Fabricate

Name	Description	Type
Creative presentation	Suppliers will submit a 15 page creative presentation by the stage 2 submission deadline detailed in Part 1: ITT. All suppliers will present this to RBG kew at a time and date to be arranged.... Potential presentation dates are detailed in Part 1: ITT A total maximum score of 150 is available for this criteria. Sub criteria as follows: Creative Approach An overarching explanation of your creative approach. Please describe: - what you have understood from the Specification and the Creative Brief; - how you have approached your response; - what you understand about the story; - how the brand will work as a brand partner for Kew; - what the visitor experience will be - how your work will deliver that experience maximum score 30 Trail Points: Visitor Experience Drawings One drawing of each of the six trail points (6 drawings in total) showing your proposal for the visitor experience at each trail point. The drawings should be clearly labelled and detail the key elements of the design, including dimensions, materials and any other features. maximum score 40 Trail Points: Mood Board One mood board with inspirational photographs for each of the six trail points (six mood boards in total) with similar activities to those you are proposing. Each mood board should include a written explanation of the interactive element of each trail point and how it relates to / describes the environment it is supposed to evoke. maximum score 20 Welcome Moment: Visitor Experience Drawing One drawing of the welcome moment showing the visitor experience. The drawing should be clearly labelled and detail the key elements of the design, including dimensions, materials and any other features. maximum score 30 Bear: Visitor Experience Drawings One drawing of the bear showing the visitor experience. The drawing should be clearly labelled and detail the key elements of the design, including dimensions, materials and any other features. maximum score 30	Quality
Technical written submission	Suppliers will submit a written response 15 page document to the questions detailed in Part 1: ITT. A total maximum score of 150 is allocated to this criteria Sub criteria as follows: Practical... Considerations Please provide a written statement which responds in detail to the Practical Considerations in the Creative Brief explaining how you would mitigate against / provide for these design challenges with regard to the trail points, welcome moment, and the bear. Maximum score 30 Trail Points: Construction Drawings One construction drawing for any three of the six trail points (3 construction drawings) which demonstrates the construction of each trail point. The drawings should be clearly labelled with short notes about the materials and fixing methods, etc and include a practical explanation of how each trail point/interactivity will work - please consider particularly the need for accessibility; and the need for these elements to be robust enough to withstand weather, visitor volume and repetitive visitor interaction and explain your mitigations. Maximum score 30 Welcome Moment: Construction Drawing One construction drawing which demonstrates the construction of the welcome moment. The drawing should be clearly labelled with short notes about the materials and fixing methods, etc and include a practical explanation of how the welcome moment will work - please consider particularly the need for accessibility; and the need for these elements to be robust enough to withstand weather, visitor volume and repetitive visitor interaction and explain your mitigations. Maximum score 10 Bear: Construction Drawing One construction drawing which demonstrates the construction of the bear. The drawing should be clearly labelled with short notes about the materials and fixing methods, etc and include a practical explanation of how the bear will work - please consider particularly the need for accessibility; and the need for these elements to be robust enough to withstand weather, visitor volume and repetitive visitor interaction and explain your mitigations. Maximum score 10 Risk Assessment and Method Statement for Installation Please provide a risk assessment and method statement for installation. The method statement should be a step-by-step plan of how you will install the trail elements in the landscapes. The risk assessment should include all the hazards you would anticipate encountering when installing your designs on site and how you would mitigate against the risks. Maximum score 30 Risk Assessment for Live Event Please provide a risk assessment that includes all the hazards you would anticipate your designs might pose to visitors and staff whilst the event is live, and how you would mitigate against the risks. Maximum score 30 Your Team Please let us know how you normally work with clients. What roles exist within your team? Who undertakes project management, design, fabrication, installation, maintenance and derig? What specialist skills, resources, technology and equipment do you have that will enable you to meet the Specification? If you normally work with subcontractors please name them. Maximum score 10	Quality
Total Cost	Suppliers will be required to provide a full detailed breakdown of costs for the programme scenario detailed in Part 2: Specification Appendix 1. A maximum score of 20 is allocated to this criteria	Cost

