Great Exhibition of the North 2018
Invitation to Tender(ITT)
ForPA System
Tender Reference: GEOTN-PA
23.04.18
v.01.5
Contents
1.Background
1.1Headline requirements
1.2Great Exhibition of the North (GEOTN)
1.3GEOTN Opening Event
2.Tender Instructions
2.1ITT Timetable
2.2Clarification Process
2.3Requesting a Site Map and Site Visit
2.4Submitting responses
2.5Preparing your Tender: Some basic rules
2.6Tender Checklist
2.7Evaluation of Tenders
3.Specification
3.1Overview
3.2Delivery requirements
3.3Key delivery dates
3.4Tendering organisation requirements
3.5Anticipated cost
4.Schedules to complete
4.1Schedule 1 – Organisational details
4.2Schedule 2 – Mandatory Requirements (pass/fail)
4.3Schedule 3 – Skills and Experience requirements (20%)
4.4Schedule 4 – Delivery (20%)
4.5Schedule 5 – Pricing Information (60%)
4.6Schedule 6 – Signature Form
1.Background
1.1Headline requirements
Tender submissions are requested for the provision of PASystemfor the Great Exhibition of the North.Detailed requirements are defined in Section3 - Specification.
Any queries relating to this document and/or the Invitation to Tender (ITT) process should be sent to Marian Chapman, Technical Producer at theGreat Exhibition of the North at
Please note NGI will undertake due diligence checks on the successful tenderer prior to contract.
1.2Great Exhibition of the North (GEOTN)
NewcastleGateshead Initiative (NGI) is working as the delivery organisation and accountable body for The Great Exhibition of the North (GEOTN), a three-month exhibition, running from the 22nd June until the 9th September, which will take place in NewcastleGateshead in 2018.
GEOTN will be England’s largest event in 2018 engaging with an online and offline audience of three-million and providing a game-changing moment for North of England. It will reveal to the world how the North of England's great art and culture, design and innovation has shaped all of our lives and is building the economy of tomorrow. GEOTN will be a true celebration and showcase of the best art, design and innovation across the North of England.
Plans for the GEOTN include using the whole destination of NewcastleGateshead as a stage, with a newly created commissioned programme taking place in a range of venues and out on the streets of the City. Three walking trails will focus on arts, design and innovation. Each trail will help to tell the story of the North and how its inventors, engineers, artists and designers create and export life – changing products and services across the world – not just in the past, but importantly today. The content along the walking trails will both inspire and be inspired by a major exhibition hub at Great North Museum: Hancock (curated by our partners at TWAM) and two hubs at the Quayside with major new works commissioned by Baltic, Centre for Contemporary Art and Sage Gateshead.
For further information about the GEOTN please visit:
1.3GEOTN Opening Event
On Friday 22nd June 2018 the exhibition programme and venues along the walking trails will open to visitors for the first time under the headline theme ‘Get North’.
Between noon-2pm (specific timing tbc) a 1-2 minute burst of colourful daytime pyrotechnics will be launched from a working boat on the River Tyne signaling the opening of the exhibition at a single moment.
From approximately 6pm, a second 1-2 minute burst of daytime pyrotechnics, also from a working boat on the river,will announce the start of the evening event. Northern street artists and strolling bands will entertain the gathering crowds,drawing visitors down to the Quayside to experience a theatrical presentation of Water Sculptures, one of the signature pieces for GEOTN, illuminated with three specially commissioned musical accompaniments. Also premiered for the first time will be the screening of the GEOTN film and a live presentation by Lemn Sissay of the ‘Anthem for the North’. The audience for the quayside based activity is likely to be in the region of 25,000.
It is planned to punctuate the day with a range of pyrotechnics, including a high impact, five-minute finale at approximately 11pm.
To ensure the best possible experience for audiences at the opening event, we are looking to appoint a provider for a PA system to provide excellent sound reproduction for a dispersed crowd of approximately 25,000
2.Tender Instructions
2.1ITT Timetable
Please see set out below the timetable associated with this ITT:
Issue tender document / 23 April 2018
Deadline for any queries / 3 May2018 by 5pm
ITT submission deadline / 9May 2018 by 12 midday
Evaluation of responses / 10 May 2018
Contract awarded / 11 May 2018
We would aim to meet the successful tenderer for a site visit asap after appointment.
