Qualified Lead Advisor

Summary

We are seeking an experienced individual who can provide project support for the volunteers of Lowestoft Museum as they undertake a major capital project to prevent water ingress to Broad House, where the museum is based. You will need to have good interpersonal skills and an established track record of capital project management in a historic environment.

About Lowestoft Museum

Lowestoft Museum is an Accredited Museum found inside Broad House, a Grade ll listed building dating from 1685 situated within the grounds of Nicholas Everitt Park, Oulton Broad, NR33 9JR. Broad House is owned by and shared with Nicholas Everitt Park Trust acting by Oulton Broad Parish Council. The aim of the Museum is to collect, preserve, and display objects relating to the history of the area and its people, and awareness and interest in the rich local heritage. It is staffed by local volunteers, is free to enter, and funded by donations, shop income, and other fundraising activities. The Museum is home to an important collection of 18th-century Lowestoft Porcelain, partly owned by Lowestoft Town Council. There are also displays of locally found fossils and artefacts relating to early man including Pakefield Man (dating back 700,000 years). Archaeological displays include objects from local Roman and Anglo-Saxon sites. There are also a range of other local history displays. For more information, visit www.lowestoftmuseum.org.

About the Museum Estate and Development Fund

The Arts Council England (ACE) Museum Estate and Development (MEND) Fund is an open access capital fund targeted at non-national Accredited Museums and local authorities based in England to apply for funding to undertake urgent maintenance backlogs which are beyond the scope of day-to-day maintenance budgets.The impacts ACE expects to see from this investment are:

• Museums across England who are awarded a MEND grant improve their core infrastructure by tackling their maintenance backlogs.

• Museums across England who are awarded a MEND grant reduce the immediate risks to buildings, visitors, staff and collections due to improved core infrastructure.

The outcomes ACE expects to see from recipients of this investment are:

• Museums are more financially resilient and environmentally responsible by developing and implementing maintenance plans.

• Environmental performance of buildings and equipment is increased, supporting the reduction in carbon emissions in the museum sector.

• Improvement in museums’ ability to offer independent access for disabled people and accommodation of diverse user needs.

• Museums have strengthened their contribution to local community and regeneration by preserving landmark buildings and ensuring locally treasured collections are accessible by the public. 

The project

Lowestoft Museum was awarded £243,281 in 2022 by Arts Council England as part of the first round of Museum Estate and Development Fund to carry out urgent repairs to Broad House. Water ingress is causing damage to the Museum building and collections. Initial investigations suggested that the cause of the dampness was the external walls combined with a failed tanking structure in the cellar. Following advice from Historic England, further survey work by qualified conservation specialists identified that inadequate drainage and rainwater dispersal/disposal systems, along with a failure to address flooding issues in the cellar caused by the external high water table, are major contributors to the perilous state of the buildings. The final submission to the MEND fund is based on the recommendations identified by Historic England and is outlined in subsequent surveys by a conservation architect and structural engineer.

The repair and maintenance works ACE expects to see from its Grant in Aid Capital to Lowestoft Museum are:

• Roof repairs

• Replacement of falling rainwater dispersal system

• Renewal and separation of surface and foul water drainage

• Installation of French drains and structural repairs to alleviate flooding in the Museum cellar

• Upgrades to building services

Governance and management of the project

The project is led by Lowestoft Museum Trustees with support from the Association for Suffolk Museums and Suffolk County Council. Arts Council England is the main funder. The project also includes the following funding partners:

• Nicholas Everitt Park Trust (Oulton Broad Parish Council)

• Lowestoft Town Council

• East Suffolk Council

• Adnams Community Trust

The project is governed by a Project Management Board (PMB). The PMB includes representatives from the Museum Trustees, Nicholas Everitt Park Trust (Oulton Broad Parish Council), Lowestoft Town Council, and Association for Suffolk Museums.

A Qualified Lead Advisor (QLA) and Project Support & Relationship Manager will report to the PMB at monthly meetings.

The Project Support & Relationship Manager will support funder reporting, necessary fundraising, project administration, and liaise between all project partners to ensure that the project runs smoothly. The capital project will be managed by the Qualified Lead Advisor (QLA).

The QLA will oversee the capital works including obtaining listed building consent, the appointment of appropriate professional contractors, and will undertake regular site meetings from the commencement of works to practical completion. More details about this role are outlined below.

Role of the Qualified Lead Advisor

The Qualified Lead Advisor will be expected to:

• Develop and make an application for Listed Building Consent

• Develop a schedule of works to support seeking tenders

• Support the PMB in the assessment and award of tenders

• Prepare tender contracts (using JCT MW or similar)

• Undertake regular site visits during the construction phase, preparing and circulating appropriate minutes and providing further information as necessary to contractors

• Undertake monthly valuations and certify stage payments

• Attend monthly PMB meetings to report on project progress

• Certify practical completion of the project

• Provide documentation as requested by the project funders and in support of the management of the grant

• Support the creation of a simple 10-Year Maintenance and Management Plan for the museum

• Work within the terms and condition of the ACE MEND grant award in respect of procurement and management of contracts 

• Work alongside the PMB, museum trustees, volunteers and other stakeholders to the smooth and successful completion of the project

Project milestones

Planning consultation January 2024

Draw up tender January 2024

Advertisement of tenders and appointment of a lead contractor February 2024

Establishment of schedule of works with detailed milestones March 2024

Works begin April/May 2024

Practical completion November 2024

Completion of Maintenance and Management Plan December 2024

Project Ends February 2025

Tender Requirements

All proposals must include a methodology and programme that outlines an approach to the brief, referencing the role as described in this document. This should be short, succinct, and practical in nature, and should not exceed 10 pages including case studies and photographs. The document should also include the following information:

• Details of previous relevant experience, including CV.

• A detailed breakdown of fees, including expenses and showing VAT where applicable.

• Details of at least two relevant referees.

Submissions should also demonstrate:

• Demonstrable experience of working with a listed building and a commitment to a conservation approach

• An understanding of the impact of running a capital project in a public building and detail of necessary considerations in approach to allow the museum to continue to be open for visitors for the duration of the works

Submissions should be addressed to Rodney Duerden, Chair of Trustees and emailed to: museums@suffolk.gov.uk

Timetable for tender

Deadline for submission: 11 December 2024

Invite to interview: 14 December 2024

Interview dates: 18 December 2024