Stricklandgate House Trust Ltd: Consultancy Services Requirement – Evaluation Consultant

National Lottery Heritage Fund Project: Stricklandgate House 4 Sustainable Heritage: Where Heritage Meets the Day-to-Day (SGH4SH)

Purpose

We are seeking a consultant to evaluate the Delivery Phase of our project: Stricklandgate House 4 Sustainable Heritage.

Introduction

Stricklandgate House (SGH) is a Grade II listed Georgian building, which has a fascinating, varied history and heritage significant to Georgian Kendal. Stricklandgate House Trust (SGHT) took over ownership of the building in 1998.

SGH operates as a centre for charitable and voluntary organisations in the area. SGH supports and promotes the charitable and voluntary sector in the delivery of their services by providing reasonably priced accommodation, common services, facilities and support. SGHT also provides counselling space, conference and meeting facilities.

SGHT are the stewards of the building and its heritage, responsible for preserving, enhancing and promoting the heritage of the building.

SGHT has been awarded a Delivery Phase grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. With thanks to National Lottery players and the support of our match funders, SGHT is embarking on an exciting period of development.

Project Overview

Our project will redevelop and enhance Stricklandgate House to become a heritage and community hub, in addition to strengthening its core business of supporting the third sector.

The reimagined building will feature exhibition space for heritage and culture, a community hub in the centre of Kendal and a strengthened Third Sector hub. It will involve the redevelopment of a modern annex that separates the Georgian Town House from the historic Coach House and will rediscover and enhance the Georgian features of the Town House, service wing and Coach House.

The project will deliver an Activity Plan that embodies a programme of heritage and community activities in collaboration with heritage organisations and charities and encourages heritage engagement with underserved groups.

Heritage information and interpretation will feature on site, and the building's services will move towards net zero. We will provide engaging information and interpretation about the way in which we have moved towards net zero to inspire others and become an example of how a heritage building can be managed sustainably.

The community hub will deliver community-facing activities and events in collaboration with community organisations and local councils. A Community Lounge will provide informal space for residents, service users and community groups to meet, connect and unwind. Supported by Community Welcome volunteers, the lounge offers a safe and accessible environment.

Intrinsic to the project activities is our own organisational development.

The project is summarised below in terms of outcomes and objectives:


Outcome

An accessible, rich, valued and sustainable heritage setting that strengthens the charitable, voluntary and community sector in Kendal and Westmorland and Furness in the delivery of their services.

Objective 1: The conservation and interpretation of the built and historic heritage of SGH, growing engagement, understanding, appreciation and value within our local communities and with visitors.

Objective 2: Increasing the supply of attractive, fit-for-purpose accommodation and meeting space, flexible and affordable in use.

Objective 3: Create a vibrant community hub for heritage engagement and community activities and events.

Objective 4: Address the challenges of climate change by actively pursuing net zero, showcasing the technology and becoming an exemplar of a heritage building sustainably managed.


Project Scale and Financial Value

The project represents a unique and exciting time for SGHT and the Kendal area. It is by far the largest project undertaken by SGHT and will have significant impact on the delivery of heritage, cultural, community and Third Sector activities and services for Kendal and the surrounding area.

Project delivery is valued at £5,519,380 including VAT, comprising:

  • Capital Costs – £4,112,961

  • Activity Costs – £238,717

  • Other Costs – £1,167,701

The project is funded through:

  • Heritage Fund grant – £4,626,036

  • Match funding – £893,036


Our Values

We will operate with the following values:

Co-Production

  • Engage with our existing and potential audiences to understand their experience and aspirations whilst enabling them to participate in and shape the project.

  • Seek and invite individuals and organisations with relevant knowledge and skills to partner with the project's activity.

  • Garner the knowledge, skills and interests of our volunteers, tenants, employees and trustees in the development and delivery of the project.

  • Establish project governance arrangements which enable co-production.

  • Work with specialists who share our values and demonstrate their success in working in a co-productive way.

