Scope
Description
Since June 2023 Cambridge City Council has been working with consultants and academic partners to develop an Outline Business Case for a City Centre District Heating Network. Detailed Project Development has now completed, proposing a low carbon network using air source and river source heat pumps, and supported by a transition to electric boilers from gas boilers to supplement peak heat demand.
This work has been brought forward through a partnership between the City Council, the County Council, and 19 Academic institutions with significant heating demand in the city centre. Connections to many of these partner heat loads now forms the basis of the Minimum Viable Product identified for delivery through a Partner-invested Joint Venture Partnership, and with strategic ambition to expand such a network across the City in the long term, informed by an informal Heat Zoning review which has also been completed.
Cambridge City Council will be looking for potential partners who wish to be appointed to the established partnership to provide Design, Build, Operation and maintenance Services, inclusive of metering and billing. We feel that establishment of a new district heating network in a city of Global significance is a momentous opportunity, and we wish to procure a DBOM partner who shares our vision and understanding of the opportunities which this may bring.
Contract dates (estimated)
- 31 January 2027 to 30 January 2042
- 15 years
Main procurement category
Works
CPV classifications
- 45211360 - Urban development construction work
- 45232140 - District-heating mains construction work
- 45232141 - Heating works
- 71314000 - Energy and related services
Contract locations
- UKH12 - Cambridgeshire CC
Submission
Publication date of tender notice (estimated)
31 October 2026
Tender submission deadline
15 December 2026, 11:59pm
Procedure
Procedure type
Below threshold - open competition
Contracting authority
Cambridge City Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PCBT-6819-NDPJ
The Guildhall
Cambridge
CB2 1BY
United Kingdom
Email: procurement@cambridge.gov.uk
Region: UKH12 - Cambridgeshire CC
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government