Opportunities Hub: Competitions that make a difference

For updates on the latest competitions, contests and contracts follow us on twitter #ribajopportunities @RIBAJ. 

Project competition

BARBADOS CARIFESTA XV PAVILION CONTEST

Design a temporary installation for National Heroes’ Square, Bridgetown that reimagines space, culture and climate resilience in the post-colonial Caribbean

Deadline 23.59pm, 1 June 2025

The National Cultural Foundation of Barbados, architect Adjaye Associates and the Barbados Ministry of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology have launched an open design initiative calling on student and early-career architects and artists from around the world to contribute pavilion ideas for the fifteenth Caribbean Festival of Arts, which takes place from 22 to 31 August 2025.

According to the brief, proposed structures for the 19.65 metre diameter site on National Heroes’ Square in Bridgetown must be made from locally sourced or recycled materials and transform the area into ‘a vibrant public gathering space… reflecting the island’s rich cultural identity and responding creatively to its environmental future’.

The winner will be mentored through the construction documentation period by Adjaye Associates.

‘We are looking for responses that emerge from the island’s own histories, ecologies and aspirations,’ says David Adjaye. ‘It’s about creating space that transcends utility and embodies a deeply symbolic experience.’

Carifesta is a beacon of Caribbean identity and the region’s premier regional arts and culture festival. It unites artists, creators and cultural practitioners from across the region and diaspora.

Procedure Single stage open contest.

Prize $50,000 USD, construction of the winning pavilion, mentorship by Adjaye Associates and round trip to Barbados. Up to three Special Mentions will also win a round trip to Barbados to attend the festival.

Budget Dedicated project budget will be independent of prize money and will fully fund the construction of the winning pavilion.

Eligibility Open to individuals and multidisciplinary teams (maximum four members) from any field, including architecture, art, urban design, landscape architecture, environmental science, engineering and social design. Applicants must have no more than five years of professional architecture experience and applications from architecture students are encouraged.

Requirements Two A1 boards made up of plans and elevations, a characteristic section, renderings or digital images and a concept explanation. A detailed construction budget is also required.

Judging panel David Adjaye, Adjaye Associates; Jonathan Reid, Ministry of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology; Carol Roberts, National Cultural Foundation; Chereda Grannum, Reclaiming Our Atlantic Destiny Program; Mark Hill, Export Barbados; plus an independent representative appointed by the National Cultural Foundation.

Other dates Questions deadline, 30 April 2025. Winner announced, 13 June 2025. Mentored period, 13 June 2025 to 7 July 2025.

For the full competition brief, contact media@madeinthefuture.ai

To submit your entry, go to bit.ly/42LcPVw 

Contract

SWADLINCOTE TOWN CENTRE MASTERPLAN

Urban planner sought for redevelopment of civic centre in south Derbyshire

Deadline: 12 noon, 30 May 2025

South Derbyshire District Council is commissioning a masterplan for the historic mining and market town of Swadlincote. The plan will focus on the strategic redevelopment of the civic centre following the relocation of its public buildings and Green Bank Leisure Centre.

Swadlincote is located in the National Forest, 12 miles south west of Derby. It is known for its collieries, brickworks and potteries, including the 19th century grade II listed Sharpe’s Pottery Museum.

The nine-acre civic centre site includes four acres occupied by the leisure centre and civic offices.

According to the brief, the plan ‘will be an overarching planning document and spatial layout, which will be used to structure land use and development… that supports vibrant town centre uses, enhances connectivity and reflects the area's heritage and future growth'.

‘Its scope will include distribution and interrelationship of activities/uses; relationship between spaces and buildings (existing and new); degree of permeability - visual and physical; best location of different types of uses; movement networks within and out of the site; and provision of infrastructure.’

The project will guide future land use, regeneration and infrastructure development in the town. Total estimated value of the six-month contract is £78,000. 

Evaluation criteria 80 per cent quality; 20 per cent price.

Procedure Open competition, below threshold.

Location Swandlicote, south Derbyshire.

Other dates Appointment of contractor, week of 16 June 2025. Contract, 16 June 2025 to 19 December 2025.

