Green Flag Award Accreditation Scheme - Pre-Tender Market Engagement

Description

*UPDATE 23/11 - Indicative dates for potential procurement have changed, and the ITT will no longer be issued in November. The Authority will endeavour to share further updates in due course, with the competition expected to commence in the new year. The Authority reserves the right to amend dates at any time, and Potential Suppliers rely on them entirely at their own risk.* The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (the Authority) is seeking a Potential Supplier to licence the running of the Green Flag Awards on a financially self-sufficient, concession arrangement basis. The Green Flag Award Scheme (the Scheme) is both a national and international benchmark for quality public green spaces such as parks and community gardens - considered by the green space sector as the annual MOT for green space. It is highly regarded and credited with being a cost-effective way to raise the quality of urban green space and local people's engagement with it. The main deliverables of the Scheme are: - To ensure the continued successful operation of, and confidence in, the Scheme as a benchmark for quality public green spaces, raising the standards of management and maintenance of publicly accessible green spaces both in England and around the world, and supporting the Government commitment that every household in England should be within 15 minutes' walk of green or blue space. - To increase participation in the Scheme, whilst ensuring the quality of the Scheme is maintained; - To innovate delivery of the Scheme thereby ensuring self-sufficiency and sustainability; - To ensure green spaces are accessible to people of all abilities, safe and encouraging of community participation; - To increase and support biodiversity within green spaces; - To pursue the ambition of the Scheme to see the majority of green spaces in England become accredited. This Pre-Tender Market Engagement (PTME) seeks information in preparation for the potential procurement of a Potential Supplier to run the Green Flag Award accreditation scheme under licence. The purpose of this PTME is to: i) help define the requirement; ii) help provide a better understanding of the feasibility of the requirement; iii) understand the best procurement and service delivery approach; iv) understand the capacity of the market to deliver and possible risks involved; and v) provide the market with an opportunity to ask questions, raise queries and identify any issues to be addressed at an early stage. Further details can be found in the attached PTME document. Responses to this PTME must be sent by email to commercialtenders@levellingup.gov.uk by 17.00 GMT, Tuesday 10th October 2023 (the Response Deadline). Potential Suppliers may raise questions or seek clarification regarding any aspect of this PTME at any time prior to the Response Deadline via the same e-mail address. The Authority shall maintain commercial confidentiality of information received during the PTME. Additional information: *UPDATE 23/11 - Indicative dates for potential procurement have changed, and the ITT will no longer be issued in November. The Authority will endeavour to share further updates in due course, with the competition expected to commence in the new year. The Authority reserves the right to amend dates at any time, and Potential Suppliers rely on them entirely at their own risk.*