Tender
City of London tenders 3.5m pound Barbican Centre logistics contract
By Staff Writer | 13 October 2026
The City of London Corporation has opened a tender for a site wide construction logistics service to support the refurbishment of the Barbican Centre, with an estimated value of 3,500,000 pounds excluding VAT.
The tender notice was published on Find a Tender on 12 October 2026 under the title Barbican Renewal Programme, construction logistics services. It cites the Procurement Act 2023 and records a competitive flexible procedure in two stages, an invitation to participate followed by an invitation to tender. The value including VAT is recorded as 4,200,000 pounds.
How the refurbishment is being procured
The notice states that the work supports the refurbishment of the existing Barbican Centre, which remains occupied. The logistics service will be let as a trade contract under a construction management approach, with Blue Sky Building appointed as construction manager. The logistics strategy is still being developed alongside the programme, the design and the possession strategy.
The scope set out in the notice is broad. It covers logistics management and labour, from a logistics manager and supervisors to traffic marshals, hoist and lift operators, slingers and signallers, gatemen, welfare and cleaning staff, fire marshals and out of hours cover. The contractor is to survey the existing site accommodation and welfare facilities to see whether they can be reused or adapted for the life of the project, and to identify any additional temporary accommodation needed. It will also handle site security and access control, including hoarding, gates, turnstiles, access control systems and visitor management, and traffic and delivery management, including a delivery booking system, unloading areas, the separation of vehicles and pedestrians, permits and suspensions.
Vertical and horizontal distribution forms a large part of the package: hoists or gantry cranes with operators, scaffold ramps and platforms, pallet trucks, forklifts and telehandlers, stair climbers and associated edge protection. The contractor will coordinate tower crane use, with appointed persons, lift supervisors and banksmen, and provide temporary stairs, walkways, loading platforms and other temporary works tied to the logistics installations. The notice also lists waste management; the protection of floors, lifts, doors and retained finishes; daily housekeeping and builders' cleans; fire and emergency logistics; setting out and the maintenance of gridlines and datums; monitoring of dust, noise and vibration; and logistics support where the work meets the public, residents and neighbouring occupiers.
Evaluation and timetable
Expressions of interest are due by 12 noon on 9 November 2026, and the enquiry period closes at 12 noon on 30 October 2026. The City intends to shortlist four applicants for the tender stage, and any bidder tied on moderated score with the fourth placed applicant will also go forward. Conditions of participation include minimum requirements for financial capacity, insurance, modern slavery and data protection, together with scored questions on experience.
Tenders will be weighted 45 per cent technical, 40 per cent commercial and 15 per cent responsible procurement. The technical questions cover organisation, health and safety, risk management, programme and method statement, quality and delivery, building safety, site planning and supply chain, and every shortlisted supplier will attend a scored interview. The commercial responses will be evaluated against total contract cost, and the responsible procurement questions ask how bidders will deliver climate action and social value.
The contract period shown runs from 8 March 2027 to 23 August 2029, with a maximum extent to 22 February 2030 if the programme overruns because of unforeseen events such as discoveries. The notice warns that the contract may need modification if the project overruns, so that the service and its technical expertise are retained. The award period ends on 23 February 2027. The tender runs on the City of London Corporation's sourcing and contracts portal under notice 096052-2026.