Official UK procurement notice
Ashford Arts Centre Operator
Authority: Ashford Borough Council (Local council)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe Council seeks a suitably skilled, long-term partner to manage and operate Ashford Arts Centre (AAC) via a concession arrangement.
AAC is a new community and commercial arts centre being delivered by the Council through the redevelopment of the former Ashford Odeon cinema building, in Ashford town centre. The design for AAC is currently at RIBA Stage 3, and details in respect of the scope of the AAC in the suite of procurement documents should be treated as subject to confirmation as the design develops.
AAC's programme is intended to include theatre, live performance, comedy, family shows and community use, alongside a hospitality and events offer, ensuring there is something to suit a broad range of audiences within a scale appropriate to Ashford.
The estimated value stated in this notice is based on detailed financial modelling completed by Blue Horizon Ventures on behalf of the Council. The model draws on the RIBA Stage 3 design for AAC, benchmark data from comparable venues, and projected commercial and community activity across the venue’s spaces, reflecting its intended role as a hybrid commercial and community performance venue. The figure represents cumulative operator income over the 25 year contract term, excluding VAT and public subsidy.
It is shared to give Tenderers an indication of scale so that they can plan their interest and resources with confidence. It is not a forecast or a guarantee of future income, and it is not intended to be used as the basis for Tenderers’ own financial modelling. Tenderers are required to develop their own assumptions, drawing on their operating experience and the information in the tender pack.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at:
www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/tenders/UK-UK-Ashfor… ↗
To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
- How the procedure runs: PRE-SELECTION QUESTIONAIRE (PSQ) AND CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION Part 1 - Tenderers are invited to complete the PSQ. The Council will evaluate the PSQ to ensure Tenderers meet the required capability and financial standing requirements. Tenderers who fail this Stage1 Part 1, will not proceed to Stage 1, Part 2. Any such Tender will not be considered an assessed tender and as such, no feedback will be provided to Tenderers in respect of a failed PSQ submission. Part 2 - Tenderers are invited to submit their Initial Tender in accordance with Form of Tender Response Document at the same time as completing Stage 1 Part 1. The Council will evaluate the Initial Tender in accordance with the methodology set out in this ITT. Tenderers that submit an assessed tender will be provided with feedback in respect of their Initial Tender. The Council reserves the right to award the Contract to the highest scoring Tenderer following Initial Tenders and to forego the Negotiation or Final Tender Stage. STAGE 2 – OPTIONAL NEGOTIATION STAGE Should the Council wish to proceed with a Negotiation Stage in the procurement, it will invite all Tenderers who submit an assessed Tender to proceed to the Negotiation Stage. The Council intends to invite Tenderers to participate in negotiation in order to refine their Initial Tender in accordance with the terms of the Invitation to Negotiate document published at the time. The purpose of the negotiation stage is to discuss, clarify, refine and develop Tenderers' proposals, including technical, commercial, contractual, implementation and service delivery matters. Negotiation sessions will take place in person or over Microsoft Teams. Once the Council is satisfied that the negotiation stage is concluded, it will invite Tenderers to the next stage. The Council reserves the right to set the agenda for the negotiation sessions. The Council reserves the right to conduct multiple rounds of negotiation. The Council anticipates that Tenderers will discuss the commercial submission and, more generally, the Tenderers’ ambition for service deliver at AAC. STAGE 3 - FINAL TENDERS The Council reserves the right to invite Final Tenders only without the Negotiation Stage. The Council reserves the right to refine the Award Criteria for Final Stage tenders in accordance with Section 24 PA23. At the conclusion of any Negotiation Stage, Tenderers are invited to submit Final Tenders to be evaluated in accordance with the terms of the ITSFT published at the time. As previously set out, the Council reserves the right to refine the Award Criteria prior to submission of Final Tenders. The Council also reserves the right to implement minimum pass marks at Final Tender Stage. The Council’s intention is that the Final Tender is a refined and improved version of the Initial Tender. At the conclusion of the evaluation and moderation of Final Tenders, Tenderers will be notified of the outcome of the procurement and confirmation as to which Tenderer submitted the Most Advantageous Tender. Tenderers will receive an Assessment Summary at the conclusion of this ITSFT stage and publish and contract award notice to start the voluntary standstill period. STAGE 4 - PREFERRED SUPPLIER STAGE The Council will use this period to formalise the necessary contract documents between the parties. The Council will conclude any outstanding due diligence during this period. This may include the Council requesting any documentary evidence it requires to be satisfied that the successful Tenderer(s) continues to comply with the requirements of the PSQ.
