GB-London: Design and Build of Christmas Installations at the Tower of London and Kensington Palace

Historic Royal Palaces (HRP) is a registered charity, responsible for the care, conservation, and presentation of HM Tower of London (TOL), Hampton Court Palace (HCP), Kensington Palace State Apartments, (KP) the Banqueting House at Whitehall (BH), Kew Palace (KEW) and Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, (HCG) the official residence of HM The King in Northern Ireland and residence of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

HRP is an independent charity, receiving no government funding and derives its income principally from admissions, retail, licensing, commercial events, sponsorship and support from donors and members.

HRP is a charity for everyone. We are committed to preserving and sharing the stories of our six magnificent palaces and making them accessible to all. Through partnerships, innovation, and storytelling, we strive to break down barriers, inspire curiosity and stir the spirit in people of all ages and backgrounds.

We will be running a tender process with the intention of awarding a framework agreement for the design, build, install and deinstall of decorative Christmas trees and installations at HM Tower of London and Kensington Palace and are seeking expressions of interest from suitably experienced / qualified suppliers.

This Tender Process will be divided into two lots, we intend to appoint one supplier to each lot. Suppliers may apply for one or both lots.

The lots will be set up as follows.

Lot 1: HM Tower of London

The TOL Christmas experience is solely outdoors. It is based on a particular theme which is rooted within the unique stories of the Tower. While the theme changes every year, the locations of the outdoor installations remain the same. Some installations will be beautifully decorated Christmas trees with bespoke decorations to fit that year's theme; other installations will include more props and set dressing. The Christmas audience is social families, who are looking for fun and memorable experiences.

The budget for TOL is 70k per annum.

Lot 2: Kensington Palace

The audience at KP is of an adult and international audience. The theme at KP - Victoria's Childhood Christmas - was introduced for Christmas 2024. It will remain constant in 2025 and 2026, but with narrative variations each year. The focus at KP is on indoor installations.

The budget for KP is 20k per annum.

Exclusion criteria:

Bidders must have relevant experience of developing and delivering decorative and/or interpretive displays for historic buildings, for example museums, galleries, historic shops etc. If you do not meet this criterion, your proposal will not be considered at Tender Stage

Additional information: This agreement will initially be for a period of one year for Christmas 2025, with an option for a further two extensions upon agreement by both parties.

The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.

HRP reserves the right not to award an agreement.