Victoria Tower Fabric Safety Project - Market Engagement Update

Description

The Palace of Westminster (PoW), which includes Victoria Tower, is an internationally important heritage asset acknowledged in its Grade I listing designation, and its inclusion as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with Westminster Abbey and St Margaret's Church. Victoria Tower is 325 ft tall and is sited above Sovereign's Gate at the south-west end of the Palace site. The Tower was originally designed as a royal entrance and a repository for the records of Parliament, and is currently home to the Parliamentary Archives, although these are in the process of being moved elsewhere. Significant repairs were last undertaken to Victoria Tower in the early 1990s. The building fabric has deteriorated in the intervening period, and it is now necessary to undertake repairs to the external envelope of Victoria Tower, via a full-height scaffold. Parliament is exercising their duty of care to prevent future deterioration of the building fabric as custodians of this Grade I Listed asset, and to maintain a safe and secure environment in and around the Palace of Westminster. Lot 1: Description of the procurement The Corporate Officer of the House of Lords and the Corporate Officer of the House of Commons, acting jointly, invite potential Applicants to participate in an additional market engagement exercise, the objective of which is to test and secure market insights on a delivery model that could be deployed, through which the Contracting Authority can secure services, works and design elements. The Victoria Tower Fabric Safety Project Procurement Strategy envisages the appointment of a contractor to undertake the works and services to deliver the project. As part of the ongoing procurement strategy development process, the Victoria Tower Fabric Safety Project wishes to gather the views of potential Applicants that may be interested in delivering the works and services. The market feedback gained from this preliminary market consultation will be used by the Victoria Tower Fabric Safety Project to help finalise its Procurement Strategy by Q1 2023. The Market Engagement Questionnaire has been developed for the Victoria Tower Fabric Safety Project to consult with potential Applicants on market trends, seek feedback to proposed procurement options, and obtain expression of interest for the Victoria Tower Fabric Safety Project. Potential Applicants who wish to participate in this early market engagement are requested to download and review the engagement pack from our In-Tend procurement portal - https://in-tendhost.co.uk/parliamentuk/aspx/Home Potential Applicants are asked to complete the questionnaire and submit it to the Contracting Authority , as per instructions provided in the engagement pack. A closing date and time for responses to the early market engagement questionnaire is noted within the pack provided. An industry / supplier day is being planned for Q1 2023 and will be advertised at the appropriate time.