Tender

Upstream Thinking: Water Catchment Management Framework

  • SOUTH WEST WATER LIMITED

F05: Contract notice – utilities

Notice identifier: 2025/S 000-004795

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-04de46

Published 12 February 2025, 4:06pm



Section one: Contracting entity

one.1) Name and addresses

SOUTH WEST WATER LIMITED

Peninsula House,Rydon Lane

EXETER

EX27HR

Contact

Rachel Anthwal

Email

ranthwal@southwestwater.co.uk

Telephone

+44 7741818054

Country

United Kingdom

Region code

UKK43 - Devon CC

Companies House

02366640

Internet address(es)

Main address

https://www.southwestwater.co.uk/

one.3) Communication

Access to the procurement documents is restricted. Further information can be obtained at

https://pennon.esourcingportal.com/current_opportunities.cfm

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via

https://pennon.esourcingportal.com/current_opportunities.cfm

one.6) Main activity

Water


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Upstream Thinking: Water Catchment Management Framework

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 90700000 - Environmental services

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

South West Water Limited is seeking (as a centralised purchasing body on behalf of itself and other subsidiaries within the Pennon Group from time to time) to enter into a framework with multiple suppliers for the supply and management of water catchment services to both regulated utilities and other subsidiary entities within the Pennon Group for a five year period from May 2025 to 31 March 2030 with the possibility to extend the framework contract for a further three years.

Bidders should please note that it is anticipated that the management of the framework will be conducted for the Group by South West Water Limited, and this will also be expressly acknowledged and authorised by the Pennon Group contracting entities when entering into call-off contracts under the framework, including authorisation for South West Water Limited to make orders on behalf of the relevant contracting entity. It is then intended that the services will be implemented through call-offs with specific Pennon Group contracting entities.

South West Water Limited is running this procurement using the Open Procedure with prior call for competition under Regulation 47 of the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016.

Upstream Thinking (UST) is Pennon Groups ambitious and innovative Natural Capital-based approach to investment in resilience. Since 2006 this evolving Catchment Management programme, has focused on protecting the rivers, reservoirs, and aquifers of the region from pollution and detrimental environmental landscape impacts, together with supporting flora and fauna. The inherent uncertainty of deriving drinking water for treatment from surface waters, and from the lower reaches of large and variable river systems, is the principal risk that UST seeks to address.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £10,000,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: Yes

Tenders may be submitted for all lots

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Water Catchment Management: Key Deliver Partners

Lot No

1

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 77000000 - Agricultural, forestry, horticultural, aquacultural and apicultural services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKI6 - Outer London – South
  • UKJ - South East (England)
  • UKK - South West (England)

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

South West Water Limited is seeking (as a centralised purchasing body on behalf of itself and other subsidiaries within the Pennon Group from time to time) to enter into a framework with multiple suppliers for the supply and management of water catchment services to both regulated utilities and other subsidiary entities within the Pennon Group for a five year period from May 2025 to 31 March 2030 with the possibility to extend the framework contract for a further three years.

Bidders should please note that it is anticipated that the management of the framework will be conducted for the Group by South West Water Limited, and this will also be expressly acknowledged and authorised by the Pennon Group contracting entities when entering into call-off contracts under the framework, including authorisation for South West Water Limited to make orders on behalf of the relevant contracting entity. It is then intended that the services will be implemented through call-offs with specific Pennon Group contracting entities.

South West Water Limited is running this procurement using the Negotiated Procedure with prior call for competition under Regulation 47 of the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016.

Upstream Thinking (UST) is Pennon Groups ambitious and innovative Natural Capital-based approach to investment in resilience. Since 2006 this evolving Catchment Management programme, has focused on protecting the rivers, reservoirs, and aquifers of the region from pollution and detrimental environmental landscape impacts, together with supporting flora and fauna. The inherent uncertainty of deriving drinking water for treatment from surface waters, and from the lower reaches of large and variable river systems, is the principal risk that UST seeks to address.