To apply or find out more, see the contract notice

Buyer contact Harold Talbot-Tomlinson, 07443 789 411, harold.talbot-tomlinson@southderbyshire.gov.uk

Contract

CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANCY SERVICES DPS 2025-29

Social housing consortium EN Procure has set up a multi-lot dynamic purchasing system for UK-wide projects

Deadline: 11.55pm, 23 February 2029

According to the specification, projects under the agreement will cover ‘building and environmental work, including new-build, refurbishment, infrastructure, demolition, temporary and maintenance and environmental improvement projects and/or works’.

EN Procure is the procurement arm of Sheffield-based social housing landlord consortium Efficiency North. It specialises in the procurement of goods, works and services for the construction and maintenance of social housing properties as well as other property types owned or managed by its members.

Current members include Accent Housing, Calderdale Council, City of York Council, Guinness Partnership, Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust, Lincolnshire Housing Partnership, Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing, One Manchester, Sevenoaks District Council, and Wokingham Borough Council.

There are 17 lots, covering services from employer’s agent and quantity surveying to clerk of works and retrofit co-ordination. Lot 3 is for architectural services; Lots 7 and 8 for principal designer services (CDM and BSA); and Lot 17 for multidisciplinary services. Tenders may be submitted for all lots and consultants can select the specific regions where they are active.

According to the spec, there is no limit to the number of bidders who may be admitted to the DPS and applicants can apply to join at any time during its four-year lifetime via a series of rounds.

Call-offs will be by competition with all consultants on the relevant lot. Evaluation criteria and weightings will be released at contract competition stage.

Procedure Restricted procedure: selection questionnaires followed by invitations to tender.

Location UK-wide.

Other dates Next round of applications, 5 May 2025. Expiry of DPS term, 23 February 2029.

To apply or find out more, see the contract notice

Buyer contact Curtis Evans, 0330 606 1460, tenders@efficiencynorth.org

Project competition

LFA ‘SQUARE’ CAMDEN HIGH STREET CONTEST

Reframe the concept of the public square during the 18-month pedestrianisation of a busy north London thoroughfare

Deadline 12 noon, 15 May 2025

The London Festival of Architecture (LFA), in partnership with the London Borough of Campden, is looking for design ideas for a motor traffic-free zone that will be trialled in 2024-2025.

Camden High Street is a busy shopping and transport hub which, at peak times, can have up to 40,000 visitors. The area around Camden Town tube station is a gateway to Camden Lock and its markets.

‘The vision is to create a welcoming place for resting, eating and capturing the natural spill-out from nearby businesses,’ say the organisers. The site includes chain cafes and restaurants, the independent food stalls of Box Park and the area around the Bucks Head pub.

According to the brief, the competition ‘seeks to bring together creative design thinking and innovative public realm interventions that activate [a] pedestrianised space - bringing people together, encouraging cultural and social activities and prompting dialogue about its future’.

Proposals should ‘respond to the theme of “Square” - reinterpreting the concept spatially, socially or playfully to foster meaningful connections between people and place’… [and] imaginatively respond to the extra space gained through the road closure’. Designs should be bold, visually striking and reflect the area’s cultural diversity, subcultural heritage and ‘global-local connections’.

Suggested elements for inclusion are resting spaces, temporary greening, parklets, public art and wayfinding. They should all be robust enough to be in the public realm for at least 12 months.

The contest is part of LFA’s Camden High Street Cultural Programme that will run from May 2025 to April 2026.

Alongside design and delivery, the winning team will be expected to consult with the London Borough of Camden, local residents and businesses, and community and cultural organisations.

The winning design will be installed this autumn and remain in place for at least 12 months.

The LFA, now in its 20th year, is a month-long celebration of architecture and city-making, that takes place every summer across London. Its mission is to open up discussions around architecture, test new ideas and promote emerging talent. LFA is run by NLA, London’s built environment community.

Procedure Two-stage contest. Up to five teams will be shortlisted for Stage 2.

Budget £100,000, which includes a £12,500 design fee, to develop and deliver a fully costed, feasible design.

