The Unicorn Preservation Society wishes to commission a Development Fundraiser to support the Society in successful delivery of Project Safe Haven.

Overview 

The Unicorn Preservation Society (UPS) was formed in 1968 and is charged with the conservation and preservation of HMS Unicorn as a Museum and Heritage Asset. The Society is a registered charity in Scotland, registration number SC002771 and is constituted as a Company Limited by Guarantee, registration number SC046145.

Our mission is to deliver a world class museum experience, work continuously to safeguard the future of HMS Unicorn, and care for our collections while making them accessible to all.

Our vision is to inspire those who visit and work with us, offering lifelong learning and engagement opportunities for our local communities and beyond.

HMS Unicorn is one of the oldest ships still afloat anywhere in the world. Launched at Chatham in in 1824, HMS Unicorn was constructed as a 46-gun frigate. After being laid up “in ordinary”, HMS Unicorn arrived in Dundee in 1873 and was used as a training ship for the Royal Naval Reserves until the 1960s. HMS Unicorn has been berthed in Victoria Dock since 1963. The Ministry of Defence gave the ship to UPS in 1969, and HMS Unicorn has been open to the public since 1975. Previously used as a venue for parties and weddings, many people have fond memories of good times spent on board.

However, the past 200 years have taken their toll on HMS Unicorn, and the ship is in urgent need of a comprehensive programme of preservation works, and a new berth that will provide additional structural support for this historic vessel. UPS intends to bring the historic East Graving Dock back into use to provide a new long-term home for HMS Unicorn, and create a new museum and visitor attraction, ideally incorporating the EGD’s pump house.

UPS has secured funding from the UK SPF Fund to progress plans for Project Safe Haven (PSH), an ambitious project that will transform the visitor experience to HMS Unicorn, preserve the ship for the future, and enable us to grow our award-winning outreach, volunteering and engagement work.

UPS seeks to commission an experienced consultant Development Fundraiser support us in successful delivery of Project Safe Haven.

Ideally the Development Fundraiser should be able demonstrate experience in the following:

• Experience in projects of similar scope and scale
• Experience working with key funders including National Lottery Heritage Fund
• Experience in fundraising for heritage projects
• An awareness of the particular needs of the Dundee area in terms of social and economic challenges

Outputs/deliverables 

We seek an experienced consultant Development Fundraiser who can work with UPS to progress the following work strands:

1. Develop a fundraising strategy to enable us to achieve our vision. Project Safe Haven is a large and very complex project with a total funding requirement of around £27m over several phases. UPS is working towards securing significant support from Tay Cities Deal, and anticipates approaching Historic Environment Scotland, Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme and others.

• Identify of potential sources of funding for core costs and project support, including trusts, foundations, local businesses, potential partners, high net worth individuals, and community fundraising.
• Guidance on how and when to best approach funders and frame applications for funding
• Support UPS staff team and board in building relationships with local/related businesses/organisations and framing approaches for project support (including in-kind/non-cash support)
• Develop a long-term funding plan to supplement UPS revenue-generation post-Project Safe Haven

2. Support the staff team, trustees and project board in planning and delivery of Project Safe Haven
3. Work closely with Fundraising Officer (new hire planned at commencement of PSH) to develop smaller grant applications, Shipmates membership scheme, community fundraising etc.

Contract management 

The work shall be completed by 15 January 2025

Costs should be presented excluding VAT, with expenses stated separately.  

Work will be managed on a day to day basis for UPS by the PSH Project Manager, who will be your primary contact throughout.

Payment schedule

Payment will be made within 28 days of receipt of a valid VAT invoice. Invoices must be received by UPS no more than three days after the date on the invoice.

Award criteria 

A proposal for undertaking the work should include: 

1. a detailed methodology for developing the fundraising strategy
2. an outline of the internal responsibilities and liaisons
3. details of staff allocated to the project, together with experience of the contractor and staff members in carrying out similar projects. The project manager / lead contact should be identified 
4. the allocation of days between members of the team 
5. the daily charging rate of individual staff involved 
6. a timetable, in the form of a Gantt chart or Excel spreadsheet for example, for carrying out the project 
7. an overall cost for the work 

Proposals submitted will be assessed by UPS against the following questions:

1. To what extent does the proposal demonstrate an understanding of the issues (including social values) related to this brief? (30%)
2. To what extent are the methodology and methods appropriate to the requirements set out in this brief? (15%)
3. What degree of experience does the bidder demonstrate in order to successfully complete the work? (15%)
4. How well has the bidder structured a team in order to successfully manage the contract and deliver the required work to the budget and timetable required? (10%)
5. Cost (30%)

Procurement Schedule 

The procurement timetable will be: 

Questions may be submitted to UPS by email	Up to 1 July 2024
Proposals to be received by UPS	5pm on 8 July 2024
Clarification meetings (online or in person)	10 July 2024
UPS to notify bidders of our procurement decision	15 July 2024

Proposals should be sent to Museum Director Matthew Bellhouse Moran by email matthew@hmsunicorn.org.uk, and must be received by the deadline as shown in the table above.

Any questions/queries regarding the brief should be sent to PSH Project Manager via email, to be received no later than 1 July 2024. UPS aims to respond to any queries within two working days of receipt.

You can download this as a PDF file at this link