1920-0227 The operation, management and facilities management of Soapbox youth space

Islington Council invites suitable expressions of interest from suppliers for the operation, management and facilities management of Soapbox youth space.

The requirement

The council is seeking suitable expressions of interest from providers who can:
• secure relational-based youth work opportunities which are innovative, exciting and engaging for young people and which support their social and emotional development
• manage the Soapbox space to the highest standards
• develop and operate an appropriate and ambitious business plan which will generate additional revenue which will be re-invested in full back into the offer for young people.

The provider will be expected to use available tools and methodologies to understand, track and record service user progress. The provider will understand the role of youth spaces within a community and will demonstrate their ability to ensure that Soapbox is acknowledged by young people and other stakeholders as the key youth space in the area.


TUPE [Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations]

Potential providers must be aware that TUPE may or may not apply to this service. Further details will be available in the invitation to tender.

Contract Period

The contract period will be for 36 months from an estimated start date 1 April 2020 with four (4) options to extend of 36 months each, up to a maximum extension of 144 months. The total contract period will be up to 180 months.

Contract Value

The estimated total value of this contract is £2,550,000 over the maximum 180 months’ term of the contract. This is based on £170,000 per annum.

The budget for this service of £170,000 per annum, excluding any income generation opportunities identified by the organisation/s bidding for this contract.


Award criteria

The contract will be awarded to the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations. MEAT for this contract is quality 70% and cost 30%. Further details will be provided in the invitation to tender.
Tenderers should be aware that the council reserves the right to hold site visits, request presentations and/or interviews during the tender process. Site visits, presentations and/or interviews will be for verification/clarification purposes of the written submission.

The council reserves the right to interview leading bidders.

Procurement Process

This procurement will be conducted in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, under Chapter 3 Section 7 Social and Other Specific Services (known as the light-touch regime). Under Regulation 76 the council is free to establish a procedure, provided that the procedure is sufficient to ensure compliance with the principles of transparency and equal treatment of economic operators (service providers). The procedure will be based on a one stage tender, allowing for negotiation if deemed appropriate. As per the open procedure, any interested economic operator (service provider) may submit a tender in response to the advertisement.

The Council will reserve the right to award the contract on the basis of initial tenders without negotiation where this offers value for money. The council reserves the right to not award the contract if the received tenders do not offer value for money.