Public Footpath Surface Works - Harris Park Extension

What the buyer is asking for

1.1 The Authority Cockermouth Town Council is inviting competitive tenders for minor civil works to improve a public footpath section. Engineering drawings and technical specifications were prepared on behalf of the Town Council by Cumberland Council. 1.2 Purpose of Work The objective is to establish an accessible, surfaced route from Double Mills footbridge to the woodland section behind Dale View, Cockermouth. Currently, this missing link prevents access for pushchairs, wheelchairs, and less-mobile pedestrians. 1.3 Key Project Details • Design & Standards: Formulated via engineering drawings provided by Cumberland Council. • Target Start Date: February / March 2027 (Spring 2027) or before. • Contract Duration: Estimated 2 consecutive weeks. 2.1 Scope of Works The contractor will provide all plant, labour, and materials to execute the following sequence: 1. Site Establishment: Set up a secure temporary compound near the park entrance at Dale View. 2. Safety Measures: Formally close Footpath No. 223015 to the public for the 2-week duration of works. (Cumberland Council has agreed to meet the costs of this) 3. Excavation: Dig out a ground tray 50mm deep along the path alignment. Retain topsoil and arisings on-site for reuse. 4. Membrane: Supply and lay a heavy-duty geotextile separation membrane along the length of construction. 5. Sub-Base: Supply, lay, and compact a 150mm depth of Type 1 granular sub-base. 6. Surface Course: Supply, lay, and compact a 40mm depth of 0-6mm crushed aggregate to form a smooth, accessible top finish. 7. Alignment Note: The path alignment must run to the right-hand side of the park bench and to the left-hand side of the trees. 8. Tie-ins: Saw cut the existing macadam path at chainage 0m near the Double Mills footbridge to ensure a flush finish. The end chainage must meet completely flush with the existing timber bridge deck. 9. Landscaping: Smooth out and reinstate path edges using the saved arisings and topsoil, then seed with an 80/20 wildflower mix. 2.2 Critical Site Constraints • Narrow Access: Access to the park area is via a restrictive, narrow road at Dale View. Large commercial HGVs or oversized plant will not physically fit. Bidders must check this access profile prior to pricing. • Watercourse Proximity: The works run directly alongside the River Cocker. • Environmental Protection: All materials and plant machinery must remain at least 5 metres away from the watercourse channel on ground with no immediate flooding risk. Absolutely no refuelling, servicing, or greasing is allowed on site. Equipment must be checked for leaks before entering the site. • Flood Risk Management: Works must be carried out in generally dry conditions. The contractor is required to monitor local water levels and Environment Agency flood alerts prior to and during construction to reduce risk to the workforce.

How this is scored

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

• 60%pricePriceThis element will be evaluated objectively using a standard procurement mathematical formula based on the Total Gross Bid Price (Inclusive of VAT) submitted in the Bill of Quantities. Scoring Formula: The lowest valid commercial bid will automatically receive the maximum 60 points. Other bids will be scored using the following calculation: (Lowest Price ÷ Bidder's Price) x 60 = Price Score. Mandatory Rejection Threshold: Cockermouth Town Council has allocated a strict Budgetary Affordability Threshold of £40,000 (Inclusive of VAT) for this project. However, any commercial bid that exceeds an absolute maximum cap of £44,000 (Inclusive of VAT) will be automatically deemed unaffordable and will be immediately disqualified from the evaluation process without further review.
• 40%qualityQuality/Technical Criteria DescriptionThis element will be evaluated by an internal evaluation panel using a structured 0-to-5 scoring matrix based on the supplier's submitted Draft Method Statement. Bidders must demonstrate a thorough understanding of the specific site constraints. Bidders will be assessed on how safely and effectively they propose to execute the works while navigating two specific constraints: Access Restrictions: Proposing specific mini-plant machinery sizes that will physically fit down the highly restrictive, narrow road entrance at Dale View (oversized HGVs will not fit). Environmental Protection: Proposing comprehensive pollution prevention steps, mandatory 5-metre equipment buffers, and daily flood monitoring to protect the River Cocker watercourse environment. Scoring Formula: Each evaluating councillor will score the submission independently from 0 to 5. These marks will be added together and divided by the number of participating councillors to find the Average Panel Score. This average will then be converted into final quality points using the following calculation: Final Quality Points = (Average Panel Score divided by 5) x 40 Note: A score of 0 will be given if no Method Statement is provided.

What you must already have

Conditions of participation. These are pass or fail, so check them before writing anything.

• Insurance: The successful contractor must hold a valid Public Liability Insurance policy as a minimum requirement prior to the award of the contract. Access & Plant Restrictions: Bidders must verify the highly restrictive, narrow access route via Dale View prior to pricing. Large commercial HGVs or oversized plant will not physically fit the site layout. Environmental Management: Due to proximity to the River Cocker, the contractor must adhere to strict environmental rules, including a mandatory 5-metre equipment storage buffer from the watercourse channel, a total ban on on-site refuelling/servicing, and mandatory daily flood risk monitoring. System Registration: Bidders must be registered on the UK Government Central Digital Platform and provide their unique Supplier Share Code (PPON identifier) within the Form of Tender. Affordability Threshold: Any commercial bid exceeding the absolute budget threshold of £44,000 (Inclusive of VAT) will be automatically disqualified from evaluation. Full evaluation criteria, drawings, and submission requirements are detailed in the attached ITT (Double Mills Path Surface Improvements).

How contested is this?

Buyers publish how many bids they received. Across 559 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 published13 days ago

   8 Sept 2026, 13:36 BST
2. Clarification questions byin 18 days

   9 Oct 2026, 16:00 BST
3. Submission deadlinein 24 days

   16 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 notice8 Sept 2026, 13:36 BST084883-2026

Documents

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• Tender notice on Find a Tender