Worcester City Council Preliminary Market Engagement Exercise for Memorial Calligraphy Services (Physical & Digital Book of Remembrance).

Worcester City Council is undertaking a Preliminary Market Engagement Exercise (PME) to support its Bereavement Services in understanding the current market for Memorial Calligraphy Services, including physical Books of Remembrance and associated digital or online formats. The purpose of this engagement is to gather information from suitably experienced and qualified organisations regarding service capability, delivery models, digitisation options, pricing structures, quality assurance arrangements and turnaround times.

The information obtained will help inform internal planning, budget setting and any potential future procurement approach. Interested organisations are invited to review the Specification set out in Appendix 1 of the PME documentation and to complete the Preliminary Market Engagement Questionnaire contained within Appendix 2.

This exercise is being carried out solely as a market sounding and information gathering activity. It is not an invitation to tender, a call for competition, or a request for expressions of interest.

Participation in the PME will not confer any advantage or disadvantage in relation to any future procurement process. The Council may use the outcomes of this PME to shape the scope, specification and procurement strategy of any subsequent procurement exercise.

In accordance with sections 16 and 17 of the Procurement Act 2023, the Council reserves the right, subject to internal governance and where legally justified, to consider appropriate procurement routes should the market be extremely limited. All communication in relation to this PME must take place via the messaging facility on the Council’s procurement portal.

Please see separate document on the portal The Council is using the e-procurement portal known as the Proactis Pro-Contract portal https://procontract.due-north.com to conduct this procurement exercise. To gain access to the procurement documents, bidders will need to register their company details at the above website.

Once registered, bidders will be emailed a log-in and password, allowing them to gain access to the procurement documents. Bidders will need to search for the invitation under Worcester City Council and then electronically submit an expression of interest and follow the online instructions to view the procurement documents.