United Kingdom57 days leftOpen

Invitation to Submit Proposals Hope Gap Steps

Tender Overview

ORGANIZATION

Seaford Town Council

LOCATION

North East England, United Kingdom

VALUE

£24,000

DEADLINE

March 31, 2026 at 23:00

CATEGORY

Other

CPV CODE

45220000

REFERENCE

007550-2026

Project Timeline

Contact Information

View Original

Original Tender Description

Seaford Town Council are seeking expressions of interest and detailed proposals from suitably qualified and experienced contractors to design and cost options to repair or replace the Hope Gap steps, with the aim of returning them to safe public use. Due to the anticipated high costs of the project, proposals must focus on achieving best value over the full lifespan of the steps, taking into account durability, maintenance requirements and long-term resilience. Scope of Proposal Proposals should include, but not be limited to, the following: • Design and costed options for repair and/or replacement of the steps • Consideration of ecological and geological impacts • Identification of required permissions, consents and statutory approvals • A proposed methodology for undertaking the site works • A programme for delivery, including identification of the optimum times of year for construction • Where possible, suggested sources of external funding that may be available to support the works Site Constraints Tenderers should note that: • This stretch of coastline is classified as "No Active Intervention" within the Shoreline Management Plan • At high tide, waves frequently break at the base of the cliff • Any proposed solution must be capable of withstanding regular exposure to sea water • It is considered highly likely that some or all options may require additional coastal protection, such as a sea wall or similar measures. Proposals should therefore include the design and cost of such protection, where applicable Site Visits Seaford Town Council will be available to accompany site visits on the following dates: • Tuesday 3 February • Wednesday 4 February • Wednesday 11 February Submission Details • Deadline for submission: 5:00pm on Monday 16 February 2026 • Proposals should be submitted to: projectsandfacilities@seafordtowncouncil.gov.uk or posted to 37 Church Street, Seaford, BN25 1HG • Please note that all proposals and quotations received will be presented to Full Council for discussion and evaluation in due course, prior to any further decisions or actions being taken Seaford Town Council (STC) are seeking proposals and option appraisals only. STC is under no obligation to appoint any supplier, to select a preferred proposal, or to proceed to construction works. Any decision to progress to delivery, and any procurement of construction works, would be subject to separate approval and a separate procurement process in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023.
⚠️

MANDATORY EXCLUSION GROUNDS

  • None explicitly stated in the provided tender text.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Be a suitably qualified contractor.
  • Be an experienced contractor.
🔧

TECHNICAL CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • Ability to design options for repair and/or replacement of the Hope Gap steps.
  • Ability to cost options for repair and/or replacement of the Hope Gap steps.
  • Capability to consider ecological and geological impacts in proposals.
  • Capability to identify required permissions, consents, and statutory approvals.
  • Ability to propose a methodology for undertaking the site works.
  • Ability to provide a programme for delivery, including identification of optimum times of year for construction.
  • Ability to suggest sources of external funding that may be available to support the works (where possible).
  • Expertise in achieving best value over the full lifespan of the steps.
  • Expertise in ensuring durability, maintenance requirements, and long-term resilience of proposed solutions.
  • Capability to design solutions that can withstand regular exposure to sea water.
  • Capability to design and cost additional coastal protection (e.g., sea wall) where applicable.
  • Understanding of the "No Active Intervention" classification within the Shoreline Management Plan for the coastline.
  • Understanding of the site constraint where waves frequently break at the base of the cliff at high tide.
  • Experience in engineering works and construction works (implied by CPV 45220000).
💰

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • None explicitly stated for the bidder's financial standing.
📋

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  • Submit expressions of interest and detailed proposals.
  • Proposals must focus on achieving best value over the full lifespan of the steps, taking into account durability, maintenance requirements, and long-term resilience.
  • Proposals must include design and costed options for repair and/or replacement of the steps.
  • Proposals must include consideration of ecological and geological impacts.
  • Proposals must include identification of required permissions, consents, and statutory approvals.
  • Proposals must include a proposed methodology for undertaking the site works.
  • Proposals must include a programme for delivery, including identification of the optimum times of year for construction.
  • Proposals must include, where possible, suggested sources of external funding that may be available to support the works.
  • Proposals must address site constraints, specifically that the solution must be capable of withstanding regular exposure to sea water.
  • Proposals must include the design and cost of additional coastal protection (e.g., a sea wall or similar measures) where applicable.
  • Submission deadline: 5:00pm on Monday 16 February 2026.
  • Submission method: Email to projectsandfacilities@seafordtowncouncil.gov.uk OR post to 37 Church Street, Seaford, BN25 1HG.
  • Proposals must be detailed.
  • Proposals and quotations received will be presented to Full Council for discussion and evaluation.
  • Bidders should note that this is for proposals and option appraisals only, and Seaford Town Council is under no obligation to appoint any supplier or proceed to construction.

