TENDERS

The Transparency Code 2015 requires that local authorities must publish details of every invitation to tender for contracts to provide goods and/or services with a value that exceeds £5,000. For each invitation, the following details must be published:

  1. Reference number
    2. Title
    3. Description of the goods and/or services sought
    4. Start, end and review dates
    5. Local authority department responsible

Seaford Town Council publishes details of invitations to tender and contracts as and when necessary as below:

INVITATION TO TENDER – GROUNDS MAINTENANCE SERVICES

Seaford Town Council invite tenders for the provision of grounds maintenance services across various sites within the Town Council’s boundaries. The aim is to ensure all sites are maintained to a consistently high standard, meeting the requirements detailed in the specification.

Contract term: Initial term of three (3) years from the start date, with an extension option. The Town Council may, at its sole discretion, extend the contract for up to two (2) additional years.

Contract Lots: This contract is divided into three Lots. Contractors may bid for one, two, or all three Lots:

How to apply: Interested contractors must submit completed tender applications to tenders@seafordtowncouncil.gov.uk

Please ensure you have read and completed the following documents before applying:

If you have any questions regarding the Grounds Maintenance Services Contract Tender please email projectsandfacilities@seafordtowncouncil.gov.uk

Questions which have been asked and answered regarding the Grounds Maintenance Tender:

Q1. Regarding the above, please can you confirm whether the section 5 questions in the Contract Application Form have a word limit please? Also, could these responses be presented in a separate document rather than pasted into boxes in the form?

A1. There is no word limit for section 5 in the contract application, and it is fine for responses be presented in a separate document rather than pasted into boxes in the form.

Q2. Can you please clarify what is the submission time?

A2. 7 November 23:59 – ANSWER REVISED on 10 November – the submission time is now 7 December 2025 23:59

Q3. Are there any other relevant documents that have been available in the meantime that aren’t on the link from yesterday’s Notice?

A3.No

Q4. Within the Contract Specification document we can see there is reference made to “vegetation encroaching on pathways must be cut back to the path edge to ensure full and unobstructed use of the path” in section A. Grass Cutting & Litter Collection. We assume this reference is related to cutting back shrubs and hedges? Are you able to confirm this assumption is correct? If this is as assumed, could you confirm where we should price for this in the Pricing Schedule?

A4. Yes, it is shrubs and hedges, the pricing schedule has been updated to reflect this.

Q5. Within the Contract Specification document we can also see there is reference made to Playground Maintenance in section B. Can you please clarify that not only should we maintain the records of the maintenance carried out, but that we should also price in the maintenance itself and any associated material costs? If we are to include the maintenance material costs, could you please confirm if this will be re-imbursed to the Contractor or whether there is any sort of cap on costs incurred. Could you also confirm that Playground Inspections are included in this specification item and should be priced with this item in the Pricing Schedule.

A5. Playground Inspections are completed in-house. We are only looking for Contractors to supply and spread of sand and cut the grass for playground maintenance, and to record the works completed.

Q6. With regards to Lot 3 – Planting and Decorative Planters, are you able to provide any further detail on total or per site quantities of plants to be supplied? Additionally, are you able to provide any further detail on the types of plants required for each site. This would assist us in being able to provide a more accurate price in terms of supply and maintenance. 

A6. As per spec, we require an assortment of plants to ensure visual displays all-year round. Quantities are up to contractors to determine in order for best visual outcome. We would encourage all potential bidders to visit the sites to understand the requirements.

Q7. Lot 1 Section 5 Quality Question 1 asks bidders to Describe your approach to grounds maintenance, including sweeping, litter control, lawful waste disposal. The only item in the specification and price document for sweeping in Lot 1 is to ‘Sweep tennis courts weekly to maintain a safe, debris-free surface’. Please can you confirm that this is what is being referred to in the quality question?

A7. Yes, that is what is being referred to.

Q8. The same question asks about pesticide compliance?  Please can you confirm what this should be in compliance with? Is it the Lewes District Council’s Health & Safety and Pesticide Policies, as mentioned in the specification? If so, please could bidders have copies?

A8. We follow Lewes District Council’s Pesticide Policies which can be found online:Pesticide policy and pollinator strategy – Appendix 1.pdf

Q9. What is the submission deadline time on 07/11/2025? We seem not to find a time in the tender pack. The notice published on contracts finder does say 07/11/2025 11:59pm. Is this correct?

A9. Yes – ANSWER REVISED on 10 November – the submission deadline is now 7 December 2025 23:59

Q10. In the Contract Application Form, page 2 , you wrote: “Responses to clarification questions will be uploaded publicly to Seaford Town Council’s website (www.seafordtowncouncil.gov.uk) to ensure fairness. We can’t locate this. Would you be so kind and guide us?

