Scope
Reference
25-012
Description
CCW wishes to appoint a market research agency to provide qualitative and potentially quantitative research services to:
Understand experiences of the household customer journey to smart metering for different household segments
Understand what an ideal journey would look like for different segments
Within the journey, consider the delivery of the smart metering process itself, including, but not limited to:
information provision (what, when and how)
and practical support for consumers such as help for low-income households
water saving advice
awareness of supply pipe responsibility
and water company leakage policies.
Explore awareness of the context in which universal metering schemes are currently happening, and identify what consumers see as legitimate reasons for rolling out smart metering programmes (e.g. water resources/environmental drought, cost of different ways of ensuring there is sufficient water for now and the long term)
At high-level gauge consumer sentiment to the potential to use variable tariffs to help manage water use at peak times of day and in the summer.
The research will mainly be with household water bill-payers in England and Wales, in areas which reflects a mix of water companies, and water resource contexts. For some research objectives it may be appropriate, where meaningful, to include future bill-payers
Contract 1. Consumer focused smart metering journeys
Supplier
Contract value
- £72,202 excluding VAT
- £90,253 including VAT
Below the relevant threshold
Date signed
13 February 2026
Contract dates
- 13 February 2026 to 30 April 2026
- 2 months, 16 days
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 73110000 - Research services
- 79300000 - Market and economic research; polling and statistics
Contract locations
- UKC - North East (England)
- UKD - North West (England)
- UKE - Yorkshire and the Humber
- UKF - East Midlands (England)
- UKG - West Midlands (England)
- UKH - East of England
- UKI - London
- UKJ - South East (England)
- UKK - South West (England)
- UKL - Wales
Procedure
Procedure type
Below threshold - open competition
Supplier
BLUE MARBLE RESEARCH LIMITED
- Companies House: 05639871
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PBVY-5322-CYWY
5 Merus Court, Meridian Business Park
Leicester
LE19 1RJ
United Kingdom
Email: nicola@bluemarbleresearch.co.uk
Website: https://bluemarbleresearch.co.uk/
Region: UKF22 - Leicestershire CC and Rutland
Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes
Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No
Contract 1. Consumer focused smart metering journeys
Contracting authority
Consumer Council for Water
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PCLM-3677-JYML
23 Stephenson Street
Birmingham
B2 4BH
United Kingdom
Email: procurement@ccwater.org.uk
Region: UKG31 - Birmingham
Organisation type: Public authority - central government