Job Description

Catalyst Science Discovery Centre and Museum is undertaking an exciting new project funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The Synergy Project aims to make our heritage accessible to new and underrepresented audiences in an entertaining and meaningful way. The project will physically redevelop the heritage galleries and transition spaces, as well as implement a heritage education offer to complement our already successful STEM programme. We are seeking to procure an Marketing Consultant/Consultancy as part of this project.

Summary

Catalyst Science Discovery Centre and Museum is seeking to procure a Marketing Consultant/Consultancy as part of the Delivery Phase of their NHLF Synergy project.

These services will facilitate the creation and distribution of on-line marketing materials.

Contract Details:

Marketing Consultant 43,200

Marketing, promotion, comms & grant acknowledgement. 33,355

Contract is for a period of 2 years.

Contact Point Nikki Burton (nikki@catalyst.org.uk)

Closing Date for Submission 26th August 2025

Note that all amounts quoted in this document exclude VAT.

1.0 Introduction: Catalyst Science Discovery Centre and Museum.

Catalyst is an interactive science centre and museum devoted to chemistry and how the products of chemistry are used in everyday life.

Our mission is to inform, educate and inspire the widest audience about the relevance of chemistry, through our unique offerings and hands-on experiences, our rich industrial heritage archives and our strong links to the local area.

Catalyst welcomes visitors from the local area and beyond, with special events for schools, families, and SEN groups all year round.

A charity launched in 1987, Catalyst celebrates the local chemical industry heritage and is home to a large number of archives and historic artefacts from firms such as ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries) regionally and across the world.

2.0 Project Synergy

2.1 Overview

The Synergy Project is our vision for a new Heritage Offer with co-creation at its heart. Our Co-creation Group (COG) was instrumental in working with the co-creation consultants and consisted of representatives from our target audiences: 1. People living with mental health challenges and those experiencing isolation/loneliness, 2. People with learning and/or physical disabilities and their support networks, 3. Chemical industry community; local community; past and present workers, 4. Local primary schools; children, families and teachers

The themes for the heritage galleries recommended by the Co-creation Consultants are: Our Place, Our Industry, Our Lives/People, Your Chemicals.

Our target audiences were also consulted on display and accessibility requirements.

Outputs for the Synergy Project include:

Highlighting the importance of the Northwest and its communities and how this influenced the development of the global chemical industry Enhancing our education and community engagement programmes by implementing a Heritage offer to complement our Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM) activity Creating new and improved heritage galleries and utilising unused transition spaces such as hallways and stairwells which will link the heritage galleries more coherently. Digitising our extensive archive, making it more accessible to the public than ever before.
Together, through the Synergy Project, we will create a place where locals feel proud of their history and where visitors everywhere are anxious to explore.

Through the stories and artefacts of its (chemical industry) workers, this project will enable us to share and inspire visitors about the chemical industry, the scientific pioneers and the inventions that have radically shaped our lives, past and present.

3.0 Scope of the Work

The Museum is looking to procure a Marketing Consultant/Consultancy as part of the Delivery Phase of their of the Synergy project. For the period of the delivery until June 2027.

The successful consultancy will be appointed by the Museum (the Client) and be expected to work alongside the Client and the Core Operational (Delivery) Group comprising:

Synergy Project Manager TBA

Project Lead Nikki Burton

Heritage & Collections Manager Judith Wilde

Marketing Manager Meryl Jameson

Design & Build Consultant TBA

Evaluator TBA

Project Assistant TBA

Claims & Monitoring Support (HBC) Josie Fallon

The Marketing services required will include the following:

Liaise with the Catalyst Marketing Manager to develop and implement a range of digital marketing campaigns for the Synergy project to enhance our digital presence and engage our audience across various online platforms

To design and create engaging promotional materials, including social media posts and newsletters

Create and manage targeted email marketing campaigns to engage with our customer base and plan and deliver digital advertising campaigns across platforms such as Facebook Ads, Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads

Manage the Synergy social media profiles and presence, including for example but not exclusively: Facebook, X, LinkedIn

Use data analysis tools to measure the success of each marketing and advertising campaign.

Assist in the production of promotional materials ensuring they align with Catalyst's branding and marketing goals

Collaborate with Catalyst staff to ensure consistency in our marketing message and to develop new promotional opportunities

To provide regular project updates for the Project Management Group

Comply with Lottery branding requirements as this project is National Lottery Heritage funded

Adhere to The Heritage Fund's digital guidance.

