Provision and Delivery of an Annual Town Centre Soapbox Racing Event 2027-2029

What the buyer is asking for

Kettering Town Council invites tenders from suitably capable event operators to plan, promote, manage and deliver an annual public soapbox racing event in Kettering town centre in 2027, 2028 and 2029. The Council is seeking a safe, professionally managed and visually engaging event that attracts participants and spectators, supports town-centre footfall and creates a distinctive annual experience for Kettering. The successful supplier will provide an end-to-end event management service. This will include event design and race operation; event planning and project management; participant recruitment, registration and race management; specialist race infrastructure; event safety, risk assessment and emergency planning; liaison in relation to traffic management, road closures and relevant permissions; marketing and audience development; and operational management and delivery of the event. The supplier will be expected to work collaboratively with Kettering Town Council and relevant local stakeholders, including North Northamptonshire Council, event safety partners, land and highway stakeholders and emergency services where required. The Council is also seeking an approach that considers accessibility, sustainability, community involvement and opportunities to support local businesses, organisations and traders where appropriate. The contract will cover three annual events in 2027, 2028 and 2029, with an indicative budget of approximately £40,000 excluding VAT per event, giving an indicative three-year contract value of approximately £120,000 excluding VAT. Tenderers are required to identify VAT treatment and clearly state all assumptions, exclusions and potential additional charges. Full details of the required services, Council and supplier responsibilities, minimum requirements, pricing schedule and evaluation methodology are contained within the Invitation to Tender.

How this is scored

Published by the buyer. A winning response is written to these weightings, not to the question.

• 35%pricePriceWhole-life contract price, price clarity, inclusions and exclusions, and overall value for money. Tenderers must clearly identify what is included within the core price, any assumptions or exclusions, VAT treatment and any potential additional charges.
• 30%priceEvent proposal & qualityQuality, attractiveness and practicality of the event concept; delivery methodology; participant and spectator experience; ability to create a distinctive Kettering event.
• 15%priceExperience & delivery teamRelevant comparable delivery, evidence of successful outcomes, capability and clarity of key roles.
• 10%priceSafety & operational deliveryQuality and credibility of safety, risk, traffic/highway interface, emergency planning and operational controls.
• 10%priceCommunity & social valueLocal engagement, accessibility, local economic/community benefit and practical sustainability measures.

How contested is this?

Buyers publish how many bids they received. Across 245 comparable procurements we can tell you the typical field size, how often one of these goes uncontested, and whether the buyer awards on price or on quality.

Timeline

3 published dates · Europe/London

1. Tender notice publishedyesterday

   1 Oct 2026, 18:10 BST
2. Clarification questions byin 7 days

   9 Oct 2026, 12:00 BST
3. Submission deadlinein 21 days

   23 Oct 2026, 12:00 BST

Commercial outcome and contract awards

Nothing awarded yet

Notice history

1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender

1. Tender notice1 Oct 2026, 18:10 BST093054-2026

Documents

• Invitation to Tender - Provision and Delivery of an Annual Town Centre Soapbox Racing Event 2027-2029. This document contains the full specification, supplier requirements, procurement timetable, submission requirements, pricing schedule and evaluation methodology.
• Tender notice on Find a Tender