Design contest
A design contest asks architects and engineers to submit proposals judged by a panel, usually before a design services contract is awarded. UK and Irish rules.
Updated on September 5, 2026
A design contest is a competition in which a public buyer invites architects, engineers, planners or designers to submit a concept or scheme, has it judged by a panel, and then appoints the winner. It is the usual route for choosing the design team on a public building project.
How it works
The Procurement Act 2023, which governs procurement in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, does not name a design contest as a separate procedure. UK buyers run one inside the competitive flexible procedure, which they are free to shape: a tender notice on Find a Tender, a first stage where teams are shortlisted on their expression of interest, then a design stage where the shortlisted teams produce concept drawings against a client brief. Many follow the RIBA or RIAI competition rules, and larger contests use a jury that includes independent professionals qualified in the field. Proposals are usually judged anonymously so that the scheme, not the practice's reputation, decides the outcome.
Design services above the threshold must be advertised: £135,018 including VAT for central government, £207,720 for local authorities and other sub-central bodies (verified 2026-09-05). In Ireland the design contest is still a distinct procedure under the European Union (Award of Public Authority Contracts) Regulations 2016, advertised on eTenders, with a jury whose members hold qualifications equivalent to those of the entrants. In Scotland, contests are run under the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 and advertised on Public Contracts Scotland.
Entrants who deliver a compliant submission are normally paid an honorarium, set out in the notice. The design contract that follows can be negotiated with the winner without a fresh competition, provided that was announced up front.
What it means for a bidder
Design contests concern architectural practices, engineering consultancies and landscape architects. They demand unpaid or partly paid design work, so they are an investment to be picked carefully.
For a small practice, the shortlisting stage decides everything: references, named team, and the range of disciplines covered. Most contests expect a full team (architect, structural and services engineers, cost consultant), which usually means forming a consortium at the expression-of-interest stage. Check the honorarium, the intellectual property clauses and how many stages you are being asked to fund.
Example
Ashcombe Borough Council is building an eight-classroom primary school. Design fees are estimated at £480,000 including VAT, above the £207,720 threshold, so the council publishes a tender notice on Find a Tender and runs a two-stage competitive flexible procedure. Twenty-five teams express interest, three are shortlisted and produce a concept design for an honorarium of £15,000 each. The panel ranks first a five-person practice working with a local structural engineer, and the council then negotiates the appointment.
Frequently asked questions
Are design contests only for architects?
No. They can cover any design or planning problem, but building design is by far the most common use.
Are unsuccessful entrants paid?
Shortlisted teams that submit a compliant proposal receive the honorarium stated in the notice. Those rejected at the expression-of-interest stage receive nothing.
Does the winner automatically get the contract?
Not automatically. The buyer appoints or negotiates with the winner on the basis announced in the notice, and the panel's recommendation is rarely departed from.