Delivery Partner to Provide a New Theatre in Reading

This exercise concerns the aspiration of the Council to secure the development of a new theatre / performing arts centre for Reading. This is an initial early market engagement exercise which may result in a formal process under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR) to procure a delivery partner. The published documents set out background information, key parameters and requirements, and invites any interested parties to respond to a number of related questions. At this stage there is no commitment from the Council to any further stages of the procurement process and, indeed, any next steps will be informed by the response to this preliminary market consultation.

The key purposes of this preliminary market consultation is:

1. To establish the level of market interest in working with the Council to deliver and operate a new theatre in Reading.

2. To better understand the requirements of the market in relation to commercial attractiveness and financial sustainability.

3. To test the deliverability of a new theatre in the context of the Council’s key parameters and requirements.

4. To help shape the specification and business case for a new theatre at any subsequent stages in the procurement process.

5. To scope and inform options for the future operation and governance of any new theatre.

Any and all responses to this preliminary consultation will be used to inform the Council’s thinking and next steps and will be treated as confidential. The Council will be happy to respond to written questions or queries from interested parties in relation to clarification or additional information. Any such requests and the responses will be appropriately anonymised and shared via the Council’s procurement portal with access to all those who have responded to the consultation. This preliminary market consultation will not result in the identification of, or shortlisting for, any final delivery partner.

Additional information: Organisations interested in expressing an interest should download the procurement documents which are available on the Council's e-tendering system at: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/readingbc/aspx/Home (Project Reference No. RBC 00000153 ), and complete as instructed.

The Portal is free of charge - to register please follow the supplier registration guidance which is available on the Portal. Organisations intending to respond should complete the response document and return them electronically via the Council`s e-tendering portal. The deadline for return of the document is 30 September at 17.00 hours.

Please note: you must register your interest via the Council`s e-tendering portal .. Interested parties must log onto the Council`s e-tendering portal at: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/readingbc, to express an interest and download the procurement documents. All communications regarding this procurement exercise will be conducted through the Council`s e-tendering portal including requests for clarifications or general enquiries. The procurement documents will be available for download up until the closing time and date for submission, it is the organisation`s responsibility to ensure that they download the documents in ample time to ensure that they can be completed and returned electronically, along with supporting documents, prior to the closing time and date stipulated. Potential providers/suppliers should ensure that the e-mail address that has been used to register their organisation will be checked regularly as the Council`s e-tendering system will generate automatic notifications to this e-mail address when there are updates, changes or messages sent relating to the project. Organisations should also check that their details are correct and kept up to date.

Technical questions and assistance regarding the use and operation of the Portal should be addressed to the In-Tend Help Desk - e-mail: support@in-tend.co.uk, telephone number +44 8442728810.