CPV: Arts-facility operation services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1Published value£12,600,000
- Economic & financial standing
See procurement documents.
- Technical & professional ability
See procurement documents.
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Published sub-criteria (4)
- Quality: 60%
- Legal: 5%
- Commercial Offer Score: 25%
- Business Case Score: 10%
Published award criteria (4)
- Quality
- Commercial Offer Score
- Business Case Score
- Legal
- Economic & financial standing
See procurement documents.
- Technical & professional ability
See procurement documents.
- Price carries 35 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3.5 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Competition analysis · published record, not a forecast of who will bid
How Ashford Borough Council buys Arts-facility operation services (CPV 9232), and who usually turns up
Ashford Borough Council’s published record next to the market for the same work. Frameworks and DPS are left out: they draw different bid counts. Whole-market view: Arts-facility operation services (CPV 9232) →
How the contest usually goes
Winner shares use published awards; bid and price charts use contested lots.
i
How often small and medium firms win.
Share of awards where the winner’s size is known.
The counts under this question show how many awards have a known supplier size.
Small firms have won here. Neither number says whether you qualify; it describes who has been winning.
i
How often local firms win similar work.
Winners with a registered address in the delivery region, out of awards with a known address.
Local means the winner is registered in the region where that award was delivered. The market figure counts awards delivered in South East England.
A local branch does not count if the registered address is elsewhere.
Most of this buyer’s recorded winners were registered outside the region where that award was delivered.
i
How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.
Middle value in days from the bid deadline to the award date, on competitions that published both.
Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.
Half of these awards have an award date within 30 days of the bid deadline.
i
How often work is awarded with no recorded rival.
Direct awards and tenders where every published lot count shows one bid.
Both shares are minimums: some awards have no bid count.
Thin markets produce this too; it is not proof of a tailored specification.
Missing bid counts may hide more single-bid awards. This share is a minimum.
How many bids did past lots attract?
i
How many bids past lots received.
Each colour is a bid-count range. Only competed lots with a published count are included.
Past bids do not predict this tender.
1 bid17% / 10%
2–38% / 29%
4–617% / 57%
7+58% / 5%
How did awards compare with estimates?
i
Where winning prices landed against estimates.
Each colour shows awards below, close to or above the published estimate, one lot at a time.
Past prices are a guide, not a bid price.
Below estimate53% / 57%
Within ±2%20% / 29%
Above estimate27% / 14%
Assess each lot i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
Open a lot for its forecast, this buyer’s previous supplier and possible competitors, from published award history, not a bid list
Lot #1CPV 92Published estimate£13m
This lot lists more than one class in CPV 92. The comparison uses that group.
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid32%
2–331%
4–624%
7+13%
i
Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
Based on 19 comparable awards. Each lot reflects its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Middle 50%£11m–£13m
Estimate£13m
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
No earlier contract of this buyer matches this lot on the published record.
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
| Supplier | Won in this category | Live contracts | Award vs estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| £843m19 awards in 36m · last 1 month ago | 8 live · £463m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | 3% above n=9 | |
| £175m8 awards in 36m · last 1 month ago | 4 live · £93m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | 11% above n=1 | |
| £57m6 awards in 36m · last 4 months ago | 4 live · £35m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=4 | |
| £25k1 award in 36m · last 1 month ago | 1 live · £25k iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=1 | |
Teesside UniversityLarge | £117k11 awards in 36m · last 3 months ago | 3 live · £7.6m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | no comparable pairs |
About this data
- Source. Official UK public procurement notices (Find a Tender), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. New notices arrive through the day; the figures are rebuilt nightly.
- Two views, kept apart. The authority’s own track record and the wider market for the same kind of work sit side by side and are never mixed. Where the local picture is too thin, a figure widens to a broader market and says which one it used.
- Forecasts are labelled. The price forecast and its range, possible competitors and the earlier-work matches are our estimates from past awards: not published facts, not win chances and not price advice. Official notices do not say who is bidding.