This work builds on the existing contracts / frameworks which were put in place for AMP7 for both Bristol Water and South West Water. The new framework seeks to combine these into one comprehensive framework which will allow for the whole of the business to utilise for catchment management partnership delivery including Upstream Thinking and Green First. It will also incorporate the new performance measures as outlined in WINEP requirements. Specifically for Upstream Thinking this includes expanding the programme into new drinking water catchments, to deliver against both WINEP outcomes and the new OFWAT Biodiversity performance commitment. The upstream Thinking programme also delivers against other AMP8 business plan outcomes including planting 300,000 trees, re-naturalising our waterways for wildlife, control invasive non-native species, and our 1,000 ponds initiative.

The focus of the framework will be to engage local partnership delivery specialists who have developed significant knowledge of the catchments while creating widespread support and trust from land owners and managers. The partnership element is a key part of this framework and the ability to bring match funding, co benefits and other in-kind contributions and support to the shared delivery outcomes will be a key factor.

For this delivery Farm advisers within the organisations act as honest brokers in the catchment and engage with farmers to provide advice, business planning, and grants for farm infrastructure and habitat restoration to bring about behaviour change and Natural Capital improvements. This increases the flow of Environmental Goods and Services (EGS) (e.g. clean raw water) from farms to deliver improved business performance in the following areas:

• Pro-active management of Drinking Water Protected Areas (DrWPA) at risk and increased raw water usability due to reduced pollutant loads with sustained and elevated base-flows,

• Drinking Water treatment works (DWTW) efficiency due to avoidance of shutdowns from pollution, taste, and odour failures, together with lower asset running costs,

• Downstream environmental protection for wastewater treatment and networks, with improved functionality due to reduced catchment peak-flows with impacts on Combined Sewer Outlet (CSO) discharge frequency and volumes,

• Long term business protection against future uncertainty (e.g. climate change and emerging catchment threats such as new chemicals which may enter the water environment), Statutory environmental protection and delivery of wider environmental responsibilities (e.g. the Environment Agency's Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP)).

Where applicable, these delivery partners will need to demonstrate past ability to use SWW funds to access and deliver 3rd party funding streams to support the SWW investments in these catchments (noting this approach was not previously undertaken in Bristol Water catchments). This could include Defra funds and other sources

This investment supports the stated customers' priorities of:

• A clean, safe and reliable supply of drinking water,

• Reliable wastewater service,

• Resilience,

• Protecting the Environment.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents

two.2.6) Estimated value

Value excluding VAT: £7,000,000

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Duration in months

60

This contract is subject to renewal

No

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: Yes

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

The framework will be for a five year period from May 2025 (estimated) to 31 March 2030 with the possibility to extend for a further three years.

two.2) Description

two.2.1) Title

Water Catchment Management: Approved Providers

Lot No

2

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 77000000 - Agricultural, forestry, horticultural, aquacultural and apicultural services

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKI6 - Outer London – South
  • UKJ - South East (England)
  • UKK - South West (England)

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

South West Water Limited is seeking (as a centralised purchasing body on behalf of itself and other subsidiaries within the Pennon Group from time to time) to enter into a framework with multiple suppliers for the supply and management of water catchment services to both regulated utilities and other subsidiary entities within the Pennon Group for a five year period from May 2025 to 31 March 2030 with the possibility to extend the framework contract for a further three years.

Bidders should please note that it is anticipated that the management of the framework will be conducted for the Group by South West Water Limited, and this will also be expressly acknowledged and authorised by the Pennon Group contracting entities when entering into call-off contracts under the framework, including authorisation for South West Water Limited to make orders on behalf of the relevant contracting entity. It is then intended that the services will be implemented through call-offs with specific Pennon Group contracting entities.

South West Water Limited is running this procurement using the Negotiated Procedure with prior call for competition under Regulation 47 of the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016.

