Scope
Description
Transportation of fine art and other objects with the collections or borrowed from other lenders for the National Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, Historic Royal Palaces and the Wallace Collection. Other major museums and galleries may choose to use the framework.
Commercial tool
Establishes a framework
Total value (estimated)
- £23,000,000 excluding VAT
- £27,600,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2028
- Possible extension to 31 March 2030
- 4 years
Description of possible extension:
options to extend to a maximum four years subject to performance
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 63520000 - Transport agency services
Contract locations
- UK - United Kingdom
Lot 1. Land Transportation in Great Britain
Description
Transport arrangements involving road transportation only where there are no customs requirements. This may be for simple point-to-point transportation, transportation between different Gallery sites, or a small exhibition. Objects will be sourced and transported by road within Great Britain only ; transportation shall involve some planning and scheduling considerations.
Lot value (estimated)
- £1,700,000 excluding VAT
- £2,040,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 2. UK & International Transportation
Description
Transport arrangements involving road, sea or airfreight for small one-off or exhibition projects such as international loans involving months of detailed advanced planning, security measures and some scheduling and customs requirement considerations.
The Galleries require the Contractor to have expertise in co-ordinating the transport for UK and international loans and exhibitions of Objects; to provide a range of technical services for museums both nationally and internationally; to have knowledge of institutional and private Lenders; and experience arranging supervised airfreight and occasional coordination of accompanying lender couriers.
The Contractor shall have the expertise, authorisations and guarantees required to deal with the temporary or permanent import and export of Objects which may be for temporary exhibition, for long loan, study or acquisition, and the Contractor should have knowledge of Customs and export licensing procedures.
Lot value (estimated)
- £2,600,000 excluding VAT
- £3,120,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 3. Complex International Transportation
Description
Transport arrangements involving road, sea or airfreight for major multi-partite international exhibitions (typically involving a high number of couriers - physical and virtual) including exhibition tours or high-profile projects involving many months of detailed advanced planning, stringent security measures, requirements set out by institutional lenders and skilful orchestration of scheduling considerations.
The Galleries require the Contractor to have substantial expertise in co-ordinating the transport for major international loans, complex exhibitions with numerous Objects; to provide highly skilled technical services, experienced coordination and technical staff; be well resourced for the scope of work with museums both nationally and internationally; to have extensive knowledge of institutional and private Lenders; and substantial experience arranging supervised airfreight and extensive coordination of large numbers of accompanying lender couriers.
The Contractor shall have the expertise, authorisations and guarantees required to deal with the temporary or permanent import and export of Objects which may be for temporary exhibition, for long loan, study or acquisition, and the Contractor should have extensive knowledge of Customs and export licensing procedures.
Lot value (estimated)
- £15,200,000 excluding VAT
- £18,240,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 4. Medium and Long Term Storage
Description
Storage arrangements for complex and one-off collection moves requiring advance planning and skilful orchestration throughout.
The Galleries require the Contractor to have substantial experience, expertise in providing and coordinating storage for a wide range of Objects, as reflected by the broad scope of the Galleries collections and projects.
The Galleries require the Contractor to be well resourced for the safe storage, tracking, environmental monitoring and management of a wide range of Objects, as well as empty crates and packing materials.
The Galleries require the Contractor to have facilities which meet museum and UK Government Indemnity standards for the storage and management of a range of Objects or equipment as appropriate.
The Galleries require the Contractor to have viewing room facilities as well as sufficient staff to enable audits, viewings including handling and wrapping of works at agreed times and short notice viewings.
Lot value (estimated)
- £3,500,000 excluding VAT
- £4,200,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Framework
Maximum number of suppliers
Unlimited
Maximum percentage fee charged to suppliers
0%
Framework operation description
Suppliers will bid for access to the framework ceiling rates.
For call offs they may choose to price below those rates in order to deliver value
Award method when using the framework
Either with or without competition
Contracting authorities that may use the framework
.
Submission
Enquiry deadline
8 December 2025, 6:00pm
Submission type
Tenders
Tender submission deadline
9 January 2026, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
13 February 2026
Recurring procurement
Publication date of next tender notice (estimated): 1 November 2027
Award criteria
Lot 1. Land Transportation in Great Britain
| Name | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Price | 50% |
| Resources | Quality | 15% |
| Planning | Quality | 15% |
| Operations | Quality | 15% |
| Task Examples | Quality | 5% |
Lot 2. UK & International Transportation
| Name | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Price | 35% |
| Resources | Quality | 20% |
| Operations | Quality | 20% |
| Planning | Quality | 15% |
| Task Example | Quality | 10% |
Lot 3. Complex International Transportation
| Name | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Price | 30% |
| Resources | Quality | 20% |
| Operations | Quality | 20% |
| Planning | Quality | 15% |
| Task Example | Quality | 15% |
Lot 4. Medium and Long Term Storage
| Name | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Resources | Quality | 25% |
| Planning | Quality | 25% |
| Operations | Quality | 25% |
| Price | Price | 20% |
| Task Examples | Quality | 5% |
Other information
Applicable trade agreements
- Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Competitive flexible procedure description
Suppliers are invited to submit their tender and compliance responses. Following evaluation there may be site visits to supplier facilities and/or interviews to validate the tender responses.
Contracting authorities
National Gallery
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PGYR-7259-GLQG
Trafalgar Square
London
WC2N 5DN
United Kingdom
Region: UKI32 - Westminster
Organisation type: Public authority - central government
National Portrait Gallery
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PNPD-3846-CXZR
St Martin's Place
London
WC2H 0HE
United Kingdom
Email: procurement@npg.org.uk
Region: UKI32 - Westminster
Organisation type: Public authority - central government
HISTORIC ROYAL PALACES
- Companies House: RC000769
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PMHC-9885-MMJV
Hampton Court Palace
London
KT8 9AU
United Kingdom
Email: procurement@hrp.org.uk
Region: UKI75 - Hounslow and Richmond upon Thames
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government
Wallace Collection
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PNZX-4797-NLJW
Hertford House, Manchester Square
London
W1U 3BN
United Kingdom
Region: UKI32 - Westminster
Organisation type: Public authority - central government