Tees Valley First World War Commemoration Partnership
Touring Exhibition Brief
Introduction
The Tees Valley First World War Commemoration Partnership comprises of five boroughs
– Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton. The partnership requests the submission of quotations for the design and production of a touring exhibition. The exhibition will be part of the wider Tees Valley First World War Project, which is producing a range of activities to commemorate the First World War. The purpose of the exhibition is to convey what life was like for the people of the Tees Valley during this period - both on the Home Front and for those who fought and worked on the
Front. Work will commence on the exhibition on the 8 th November 2013, it will be complete by 31 st March 2014 and continue to be maintained until the 31 st
March 2015.
Project background
Hartlepool Borough Council has been awarded £394,775 from Arts Council
England’s Renaissance Strategic Support Fund to work with partners in
Darlington Borough Council, Middlesbrough Borough Council, Redcar &
Cleveland Borough Council, Stockton Borough Council and the Heugh Gun
Battery Museum, Hartlepool to deliver a series of First World War commemorative activities across the Tees Valley. The project commenced in
April 2013 and will run until March 2015. This is a cultural project that involves all areas of the sector including arts, events, libraries, archives and museums.
The main elements of the project are:

To help local people access First World War artefacts from our museum, library and archive collections through hands-on activities, research, exhibitions and on-line.

Formal and informal learning opportunities for schools and youth groups. This will include the production of loans boxes for schools and community groups. Schools from across the Tees Valley will be encouraged to visit the Heugh Gun Battery Museum in Hartlepool, which is the only First World War battlefield in the UK.

An exhibition that will highlight some of the stories of the people and places of the Tees Valley during this period. The exhibition will tour a variety of venues across all five boroughs. There will also be a separate exhibition in Hartlepool about the Bombardment.

Outreach activities which will offer a unique way to engage people in learning about the First World War and its impact on lives today.
People will also be encouraged to bring along family stories relating to the social and military side of the First World War.

Large scale performances will take place in each of the boroughs culminating on the 16 th December 2014 in Hartlepool, the 100 th anniversary of the Bombardment.


The project will aim to tell the story of the First World War and its impact on the Tees Valley.
Contract Details
Work relating to this contract will begin on the 8 th November 2013 and will end on the 31 st March 2015. The contract is split into three main areas: exhibition design, exhibition production and exhibition maintenance. It is expected that the exhibition design and the exhibition production will be completed in year one (8 th November 2013 – 31 st March 2014) and the exhibition maintenance will be the focus of year two – the duration of the project (1 st April 2014 – 31 st
March 2015).
The chosen provider will supply a dedicated account manager who will lead the contract and be the partnership’s first point of contact. The progress of the exhibition will be reviewed on pre agreed dates throughout the duration of the contract.
Exhibition Design
The chosen provider will be responsible for creating the exhibition structure and designing its artwork. The exhibition must be two-dimensional and modular, featuring text and imagery but not actual objects or cases. The exhibition must be versatile in order for it to fit into a variety of different size and shaped spaces, it must also be easy to transport around different venues.
It is expected that the exhibition will compliment the wider Tees Valley First
World War Project, giving an insight into the experiences of war by telling the stories of the people who lived through it. The following themes are currently being explored by the partners as content for the exhibition, some of which are expected to merge as the research progresses:

Background to the First World War

Home Front

Women

Recruitment and patriotism

Humour and morale

Lives away

Coming home

Impact and cost of war

Local industries

Technology and innovation

Legacy of the war
The design artwork should use imagery that suitably reflects the themes and what life was like for people living during this period. Each theme or group of themes should have its own identity within the design. A template for labels should also be produced for venues who wish to exhibit objects in their own display cases when hosting the exhibition.