Upstream Thinking (UST) is Pennon Groups ambitious and innovative Natural Capital-based approach to investment in resilience. Since 2006 this evolving Catchment Management programme, has focused on protecting the rivers, reservoirs, and aquifers of the region from pollution and detrimental environmental landscape impacts, together with supporting flora and fauna. The inherent uncertainty of deriving drinking water for treatment from surface waters, and from the lower reaches of large and variable river systems, is the principal risk that UST seeks to address.

This work builds on the existing contracts / frameworks which were put in place for AMP7 for both Bristol Water and South West Water. The new framework seeks to combine these into one comprehensive framework which will allow for the whole of the business to utilise for catchment management partnership delivery including Upstream Thinking and Green First. It will also incorporate the new performance measures as outlined in WINEP requirements. Specifically for Upstream Thinking this includes expanding the programme into new drinking water catchments, to deliver against both WINEP outcomes and the new OFWAT Biodiversity performance commitment. The upstream Thinking programme also delivers against other AMP8 business plan outcomes including planting 300,000 trees, re-naturalising our waterways for wildlife, control invasive non-native species, and our 1,000 ponds initiative.

The focus of the framework will be to engage local partnership delivery specialists who have developed significant knowledge of the catchments while creating widespread support and trust from land owners and managers. The partnership element is a key part of this framework and the ability to bring match funding, co benefits and other in-kind contributions and support to the shared delivery outcomes will be a key factor.

For this delivery Farm advisers within the organisations act as honest brokers in the catchment and engage with farmers to provide advice, business planning, and grants for farm infrastructure and habitat restoration to bring about behaviour change and Natural Capital improvements. This increases the flow of Environmental Goods and Services (EGS) (e.g. clean raw water) from farms to deliver improved business performance in the following areas:

• Pro-active management of Drinking Water Protected Areas (DrWPA) at risk and increased raw water usability due to reduced pollutant loads with sustained and elevated base-flows,

• Drinking Water treatment works (DWTW) efficiency due to avoidance of shutdowns from pollution, taste, and odour failures, together with lower asset running costs,

• Downstream environmental protection for wastewater treatment and networks, with improved functionality due to reduced catchment peak-flows with impacts on Combined Sewer Outlet (CSO) discharge frequency and volumes,

• Long term business protection against future uncertainty (e.g. climate change and emerging catchment threats such as new chemicals which may enter the water environment), Statutory environmental protection and delivery of wider environmental responsibilities (e.g. the Environment Agency's Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP)).

Where applicable, these delivery partners will need to demonstrate past ability to use SWW funds to access and deliver 3rd party funding streams to support the SWW investments in these catchments (noting this approach was not previously undertaken in Bristol Water catchments). This could include Defra funds and other sources

This investment supports the stated customers' priorities of:

• A clean, safe and reliable supply of drinking water,

• Reliable wastewater service,

• Resilience,

• Protecting the Environment.

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents

two.2.6) Estimated value

Value excluding VAT: £3,000,000

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Duration in months

60

This contract is subject to renewal

No

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: Yes

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: Yes

Description of options

The framework will be for a five year period from May 2025 (estimated) to 31 March 2030 with the possibility to extend for a further three years.


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Open procedure

four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system

The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement

Framework agreement with several operators

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

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date

19 March 2025

Local time

5:00pm

four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted

English

four.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender

Duration in months: 24 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)

four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders

Date

20 March 2025

Local time

4:00pm


Section six. Complementary information

six.1) Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: No

six.3) Additional information

This procurement is being conducted under regulation 47 of the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016, and will only be available through the Pennon Supplier Portal.

Interested parties should note that this procurement may not result in the award of any contract, and issue of this Contract Notice does not create any form of contract, implied or otherwise, between South West Water Limited and any other party, and that participation in procurement process is entirely at potential suppliers' own risk.

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

High Court of England and Wales

London

EC4A 1NL

Country

United Kingdom