- Every figure shows what it rests on. Not every notice publishes a bid count, a value or a delivery region, so each figure carries the number of records behind it, and one built on few records is marked as such. The on a figure explains it; the counting rules are in the methodology. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Open for tender
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- ConcessionLight touch regime
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA, CPTPP)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 28 Oct 2026, 17:28 GMT
- Last source update
- 28 Oct 2026, 17:28 GMT
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 8 Mar 2027
- Authority reference
ASH/25/358- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-102323- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0792e2Find a Tender
- How it runs
PRE-SELECTION QUESTIONAIRE (PSQ) AND CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION
Part 1 - Tenderers are invited to complete the PSQ.
The Council will evaluate the PSQ to ensure Tenderers meet the required capability and financial standing requirements. Tenderers who fail this Stage1 Part 1, will not proceed to Stage 1, Part 2. Any such Tender will not be considered an assessed tender and as such, no feedback will be provided to Tenderers in respect of a failed PSQ submission.
Part 2 - Tenderers are invited to submit their Initial Tender in accordance with Form of Tender Response Document at the same time as completing Stage 1 Part 1. The Council will evaluate the Initial Tender in accordance with the methodology set out in this ITT. Tenderers that submit an assessed tender will be provided with feedback in respect of their Initial Tender.
The Council reserves the right to award the Contract to the highest scoring Tenderer following Initial Tenders and to forego the Negotiation or Final Tender Stage.
STAGE 2 – OPTIONAL NEGOTIATION STAGE
Should the Council wish to proceed with a Negotiation Stage in the procurement, it will invite all Tenderers who submit an assessed Tender to proceed to the Negotiation Stage.
The Council intends to invite Tenderers to participate in negotiation in order to refine their Initial Tender in accordance with the terms of the Invitation to Negotiate document published at the time.
The purpose of the negotiation stage is to discuss, clarify, refine and develop Tenderers' proposals, including technical, commercial, contractual, implementation and service delivery matters.
Negotiation sessions will take place in person or over Microsoft Teams. Once the Council is satisfied that the negotiation stage is concluded, it will invite Tenderers to the next stage. The Council reserves the right to set the agenda for the negotiation sessions. The Council reserves the right to conduct multiple rounds of negotiation.
The Council anticipates that Tenderers will discuss the commercial submission and, more generally, the Tenderers’ ambition for service deliver at AAC.
STAGE 3 - FINAL TENDERS
The Council reserves the right to invite Final Tenders only without the Negotiation Stage.
The Council reserves the right to refine the Award Criteria for Final Stage tenders in accordance with Section 24 PA23.
At the conclusion of any Negotiation Stage, Tenderers are invited to submit Final Tenders to be evaluated in accordance with the terms of the ITSFT published at the time.
As previously set out, the Council reserves the right to refine the Award Criteria prior to submission of Final Tenders. The Council also reserves the right to implement minimum pass marks at Final Tender Stage.
The Council’s intention is that the Final Tender is a refined and improved version of the Initial Tender. At the conclusion of the evaluation and moderation of Final Tenders, Tenderers will be notified of the outcome of the procurement and confirmation as to which Tenderer submitted the Most Advantageous Tender. Tenderers will receive an Assessment Summary at the conclusion of this ITSFT stage and publish and contract award notice to start the voluntary standstill period.
STAGE 4 - PREFERRED SUPPLIER STAGE
The Council will use this period to formalise the necessary contract documents between the parties. The Council will conclude any outstanding due diligence during this period. This may include the Council requesting any documentary evidence it requires to be satisfied that the successful Tenderer(s) continues to comply with the requirements of the PSQ.
- Risks
The AAC is to be operated by way of concession. The risk to the operator is set out in the concession agreement.
How to participate & submission route
Official notice Submit via ProContract (Due North)- Requests to participate (first stage)
- —
- Tender submission deadline
- 8 Jan 2027, 10:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- —
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
28 Oct 2026 → 1 Apr 2027 · 4 dates- Tender notice published5h ago28 Oct 2026, 17:28 GMT
- Today28 Oct 2026
- Submission deadlinein 71 days8 Jan 2027, 10:00 GMT
- Award decision expected byin 131 days8 Mar 2027, 23:59 GMT
- Contract startsin 153 days1 Apr 2027, 00:00 BST
Notice history
1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender- Tender notice published28 Oct 2026, 17:28 GMTUK4
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Nothing awarded yet- Awards (0)
- No award published
- Contracts (0)
- No contract published
- Bid statistics
- No aggregate bid statistics published
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (3)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Bidding documents and specifications Procurement documents can be accessed via the Kent Business Portal.
- Technical specifications Procurement documents can be accessed via the Kent Business Portal.
Notices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender