Scope
Description
1. INTRODUCTION
Witham Town Council invites tenders for the supply, installation, removal, and storage of Christmas lights for a five-year period, with a total contract value not exceeding £65,000. The successful contractor will provide a complete service to ensure the town's festive lighting is installed in time for the Christmas Market (22nd November 2025), maintained during the season, removed in January, and stored securely for the following year.
2. CONTRACT OVERVIEW
Contract Duration: 5 years (starting in November 2025)
Total Budget: £65,000 (inclusive of all costs and expenses, excluding VAT)
Locations: Various sites throughout Witham town centre (see attachment)
Key Dates:
Installation to be completed by the second from last Saturday in November each year but not before Remembrance Sunday
Removal and storage to take place in the first or second week of January
3. SPECIFICATION OF REQUIREMENTS
The successful contractor will be required to:
Supply (lease), fit, install, remove, and securely store all festive lighting displays listed below for the contract period
Provide two remote controls for operation of the lighting scheme
Fit wi-fi receivers to all relevant items and supply a pre-programmed wi-fi transmitter
Test and certify all electrical and mounting infrastructure, including catenary wire wall brackets
Attend site for installation, removal, and any necessary maintenance or emergency call-outs
Ensure all lighting is operational for the Christmas Market and throughout the festive period
Remove and store all lighting in January each year
Lighting Requirements:
At least 3 x 10-metre lines of twinkling lights (or similar) on the Town Hall building
1 x 14-metre cross-street light display across Newland Street (between buildings 55 and 64), including testing and certifying 4 wall brackets for the catenary wire
16 lamp column displays, each a minimum of 2 metres high
Lighting incorporated into the live tree outside 70 Newland Street (Prezzo)
At least 3,000 mini LED lights for the Christmas tree opposite the Town Hall
Wi-fi receivers on all above items and a pre-programmed wi-fi transmitter
Removal and storage of all lights during the contract period
Additional Information:
The Christmas tree is typically 20-25 ft high and is installed opposite the Town Hall
The live tree currently has 7 x 50cm spheres and 1,000 mini LEDs
The contractor shall at all times comply with the requirements of all relevant Health and Safety legislation and all associated Acts, Regulations and Approved Codes of Practice relating to provisions of Christmas lighting installation and display.
Under this project, the contractor is expected to pay its workers at least the Living Wage rate.
The lights must be maintained during the period they are on display. A scheduled inspection of the display is required to ensure that everything is functioning correctly and to attend to any minor faults. In addition, a call out response of no more than 24 hours is required for major faults including, but not limited to, complete failure of light string, Christmas tree light failure, damage caused through vandalism, storms or road traffic accidents. All other faults require a 48 hour response time. If there is a charge for call outs, this must be stated.
The Contractor will also provide an out of hour's telephone number for contact during emergencies.
4. TENDER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Tenderers must submit:
A fully costed proposal covering all aspects of the contract for the five-year period
A suggested lighting design plan for the scheme
Technical specification of all lighting and control equipment
Risk and Method Statements will be required covering all elements of the works.
Details of call-out and emergency procedures
Evidence of public liability insurance (£10 million minimum)
Evidence of employer's liability insurance (£10 million minimum)
Professional Indemnity Insurance = £ 5,000,000
Information on key personnel involved in the contract
Details of similar projects completed in the last 12 months, with references
Confirmation that all costs are included and accurate (unlisted costs will be deemed free of charge)
Confirmation of site visits (if required)
A statement of acceptance that the tender will remain open for up to six weeks from the closing date
Date of return for the tender:
All tenders must be returned by midday 1st August 2025
Specified payment terms:
The Town Council's standard payment terms are 30 days in arrears, in line with the Procurement Act 2023 prompt payment requirements.
Contract terms:
The contract will include clauses for termination, key performance indicators (KPIs), and compliance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Exclusion grounds:
Bidders must confirm they are not subject to any mandatory or discretionary exclusion grounds, including convictions for fraud, corruption, bribery, tax evasion, or offences under the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
5. PROCUREMENT TIMETABLE
Bid issued 2nd July 2025
Deadline for receipt of bid queries 23rd July 2025
(queries to be sent to townclerk@witham.gov.uk marked Christmas Light Tender 2025)
Deadline to respond to bid queries 28th July 2025
Bid return date 1st August 2025 (midday)
Assessment Summaries sent 15th August 2025
Contract Award Notice published 15th August 2025
Standstill Period ends 26th August 2025
Contract Signing 27th August 2025
Christmas Light Switch On 22nd November 2025
6. EVALUATION CRITERIA
Tenders will be evaluated on:
Most Advantageous Tender (MAT) criteria, including quality, social value, and sustainability
Design and quality of the proposed scheme (40%)
Bidders' submission meeting the specific brief requirements
Delivery of project - Programme of Work
Design & Specification
Assurance that the works can be completed within the given timescales
Cost (40%)
The Town Council do not need to accept the lowest bid, and will select the preferred provider based on value for money
Sustainability (20%)
Please outline any commitments your company have made to reduce your carbon footprint or other ways in which it considers its environmental impact
Supplementary information, such as scoring criteria and evaluation methodology, will be made available to all bidders.
7. ADDITIONAL NOTES
The council does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any tender
Incomplete or non-specific submissions may be rejected
A formal contract will be signed with the successful supplier
8. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS
All supporting documentation must be included
Tenders should be submitted electronically to: tenders@witham.gov.uk and marked "Christmas Lights 2025 Tender" in the subject line. Alternatively, tenders may be posted to Witham Town Council, Town Hall, 61 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, CM8 2FE.
