Open24 days left · closes 10am, Friday 23 October 2026

Food Festival Curator

Durham County Council · Local authority

In brief

Durham County Council is looking for suppliers for leisure and events work (North East).

The estimated value is £80,000 excluding VAT.

The contract runs for 23 months, up to 47 months with extensions, starting 2 November 2026.

The buyer says it is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.

Bids close at 10am, Friday 23 October 2026.

Built from the notice's own fields. Always check the official notice before you bid.

Can I win this?

Key dates

Questions by: midday, Wednesday 21 October 2026
Bids by: 10am, Friday 23 October 2026

How bids are scored

Technical Questions 60% · Price 30% · Social Value 10%

Quality matters most. You can win without being the cheapest.

Competition

Usually high: a median of 13 bids per contract for this buyer (from 85 awards in the last 12 months).

What the notice says

Durham County Council seeks to appoint a supplier to provide curator services for the Bishop Auckland and Seaham Food Festivals 2027. Working with the Council's festival team and partners, the provider will support the planning, development and delivery of both festivals. Services will include festival programming, trader and exhibitor recruitment, performer and activity bookings, marketing support, commercial development, sponsorship opportunities and onsite event delivery. The supplier will assist in developing programmes aligned to agreed objectives and budgets, including year-round activity; recruit and manage traders, exhibitors and performers; support sponsorship and income generation; contribute to marketing, including development of a refreshed festival brand linked to Visit County Durham; engage with stakeholders and community organisations; support event operations; and provide progress reports, budget monitoring and post-event evaluation.

Should I bid?

Tick what applies to you. Nothing is saved.

Can you prepare a good bid in 24 days?Leave time for clarification questions and sign-off.
Is a contract of about £80,000 a size you can deliver?Buyers often check that your turnover is comfortably larger than the yearly contract value.
Can you deliver in North East?Check the delivery locations in the tender documents.
Are you registered on the Central Digital Platform?You need to be registered to take part under the Procurement Act 2023.
The buyer says this suits small businesses.A good sign if you are an SME, but check the requirements.

How to bid

Read the full notice on Find a Tender, including any tender documents it links to.
Register your organisation on the Central Digital Platform (through Find a Tender) if you have not already. Suppliers need to be registered to take part in procurements under the Procurement Act 2023.
Follow the submission instructions in the notice; it does not name an e-tendering portal.
Send clarification questions before midday, Wednesday 21 October 2026.
Make sure your bid arrives before 10am, Friday 23 October 2026. Late bids are usually rejected.

Timeline

25 September 2026Tender notice · UK4, notice 090861-2026

About the buyer

Durham County CouncilLast 12 months

Procurements

267

Awards

159

Suppliers it has used most for leisure and events

Karbon Homes2 contracts
Alington House Community Association1 contract
Bella Marie Training Academy Ltd1 contract
Bullion Community Resource Centre1 contract
Chester-Le-Street Methodist Church1 contract

All tenders and awards from Durham County Council

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From notice 090861-2026 on Find a Tender, first published 25 September 2026. We last checked for changes on 28 September 2026.