Official UK procurement notice
Construction of a new laboratory building (Holt 2 Lab), designed and built to operate at Containment Level 3 (CL3) standards
Authority: Forestry Commission (Public body)
Construction of a new laboratory building designed and built to operate at Containment Level 3 (CL3), on a greenfield site within the existing boundary of Forest Research's Alice Holt Research Station in Farnham, Surrey, UK. The new 'Holt 2' research facility will be a purpose-built expansion of existing facilities at Forest Research's Alice Holt Research Station, designed to significantly enhance the UK's capability and capacity to study tree pests and pathogens in controlled environments. The new facility will significantly increase the capacity of the existing Holt 1 containment laboratory. At the time of issuing the ITT, detailed design and specification for all elements (RIBA Stage 4) will have been completed (and included in the ITT); the appointed turnkey contractor will take responsibility from, and progress from, the start of RIBA Stage 5 onwards.
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionSCOPE OF WORKS:
Construction of a new laboratory building designed and built to operate at Containment Level 3 (CL3), on a greenfield site within the existing boundary of Forest Research's Alice Holt Research Station in Farnham, Surrey, UK.
The new 'Holt 2' research facility will be a purpose-built expansion of existing facilities at Forest Research's Alice Holt Research Station, designed to significantly enhance the UK's capability and capacity to study tree pests and pathogens in controlled environments. The new facility will significantly increase the capacity of the existing Holt 1 containment laboratory.
Full specifications will be provided in the Specification Documents once the Invitation to Tender is released. The project overview document is attached to this notice.
CONTRACT STRATEGY:
Traditional construction works, turnkey contract (Client-supplied detailed design & specification) on a fixed lump sum basis using the NEC4 ECC Main Option A - Priced contract with Activity Schedule.
Performance Bond (10%), and Parent Company Guarantees (where applicable).
Liquidated damages for delay are anticipated to be set at £700 per day, subject to confirmation in the ITT.
DESIGN STRATEGY:
At the time of issuing the ITT, detailed design and specification for all elements (RIBA Stage 4) will have been completed (and included in the ITT); the appointed turnkey contractor will take responsibility from, and progress from, the start of RIBA Stage 5 onwards.
It is anticipated that the ITT may include an option (or alternative) for the novation of client‑supplied designs to the turnkey contractor.
Note that certain proprietary equipment and supply chain requirements will be specified within the ITT where necessary to meet technical and operational requirements of the contract works.
The new building is required to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating, demonstrating a high standard of environmental performance and sustainability.
Note: A Planning Application has been submitted for this build.
The contract scope includes all works and services required to deliver the laboratory as a fully operational, CL3‑validated containment facility, as outlined above, on a turnkey basis. This includes traditional building construction works—such as foundations, structural steelwork, cladding, building services and landscaping—as well as specialist laboratory and containment facility works.
Included with this Notice are the following documents and drawings, which provide further information on the location and the overall laboratory building structure:
1.3434001 A (Location Plan)
2.3434009 (Proposed Block Plan)
3.3434010 D (Proposed Ground Floor Plan)
4.3434011 D (Proposed First Floor Plan)
5.3434012 C (Proposed Roof Plan)
6.3434015 B (Proposed North Elevation)
7.3434016 B (Proposed South Elevation)
8.3434017 A (Proposed East Elevation)
9.3434018 A (Proposed West Elevation)
10.8492PLGA110 (Proposed Site Plan)
11.G28553PERHL2XXDRS06001 P04
12.G28553PERHL2XXDRS06002 P04
13.Holt 2 project overview for tender - rev01
- Not divided into lots: Dividing the requirement into two lots - one contract for the building structure/envelope work and another contract for the internal specialist containment/fit out work - was considered; however, this approach was not selected, as it was assessed as very likely to: (i) extend the overall project delivery timescale, (ii) result in an increased total cost of delivery, and (iii) introduce challenging interfaces and significant technical risks.
