Dinosaur Isle Soft Market Testing Exercise

Following a Soft Market Testing exercises in October 2017 and Stakeholder Consultation in November 2017, and considering comments and issues raised, the Council decided in May 2018 to seek a Development Partner for the museum through a formal procurement process.

Unfortunately, this process has now ended. As a result, we are now launching a new initiative to find a partner or consortia to assist in developing the current Dinosaur Isle Museum in Sandown or locating an alternative venue for the provision of an accredited geological and palaeontological museum and visitor attraction. It is our hope to create a nationally important visitor destination further developing the existing offer as an important regional educational centre and a world-class scientific resource.

We see each element of this vision as creating several distinct possible opportunities for experienced specialist investors, developers, suppliers, and operators to work with us to providing an accredited geological and palaeontological museum and visitor attraction.

The reprovision of Dinosaur Isle is viewed as a key element of the Island wide Regeneration Strategy and critical to the rejuvenation of the Island.

We are spreading the net widely for potential partners to ensure the best potential future for the museum and the island. To achieve this, we will be promoting this opportunity internationally to identify a partner with the track record, expertise, and vision to take forward our aspirations and fulfil the full potential of our collections and their development within a UNESCO Biosphere. As such, we would welcome responses from public sector, private sector and voluntary sector organisations, and consortia.

We do not wish to be prescriptive about the details of how a site should be developed and managed in the future but would welcome opportunities of improving the existing site or providing a new site, as we are seeking innovative solutions.

As a first step in developing parameters around potential partnerships and selecting the most appropriate way forward we are now seeking feedback on this opportunity from informed and interested parties through this Soft Market Testing Exercise. The council is seeking to engage the market to determine whether a future procurement exercise is viable and to identify options for the future management and operation, to include the feasibility of extending the existing facility to maximise user numbers and engagement or consideration for an alternative venue.

Additional information: The council is keen to explore the market's ability and preferences to offer innovative solutions and support the delivery of the following objectives:

• Maintain museum accreditation at the current site or develop a new museum to be accredited, with a commitment to continuous improvement. • Support and develop the geological and palaeontological collection in partnership with the Isle of Wight Council for public benefit while enhancing its global profile. • Maintain trusted and positive relationships with local collectors. • Improve the collection's value and use as a regional educational resource (from Primary to Higher Education) and utilise the museum and local landscape for educational experiences and visits. • Ensure the new Dinosaur museum offer on the Island is financially sustainability operation or is able to move towards financial independence over an agree period of time. • Increase visitor numbers to the Island. The soft market test is intended to allow interested organisations with appropriate experience to outline their views and provide information with no commitment to themselves or the council. It is not part of a formal procurement process and the council is not committed to carrying out such a process. Organisations are asked to answer the questions set out in the document titled 'Dinosaur Isle Feedback Form' which can be found on the Council's e-tendering portal, ProContract, and return it to the Council by 14:00hrs on 18 March 2022. The link to the e-tendering portal is https://procontract.due-north.com/ and the reference number to find the opportunity is DN598204. Interested parties will need to log in (or register if you do not already have a log in) and once in, the questionnaire will be available to download.

Participation in this exercise will neither benefit or disadvantage any participant in any future related procurement process or similar opportunity. The council reserves the right to alter its plans, including postponing or cancelling the proposed project, following this exercise or at any other time. Following the submission deadline of the 18 March 2022, all organisation's who have engaged and submitted feedback will be given an opportunity to have a time limited meeting with the Council to discuss the content of their feedback. Dialogue at this stage will be limited to information that is currently available within the public domain. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to share any confidential information at this stage.