Eligibility Open to emerging and established architects, landscape architects, designers and artists. Applicants must meet at least two of the following criteria: no more than seven years post-graduate; in the early stages of profession; set up in practice or collaboration in the past three years. Teams must be actively led by a named emerging architect, designer or creative. Judges encourage collaborations and entries from teams underrepresented in these professions and applications from local organisations or those working with Camden community groups.

Requirements Stage 1: biographies of the project team, a description of its practice, a selection of relevant previous work and an initial response to the brief (no design work is required). Stage 2: detailed design drawings, key construction details, an outline of the materials used, budget, delivery and fabrication process, and a PowerPoint presentation for judging purposes.

Judging criteria Stage 1: practice/team profile, 60 per cent; initial vision/response to the brief, 40 per cent. Stage 2: design, 35 per cent; sustainability and longevity, 20 per cent; programme and resourcing, 20 per cent; costs and feasibility, 15 per cent; contextual design and public engagement, 10 per cent.

Judging panel To be announced.

Other dates Shortlist, week of 26 May 2025. Site visit, 5 June 2025. Round 2 submissions, 26 June 2025. Winners notified, week of 7 July 2025.

To find out more, go to the competition website

To express interest and submit your entry, go to zealous.co/lfa/square-camden-high-street

Competition contact info@londonfestivalofarchitecture.org

Project contest

LFA MORDEN MOMENTS DESIGN COMPETITION

Open call for submissions that refresh and brighten public spaces in the London Borough of Merton

Deadline 12 noon, 8 May 2025

This London Festival of Architecture (LFA) competition is inviting architects, designers and artists to suggest creative and engaging interventions for the streets of Morden, in south west London.

Designs from one or two winning teams will be installed at a site in Station Yard and/or sites at Abbotsbury Road and Abbotsbury Circus as part of LFA2025 and to coincide with the centenary of Morden station.

The borough of Merton is also home to the towns of Colliers Wood, Mitcham and Wimbledon, to historic green spaces, art deco and mid-century modern architecture, a heritage Tube station and a collection of well known sporting venues.

According to the brief, the LFA contest ‘provides an exciting opportunity for emerging and established design talent to propose innovative and site-specific ideas that enhance public life, respond to the unique character of Morden and celebrate community identity.

‘Inspired by the LFA2025 theme of “Voices”, the initiative seeks to amplify local stories and foster connections through thoughtful and inclusive design.’

Organisers are keen to see ideas that build on meaningful collaborations with residents, businesses and other key stakeholders to offer ‘moments of pause, interaction and reflection’.

Applicants can apply for all three sites and the installations will remain in place for five years.

The competition is being run in collaboration with the London Borough of Merton.

Procedure Two-stage contest. Up to six teams will be shortlisted for Stage 2.

Honorarium and budgets Each shortlisted team will receive £1,000 to develop their ideas (the work required for Stage 2 will be reflective of the honorarium). One or two winners will be awarded £60,000 to develop and deliver fully costed, feasible designs for the Station Yard site and/or £83,000 for the two Abbotsbury sites.

Eligibility Open to emerging and established architects, landscape architects, designers and artists. The project must be actively led by a named emerging architect, designer or creative. Judges encourage collaborations and entries from teams underrepresented in these professions and applications from organisations based in or with connections to Morden.

Requirements Stage 1: biographies of the project team, a description of its practice, a selection of relevant previous work and an initial response to the brief (no design work is required). Stage 2: detailed design drawings, key construction details, an outline of materials used, a local community engagement plan and a PowerPoint presentation.

Judging criteria Stage 1: practice/team profile, 60 per cent; initial vision/response to the brief, 40 per cent. Stage 2: design, 30 per cent; costs and feasibility, 25 per cent; safety and equity, 15 per cent; sustainability and longevity, 15 per cent; contextual design and public engagement, 15 per cent.

Judging panel To be announced.

Other dates Shortlist, week of 19 May 2025. Round 2 submissions, 19 June 2025. Winner/s notified, week of 30 June 2025.