2.2Clarification Process
Any queries relating to the specification in the ITT should be sent toAdam Long, Opening Event Production Manager, Adam Long, .
The deadline for queries is 3May 2018 by 5pm.
Please note: If you wish NGI to treat a query (and NGI's answer) as confidential, you must state this when submitting your query. If, in the opinion of NGI, the query is not confidential, NGI will inform you and you will have an opportunity to withdraw it.
If the query is not withdrawn, the response will be published on the relevant Tender page on
The name of the company raising the question will not be published.
2.3Requesting a Site Map and Site Visit
A site map of the proposed audience areas is available on request from Laura Hunter, Assistant Producer,
A site visit is recommended in advance of submitting the tender. If you would like to be accompanied by a member of the GEOTN team please also contact Laura Hunter, Assistant to arrange an appointment.
2.4Submitting responses
The completed ITT should be uploaded to
Responses should be issued by as per the ITT submission deadline in the ITT Timetable (2.1).
Responses should include the following information:
1 / Organisation Details / n/a
2 / Mandatory Requirements (Pass/Fail) / Selection criteria
3 / Skills and Experience requirements (20%) / Selection criteria
4 / Delivery approach (20%) / Award criteria
5 / Pricing Information (60%) / Award criteria
6 / Signature / n/a
2.5Preparing your Tender: Some basic rules
Your Tender must be written in English.
You must follow the format as set out in the Schedules for this ITT.
Only one Tender is allowed from each Tenderer. If a Tenderer submits more than one Tender, NGI will evaluate the one with the latest time of submission (provided it was submitted before the Tender submission deadline) and disregard the other(s).
The Tender (including price) should remain valid for a minimum period of 90 days.
Evaluators will not cross-reference responses between different questions. If you wish to cross refer to information given in response to a different question, please include a full cross reference stating where the information can be found in your tender response.
Any attachment submitted as part of your Tender must also be fully cross referenced in your answer to the relevant question, otherwise the information that the attachment contains will not be considered as part of your Tender.
Please do NOT embed documents into any other documents - this may result in the documents not being able to be opened and as such your Tender may be considered a non-compliant submission.
You are solely responsible for ensuring your Tender is received by NGI in accordance with the ITT's instructions. NGI is under no obligation to accept late tenders.
Please allow sufficient time to upload your tender submission. NGI recommend that your tender file size should be no bigger than 10mb.
For guidance, NGI recommend commencing the upload of your tender 24 hours prior to the deadline to ensure any technical problems can be addressed prior to the tender deadline.
2.6Tender Checklist
Please note: if you do not provide all the items in the checklist this may cause your Tender to be non-compliant and not considered further.
Schedule / Item / Included in Tender?1 / Completed Organisation Details
2 / Completed Mandatory Requirements (pass/fail)
3 / Completed questions on Skills and Experience (20%)
4 / Completed questions on Delivery approach (20%)
5 / Completed Pricing Information (60%)
6 / Signed and dated Signature form.
2.7Evaluation of Tenders
2.7.1 The Evaluation Process
Each Tender will be checked to ensure it is a compliant bid in accordance with the terms of this ITT. If you fail to submit a compliant bid your Tender will not be considered further. Compliant Tenders will be evaluated against the criteria set out in 2.7.2.
NGI are not bound to accept the lowest or any Tender. NGI also reserve the right to reject a Tender where the pricing of the Tender appears to be abnormally low.
NGI reserve the right to seek clarification from any or all of the Tenderers during the evaluation period in order to fully understand the Tenders submitted.
2.7 2 Determining the Winning Tender
Any responses that are not deemed to be fully compliant may be discarded. Each compliant response will be evaluated on a weighted combination of skills and experience, delivery and price.