  • Co-design activities and solutions which promote inclusivity.

    Openness

  • Ensure project stakeholders are kept informed of project progress and address concerns and opportunities in a timely way.

  • Record our reasons for decisions made in the Development and Delivery Phases.

  • Recognise and promote the contributions of project stakeholders in the development and delivery of the project.

Accountable

  • Be clear on accountabilities and responsibilities for project activities.

  • Report progress against our plans and measures of success and take action to address risks and underperformance.

Innovation

  • Seek new and innovative approaches in all project activities.

  • Garner learning from other projects so we can apply wide experience to our project.

  • Share our learning for the benefit of other projects.

Knowledge Based

  • Employ specialists and harness local community expertise to provide essential guidance, knowledge, capacity and professional assurance.


Evaluation Work to Date

We originally procured an evaluation consultant for both our project Development and Delivery Phases. In preparing our Delivery Phase funding application, we decided to increase the budget for the evaluation of the Delivery Phase and refresh the scope of works in line with Heritage Fund guidance. This increase has been approved in our Delivery Phase grant award, hence our need to now undertake a new procurement.

During the Development Phase we established the Project Logic Model and the Project Metrics. The evaluation report of the Development Phase formed part of our Delivery Phase application. A copy of the evaluation report and summary report is available – please see below.


Other Consultancies to be Engaged on the Project

The project has two main parts:

  • The capital works to the building.

  • The engagement of people with the heritage of the building and its influence in Kendal.

For the first part, we have appointed a Design Team which comprises the professional disciplines required to design, procure and manage delivery of the capital works.

We have appointed a Heritage Consultant to deliver interpretation and information around the site and to support community engagement activities. Creative Consultants will be recruited to support the detailed design of interpretation materials and assets. They will be managed by the Heritage Consultant.

We are in the process of procuring a Heritage Community Engagement Consultant to drive the delivery of the Activity Plan.

The project is to be developed and delivered as a whole. All consultancies are expected to engage and work with one another as required to ensure coordination of delivery activities.


SGHT Management of the Consultancy

The consultancy will be managed by the Project Coordinator (PC), supported by the Centre Manager. The PC is being recruited; it is a full-time position funded by the project.

The SGHT Board of Trustees is the Project Owner. They have established a Project Board with delegated authority and responsibility for the execution of the project. The PC will report project progress to the Project Board.


More Detailed Project Information for Background

The following documents are available below:

Stricklandgate House – RIBA Stage 3 Design Report

Stricklandgate House – Activity Plan: Stricklandgate House 4 Sustainable Heritage

Stricklandgate House – Action Plan to the Activity Plan

Stricklandgate House – Interpretation Strategy

Stricklandgate House – Development Phase Evaluation: Summary Report


Consultancy Requirements – Evaluation

The consultant will be appointed for the whole of the Delivery Phase. We will agree a commencement date as soon as possible following the outcome of the procurement process and expect the final report to be completed by August 2029, subject to project progress.

Our requirements of the consultant are to:

  • Develop and maintain a clear understanding of our organisation, our stakeholders, the project and its intended outcomes.

  • Quickly assimilate the monitoring and evaluation work undertaken to date and advise the project on how the work is best progressed in the Delivery Phase, including any recommendations for improving/refining the Project Logic Model and Project Metrics.

  • Produce a schedule of work for undertaking the evaluation of the project in accordance with guidance provided by the Heritage Fund. In addition to the inputs from the consultant, the schedule is to identify the inputs required from SGHT, project employees, other project consultants and project stakeholders.

  • Develop a toolkit for our employees, trustees and consultants on collecting relevant data and evidence, including the provision of training/familiarisation sessions in the use of the toolkit.

  • Utilise a range of engagement techniques to bring the views and involvement of our stakeholders into the evaluation of the project.

  • Produce a mid-term evaluation report and summary report (timing to be discussed and agreed with the project and the Heritage Fund), including recommendations for adjusting project activities in the remaining period of the project.