Weighting description

Lot 1: Design & Fabricate will be evaluated as follows

Creative presentation Maximum available score 150

Technical written submission Maximum available score 150

Total Cost Maximum available score 20

Total maximum weighting available

Full sub criteria is detailed in Part 1: ITT

Lot Lot 2. Theatrical Performance

Name	Description	Type
Creative presentation	Suppliers will submit a 15 page creative presentation by the stage 2 submission deadline detailed in Part 1: ITT. All suppliers will present this to RBG kew at a time and date to be arranged.... Potential presentation dates are detailed in Part 1: ITT A total maximum score of 150 is allocated to this criteria Sub criteria as follows Creative Approach An overarching explanation of your creative approach. Please describe: - what you have understood from the Specification and the Creative Brief - how you have approached your response - how your proposal links to key themes - why this experience will encourage visitors to visit Kew - the number of visitors at one time that can interact - how these visitors can enjoy the programme on a drop-in basis Maximum score 20 Experience: Narrative Storyboard A visual storyboard explaining the narrative of the experience in a series of scenes, to demonstrate what visitors will experience (see, hear, touch, etc) when they attend the experience. The visual storyboard should be clearly annotated and detail what is happening in each scene. Please ensure you explain: - how visitors will learn about fungi - the challenge and reward element - the call and response, participatory element - whether you will include choreography and music Maximum score 30 Experience: Costumes Drawings and Photographs Drawings of the costumes you are proposing to develop. The drawing should be clearly labelled and detail the key elements of the design, materials, and any other features. Explain how the costumes will visually bring to life the story of fungi. Please also include inspirational photographs of costumes similar to those which you are proposing. Maximum score 20 Staging: Visitor Experience Drawings and Photographs Two drawings of the scenery, staging and props showing the visitor experience. The drawings should be clearly labelled and detail the key elements of the design, including dimensions, materials and any other features. Explain how the scenery, staging and props will visually bring to life the story of fungi. Please also include inspirational photographs of scenery, staging and props similar to those which you are proposing. Maximum score 20 Cast: Photographs and Experience Please provide photographic examples of the actors you might propose for this programme and their relevant experience. Maximum score 10	Quality
Written technical submission	Suppliers will submit a written response 15 page document to the questions detailed in Part 1: ITT. A total maximum score of 150 is allocated to this criteria Sub criteria as follows Practical... Considerations Please provide a written statement which responds in detail to the Practical Considerations in the Creative Brief explaining how you would mitigate against / provide for these design challenges with regard to the Experience, Staging, and Cast. Maximum score 30 Staging: Construction Drawings Two construction drawings of the scenery, staging and props which demonstrate the constructions and how they will be installed. The drawings should be clearly labelled with short notes about the materials and fixing methods, etc Please consider particularly the need for this element to be robust enough to withstand weather, visitor volume and repetitive visitor interaction and explain your mitigations. Please explain any sound or lighting. Maximum score 20 Risk Assessment and Method Statement for Staging Installation Please provide a risk assessment and method statement for installation. The method statement should be a step-by-step plan of how you will install the scenery, staging and props in the landscapes. The risk assessment should include all the hazards you would anticipate encountering when installing your designs on site and how you would mitigate against the risks. Maximum score 20 Risk Assessment for Live Event Please provide a risk assessment that includes all the hazards you would anticipate your designs might pose to visitors and staff whilst the event is live, and how you would mitigate against the risks. Maximum score 20 Your Team Please let us know how you normally work with clients. What roles exist within your team? Who undertakes project management, design, fabrication, installation, maintenance and derig? What specialist skills, resources, technology and equipment do you have that will enable you to meet the Specification? If you normally work with subcontractors please name them. Maximum score 10	Quality
Total Cost	Suppliers will be required to provide a full detailed breakdown of costs for the programme scenario detailed in Part 2: Specification Appendix 2. A maximum score of 20 is allocated to this criteria	Cost

Weighting description

Lot 1: Design & Fabricate will be evaluated as follows

Creative presentation maximum score 100

Technical written submission maximum score 100

Total Cost maximum score 20

Total maximum available score 220

Full sub criteria is detailed in Part 1: ITT

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Other information

Applicable trade agreements

• Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

Conflicts assessment prepared/revised

Yes

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Procedure

Procedure type

Competitive flexible procedure

Competitive flexible procedure description

Stage 1 - Selection

Evaluation of PSQ including conditions of participation. A maximum of the top 10 scoring suppliers for each lot (2 lots) will be shortlisted to Stage 2.

Full details of the PSQ conditions of participation questions and evaluation methodology are detailed in Part 1: ITT and Part

4: PSQ

RBG Kew reserves the right to refine the award criteria for Stage 2 during this time in accordance with the Act

Stage 2 - Tendering

Written technical and commercial submission and presentation of technical submission. All suppliers will be invited to present.

Full details of Award criteria and evaluation methodology is detailed in Part 1: ITT document

Stage 3 - Preferred Suppliers

RBG Kew reserves the right to enter into negotiations with the Preferred Suppliers in order to finalise the terms of the contract(s) (e.g. clarifications, specifications, optimisation and other negotiations to confirm financial commitments or other terms contained in the Preferred Supplier's tender submission and / or BAFO).

Part 4 - Standstill

Notification of contract award a nd mandatory standstill period in accordance with the Act

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Documents

Associated tender documents

https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/289T697S9H

Only Core documents have been attached to this Tender Notice.

The full ITT pack is available via this link. You must register on the tendering portal to access the documents and apply for this contract opportunity.

Part 1_ITT_Creative Programming RBGKEW1418_without notice details.pdf

Part 2_Specification_Creative Programming RBGKEW1418.pdf

Appendix 1_Lot 1 Design & Fabricate Creative Brief - Bear Hunt.pdf

Appendix 3_Previous Programme Examples.pdf

Part 4_PSQ_Creative Programming RBGKEW1418.docx

Part 3_Terms & Conditions_Creative Programming RBGKEW1418.pdf

Part 6_Commercial Response_Creative Programming RBGKEW1418.xlsx

Part 5_Technical response_Creative Programming RBGKEW1418.docx

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Contracting authority

Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

• Charity Commission (England and Wales): 803428
• Public Procurement Organisation Number: PGTT-3583-QXLN

THE HERBARIUM

KEW GREEN

TW9 3AE

United Kingdom

Email: procurement@kew.org

Website: http://www.kew.org

Region: UKI75 - Hounslow and Richmond upon Thames

Organisation type: Public authority - central government