The exhibition must equally represent the five boroughs in the Tees Valley.
The themes will be supported and illustrated by stories, objects, ephemera and photographs from collections across the Tees Valley. Each borough will select one story to tell in more detail. These will be produced on five separate panels and will remain within the relevant boroughs for the duration of the commemoration period. The individual panels will also be used to promote the project and include details about where to find out more about it. There should also be and interactive or digital display to showcase the First World War collections in the Tees Valley.
Exhibition Production
It is anticipated that the exhibition will be produced on a series of flexible display stands. The provider will supply a smaller version of the exhibition on
Foamex (or similar) panels. It is expected that the exhibition will be able to be used between 2014 and 2018, it should therefore be produced using durable materials that will last throughout this period with little maintenance. It should be free standing and easy to assemble and dismantle.
The chosen provider must supply a high-resolution digital copy of the panels should the partnership wish to reproduce the exhibition. A photographer will be required to photograph objects from the collection that will feature in the exhibition. The photographer must be supplied by the chosen provider and they should be able to provide their own equipment including backgrounds and lighting etc. A writer for the exhibition should be sourced by the provider.
They will be supplied with research by the partners. All images and text must be viewed and agreed to by the Tees Valley partners.
The copyright and the reproduction rights of the exhibition will be held by the
Tees Valley partnership.
Exhibition Maintenance
The chosen provider will be expected to maintain and repair any damage caused to the exhibition until the end of this project (31 st March 2015).
Applicants should consider how this can be achieved when submitting their proposal and detailing their budget breakdown.
Budget
The maximum budget for the design, production and maintenance of the exhibition is £24,500. There is £8000 to spend in year one (8 th November
2013 – 31 st March 2014) and £16,500 to spend in year two (1 st April 2014 –
31 st March 2015). The provider should be aware that due to the nature of the funding, the majority of the budget will not be available until year two when the exhibition is complete.
Half of the budget for year one will be paid upfront and the other half will be paid at a pre agreed point in the contract. The chosen provider will manage

the budget and must be able to show how they will use this to cover the maintenance of the exhibition in year two.
Points to be included in the response
When submitting their response applicants must include information on the following:

Company information: Who are you and what do you do? Who are the people that are employed by the company and what skills will they bring to the project?

A breakdown of how the budget will be spent, including fees

Examples of previous temporary exhibition work and the brief they were given

Examples/ideas for the exhibition structure

How the theme of the First World War will be portrayed in the design and interpretation

Be able to demonstrate how the exhibition will be accessible

If they have access to exhibition writers and photographers. Examples of the work of both must be submitted as part of the application.

A breakdown of the timescale from the 8 th November 2013 to the 31 st
March 2014
Evaluation process
There will be a two-stage evaluation process.
The first stage will assess applications in relation to this brief, which will be evaluated as follows:

Background of company and skills, previous exhibition experience, other relevant experience - 40 points

Initial ideas for design, interpretation and structure - 40 points

Value for money (based on budget breakdown) – 20 points
The highest scoring companies in stage one will be invited to an interview on the 21 st October 2013. This interview will form stage two of the evaluation process. Applicants will be expected to deliver a pre-planned presentation relating to the project during their interview. Successful companies will be invited for interview no later than the 8 th October 2013.
Contract milestones
Applicants should be aware of the following contract milestones:

Noon 4 th October 2013 – deadline for applications in response to this brief.

7 th October 2013 – Short-listing to take place


8 th October 2013 – Applicants notified if they have been short-listed and invited to interview

21 st October 2013
– Interviews take place

22 nd October 2013 – Successful company notified

23 rd October – 7 th November 2013 – ‘Cooling Off’ period

8 th November 2013 – Contract signed by both parties
Applicants are also free to submit further information they feel would be beneficial in supporting their application e.g. photographs, videos etc.
Please return your quotation by noon on Friday 4 th October 2013.
If you have any enquiries please place them through the questions section of the North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO) Portal. If your company is not already registered with NEPO, you will find further information on the website https://www.qtegov.com/systems/nepocms.nsf
Please note that your company must be registered with NEPO in order to apply for this contract. All applications must be submitted through the North
East Procurement Organisation (NEPO) Portal.
Invitation to Quote for the Provision of a Tees Valley First World War
Touring Exhibition
Name of company:
Address:
Contact name:
Tel:
Fax:
Email address:
Demonstrate how the budget will be spent, including fees:
Examples of previous temporary exhibition work:

Timescale:
Referee 1:
Referee 2:
Examples/ideas for the exhibition structure:
How the theme of the First World War will be portrayed in the design in the design and the interpretation:
Demonstrate how the exhibition will be accessible:
Does the company have access to writers and photographers?

Hartlepool Borough Council does not undertake to consider quotations received after the due date and time.
You must bear all costs associated with the preparation and submission of your quotation.
Prices shall be quoted in pounds sterling unless otherwise stated.
Quotations shall remain valid for a period of 60 days.
Hartlepool Borough Council does not bind itself to accept the lowest or any quotation and reserves the right to accept a portion of the quotation, unless the supplier expressly stipulates otherwise in their quotation.