The procurement of architectural design services

RE: regarding the procurement of architectural design services by Lincolnshire County Council.

1. Procurement policies: Please provide copies of any standard policies, procedures, or internal guidance documents which govern the selection or appointment of external suppliers of architectural design services.

2a. Procurement templates or exemplars: Please provide copies of any template or exemplar documents used by your organisation in the preparation or conduct of procurement exercises for architectural design services.

This may include, but is not limited to:

- Pre-qualification questionnaires

- Tender notices and associated tender documents

- Professional competency frameworks

- Conditions of participation

- Tender scoring or evaluation criteria

2b. Recent procurement documentation: If your organisation does not use standard templates or exemplar documents as described above, please provide copies of any equivalent specific documents used in your most recent completed procurement exercise for architectural design services. Any commercially sensitive supplier information may be redacted.

3. Procurement evaluations and reviews: Please provide copies of any documents relating

to recent evaluations, reviews, or revisions of your organisation's procurement processes specifically related to architectural design services. Please consider as recent any evaluations which took place following the passage of the Procurement Act 2023, or any evaluations which were informed by the progress of that Act, even where they were undertaken prior its passage into law.

4. Appointments in the Last Five Years: Please provide a list of all companies or individuals appointed by your organisation to deliver architectural design services within the last five years

I can confirm that some of the information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council. I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

1. Find attached the Council’s Contract and Procurement Procedure Rules which govern procurement.

2a. Lincolnshire County Council primarily procures architectural services through Design and Build contracts, as part of a capital project, governed by the NEC4 suite of documents. The NEC4 Design and Build contract streamlines procurement by integrating design and construction under a single agreement, reducing the need for separate architectural service evaluations. For further details on the NEC suite, please refer to the official NEC Contracts website: Contracts, Project Management and Procurement | NEC Contracts. For smaller or more minor projects where a Design and Build approach is not suitable, the Council utilises the NEC4 Professional Services Contract currently in place with Kier Design and Business Services. This contract enables the direct engagement of architectural and other professional services as needed.

b. As a result of this procurement model, the Council does not review or evaluate standalone procurement documentation for architectural services, since these are embedded within the Design and Build contracts. The Principal Contractor is appointed via a compliant, preestablished framework, which includes architectural services as part of the overall delivery package.

3. As a result of this procurement model, the Council does not review or evaluate standalone procurement documentation for architectural services, since these are embedded within the Design and Build contracts. The Principal Contractor is appointed via a compliant, preestablished framework, which includes architectural services as part of the overall delivery package.

4. N/a 

Should you require the attachment mentioned above please contact customerinformationservice@lincolnshire.gov.uk with the below reference number and this can be provided.