ITQ – Local Plan Programme Officer Sept 2026

Contents Page

1. INTRODUCTION 3
2. TASKS TO BE UNDERTAKEN 4
3. SUBMITTING A QUOTE 4
4. EVALUATION OF QUOTES 5
5. INSTRUCTIONS TO SUPPLIERS 5
6. CONDITIONS OF QUOTES 6

1. INTRODUCTION

The New Forest National Park Authority (‘the Authority’) wishes to appoint a suitably experienced Programme Officer to co-ordinate the day-to-day management of the Examination into the draft New Forest National Park Local Plan 2024 – 2043, in accordance with the relevant legislation and Government advice on Local Plan Examinations. The Government has provided guidance on the role of Programme Officers at Guidance for Programme Officers: Local Plan Examinations (legacy system) - GOV.UK which provides further background. The appointment will start in November 2026 and is likely to run for around 12 months (depending on the precise timetable for the Local Plan Examination).

Background:

The New Forest National Park Authority is the sole statutory planning authority for the 220 miles of the New Forest National Park. The Authority has a duty to maintain an up-to-date Local Plan for the National Park, to form a key part of the statutory development plan against which applications are assessed against. The review of the current adopted New Forest National Park Local Plan (2019) commenced in 2024 and we are currently consulting on the Regulation 19 Submission draft Local Plan. Further details of this consultation are available at Local Plan review 2025-27 - New Forest National Park, and the Regulation 19 consultation is due to conclude on 30 September 2026.

The National Park Authority’s Local Development Scheme (Local Development Scheme - New Forest National Park) confirms our intention to submit the draft Local Plan, supporting evidence base and the Regulation 19 representations to the Secretary of State for independent examination in December 2026. This would ensure the draft Plan is examined under the National Planning Policy Framework (2024) through the ‘legacy’ plan-making system. The Local Plan Examination hearing sessions are likely to take place in Summer 2027.

The National Park Authority is required to have a Programme Officer in place prior to the submission of the draft Local Plan for independent examination and we are therefore looking to have someone in post in November 2026. Working independently and impartially, the Programme Officer will assist the Government-appointed Inspector with administrative and procedural matters, including:

• Acting as the channel of communication outside the Examination between the Inspector, the Authority and members of the public
• Making the arrangements for the hearing sessions and liaising with everyone involved to ensure that the Examination runs smoothly
• Ensuring that all the documentation connected with the Local Plan Examination is received, recorded and distributed and maintaining the Examination Library of core documents.

2. TASKS TO BE UNDERTAKEN

Initially working part time, you will work flexible hours between mid-November 2026 and late 2027, with the majority of the main duties likely to fall in Spring – Summer 2027. The following list of tasks for the Local Plan Programme Officer should be viewed as indicative, as opposed to exhaustive.

• To programme and manage the running of the Examination process and ensure effective communication between all parties throughout.
• Provide administrative and organisational support to the Planning Inspector and the National Park Authority as appropriate.
• Liaise with those organisations and individuals making representations on the draft Local Plan and to provide information and advice to the general public.
• Arrange and manage the smooth running of the Examination sessions and the pre-examination meeting including setting and revising timetables.
• Prepare and issue Guidance Notes on the preparation of evidence and the running of the Examination to those who have submitted representations.
• Maintain and manage the database of representations.
• Receive and accurately record documents and establish and maintain a filing system and a document library. To ensure that the Authority’s website contains up-to-date and relevant information concerning the Examination.
• Communicate and correspond with all relevant parties in the Examination process and ensure adequate publicity for the Examination, as set out in legislation and the code of practice where necessary.
• To act with firmness and authority to ensure that documents and statements are submitted on time and in the appropriate format.
• Ensure a smooth hand over to the Authority following the close of the Examination.

3. SUBMITTING A QUOTE

Prospective suppliers must provide a quote which, as a minimum, covers the following points (in an applicable format of your choice, maximum six sides of A4):

• Provide a description of your approach and illustrate how you propose to undertake the Programme Officer tasks list above.
• Outlines your previous experience undertaking the Programme Officer role at other Local Plan Examinations or planning enquiries (where possible please provide CV’s of any proposed staff).
• Provide an Hourly or Daily Rate(s). It is anticipated that the Programme Officer will be appointed on a self-employed basis, working from home, and charging the National Park Authority an hourly rate plus any reasonable expenses. The Programme Officer will also be expected to attend the National Park Authority’s office in Lymington on occasions and this is likely to be the location for independent Examination hearing sessions in 2027.
• Provide details of any insurances held.

Any queries may be submitted via the contact details below:

For quotation process / procurement queries:

tender@newforestnpa.gov.uk

For technical and organisational queries:

David Illsley, Head of Planning & Place - 01590 646672,

david.illsley@newforestnpa.gov.uk

4. EVALUATION OF QUOTES

The Contract will be awarded on the basis of the most advantageous quote to the Authority, based on the evaluation criteria of 60% price and 40% quality. Quotes will be evaluated and assessed by at least two Authority staff.

5. INSTRUCTIONS TO SUPPLIERS

The proposed Quote timescales are as follows, however these are subject to change. In such an event, Suppliers can see the updated information on our website (Procurement - New Forest National Park):

Quotes submitted after the stipulated time and date advised will be rejected, unless exceptional circumstances are proven, such as clear evidence of postal guarantee or record of successful submission via email.