To find out more, go to the competition website

To express interest and submit your entry, go to zealous.co/lfa/morden-moments

Competition contact info@londonfestivalofarchitecture.org

Contract

DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION CONSTRUCTION FRAMEWORK 25

Six to eight year, £15.4 billion agreement for the building and refurbishing of schools, colleges, university and ancillary facilities across England

Deadline: 12 noon, 7 May 2025

The new DfE closed construction framework, which also includes associated community facilities and public buildings, will replace the existing CF21 agreement, which expires in November 2025.

It is a 10-lot framework split by value and English region. Two higher-value lots are for projects over £12 million and require 10 suppliers each. The remaining eight lots cover £4.4 million to £12 million projects (seven suppliers each). Bids can be made for multiple lots.

The agreement has an estimated total value of £15.4 billion across all lots and will run for six years with the option to extend for another two. Call-offs will be direct or via mini competition.

According to the brief, the agreement will be in place for at least six - rather than four - years because ‘the Department considers that the complex nature of the design and build construction works to be delivered under this framework necessitates a longer-term approach. A framework of extended duration is essential to: enhance supplier capability and innovation… enable supplier investment… [and] support the construction lifecycle’.

Evaluation criteria 70 per cent quality; 30 per cent price.

Procedure Two-stage competitive flexible procedure: procurement-specific questionnaires followed by invitations to tender (between seven and 10 suppliers per lot).

Location England.

Other dates Award decisions, 5 December 2025. Contracts, 16 January 2026 to 15 January 2032 with possible extension to 15 January 2034.

To apply or find out more, see the contract notice

Buyer contact Department for Education, CF.2025@education.gov.uk

Contract

TORPOINT HOUSING AND TOWN SQUARE

Council seeks team for £190m Cornish coastal community hub and public realm project

Deadline: 12 noon, 6 May 2025

A local council is calling for RIBA stage 3 detailed designs for a combined community and housing development and public town square in Torpoint, Cornwall.

Torpoint developed at the turn of the 18th century from its growing ferry service across the River Tamar – it is the gateway to the peninsula of south east Cornwall. The town has a thriving sailing community thanks to its proximity to St John's Lake and Plymouth Sound. Visitor attractions include Mount Edgcumbe House and Park, Antony House and Gardens and the villages of Cawsand and Kingsand.

The community building will need to accommodate a visitor and transport information service, hot desking and offices, a library and community hub, cafe, gallery, art and creative studios, as well as accommodation units. ‘Importantly,’ says the scope, ‘the community / business areas will also provide access to superfast broadband - Torpoint has a limited access to internet in this area of around 80 per cent’.

The outdoor public square will be a multifunctional space with external seating and the potential to host events and markets and display community art.

According to the contract notice, ‘the aim is to define the assets to be delivered, understand the risks, issues, opportunities and costs for both sites and be in a position to submit an outline planning application for both, enabling the requirements of the One Public Estate funding and the needs of the town and its community’.

Both stage 3 reports will need to articulate how the spaces will work together to benefit the community. Outline planning applications will also need to be supplied. These are all required as part of the tender submission.

Teams must include an architect, civil and structural engineer, mechanical, electrical and plumbing, highways engineer, ecologist, town planner, fire and acoustics, and landscape architect. Valuation of the contract is £190,000 to £228,000. Maximum build budget is £190 million.

Evaluation criteria Examples of similar work, 30 per cent; programme of work, 30 per cent; breakdown of expected costs and budget, 20 per cent; CVs, capability and capacity, 19.9 per cent; covering letter, 0.1 per cent.

Procedure Open competition, below threshold. Tenders must be submitted by email to tender@torpointtowncouncil.gov.uk

Location Torpoint, Cornwall.

Other dates Award of contract, 16 May 2025. Contract, 30 May 2025 to 13 November 2025.

