QEII Memorial Programme – Principal / Main Contractor

Contracting authority: Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)

Procurement title: QEII Memorial Programme – Principal / Main Contractor

Procurement identifier: 105267

Notice type: UK2 – Preliminary Market Engagement Notice

Estimated contract value (excluding VAT): £25,000,000 - £27,500,000

Contract location: St James's Park, London, United Kingdom

CPV codes: 45200000 - Works for complete or part construction and civil engineering work

45111000, 45111100, 45215000, 45112711, 45233222, 45111300, 45212350, 45212314, 45262510, 45112000, 45111213, 45112100-6, 45112700, 77310000, 77300000, 03451000, 03451300

Expected tender notice publication: January 2027

Market engagement closing date: 31 December 2026

Procurement contact / portal: DCMS procurement portal

Description of the requirement

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is undertaking preliminary market engagement in connection with the proposed procurement of a Principal/Main Contractor to supply works in respect of the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial programme.

The proposed appointment will involve the management, coordination and delivery of a complex, multidisciplinary programme of construction, enabling works, public realm improvements and specialist installations within St James's Park, London.

The anticipated scope includes:

Enabling works, including site establishment, surveys, site clearance, protection of existing assets, temporary works and associated utilities and infrastructure;

Demolition and removal of the existing bridge, including associated temporary works, protection of adjacent assets, disposal of materials and coordination with the wider construction programme;

Construction of the foundations and associated substructures for the new bridge, including groundworks, excavation, reinforced concrete works, drainage and associated civil engineering interfaces;

Installation of the new bridge, including site preparation, lifting and installation operations, temporary works and coordination with the separately appointed Bridge Contractor responsible for fabrication of the bridge structure, glass balustrades and incorporated paving, with the detailed allocation of installation responsibilities to be confirmed through the procurement and contractual arrangements;

Demolition and reconstruction of existing public toilet facilities, including associated building services and integration with the surrounding public realm;

Hard landscaping, including paving, pathways, groundworks, levels, drainage, external finishes and associated civil engineering works;

Soft landscaping, including sourcing and procurement of plants, trees and other planting materials, ground preparation, planting and landscape establishment;

Heritage works, including the careful dismantling, movement, relocation and reinstatement of Grade II listed structures, subject to relevant statutory consents and heritage protection requirements;

Memorial installations, including coordination and liaison with the appointed artist and relevant specialists to facilitate the installation of memorial statues, sculptures and associated elements;

Specialist contractor interfaces, including coordination with the separately procured Bridge Contractor responsible for the stainless steel bridge structure, glass balustrades, incorporated paving and associated works;

Construction management and integration, including logistics, site access, sequencing, temporary works, health and safety, quality assurance, programme coordination and stakeholder management; and

Completion and handover, including testing, commissioning where applicable, reinstatement, defects management and handover to DCMS and relevant operational stakeholders.

The works will take place within a sensitive historic park environment, requiring careful management of public access, heritage assets, existing landscape features, construction logistics and stakeholder interfaces.

Indicative Timescales

The current indicative programme anticipates award of the Stage 1 Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) in August 2027 and the Stage 2 main construction works contract in May 2028.

These dates are estimates and remain subject to procurement outcomes, programme development and the necessary DCMS approvals.

The anticipated duration and completion date of the Stage 2 construction works have not yet been determined. These will be developed during Stage 1, or as part of the formation of the Stage 2 contract, taking account of the appointed contractor's proposed construction methodology, interfaces with the specialist Bridge Contractor, wider programme dependencies and seasonal landscaping requirements.

Proposed Procurement and Delivery Approach

DCMS is considering a two-stage appointment for the Principal/Main Contractor, comprising an initial Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) for Early Contractor Involvement, construction planning, buildability review, supply-chain engagement and development of the construction price, followed by a separate commitment to the main construction works.

The proposed scope includes enabling works, demolition and reconstruction of public toilet facilities, hard and soft landscaping, relocation and reinstatement of Grade II listed structures, coordination of memorial installations with the appointed artist, and integration of the separately appointed specialist Bridge Contractor.

DCMS is considering a competitive flexible procedure under the Procurement Act 2023, incorporating an initial assessment of supplier capability and a subsequent tender stage.

The proposed arrangements include coordination with the Bridge Contractor during pre-construction and its intended subsequent novation to the Principal/Main Contractor, subject to agreed contractual arrangements and approvals.

The proposed approach remains subject to market engagement and DCMS governance approvals.