Rushmoor Borough Council - Leisure Centre Operator

Rushmoor Borough Council ('the council') is inviting tenders from suitably experienced leisure facility operators for the operation of a planned new leisure centre to be located in Farnborough as well as the operation of the council's existing leisure centre & lido facilities located in Aldershot.

The leisure operator appointed via the subsequent formal procurement process will manage both the Aldershot and Farnborough facilities, with the contract split into two distinct phases: • the Interim Phase, during which the contractor will manage the Aldershot facility and provide at the request of the Council, provide any input requested in relation to the opening of Farnborough Leisure Facility, and • the Main Phase, during which the contractor will fully operate both facilities.

The Council is currently targeting award of the contract to the successful Operator by mid-February 2026.

The Interim Phase of the Contract is planned to commence shortly afterwards from 1st April 2026, at which point the Operator will be required to commence delivery of services at the existing Aldershot facilities to coincide with the summer opening of the Lido.

The Council's target date for opening of the new Farnborough facility is late 2027 / early 2028, at which point the contract will enter its Main Phase.

The duration of the Interim Phase is dependent on the date the new facility is ready to be opened, but is likely to run for around 18 to 24 months In order to investigate the benefits to the Council of different business models and enable the council to arrive at a fully informed market tested award decision, Suppliers are invited to submit bids for either or both of the following Lots; • Lot 1 - Leisure Operator Concession Model • Lot 2 - Leisure Operator Agency Model PROCUREMENT PROGRAMME • Contract Notice issued on FTS - 24th June 2025 • Procurement documents published on ProContract/SEBP Portal - 24th June 2025 • Aldershot facilities site visit - 7th July 2025 - 10:30 • Online TEAMS supplier briefing - 9th July 2025 - 12:30 • Clarification deadline - 8th August 2025 - 23:59 • 1st stage tender return deadline - 28th August 2025 - 12:00 • Notification of 1st stage decisions - 29th September 2025 • Negotiation meetings (TEAMS) - 6th - 17th October 2025 • Invitation to submit 2nd stage best & final tenders - 3rd November 2025 • 2nd stage best & final tender return deadline - 5th December 2025 - 12:00 • Notification of award decision & issue of assessment summaries - 2nd February 2026 • Contract Award Notice issued on FTS - 2nd February 2026 • Statutory 8 working day standstill period - 3rd - 12th February 2026 • Contract award - 13th February 2026