To find out more, see the contract notice

Buyer contact Camilla Southworth, 01752 814165, clerk@torpointtowncouncil.gov.uk

Project competition

DUBAI URBAN ELEMENTS DESIGN CHALLENGE

Open call for public realm designs that harness the power of small-scale architecture to capture the essence of the UAE capital

Registration deadline: 7 May 2025

In collaboration with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), competition organiser Buildner is calling on architects and designers to submit innovative designs for human-scale architectural elements that could help define the everyday experience of the UAE capital.

Those elements can include pedestrian and cycle bridges, underpasses, street furniture, shading structures, wayfinding and signage, safety structures, fences, lighting, pavement works and more.

‘Cities are not merely built; they are felt,’ say the organisers. ‘They are experienced in the subtle details that shape daily life. It’s in the rhythm of pathways, the shade of a structure, the curve of a bridge, and the quiet moments of interaction that the essence of a city unfolds. These small-scale architectural forms, often overlooked, are the threads that weave together the vast urban fabric - giving depth, meaning and identity to the places we inhabit… These forms guide footsteps, foster community and craft the everyday narratives that give a city its soul’.

Participants are encouraged to submit their public realm concepts across seven specified zones in Dubai, each with a unique character, density and rhythm. These include residential areas, suburbs, industrial zones and cultural centres.

‘This is an opportunity to influence the everyday experiences that define Dubai's urban landscape. Participants are invited to think beyond the monumental, shape the everyday and help define the future of one of the world's most ambitious cities.’

Alongside small-scale architecture, other key areas of focus are cultural sensitivity, sustainability and public engagement.

According to the competition brief, ‘all awarded proposals will be evaluated for their potential future development as part of Dubai’s ongoing urban enhancement initiatives’.

Eligibility Free to enter and open to all, regardless of professional qualifications or experience.​ Design proposals can be developed individually or by teams (four team members maximum).

Registration fees Competition is free to enter for a set number of entries, then a bidding system comes into operation and participants will need to submit portfolios and motivation letters to be considered for acceptance. Post-registration account verification includes a €4.95 fee. 

Prizes 1st prize, €250,000; 2nd prize, €140,000; 3rd prize, €50,000. Plus six honourable mentions with prizes of €10,000 each. All winning designs will be considered for development.

Judging panel To be announced.

Requirements Four A2 presentation boards and up to 20 supporting images to explain the proposal.

Evaluation criteria Innovation and creativity, 30 per cent; addressing context and identity, 30 per cent; constructability and cost, 20 per cent; sustainability, 20 per cent.

Other dates Submissions, 11.59pm, 28 May 2025. Winners announced, 1 July 2025.

To register, enter and find out more, go the competition website

Competition contact contact@buildner.com

Balouo Salo is an independent charitable organisation that develops humanitarian projects to improve the living conditions of rural communities in developing countries. It was founded in 2013 in Catania, Sicily by architect, engineer and current president of the organisation, Raoul Vecchio, and Jali Diabate, a Senegalese musician and interpreter who wanted to help his home community. Balouo Salo means ‘a bridge to life’ in Mandinka.

Registration From €90 to €120 per team.

Prizes First, €5,000 and internship at Kengo Kuma & Associates (Tokyo) and construction of the project as a humanitarian initiative; Second, €2,000 and internship at one of Benedetta Tagliabue EMBT (Barcelona), Amanda Levete Architects (London) or SBGA Blengini Ghirardelli (Milan); Third, €1,000 and internship as per second prize. The competition also recognises special and honourable mentions, as well as 35 finalists.

Eligibility Participants can enter individually or in teams with a maximum of five people. At least one member must be 35 or under at the time of regi­stration.

Procedure Single stage contest requiring designs. The objective of the contest is to raise awareness of humanitarian topics in the international community while raising funds to build charitable projects to which the proceeds are donated.

Submission requirements A1 board presenting the proposal; one cover; maximum 1,000 words on the design concept, use of materials, construction process; quantity and cost estimation of construction materials only. Note that the total cost estimation must not exceed €70,000. See the competition brief for full details.

Evaluation criteria Architectural quality; construction and materials; flexibility and integration with the environment.