- How the procedure runs: Competitive flexible procedure description: This procurement is being conducted under the competitive flexible procedure and consists of the following process stages. Suppliers interested in this opportunity must respond to this Notice by submitting a Request to Participate (i) only if they meet the initial conditions for participation specified in this Notice and (ii) by submitting a Request to Participate containing all the required information specified in this Notice. Requests to Participate received by the deadline stated in this Notice will be checked to ensure (i) the initial conditions for participation are met and (ii) they contain all the required information: If the answer is 'yes' in both cases, the applicant will be sent a Procurement Specific Questionnaire for completion and return by a prescribed deadline. The Procurement Specific Questionnaire will contain selection criteria in the form of a combination of 'pass/fail' questions (covering areas such as health and safety, CDM Regulations, and 'excluded/excludable' suppliers under Schedules 6 & 7 of the PA23), and questions that will be evaluated and scored (e.g. technical capability, capacity and experience). Completed Procurement Specific Questionnaires returned by the deadline will be reviewed and if a "pass" is achieved in all "pass/fail" questions, the other question responses will be assessed and an overall total score awarded. Supplier overall total scores will be ranked, from highest score to lowest score, and the top five ranked suppliers will be selected for inclusion on the tender list. The Invitation to Tender (ITT) will contain the evaluation criteria (commercial, quality, technical etc), weightings and scoring method that will be used to assess tenders received. The following is a summary of the process that follows from issue of ITT: Activity: .................................................................Indicative timing: Issue Invitation to Tender...........................................Mid-July 2026 All tenderers' site visit.........................................Early August 2026 Tender submission deadline..........................Mid-September 2026 Evaluation of tenders (including handling post tender queries/clarifications).........Mid -September to mid-October 2026 Identify shortlisted tenderers.............................Mid-October 2026 Request updated/revised tenders (possibly BAFO) from shortlisted tenderers.........................................Late October 2026 Final tender submission deadline...................Mid-November 2026 Evaluation of final tender submissions.......Mid-November to early December 2026 Contract award decision made and notified (assessment summaries issued)..........................................Mid-December 2026 Contract Award Notice published..................Mid-December 2026 'Standstill' period.................................Mid to late December 2026 Contract awarded..........................................Late December 2026 Client funding on-stream/on-site mobilisation & handover..............5 April 2027
CPV: Laboratory building construction work
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1Published value£16,666,667
- Economic & financial standing
To submit a Request to Participate in response to this Notice, suppliers must meet the following conditions:
- Must be registered on the Central Digital Platform and shared their up-to-date core information (as defined in regulation 6(9) of the Procurement Regulations 2024).
- An annual turnover of not less than £20m.
- Must have or be able to obtain:
-Public Liability Insurance of not less than £10 M,
-Professional Indemnity Insurance of not less than £15M,
-Contractor’s All Risks Insurance of not less than £15M.
- Accept the NEC4 ECC as the basis for the conditions of contract for any subsequent contract.
- Technical & professional ability
- Experience as a Principal Contractor under CDM Regulations.
- A Quality Management System certified (by a Nationally Accredited Certification Body) to ISO9001:2015, or an equivalent alternative standard, with an appropriate scope to deliver the contract requirements.
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).
- Price/Cost/Commercial: The criteria (price/cost, quality, technical etc), the weightings and the scoring method used will be stated in the Invitation to Tender
- Quality/Technical/Non-commercial: The criteria (price/cost, quality, technical etc), the weightings and the scoring method used will be stated in the Invitation to Tender
- Economic & financial standing
To submit a Request to Participate in response to this Notice, suppliers must meet the following conditions:
- Must be registered on the Central Digital Platform and shared their up-to-date core information (as defined in regulation 6(9) of the Procurement Regulations 2024).
- An annual turnover of not less than £20m.