The envelope shall be marked Christmas Lights 2025 Tender and shall not otherwise be marked or contain information that could identify the tendering organisation.
All companies submitting a tender will be notified by email of the respective decision within 6 weeks of the evaluation date. In accordance with Government Regulations, the total value of the successful tender will be published in due course.
All tenders submitted electronically shall be in PDF format.
9. SUFFICIENCY AND ACCURACY OF BIDS
Bidders will be deemed to have examined all the documents enclosed and by their own independent observations and enquiries will be held to have fully informed themselves as to all matters relating to the scope of the work to be carried out in their resulting bid submission.
Bidders are reminded to check the accuracy of their Bid prior to submission thereof.
If The Town Council suspects that there has been an error in the pricing of the Form of Bid and/or Schedule of Prices, the Council reserves the right to seek such clarification as it considers necessary for the Bidder only.
The Town Council reserves the right to disqualify incomplete Bids or Bids that have not followed these Instructions to Bid.
10. INCURRED EXPENSES
The Town Council shall not be responsible for, or pay any losses or expenses which may be incurred by the Bidder in the preparation and submission of their Bid, including (but not limited to) the attendance at any pre or post-tender meetings, due diligence meetings, the delivery of any presentations by the Bidder to The Town Council in relation to their proposal, site visits or other negotiations.
The Town Council will not accept claims for additional charges relating to the work delivered by the Bidder or the Contractor after acceptance of the Bid if, in the reasonable opinion of the Council, such additional charges should have been established by proper inspection of the Bid Documentation prior to bidding.
11. PUBLICITY
No publicity regarding the services or the award of any contract will be permitted unless.
12. TRANSPARENCY AND CONFIDENTIALITY
As a public body, The Town Council is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 ("FOIA") and Environmental Information Regulations 2004 ("EIR") in respect of the information it holds (including third-party information). Any member of the public or other interested party may make a request for information.
The Council shall treat all Bidders' responses as confidential during the procurement process. Requests for information received following the procurement process shall be considered on a case-by-case basis, applying the principles of the FOIA or the EIR.
While The Town Council aims to consult with third-party providers of information before it is disclosed, it cannot guarantee that this will be done.
Bidders should be aware that, in compliance with its transparency obligations, The Town Council routinely publishes details of its contract(s), including the contract values and the identities of its suppliers on its website.
13. PAYMENT
The Town Council's standard payment terms are 30 days in arrears.
Total value (estimated)
- £65,000 excluding VAT
- £78,000 including VAT
Below the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 27 August 2025 to 30 January 2030
- 4 years, 5 months, 4 days
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 31522000 - Christmas tree lights
- 50232110 - Commissioning of public lighting installations
Contract locations
- UKH - East of England
Participation
Particular suitability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
23 July 2025, 11:59pm
Tender submission deadline
1 August 2025, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
All supporting documentation must be included
Tenders should be submitted electronically to: tenders@witham.gov.uk and marked "Christmas Lights 2025 Tender" in the subject line. by midday 1st August 2025
Alternatively, tenders may be posted to Witham Town Council, Town Hall, 61 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, CM8 2FE. The envelope shall be marked Christmas Lights 2025 Tender and apart from the Council's postal address shall not otherwise be marked or contain information that could identify the tendering organisation.
All companies submitting a tender will be notified by email of the respective decision within 6 weeks of the evaluation date. In accordance with Government Regulations, the total value of the successful tender will be published in due course.
All tenders submitted by email shall be in PDF format.
Tenders may be submitted electronically
No
Award criteria
1. Overview
All submissions will be evaluated using the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT) approach, in line with the Procurement Act 2023 and Witham Town Council's Extended Procurement Process. The evaluation will be conducted by the RFO and presented to Full Town Council for resolution.
2. Scoring Criteria
Criterion Weighting Sub-criteria
Design & Quality 40% - Compliance with specification and brief
- Lighting design and innovation
- Programme of works and delivery timescales
- Quality of materials and installation
- Maintenance and emergency response arrangements
Cost 40% -Total contract price (5 years)
- Value for money
- Transparency of pricing
- Clarity on call-out charges and any exclusions
Sustainability & Social Value 20% - Environmental impact and carbon reduction measures
- Local employment and social value commitments
- Use of energy-efficient products and recyclable materials
3. Evaluation Methodology
• Each submission will be scored out of 5 for each sub-criterion:
• 0 = No response or wholly inadequate
• 1 = Poor - significant concerns or shortcomings
• 2 = Satisfactory - meets minimum requirements
• 3 = Good - meets requirements with some added value
• 4 = Very Good - exceeds requirements, clear added value
• 5 = Excellent - outstanding, innovative, and fully addresses all aspects
• Scores for each sub-criterion will be weighted according to the percentages above.
• The highest total weighted score will determine the recommended supplier.
• Any bid scoring less than 2 ("Satisfactory") on any mandatory sub-criterion may be excluded.
• Clarifications may be sought in writing during evaluation; all clarifications and responses will be shared with all bidders.
• The Council does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any tender.
4.Exclusion Grounds
Bidders will be excluded if they:
• Fail to meet mandatory eligibility or insurance requirements
• Are subject to any mandatory or discretionary exclusion grounds (e.g. convictions for fraud, corruption, tax evasion, or offences under the Modern Slavery Act 2015)
Procedure
Procedure type
Below threshold - open competition
Special regime
Light touch
Documents
Associated tender documents
Locations.docx.pdf
Locations of lights
Supplementary Information.docx.pdf
Supplementary information
Contracting authority
Witham Town Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PRPX-7523-RHTX
Town Hall, 61 Newland Street
WITHAM
CM8 2FE
United Kingdom
Region: UKH34 - Essex Haven Gateway
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government