NGI’s evaluation will be split into two distinct stages:
- Stage 1: Selection criteria
- Mandatory Requirements – Schedule 2 (pass/fail)
- Skills and Experience – Schedule 3 (20%)
Only those tenders that pass the Mandatory Requirements in Schedule 2, AND gain a minimum score of 12% for Schedule 3 will go on to be evaluated for against Award Criteria.
- Stage 2: Award criteria
- Delivery - Schedule 4 (20%)
- Price – Schedule 5 (60%)
For those that are fully evaluated (i.e. pass mandatory requirements and gain a minimum percentage of 12% for Schedule 3), the scored schedules will be evaluated, to provide the overall weighted score.
The weighted combination will be: Skills and Experience at 20% + Delivery at 20% + Price at 60% = 100%.
The winning Tender will be the Tender which receives the highest overall weighted score under the contract Selection and Award criteria.
2.7.3 Selection Criteria (Mandatory Requirements + Skills and Experience)
Information provided in this section will help NGI assess the ability of the tenderer to perform the contract based on previous experience of the company and/or the people that will be involved in delivery of this contract. The questions/requirements and related scoring criteria are set out Schedules 2 and 3.
2.7.4 Award Criteria (Delivery + Price)
Information provided in this section will help NGI assess how the company intends to deliver the contract (Schedule 4: Delivery) as set out in this ITT and will score the information provided regarding price (‘Schedule 5: Pricing Information’).
Tenderers must fill in their proposed costs ‘Schedule 5: Pricing Information’ for providing all the obligations under the Contract.
All tendering organisations are asked to provide a full budget breakdown and a total price estimate based on the delivery requirements in Section 3: Specification.
Please ensure ALL costs that would be required in order for your company to deliver the contract (such as increased PLI insurance and travel and expenses related to site visits and delivery).
All prices shall be stated in pounds sterling and shall be submitted net of VAT; however, you are required to indicate where VAT will apply.
The Price percentage will be scored as follows: (Lowest compliant bid price ÷ Your submitted bid price) × 60%.
The weighted scores will then be added together from selection and award as follows to give an overall score for that organisation: Skills and Experience at 20% + Delivery at 20% + Price at 60% = 100%.
2.7.5 Evaluation methodology for Schedules 3 and 4.
The following methodology will be used to evaluate the responses in Schedules 3 and 4.
Description / ScoreVery Good /
- Demonstrates a very good understanding of requirements in development and delivery of the solution and a very good level of relevant experience/ capability
- Complete confidence in ability to develop and deliver a solution
- Very good prospects for successful delivery
Good /
- Demonstrates a good understanding of requirements in development and delivery of a solution and a good level of relevant experience/ capability
- High level of confidence in ability to develop and deliver a solution
- Good prospects for successful delivery
Acceptable /
- Demonstrates a level of understanding of requirements in development and delivery of a solution and a level of relevant experience/ capability that is acceptable but below the ideal
- Acceptable level of confidence in ability to develop and deliver the solution
- Acceptable prospects of successful delivery
Poor /
- Demonstrates a limited understanding of requirements in development and delivery of a solution with limited relevant experience / capability
- Low level of confidence in ability to develop and deliver the solution
- Low probability of successful delivery
Very poor /
- Demonstrates a very limited understanding of, or very limited relevant experience/capability
- Very low level of confidence in abilityto develop and deliver a solution
- Very low probability of successful delivery
Unacceptable /
- No response provided / demonstrates no understanding of requirements in development and delivery of a solution of with no relevant experience/ capability
- No confidence in ability to develop and deliver a solution of this nature
- No prospect of successful delivery.
2.7.6 Contract Award
The winning Tenderer will be notified by NGI. Tenderers that have not been successful can request feedback from NGI on why their Tender was not successful. Following notification of contract award, the final form of contract between NGI and the successful Tenderer will be agreed and finalised. Any contract award will be conditional on the Contract being approved under NGI internal procedures and NGI being generally able to proceed.
3.Specification
3.1Overview
As part of the exhibition NGI are seeking to appoint a supplier to provide a PA system to provide excellent sound reproduction for a dispersed crowd of approximately 25,000 for the GEOTN Opening Event.