- Must have or be able to obtain:
-Public Liability Insurance of not less than £10 M,
-Professional Indemnity Insurance of not less than £15M,
-Contractor’s All Risks Insurance of not less than £15M.
- Accept the NEC4 ECC as the basis for the conditions of contract for any subsequent contract.
- Technical & professional ability
- Experience as a Principal Contractor under CDM Regulations.
- A Quality Management System certified (by a Nationally Accredited Certification Body) to ISO9001:2015, or an equivalent alternative standard, with an appropriate scope to deliver the contract requirements.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Works
- Notice status
- Closed
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 8 Apr 2026, 15:42 BST
- Last source update
- 8 Apr 2026, 15:42 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 31 Dec 2026
- Authority reference
CR2025/26/123- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-032066- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Not published
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-067e4aFind a Tender
- How it runs
Competitive flexible procedure description:
This procurement is being conducted under the competitive flexible procedure and consists of the following process stages.
Suppliers interested in this opportunity must respond to this Notice by submitting a Request to Participate
(i) only if they meet the initial conditions for participation specified in this Notice and
(ii) by submitting a Request to Participate containing all the required information specified in this Notice.
Requests to Participate received by the deadline stated in this Notice will be checked to ensure
(i) the initial conditions for participation are met and
(ii) they contain all the required information: If the answer is 'yes' in both cases, the applicant will be sent a Procurement Specific Questionnaire for completion and return by a prescribed deadline.
The Procurement Specific Questionnaire will contain selection criteria in the form of a combination of 'pass/fail' questions (covering areas such as health and safety, CDM Regulations, and 'excluded/excludable' suppliers under Schedules 6 & 7 of the PA23), and questions that will be evaluated and scored (e.g. technical capability, capacity and experience).
Completed Procurement Specific Questionnaires returned by the deadline will be reviewed and if a "pass" is achieved in all "pass/fail" questions, the other question responses will be assessed and an overall total score awarded. Supplier overall total scores will be ranked, from highest score to lowest score, and the top five ranked suppliers will be selected for inclusion on the tender list.
The Invitation to Tender (ITT) will contain the evaluation criteria (commercial, quality, technical etc), weightings and scoring method that will be used to assess tenders received.
The following is a summary of the process that follows from issue of ITT:
Activity: .................................................................Indicative timing:
Issue Invitation to Tender...........................................Mid-July 2026
All tenderers' site visit.........................................Early August 2026
Tender submission deadline..........................Mid-September 2026
Evaluation of tenders (including handling post tender queries/clarifications).........Mid -September to mid-October 2026
Identify shortlisted tenderers.............................Mid-October 2026
Request updated/revised tenders (possibly BAFO) from shortlisted tenderers.........................................Late October 2026
Final tender submission deadline...................Mid-November 2026
Evaluation of final tender submissions.......Mid-November to early December 2026
Contract award decision made and notified (assessment summaries issued)..........................................Mid-December 2026
Contract Award Notice published..................Mid-December 2026
'Standstill' period.................................Mid to late December 2026
Contract awarded..........................................Late December 2026
Client funding on-stream/on-site mobilisation & handover..............5 April 2027
- Risks
Dependencies on the completion of enabling works.
Dependencies associated with client‑supplied design finalisation.
How it was run
Official notice- Requests to participate (first stage)
- 6 May 2026, 16:00 BST
- Submission deadline
- 6 May 2026, 16:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 28 Apr 2026, 10:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
8 Apr 2026 → 4 Jan 2027 · 5 dates- Tender notice published209 days ago8 Apr 2026, 15:42 BST
- Clarification questions by189 days ago28 Apr 2026, 10:00 BST
- Submission deadline181 days ago6 May 2026, 16:00 BST
- Today4 Nov 2026
- Award decision expected byin 57 days31 Dec 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract startsin 60 days4 Jan 2027
Notice history
1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender- Tender notice published8 Apr 2026, 15:42 BSTUK4
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
Notices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender