Invitation to Tender – RIBA Stage 3 Quantity Surveyor Services

Invitation to Tender

For: Quantity Surveying Services for People’s History Museum

Date: July 2025

Background of People’s History Museum

People’s History Museum in Manchester (Left Bank, Spinningfields, Manchester M3 3ER) is housed in a former hydraulic pump house which opened in 1909. Designated by English Heritage as Grade II listed, it was designed by Manchester’s first City Architect, Henry Price and comprises the brick and terracotta Engine Hall, featuring vast arched windows, a vaulted glass roof, colourful Pilkington Tiles and intricate metal work.

Introduction to the Project

A 2025 building survey identified urgent structural works caused by water ingress. The works package comprises:

• Replace damaged roof structure, repair tiles/beams/flashing/parapets, add insulation, replace lightning protection, clear & increase capacity of rainwater gutters, remove vegetation, seal water tanks.
• Address structural issues caused by water ingress; repair high level masonry, replace mortar/repair fixings/waterproof joints, seal windows.

People’s History Museum is applying for funding through the Museum Estates and Development Fund (MEND) for capital to address these issues. The application for funding requires costed design and plans to RIBA Stage 3. The estimated cost of the project is £2.3m.

Progress to date:

• A measured survey has been commissioned
• Opening up works have been commissioned
• Donald Insall Associates has been appointed as Architects to deliver the detailed design and develop the programme of works
• Listed building consent application is planned
• An outline budget for the works prepared for the first stage funding application was carried out by a quantity surveyor.

This Invitation to Tender aims to identify a quantity surveyor to work with the design team in delivering the next phase of the project.

Tender Requirements and Timescales

We are seeking to appoint a Quantity Surveyor to deliver:

1. Cost plan – including professional fees, materials, site management and labour for RIBA Work Stage 3
2. Costed risk register setting out the risk and likelihood of each risk occurring, the impact on the project if it does happen, how much each risk may cost, risk mitigation, the individual responsible for dealing with each risk, and the process for monitoring and reporting risk.

The finalised cost plan and risk register are required for Friday 19 September 2025. This is to support the final development of the funding bid ahead of the 2 October 2025 deadline.

Experience of working on MEND funded projects and/or grade II listed projects is desirable.

Responses should outline track record of similar projects, method statement and price.

Please email responses to Aine Graven, Head of Development at aine.graven@phm.org.uk by Monday 11 August 2025. Site visits or conversations can be arranged to support response.

Further instructions on the funding criteria

MEND guidance as issued to People’s History Museum includes the following criteria:

• Costs should include a contingency sum reflecting the degree of certainty on the project costs, the stage of design or development work you have completed, the project timetable, the risks in relation to the type of project you are carrying out –a costed risk register should identify and quantify the adequacy of the risk contingency allowance and any external socio-economic risks.
• Costs should include a sum for Inflation: This should be represented separately from contingency, including in your mandatory attachments. The inflation contingency needs to be realistic, forward-looking, and based on a recognised measure, such as the Office for National Statistics or the Department for Business and Trade. Your professional team should advise you on the amount to include.

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