A10. On our website:Contracts and Tenders under Tender Q&A

Q11. Will you respond to our clarifications via email?

A11. Yes and publish answers online.

Q12. I hope we can arrange a meeting or call to discuss the projects and confirm some of the details. We are confident we can visit the specific locations and review all necessary documents and provide a full tender submission within the time frame suggested. 

A12. We are unable to hold meetings with potential bidders directly due to fairness reasons. If you have any questions, please contact projectsandfacilities@seafordtowncouncil.gov.uk

Q13. I have seen you are asking for tenders at the moment, would it be possible to visit these sites with one of your staff to show us what is required?

A13. We are unable to do site visits due to fairness, we encourage any bidders to visit all sites which are publicly available. If you have any questions post visit, please contact us.

Q14. Could you please confirm the number, size and type of pole baskets for the town planters and whether these units will be supplied by the Council?

A14. As per spec p.16 we have 23 planters and 13 pole planters in town, planters are provided as already installed.

Q15. Do you require any play equipment inspections, repairs or maintenance beyond the emergency repairs described in the specification? If so, could you elaborate on the arrangements. In particular who is responsible for sourcing and supplying play equipment spares and if required, how this is to be priced.

A15. No, we do not and we do not require emergency repairs, or sourcing and supplying equipment except playground sand included in the pricing schedule.

Q16. Can you confirm the combined Square meterage of the all the urban verges?

A16. As per spec p.16, this is 129,378 m² of grass verges.

Q17. I can’t see how many football and rugby pitches there are. Can you let me know please?

A17. 2 rugby (both at the Salts) as well as 1 medium sized football pitch at the Salts, 1 full size football at the Crouch & 1 mini pitch at the crouch.

Q18. In 1.5 Submission Requirements, it asks for “Dynamic and/or task-based risk assessment for all activities” As this would be hundreds in number, would you accept a list of them along with some examples for key tasks such as grass cutting?

A18. Yes, for the purposes of the tender, though we will expect the successful applicant to carry these out prior to work commencing and for these to be shared upon request.

Q19. The first quality questions in Lot 1 asks about ‘environmentally friendly grass cutting’ Please can you confirm that you are not looking for alternative mowing regimes to be suggested here but techniques and good practice?

A19. We are not looking for alternative mowing regimes only proposed techniques and good practice.

Q20. The first quality question for Lot 2 asks bidders to comment on ‘adherence to cutting heights’ however there is no cutting height for Lot 2 mentioned in the specification. Please can you confirm how bidders should answer this? 

A20. This will be established during the meetings with the successful bidder before the works start.

Q21. We would like to confirm a point on the revised pricing schedule.

Our copy shows a small misalignment of the data in column C starting at row 20. We have assumed these should all just be moved up one row to align correctly with the rest of the columns.

However, could you just confirm whether the last line in the fixed section of Lot 1 marked as ‘Pitch Preparation (line marking, litter clearance)’ should be included in this section. This appears to show against a ‘total’ row.

A21. Yes, the info in c21 should be one cell above, in c20

Q22. Are you able to supply an estimated value for each of the 3 Lots?

A22. 132k per year for lot 1, 28k per year lot 2, & 10k per year lot 3 x max 5 years.

Q23. With regard to Lot 2 we have noticed that the revised pricing schedule now includes the following wording “(including litter clearance & disposal of arisings, grass, clippings debris etc)”. Can you please confirm that we have understood correctly that all of the 4 cut verges in Lot 2 should be priced as cut and collect rather than cut and drop. Or does this wording refer to just the removal of arisings that land on any paths/hardstanding, and that we should price for a cut and drop grass cut on these 4 cut verges.

A23. As per p.12 contract application we give option to quote for either cut and drop or cut and collect & would welcome pricing for both options.

Q24. In the specification against E. Emergency works it says, ‘carry out emergency repairs to playground equipment’ Given the response to a clarification on 24 October which states playground inspections are completed in house, would emergency repairs be a task for the in-house playground team?

A24. No, the in-house inspection team do weekly playground inspections, not emergency works.

Q25. Could you please confirm whether you intend to issue a revised tender pack? Have there been any changes to the Specification, Pricing Sheet, or other documents?

A25. Only the deadline has changed, so we are not reissuing the tender pack. Any changes that are made are on Contracts Finder and Find a Tender labelled ‘REVISED’.

Q26. We would like to raise a clarification on the revised pricing schedule. Can you please confirm that we need to complete only the ‘Final’ tab on the revised pricing schedule document, and that we do not need to complete the ‘Sheet1’ tab.

A26. Correct, only the ‘final’ tab requires completing.

Tender Q&A updated 18 Nov 2025

This page was updated 10 November 2025