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HTM
Attachment A-11101
General InformationA-11101.html
Summary:
Seaford Town Council seeks expressions of interest and detailed proposals from qualified contractors to design and cost options for repairing or replacing the Hope Gap steps, focusing on best value, durability, and resilience, with any subsequent construction subject to a separate procurement.
DOC
OCDS Record
OCDS Data007550-2026_ocds_record.json
Summary:
Seaford Town Council invites qualified contractors to submit detailed proposals for the design and costing of options to repair or replace the Hope Gap steps, emphasizing long-term value, durability, and resilience, including potential coastal protection measures.
DOC
OCDS Release Package
OCDS Data007550-2026_ocds_release.json
Summary:
Seaford Town Council invites qualified contractors to submit detailed proposals for the design and costing of options to repair or replace the Hope Gap steps, emphasizing long-term value, resilience, and environmental considerations, noting this is for proposals/appraisals only, not a commitment to construction.
PDF
Official PDF Version
Tender Conditions007550-2026_official.pdf
Summary:
Seaford Town Council invites qualified contractors to submit detailed proposals for the design and costed options to repair or replace the Hope Gap steps, emphasizing long-term value, resilience, and potential coastal protection, as this is an initial information-gathering stage, not a commitment to construction.
HTM
Tender Notice
Administrative Documents007550-2026.html
Summary:
This document invites qualified contractors to submit detailed design and cost proposals for repairing or replacing the Hope Gap steps, emphasizing long-term value, resilience, and coastal protection, with the understanding that this is for proposals and option appraisals only, not a commitment to construction.

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58
Fair

Tender Quality Score

This tender for proposals is moderately structured but suffers from critical data inconsistencies and a lack of transparency regarding evaluation criteria, which could hinder fair competition.

Score Breakdown

Legal Compliance55/100

The tender exhibits significant legal risks due to conflicting submission deadlines (2026-03-31 vs 2026-02-16) and the absence of explicit evaluation criteria, which are fundamental for transparent procurement. While it acknowledges the Procurement Act 2023, these procedural flaws are serious.

Conflicting submission deadlines (2026-03-31 vs 2026-02-16)
No explicit evaluation criteria specified
Clarity70/100

The description of the project scope, site constraints, and the nature of the tender (proposals/option appraisals only) is clear and well-articulated. The AI-extracted requirements accurately reflect the text. However, the complete absence of evaluation criteria is a major clarity flaw for potential bidders.

No evaluation criteria specified
Completeness65/100

Basic information is present, and the scope is detailed. However, the lack of evaluation criteria is a significant omission. The 'Contract Duration' and 'Contract Start' dates are confusing and potentially misleading, as this tender is explicitly for proposals and not a commitment to construction.

No evaluation criteria specified
Misleading 'Contract Duration' and 'Contract Start' for a proposal-only tender
Fairness55/100

The tender provides full document access and discloses the estimated value. The requirements appear generic and not tailored to a specific company, and the 19-day period for proposals (based on the 2026-02-16 deadline) is reasonable. However, the absence of explicit evaluation criteria is a major fairness concern, as it makes the assessment process opaque and potentially subjective.

No evaluation criteria specified, impacting transparency and objectivity
No formal e-procurement platform, relying on email/post submission
Practicality65/100

Electronic submission via email is supported, which is practical, but a dedicated e-procurement portal would offer better structure and auditability. The contract start date and duration are provided but are not directly relevant to this proposal stage, causing potential confusion.

No dedicated e-procurement platform (email/post only)
Contract start date and duration are confusing for a proposal-only tender
Data Consistency35/100

The most significant issue is the direct contradiction in submission deadlines (2026-03-31 in basic info vs. 2026-02-16 in description), which is a fundamental flaw. The 'Contract Start' date aligning with the incorrect submission deadline further highlights this inconsistency. Several key fields are also left empty.

Critical inconsistency in submission deadlines (2026-03-31 vs 2026-02-16)
Contract Start date aligns with the incorrect submission deadline
Sustainability55/100

The tender explicitly requires consideration of ecological and geological impacts, which is a positive inclusion for environmental sustainability. However, it lacks broader criteria for social aspects, green procurement certifications, or explicit innovation incentives.

Limited focus beyond ecological/geological impacts
No explicit social or innovation criteria

Strengths

Clear description of project scope and site constraints
Estimated value disclosed and full document access provided
Requirements appear generic and not tailored
Consideration of ecological and geological impacts included
Electronic submission via email is supported

Concerns

Critical inconsistency in submission deadlines
Complete absence of evaluation criteria
Misleading contract dates for a proposal-only tender
No formal e-procurement platform
Limited focus on broader sustainability aspects (social, innovation)

Recommendations

1. Immediately clarify and correct the conflicting submission deadlines to avoid legal challenges and bidder confusion.
2. Develop and publish clear, objective evaluation criteria for the proposals to ensure transparency and fairness.
3. Provide a dedicated e-procurement platform for submissions to enhance process integrity and accessibility.

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C
Tender Quality Score
58/ 100 · Fair

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