Planning

Community Energy Pathways Soft Market Test

  • Leicestershire County Council

F01: Prior information notice (prior information only)

Notice identifier: 2024/S 000-001264

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-042d1b

Published 15 January 2024, 1:10pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Leicestershire County Council

County Hall, Leicester Road, Glenfield

Leicester

LE3 8RA

Contact

Mr Luke Rawle

Email

luke.rawle@leics.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 1163052043

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKF22 - Leicestershire CC and Rutland

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.eastmidstenders.org/index.html

Buyer's address

https://www.eastmidstenders.org/index.html

one.3) Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at

https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert/Index?advertId=18c4f55f-a5b3-ee11-8127-005056b64545

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Regional or local authority

one.5) Main activity

General public services


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Community Energy Pathways Soft Market Test

Reference number

DN706955

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 90710000 - Environmental management

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

Leicestershire CAN (Collaborate to Accelerate Net Zero): Demonstrator have been awarded funds by Innovate UK to create an environment for well-planned, deliverable, impactful place-based net zero interventions in Leicestershire, replicable to other local authority (LA) areas.

Leicestershire County Council (‘the Council’) is preparing to procure a Community Energy Pathways (CEP) supplier. The Council would like to consult the market prior to any tender being issued.

CEP is a process to identify and develop community energy capacity across Leicestershire, sharing best practice and enabling scalability of new business models.

The purpose of this Soft Market Testing (SMT) is to gauge interest from the market and to investigate potential options to enable the Council to refine our approach and inform the decision-making process that needs to be undertaken prior to any possible future procurement.

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 71314000 - Energy and related services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKF22 - Leicestershire CC and Rutland

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

We are testing the market for suppliers who can deliver the Community Energy Pathway work package. This work package will:

 Assess the current state of community energy in Leicestershire and identify opportunities/key priority areas, to inform the development of community energy capacity.

 Engage the relevant stakeholders in the county to gather support and interest for community energy.

 Assess and work with interested parties and community groups, to share understanding about becoming or setting up a new community energy organization.

 Identify potential for at least one community energy organisation in each of the districts of Leicestershire – assessing the levels of support, training and skills needed to enable them to thrive.

 Support community energy across Leicestershire through the provision of tools and resources, to cover funding, finance models, legal and other appropriate areas to enable the organisations to deliver projects successfully.

 Provide specialist training and support for the chosen new community energy organisations and to the existing community energy groups in Leicestershire. To include, share offers, energy advice, business models, legal and feasibility offers.

 Work with the other work packages of the demonstrator to identify a pipeline of community energy projects and support undertaking feasibility studies to deliver against the Demonstrator’s ambition of having 14 projects in discover, development or delivery by the end of the project.

 Provide grants to new community energy organisations to support their set up.

 Work towards embedding longevity and sustainable business models for community energy in Leicestershire to ensure they continue to success after the completion of the Demonstrator – engaging with the other work packages and also sharing guidance and lessons learned to other local authority areas, so they may be able to replicate the success seen in Leicestershire.

two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice

1 March 2024


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No