Public procurement notice: Prior Information Notice Without Call For Competition
Published: 2020-12-24
Buyer: City and County of Swansea
Country: UK
Contract type: Works
CPV classification: 45000000: Construction work | 45210000: Building construction work | 45212350 | 45212353 | 45262690
EU fund: ERDF

Technical requirements: Swansea Council are undertaking the redevelopment of the Palace Theatre located on high street, Swansea, with an appointed multi-disciplinary design team. The refurbishment of the Grade II listed building will create high-end office space for up to 130 office staff. The building consists of six floors and is currently in a state of disrepair, due to being vacant for a number of years. The building has a number of historical heritage features that will require recording, therefore Swansea Council are seeking a principle contractor with suitable heritage experience to undertake these works.
Funding is being sought from the European Regional Development Fund and the Welsh Government, via the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns programme for the project. The building is owned by Swansea Council and is situated on its own surrounded by High Street, Bethesda Street and Prince of Wales Road. There is currently hoarding surrounding the building with a compound situated inside the hoarding on Bethesda Street. The Palace opened in 1892 and has been used as a theatre, pub, bingo hall, and more recently a nightclub. The Palace closed its doors to the public in 2006, and has been vacant ever since. Many famous faces have appeared on the stage at the Palace including Sir Anthony Hopkins and Charlie Chaplin.
Swansea Council along with its appointed multi-disciplinary design team will be seeking a suitably experienced principal contractor, specifically of heritage buildings to undertake this sensitive redevelopment.
Swansea Council are currently seeking an end tenant for the building, and if in place by the time of contractor appointment, will work with Swansea Council and the design team throughout the redevelopment.
Some safety works have been carried out on the building to allow safe access inside, although not all areas are currently accessible.
The start date for the redevelopment is programmed for May/June 2021 with works having to be completed by June 2022. There will be opportunities for site visits once the tender has been published.
Swansea Council has an appointed multi-disciplinary team to undertake project management, cost management, architectural, mechanical, electrical, and structural services. The MDT will be assisting Swansea Council on the procurement exercise.
Interested bidders will need to email Neil.Stokes2@swansea.gov.uk no later than 5 p.m. on 14 January 2021 to express an interest in the project.
The publication of this prior information notice is for information gathering purposes only at this stage and forms part of the market testing initiative. Expressions of interest received will not be scored and will not form part of an evaluation process.
This exercise will not be used for the purposes of short-listing at a later stage and non-participation will not restrict access to any tender opportunity that might follow from this exercise.
Swansea Council reserves the final right to follow what it considers to be the most appropriate approach to market and will not meet any costs incurred by any party in responding to this exercise. Having considered all representations Swansea Council reserves the right to package the requirement in such a way as to offer the most cost effective, sustainable solution.
The estimated date for publication of the contract notice is subject to change depending on the outcome of this PIN notice and market testing exercise.
Note: to register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Sell2Wales website at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=106741