Tendring Retail Study Update 2015
Request for Quotation Specification
Tendring District Council (the Council) is seeking to commission Consultants to prepare an
update to the Tendring Retail Study (that was originally carried out in 2010). This study will
provide an input into the emerging Local Plan for the District; in particular it will provide an
assessment of future retail needs in the district to inform our emerging Local Plan for the
period up to 2031. As such, the successful consultant would be called upon to provide expert
witness advice in this regard (as a separate costed item) if appropriate. This possibility
would be a proviso of the commission.
Requirements of the Brief

A succinct review of the latest national policy position;

A commentary and review of the degree of compliance of the emerging Local Plan with
national policy;

A review of national/regional economic trends and their implications for Tendring’s
District. In particular, consultants should re-examine the 2010 retail study’s previous
estimates of the population growth and spending on convenience/comparison and
leisure goods as well as the implications of retailing and new and emerging retail
formats;

Update health checks of the District’s centre, in particular vacancies, rents and yields,
and considering the changes in the vitality and viability of these centres and the extent to
which these reflect local or wider national trends. This should include a realistic review /
view of potential development opportunity sites in the town centres;

In light of all the above, update the 2010 study’s previous capacity assessment to
consider the scope for additional convenience and comparison goods floorspace having
regard to the likely implications of recent and committed developments. This quantitative
analysis should be complemented by a qualitative review of existing and committed
development to reach an overall assessment of the need for new convenience and
comparison retail development in the district and in individual centres, and to gauge the
adequacy of sites and opportunities identified to meet these needs over the forthcoming
Local Plan timescale; and

The results of this update will be drawn together to provide the basis for a review of the
emerging Local Plan, to identify the extent to which the updated evidence base supports
the overall approach taken, whether any aspects of the emerging Local Plan are likely to
require revision in the light of recent changes; and whether there are any areas where
additional policies or guidance may be required having regard to any changed
circumstances in the area, or the latest national policy guidance.
Assessment Criteria
The Council’s evaluation will be based on 50 points price and 50 points assessed against
the following criteria:
A clear understanding and interpretation of the tasks identified within the
specification.

Robustness and suitability of the proposed approach / methodology.

Relevant knowledge, skills and experience of the team.

Proven track record of delivering high quality work in the preparation of similar work
and evidence of bringing originality and freshness of approach to this type of work.

Suitability of the proposed project management and quality control arrangements.
The score for price will be based on the following approach: The lowest quoted price will be
awarded the full 50 points – if 2 or more suppliers quote the same overall price each will be
awarded the full 50 points. Other suppliers will be awarded points on a pro-rata basis of
their bid compared to the lowest.
Projected timetable and costings
The study to be undertaken and completed in the period 23rd March 2015 to 18 May 2015.
Key milestones:

Appointment of consultants; initial meeting

Interim report (e-copy in Microsoft Word or Adobe)

Final report (e-copy in Microsoft Word or Adobe)
Mid-May 2015

Agreement of project completion.
Mid-May 2015
End-March 2015
Late-April 2015
The selected consultants will be expected to attend a meeting to initiate the study, agree the
methodology, finalise the project timetable and discuss the content of the draft report in the
week following the award of commission.
The Council will be responsible for agreeing with the consultant, completion of the research
as it occurs and will authorise and make direct staged payments. The Council’s preferred
payment schedule is:

20% on project commencement;

20% on receipt of interim report;

20% on receipt of final report; and

40% on agreeing the completed project.
The consultant should include a payment schedule in their submission that reflects
completion of key milestones but also provide a monthly update of estimated costs at each
project stage leading up to the milestones to monitor the budget. The Council will require the
consultant to seek prior approval for any additional payments required if cost overruns are
likely to occur during any of the separate stages.
The budget should be broken down into individual tasks. The costs of each of these to be
clearly set out, for example, the price of different sample sizes, method of surveys,
geographical areas, use of focus groups etc, to enable changes to the project to be simply
costed and allow the Council maximum flexibility to select specific research options as
appropriate. The figures should be exclusive of V.A.T.
The consultant will be responsible for project managing the research, analysis and report
writing and undertake revisions, and further analysis if required in order to provide a
completed product which meets the needs of the Council within the cost specification agreed
at the outset of the project.
Submission Details
If you would like to be considered for this work please send your quotation as per the
following instructions:
Questions or clarification – If you have any queries please telephone/email
Richard Matthams rmatthams@tendringdc.gov.uk 01255 686115.

The deadline for receipt of your quotation is mid-day 16th March 2015 and must be
sent to our locked email address tenderbox2@tendringdc.gov.uk. Submissions will
only be accepted by this method and before the deadline.
The
tenderbox2@tendringdc.gov.uk

Email address will remain locked from now until after the deadline for quotations so
please ensure all questions are directed through Richard Matthams
rmatthams@tendringdc.gov.uk 01255 686115.

Additional copies MUST NOT be submitted in hard copy to any other recipient or
member of the Council, or email copied or forwarded to additional email
recipients. This may disqualify your submission and could nullify the tender exercise.

There is a receipt limit of 20 megabytes per email on the Council email system. The
onus is on you, the responder, to ensure that emails are received by us. For large
files you may like to send zip files up to 20 meg per email or file downloads.

The Council does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any quotation.