Suppliers must ensure that their completed return has been received, by noon 14 October 2026 in order for their bids to be evaluated:

1. If your submission is via email, please return it to:

   tender@newforestnpa.gov.uk - to arrive no later than noon 14 October 2026

2. If you wish to post a hard copy reply, it must be marked for the attention of Tom Knott, to arrive no later than noon 14 October 2026 and sent to:

   FAO: Tom Knott, Finance & Sustainable Procurement Officer – [NFNPA 0150]
   New Forest National Park Authority
   Lymington Town Hall
   Avenue Road
   Lymington
   Hampshire
   SO41 9ZG

Please note that you must ensure that the envelope used must bear no mark to identify the sender. Failure to comply with this may result in your quote being excluded from the evaluation process.

Please note that posted entries are sent at the risk of the supplier and confirmation of receipt will not be provided by the Authority, unless specifically requested by the supplier; the Authority will not be liable in any way for entries not received or delayed in the post. Furthermore, the Authority is unable to return any documentation provided, whether the supplier is successful or not.

The Authority shall keep all quotes received unopened until after the ITQ submission deadline of noon 14 October 2026. Any quotes received after this time shall not be considered for evaluation and shall be returned promptly to the supplier.

6. CONDITIONS OF QUOTES

The Terms and Conditions of Contract will be based on the Authority’s General Standard Conditions of Contract, a copy of which can be found below:

NFNPA Standard Terms Contract Aug23.pdf

The Authority reserves the right to withdraw this contract opportunity without notice and will not be liable for any costs incurred by suppliers during any stage of the process. Suppliers should also note that, in the event a quote is considered to be fundamentally unacceptable on a key issue, regardless of its other merits, that quote may be rejected.

Representations

A supplier may contact the Authority to obtain any further information about the requirements of the contract or the quotation procedures if these are not evident or clear from the documents supplied to suppliers.

No questions will be answered that provide a competitive advantage to any party interested in quoting.

Should questions arise during the quoting period, which in our judgment are of material significance, we will inform all suppliers to explain the nature of the question, and our formal reply. All suppliers should then take that reply into consideration when preparing their own bids and we will evaluate bids on the assumption that they have done so.

Specification

For the avoidance of doubt, the contract specification shall include all requirements explicit or implied within this Invitation to Quote.

The Authority reserves the right to withdraw this quotation document and all funding contained within it without notice.

Conflicts of Interest

Supplier must disclose in their Quote any circumstances, including personal, financial and business activities that will, or might, give rise to a conflict of interest by taking part in this competition, or if awarded any contract as a result of this opportunity. This also applies to any sub-contractors that the Supplier wishes to employ as part of any contract.

Where Suppliers identify such potential conflicts, they should immediately state these to the Authority and confirm how they intend to avoid such conflicts. The Authority reserves the right to reject any Quote which, in the opinion of the Authority gives rise, or could potentially give rise to, any conflict of interest.

Quotes Excluded

No quote will be considered for acceptance if the supplier has indulged or attempted to indulge in any corrupt practice or canvassed the quote with an employee of the Authority. If a supplier has indulged or attempted to indulge in such practices and the quote is accepted, then grounds shall exist for the termination of the contract and the claiming of damages from the successful suppliers.

It is unlikely that any quote will be accepted which (a) is incomplete or inaccurately or inadequately completed or which purports to impose conditions other than those provided in the contract documents and (b) is delivered out of time or in a manner other than specified in the specification.

Collusive Quotations

In submitting a quote against this contract, the supplier confirms that they have not fixed or adjusted the amount of the quote by or under or in accordance with any agreement or arrangement with any other person.

The supplier also certifies that at no time, before or following the submission of the quote, has the Supplier carried out any of the following acts:

1. communicating to a person, other than the person calling for the quote, the amount or approximate amount of the proposed quote, except where such disclosure is required for the purpose of obtaining insurance
2. entering into any agreement or arrangement with any person that he shall refrain from quoting or as to the amount of any quote to be submitted
3. offering or paying or giving or agreeing to give any sum of money or valuable consideration directly or indirectly to any person for doing or having done or causing or having caused to be done in relation to any other quote or proposed quote for the said work any act or thing of the sort described above. In the context of this clause the word ‘person’ includes any persons and any body or association, corporate or unincorporated; and ‘any agreement or arrangement’ includes any such transaction, formal or informal, and whether legally binding or not.

Freedom of Information

The National Park Authority is subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 and therefore information in relation to this quote may be requested by third parties. Requests for information will be considered on a case by case basis and consideration will be given as to whether or not the information is exempt from disclosure under the legislation.

Suppliers should identify if any of the information supplied by them is confidential or commercially sensitive and provide details of why they feel release of the information would prejudice their interests. This will not guarantee that the information will not be disclosed but your views will be taken into account when considering a request.

It is important to note that information may be commercially sensitive for a time (e.g. during a quotation process) but afterwards it may not be. The timing of any request for information will be taken into account when determining whether or not the information is exempt, however suppliers should note that no information is likely to be regarded as exempt forever.

Confidentiality

The Supplier (whether this Quote is accepted or not) and all other recipients of the Specification and documents (whether they submit a quote or not) shall treat the details of the Specification and the documents attached hereto as private and confidential and shall not disclose the details to any party.