3.2Delivery requirements
3.2.1 Areas to cover
The four Key areas to cover are:
- Area 1 - Newcastle Side of the River 18,000
- Area 2 - Gateshead Baltic Square 4,000
- Area 3 - Gateshead Performance Square 2,000
- Area 4 – Gateshead Hillgate Quay 500
To be of a standard of L’Acoustic, D&B, Meyer or similar
3.2.2 Requirements
The appointed supplier will be asked to provide:
- Flown systems to provide full coverage for the 4 areas above
- Digital mixing console at FOH
- Stereo RF link from moving vessel on the river to FOH. There will be a band playing on the vessel whilst moving, the bands monitor engineer will provide a ‘broadcast mix’ to transmit to main pa systems
- 4 full range monitors and amplification to supplement, bands equipment. 2 mixes
- Single performer on millennium bridge will require a headset radio mic, for a spoken word piece
- Announce mic at FOH
- Monitor speakers for production cabin and event control with necessary volume controls. - Exact location TBC
- Playback media systems, TBC
- FOH control to be located on the Newcastle Quayside alongside Video and Lighting Control
- All necessary cabling & RF infrastructure between PA systems
- All necessary staging or rigging solutions for the PA
- Please note we are looking for a solution that does not impact on the audiences’ view of the river during the event. Therefore, more weighting will be given to tenders that meet this requirement.
- To provide a Project Manager to supervise all aspects.
- To provide FOH engineer to operate
- To design, manage and license all RF systems, inc liaising with other suppliers on site.
- To provide system design and audio calcs
- All staff to install and remove equipment from site
- All staff to operate and attend rehearsals as necessary
- All transport to and from site
- Please list your power requirements
We would also ask the successful tenderer to provide recommendations of solutions to maximize audience sightlines.
3.3Key delivery dates
All tendering organisations must have availability to deliver the project on the required dates and times as follows:
- Two site visits in May/early June – dates will be arranged on appointment.
- Load in - From 18th June to the 21st June
- Rehearsals - 21st June
- Show - 22nd June
- De-rig either 22nd June Evening or 23rd June during the day.
3.4Tendering organisation requirements
Tendering organisations must also have knowledge and understanding of the following:
- Current Health and Safety legislation and policies.
- BS7909 temporary electrical installations legislation.
- A working knowledge of CDM regulations.
- Knowledge of LOLER legislation.
The required insurances/documentation for this project are:
- £10m Public Liability Insurance
The selected supplier must have experience of:
- Providing PA solutions at major events in an outdoor setting for audiences of 25,000.
3.5Anticipated cost
The anticipated cost for this activity is approximately £25,000 – 35,000
All tendering organisations are asked to provide budget breakdown and a total price estimate based on the delivery requirements the Specification.
Please includeALL costs that would be required in order for you to deliver the contract (such as increased PLI insurance and travel and expenses related to site visits).
Prices shall be submitted net of VAT; however, you are required to indicate where such VAT will apply.
The Price percentage will be scored as follows: (Lowest compliant bid price ÷ Your submitted bid price) × 60%.
The weighted scores will then be added together as follows to give an overall score for that organisation: Skills and Experience at 20% + Delivery at 20% + Price at 60% = 100%.
4.Schedules to complete
4.1Schedule 1 – Organisational details
Name of your organisation:A-2 Registered office (if applicable):
Trading address (if different from registered office):
Organisation Registration Number
(if applicable):
Is your organisation a: / Sole Trader
Partnership
Public Limited Company
Private Ltd Company
Voluntary & Community Sector
Charity
SME (Small and Medium Enterprise)
Other
Please specify:
If your Company is a
member of a group of
companies, please give the
name and address of the
ultimate holding company
Name of person to whom
any queries relating to this
tender should be addressed
Telephone
Address
(if different to the Address above)
4.2Schedule 2 – Mandatory Requirements (pass/fail)
Only those tenders which have passed all Mandatory Requirements requested in Schedule 2 will go on to be further evaluated for Schedules 3, 4 and 5.
4.2.1 Please confirm that your company can deliver all requirements within the timescales as detailed in the 'Key Dates' (3.3) and as follows: