GB-Lincoln: The Glasshouse and Geothermal Heating/Cooling Solution

The University is tendering to appoint a single main contractor to design, supply, construct and fit out a new Net Zero Glasshouse research facility which requires an associated geothermal heating and cooling solution.

The University of Lincoln has secured a grant funding contribution from the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (GLLEP) for a glasshouse at its Riseholme campus to help demonstrate sustainable energy solutions in the horticultural sector. To do this, the University plan to build a modern glasshouse with 4 zones to enable trials of crops and technology (e.g. robots).

A key part of this project (and a primary reason for the grant funding contribution) is the inclusion of a sustainable geothermal heating and cooling solution for the glasshouse. The University has separately engaged a geothermal consultant who will be providing independent advice to the University on the feasibility of the geothermal solutions put forward by tenderers. They are also overseeing an exploratory borehole, the survey results for this are due imminently and will be shared with tenderers in due course.

The glasshouse will be situated on a site at the University's Riseholme campus (just outside Lincoln) and is to be 20m wide by 40m long. Having already obtained planning permission for a smaller 420m2 glasshouse facility on the same site, the University are currently progressing a planning application for the 800m2 glasshouse that is being tendered. The current determination date is the end of April 2024.

The University is looking for a main contractor who has relevant, demonstrable experience, knowledge and capability in this specialist sector, to successfully deliver the glasshouse project in its entirety. This includes being responsible for the ground preparation, civils, all activities required to design, supply, construct and fit out the Glasshouse, plus the supply, installation and commissioning of the geothermal heating/cooling solution.

The University is not open to proposals from potential tenderers offering to supply only certain elements of the project. Where specialist sub-contractors are required, the appointment of these will be the responsibility of the main contractor.

This project is below the relevant threshold for the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 to apply; hence these procurement rules do not apply to this project. Full information about the opportunity, including the tender submission requirements, Tenderer Briefing Pack, Invitation to Tender Document, NEC Contract Terms, Scope and Site Information, is provided within the documents uploaded to the Delta eSourcing system linked to in this tender advert.

All interested tenderers are advised to carefully review and ensure understanding of all documentation in the tender pack before submitting a tender submission in response to this opportunity.

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