Jury panel Kengo Kuma, Kengo Kuma & Associates; Benedetta Tagliabue, Bendetta Tagliabue EMBT; Rafael Aranda, Carme Pigem, Ramón Vilalta, all RCR Arquitectes; David Adjaye, Ajaye Associates; Amanda Levete, AL_A; Agostino Ghirardelli, SBGA Blengini Ghirardelli; Mario Cucinella, Mario Cucinella Architects; Giancarlo Mazzanti, El Equipo Mazzanti; Manuel Aires Mateus, Aires Mateus e Associados; Raul Pantaleo, TAM Associati; Emmanuelle Moureaux, Emmanuelle Moureaux INC; Saad El Kabbaj, Driss Kettani, Mohamed Amine Siana, all Rabat.

Other dates Submissions, 11.59pm, 10 June 2025. Jury evaluation, 23 to 29 June 2025. Winners announced, 8 July 2025.

To enter or find out more, go to the competition website

Competition contact info@kairalooro.com

Contract

UNIVERSITY OF GREENWICH PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

£10m, 14-lot dynamic purchasing system (DPS) for buildings and works across three campuses

Deadline: 5pm, 31 January 2029

The university, which has its main campus in and around the Christopher Wren-designed buildings now known as Old Royal Naval College on Park Row in Greenwich, south-east London, is looking to establish a professional services DPS that will run from April 2025 to February 2029.

Awarded university status in 1993, the institution was, from 1970, part of Thames Polytechnic and, before that, Woolwich Polytechnic, the second-oldest polytechnic in the UK - established in 1890. There are three campuses: two in London - the main campus and Avery Hill - and one in Medway, Kent.

The estate includes not only the historic 17th century buildings and UNESCO World Heritage site of the Greenwich campus, but a Victorian Winter Garden at Avery Hill and Edwardian ex-Royal Navy site at Medway. Modern building stock includes Stockwell Street Library by Heneghan Peng Architects, shortlisted for the 2015 RIBA Stirling Prize, and the grade II listed Dreadnought building and halls of residence on King William Walk, refurbished by Dannatt Johnson Architects in the 1990s and again in 2018.

The university has net zero targets of 2030 for the Medway and Avery Hill campuses; 2033 for Greenwich.

According to the scope, DPS services will include architecture, project management, civil and structural engineering, cost management, mechanical and electrical (including building services), principal designers, acoustics, multidisciplinary, surveying, rent, rates and valuations, net zero and sustainability, fire consultancy, planning, and landscape architecture.

The architecture lot (Lot 1) covers all core service disciplines, plus conservation architecture, counter terrorism advice and design, environmental services, interior design, BIM, urban and rural areas mapping, architectural design contests, planning, landscape services, and urban planning.

Lot 6 is for principal designers; Lot 8, multidisciplinary; Lot 13, urban planning; Lot 14, landscape architecture.

A minimum of one candidate will be allocated to each lot. Maximum value of each call-off is expected to be around £2 million. Estimated total value of the DPS is £10 million.

Procedure Restricted procedure.

Location Greenwich, London.

To apply or find out more, see the contract notice

Buyer contact Procurement and Commercial Services, 0208 331 8000, tenders@gre.ac.uk

Contract

BRITISH MUSEUM CONSTRUCTION SERVICES FRAMEWORK

Four-year agreement will include ‘new buildings and/or significant reconfiguration of existing wings’

Deadline: 5pm, 30 December 2025

The Trustees of the British Museum are setting up a construction services agreement for their Estates and Capital Projects Department.

The museum on Great Russell Street in Bloomsbury, central London was designed from 1823 by Robert Smirke in the Greek Revival style. Norman Foster’s redesigned two-acre Great Court with its steel and glass roof - the largest covered square in Europe - opened in 2000.

This is a seven-lot framework, covering: 1 Project management (value £12 million); 2 Quantity surveying and commercial management (£4 million); 3 Mechanical and electrical (£7 million); 4 Architecture and interior design (£12 million); 5 Structural and civil engineering (£7 million); 6 Fire safety engineering (£4 million); 7 Surveying (£2 million). Tenders may be submitted for all lots.