Adhere to Heritage Fund's guidelines on inclusion and interpretation good practice

3.1 Schedule of Services

Stage 1:

Develop a Marketing and Comms Plan for the Synergy Project, including agreed key milestones within the first month of appointment

Ongoing

Provide regular programme information and project reports to the Project Manager and Project Management Group, including analytics on the performance of the digital activity

3.2 Catalyst Management of the Commission

The commission will be managed by the Synergy Project Manager. Regular communication is expected throughout the project, along with a formal monthly progress report

4.0 Procurement budget, process and timescale

4.1 Procurement Budget

The maximum fee available for this commission is 43,200

4.2 Inclusions and Exclusions

There is a budget available for marketing, promotion, communications and grant acknowledgement of 33,355

Payment schedule will be 20% on appointment, followed by payments at 6 monthly intervals subject to progress against agreed milestones.

4.3 Procurement Process

This is an open competitive tender led by Catalyst Science Discovery Centre and Museum.

Please include in your written response to this Invitation to Tender:

A written response of no more than 10 sides of A4 to the information within the criteria as outlined in Section 6.
Please provide project examples with testimonials where possible. Please use recent and relevant projects, as outlined in Section 6. Where possible, examples should demonstrate relevance to the chemical or heritage sectors.

Please provide details and CVs for the team who would be engaged on the project, should you be successful. This should include who the main point of contact will be, as well as the main team member from any sub-consultants in the design team. (CV documentation is not included within the 10-page written response limit).

Please provide a lump sum fee proposal (inclusive of reasonable expenses, but exclusive of VAT) for the team to deliver the schedule of services found in Section 3. Please ensure that your fees include for any reasonable expenses, disbursements, marketing material, renders or print outs that Catalyst may require.

Copies of 3 years business accounts
Any enquiries or requests for information relating to this brief should be submitted to Nikki Burton, CEO at nikki@catalyst.org.uk by 5pm on 19th August 2025.

Your response must be submitted to Nikki Burton at nikki@catalyst.org.uk by 5pm Monday 26th August 2025.

Site visits can be arranged by contacting Nikki Burton nikki@catalyst.org.uk

4.4 Procurement timetable

Proposed timetable

Invitation to Tender issued 1st August 25

ITT response deadline 26th August 25

ITT evaluation and shortlisting deadline 1st September 25

Interviews 12th September 25

Contract start date ASAP

The award of this contract is subject to approval by our funding partners.

5.0 Award Criteria

Proposals will be assessed on best value - 70% quality / 30% price ratio.

The Museum is looking for:

Innovation and creativity within design approach Collaboration and communication Value for money
Quality criteria:

Relevant Experience

Please provide examples of relevant projects that you/your team have worked on recently (ideally within the last 3 years), which demonstrate your experience of delivering comparable projects (scope/cost/delivery) and where possible, include testimonials to back up examples.

Take into account the vision document (Appendix 5) and please outline in relation to your experience what you/your company will bring, including lessons learned.

Please include a minimum of two examples of a similar marketing projects.

Approach and Methodology

With reference to recent (last 3 years) experience of delivering comparable projects (funders/sector/scope/cost), please outline how you will approach the scope of works, with specific reference to the company's approach to:

1. Innovation and creativity

2. Communication and collaboration style and approach

3. Environmental sustainability

4. Value for money and budget management

5. Experience of working on public funded projects

6. Timescale(eg Gantt chart) for project delivery

Social Value

Explain how your services will help to improve the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of Halton residents and visitors

1. Please propose what social value you will deliver should you be successful in your appointment as marketing lead for this project?

2. Please outline what prior experience you/your team has with engaging the community to further benefit their projects?

Fee Proposal

Please fill out both the 'Fees and Resources Schedule'

(Appendix 6)

and the 'Fees Cashflow'

(Appendix 7)

to propose a fee to cover the services as outlined in Section

3. Please ensure that your fee includes for all reasonable expenses, disbursements, marketing material, renders, prints and the like, that the Client may reasonably require.

7 Financial Checks

Please provide copies of 3 years business accounts

Pass/Fail

The Trust reserves the right to:

Make no appointment. Negotiate the scope and fee for the works with a preferred supplier. Suggest to preferred consultants the substitution of any proposed sub-contracted
consultants.

Extend the commission to further stages of work by negotiation and within the terms of the UK Public Procurement Regulations 2015
Please see full Invitation to Tender with Appendices in this link

https://www.catalyst.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Marketing-ITT.pdf

Job Type: Fixed term contract
Contract length: 24 months

Pay: Up to 21,600.00 per year

Benefits:

Discounted or free food Employee discount Free parking On-site parking
Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 26/08/2025
Reference ID: MktgCons