Scope
Description
Maidstone Borough Council (“the Council”) invites tenders from suitably qualified and experienced organisations to design and deliver an independent, high-quality deliberative community engagement for the Park Wood & Senacre Pride in Place Programme.
The Council is seeking a partner capable of designing and facilitating a robust, representative and independently delivered process through which residents can meaningfully shape the 10-year Pride in Place Plan for their neighbourhood. The purpose of this procurement is not to undertake a traditional consultation exercise, but to establish a legitimate community mandate that will guide long-term governance and investment decisions.
Pride in Place is a flagship UK Government initiative providing £20 million of long-term investment over a ten-year period. Unlike short-term grant programmes or transactional engagement approaches, Pride in Place is designed to transfer meaningful influence into the hands of residents and embed community-led governance at the centre of place-based change.
The programme represents a shift away from reactive interventions toward sustained, generational change. It seeks to address structural drivers of local challenge through a decade-long investment strategy shaped, prioritised and stewarded by the community itself. Achieving this requires a structured process through which residents are able to engage with balanced evidence, explore trade-offs, deliberate on competing priorities, and develop shared principles to inform strategic decision-making.
Central to this model is the establishment of a Neighbourhood Board - a community-led body comprising residents and local stakeholders. The Board will act as steward of the programme and oversee delivery across three core pillars:
• Building thriving places
• Strengthening communities
• Taking back control
The deliberative engagement commissioned through this tender will form the foundational evidence base and community mandate upon which the Board’s 10-Year Pride in Place Plan and initial Investment Strategy will be developed. This includes establishing a representative and legitimate community voice, articulating shared values and long-term priorities, and producing a clear and actionable roadmap capable of guiding the Neighbourhood Board as it assumes its governance role.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:
https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Maidstone:-Social-research-services./A27Z7828F9
To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
Total value (estimated)
- £50,000 excluding VAT
- £60,000 including VAT
Below the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 30 April 2026 to 30 September 2026
- 5 months, 1 day
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 79315000 - Social research services
- 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services
Participation
Particular suitability
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- Voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
19 March 2026, 12:00pm
Tender submission deadline
26 March 2026, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Award criteria
| Name | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | Quality | 50% |
| Cost | Cost | 25% |
| Interview | Quality | 25% |
Procedure
Procedure type
Below threshold - open competition
Contracting authority
Maidstone Borough Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PGRT-5366-CGWY
Maidstone House, King Street
Maidstone
ME15 6JQ
United Kingdom
Region: UKJ45 - Mid Kent
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government