Projects will range from strategic reviews and light-touch refreshments to complex standalone security or safety renewal and refurbishments, and masterplan projects ‘including new buildings and / or significant reconfiguration of existing wings’. The works will cover front-of-house and back-of-house spaces.

The total value of the framework is around £48 million.

Last month the Museum announced that Paris-based practice Lina Ghotmeh Architecture had been selected to lead the redesign of its Western Range galleries following an international competition. The commission is thought to be one of the largest and most prestigious in the world.

Procedure Two-stage, restricted procedure: 10 candidates will be shortlisted for Lot 4; eight candidates for each of the remaining lots.

Location Central London.

Other dates Contracts date, 1 January 2026 to 31 July 2029.

To apply or find out more, see the contract notice

Buyer contact 0207 323 8000, procurement@britishmuseum.org

Contract

BRITISH COUNCIL GLOBAL ESTATES DPS, 2025 to 29

UK charity’s dynamic purchasing system will cover construction projects ‘across all the regions we work in’

Deadline: extended to 5pm, 23 March 2029

UK cultural organisation, British Council has over 150 offices located across the Americas, UK, Europe and wider Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, East Asia and South Asia. The charity's in-house Global Estates department manages all its facilities and property.

According to the construction DPS scope, the department wants ‘to improve the cost-effectiveness, space efficiency and sustainability metrics of the global estate against identified benchmarks, whilst working with the strategic business units and geographical directors to adapt and adjust the portfolio to meet changing business requirements over time’.

Technical and professional services covered will include: architecture and design, space planning, project management, MEP, environmental, building, construction, fire, hazard and risk, geophysical / geological, testing and analysis, and security.

Construction projects and programmes will include: new build, refurbishment, extensions, alterations, maintenance, fit-out, life cycle works, heritage / historic buildings, structures, infrastructure and modern state-of-the-art building.

Tender documents also state that ‘due to the need to meet all potential demand, British Council may appoint several suppliers for each geographical location for each type of service required’.

The British Council is a public body specialising in international cultural and educational opportunities. It was founded in 1934 and works in over 200 countries and territories. The council receives grant-in-aid funding from the UK government and its remaining income comes from partnership agreements, contracts, philanthropy and its teaching and exams.

Evaluation criteria are: 50 per cent quality; 10 per cent social value; 40 per cent commercial.

Procedure Open procedure (above threshold).

Locations International.

Other dates Initial decisions, 24 to 28 March 2025. Contracts, 7 April 2025 to 7 April 2029.

To apply or find out more, see the contract notice

Buyer contact Maria Matas Sebastia, British Council, Maria.MatasSebastia@britishcouncil.org

Public information notice

CONSTRUCTION AND OFFSITE SOLUTIONS FRAMEWORK

CCS launches early market engagement for £80bn agreement

Deadline: Approach to market, 21 January 2026

The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has published a prior information notice for a seven-year, pan-government construction framework.

The agreement, which is valued at £80 billion, launches in 2026 and will allow buyers with building asset or infrastructure projects to access suppliers in the traditional and modern methods of construction sectors, including those providing architectural, engineering and inspection services.

Users of the framework will include central government departments (Health, Education, Culture, Media and Sport, Local Communities and Housing, Defence and Security, Government Policy and Infrastructure), public bodies, those working on their behalf and all public sector organisations across England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and overseas.

According to the notice, the CCS will ‘continue partnering with NHS England to deliver the fifth generation of the Procure Framework (P24) for the provision of design and construction solutions for NHS capital projects’.

UK and international suppliers are invited to participate in an early market engagement from January 2025, after which the lotting structure around value, location and sector will be published.

Procedure To be announced.

Location UK-wide and overseas.

Other dates Expressions of interest via email to construction@crowncommercial.gov.uk by 12 noon, 13 December 2024. Framework active, 31 October 2026 to 30 October 2034.

To apply or find out more, see the prior information notice

Buyer contact 0345 410 2222, supplier@crowncommercial.gov.uk

For updates on the latest competitions, contests and contracts follow #ribajopportunities @RIBAJ

If you have a competition or contest you want architects to know about, email details to julie.butterworth@riba.org