  • Produce a final project evaluation report and summary report.

  • Provide face-to-face presentations of evaluation reports to trustees, employees, volunteers and relevant stakeholders to discuss findings, agree recommendations and enable action planning to address their implementation.

  • Throughout the commission, provide advice and mentoring if required for SGHT so that it may maximise the project benefits.


Consultant Experience and Competencies

We are seeking a consultant with demonstrable experience of success in evaluating Heritage Fund projects involving the delivery of both capital works and Activity Plan delivery. Further, this experience should demonstrate successful working with small voluntary organisation clients and their stakeholders.

The successful consultant will be able to demonstrate how their approach aligns with our values.

We expect the consultant to demonstrate the following competencies:

  • Building trust and co-production between individuals and organisations.

  • Communicating widely through a variety of channels and facilitating involvement of a diverse range of project stakeholders.

  • Promoting and ensuring good practice in the conduct of evaluation works and the collection of supporting information.

  • Being resourceful and adaptable in response to changing project needs.

  • Production of high-quality reports, including concise and impactful summaries.

Fee Guidance

Total fee proposals, including any extras, should be contained within a budget figure of £20,000 excluding VAT.


Submission of Proposals

Please send a written proposal describing how you will undertake this work and your approach to office@stricklandgate-house.org.uk

Your proposal should include:

Details of you or your organisation:

  • Relevant experience in delivering similar briefs. Please provide at least three relevant examples undertaken in the last five years. Please include contact details so that, in the event you are our preferred consultant, we can ask for feedback on your consultancy.

  • Your experience working with The National Lottery Heritage Fund or other heritage organisations.

  • Specifically, who we will be working with.

Your proposed approach to managing this brief and delivery of the work:

Please include an outline of key tasks, responsibilities and the resources you will attach to each. Please include estimates of working days and daily charge rates for each person who will work on the commission.

Your fee proposal:

Your fee proposal should be expressed as a total fixed fee, excluding VAT. Please identify and estimate the value of any additional charges you would wish to keep outside of the fixed fee. Please confirm your VAT status.

Please also include:

  • Your proposed invoicing schedule.

  • Your terms of appointment/business and the form of agreement you use with your clients.

  • A declaration that you would be available to deliver the brief within the timescales described should you be successful.


Format of Submissions

Submissions should be submitted electronically in formats compatible with standard Microsoft 365.


Timetable

Invitation to quote issued: 11 September 2026

Supplier queries should be submitted and will be answered throughout the quotation period. We will not answer queries received after midnight on 1 October 2026.

Receipt of submissions: by 23:59 on 6 October 2026

Evaluation of applications commences: 7 October 2026

Shortlisted interviews (by Zoom/Teams): week beginning 19 October 2026

Evaluation completion and notification of outcome: 23 October 2026

Commencement of brief: by 1 November 2026


Selection Criteria

As we have offered fee guidance, we are placing significant emphasis on the quality of the services and delivery described by submissions.

The quotation submission will be scored 80% based on quality and 20% on price.


How the Pricing Element Will Be Scored

The lowest bid will score 100% of the price marks (20% of the total marks). Other applicants will score price marks relative to the lowest bid.

For example:

If the lowest bid is equivalent to £10,000, the bid will score 100% of the price marks (20% in total).

If another applicant's quote is equivalent to £11,000, that is 10% higher than the lowest bid. That applicant will score 90% of the price score (100% less 10%), the equivalent of 18% of the total marks.

We reserve the right to exclude any bid we believe to be abnormally low.


Queries

Any queries about the project and this opportunity should be addressed to:

Jill Salmon
Centre Manager | Stricklandgate House Trust
Email: office@stricklandgate-house.org.uk


We strongly encourage qualified and experienced consultants with disabilities and those from ethnically or culturally diverse backgrounds to apply, as SGHT is keen for the team and its work to be informed by and representative of the communities it supports.


This project is made possible due to a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery players.