- Lot 1. Substation OT Prof Services (security assurance in substations, firewalls, common platforms)
- Lot 2. OT Security Services inc. Training & Awareness
- Lot 3. OT Infrastructure and Network Services inc. Substations (hardware, networking)
- Lot 4. OT Operations (BAU Support and Development)
- Lot 5. Data Center Hosting
- Lot 6. Delivery Services
Scope
Description
Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Plc (SHET) trading as SSEN Transmission has identified a requirement to establish an OT specific Framework of suppliers to maintain a dedicated pool of suppliers to support the successful delivery of our T3 programme. Details of the programme can be found at Our RIIO-T3 Business Plan - SSEN Transmission
Commercial tool
Establishes an open framework
Total value (estimated)
- £240,000,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 November 2025 to 1 November 2033
- 8 years, 1 day
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
Contract locations
- UK - United Kingdom
Lot constraints
Description of how multiple lots may be awarded:
Awards will be made per lot. Total of 6 available lots.
Not the same for all lots
Options are shown in Lot sections, because they are not the same for all lots.
Lot 1. Substation OT Prof Services (security assurance in substations, firewalls, common platforms)
Description
• Design and build of security solutions to be deployed into substation environments, including the infrastructure and services for backup, monitoring, endpoint protection and firewalls.
• Design and build of physical security solutions for substation environments, including automated access control systems (AACS), CCTV, and other access control and monitoring solutions such as key safes and door contact sensors.
• Procure and supply the hardware for the security solutions. In most cases this will be free issued by SSEN-T.
• Provide ongoing 2nd line maintenance and support of the service / solution.
• Consultancy engagements focused on future development or addressing emerging challenges, specific to Lot 1.
Lot value (estimated)
- £240,000,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
Framework - Purchase via call off contracts
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 2. OT Security Services inc. Training & Awareness
Description
• Training and Awareness - Development of training content to educate users of operational technology about the risks from cyber security threats.
• Provide specialised OT Security Consultancy and related services including process development and assurance (IDAM, VM, Change Management), maturity assessment, collation and summary of threat intelligence, testing and configuring security tools (Firewalls, EDR, IDS, SIEM).
• Security architecture - risk assessing a new changed system IT/OT systems to ensure security principles are followed and residual risks are understood.
• Penetration testing - undertaking targeted investigations to highlight vulnerabilities within our existing systems and controls that could be exploited by a threat actor.
• OT Forensics - capability to undertake forensic investigations on low level devices used within the electricity sector. e.g. those running Realtime operating systems such as Vxworks.
• Consultancy engagements focused on future development or addressing emerging challenges, specific to Lot 2.
Lot value (estimated)
- £240,000,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
Framework - Purchases via call off / SoWs as required
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 3. OT Infrastructure and Network Services inc. Substations (hardware, networking)
Description
• Design and build of IT/OT infrastructure to be deployed into data centres and data rooms within offices. Including hardening of servers, software installation, network configuration, physical deployment (racking and wiring).
• Design and build supporting applications such as identity services, domain management, key management and backup servers.
• Provide infrastructure support, including patching, processing change requests, fault investigation and repair.
• Design, build or procurement of network infrastructure to include but not limited to Routers, Switches, Firewalls and typical Datacentre technologies
• Consultancy engagements focused on future development or addressing emerging challenges, specific to Lot 3.
Lot value (estimated)
- £240,000,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
Framework - Requirements to be made via call off / SoWs as required
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 4. OT Operations (BAU Support and Development)
Description
• Provide specialist application support and development for OT Applications including PowerOn, PI to respond to incidents, facilitate configuration changes and deliver updates.
• Provide technical assistance for wider OT estate, including Active Directory and firewalls - often required as part of fault diagnosis, technical remediation and/or project resourcing
• Provide assistance and expertise with build and support of physical and virtual OT Windows clients. Building, applying and testing new client images via SCCM for use in Production OT environment.
• DR testing - provide technical expertise with backup solutions such as NetBackup & Rubrik, to assist with comprehensive DR restoration tests for our OT servers and applications.
• Consultancy engagements focused on future development or addressing emerging challenges, specific to Lot 4.
Lot value (estimated)
- £240,000,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
Framework - Requirements to be made via call off / SoWs as required
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 5. Data Center Hosting
Description
• Provide data center hosting in a secure and resilient environment suitable for critical national infrastructure (CNI) (likely to be Tier 3 as a minimum) with proximity to the SSEN Transmission OT network in the north of Scotland and connectivity to public cloud services.
• Provide data center hosting to Security Check Level to meet Cabinet Office requirements.
Lot value (estimated)
- £240,000,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
Framework - Requirements to be made via call off / SoWs as required
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 6. Delivery Services
Description
• Professional and Consultancy services.
• Skillset with Operational Technology (OT) expertise. Roles to include, but not limited to;
1. Business analysis
2. Design development
3. Testing
4. Change management
5. Architecture
6. Project delivery and management
7. Technical design
8. Service design
Lot value (estimated)
- £240,000,000 including VAT
Framework lot values may be shared with other lots
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
Framework - Requirements to be made via call off / SoWs as required
Same for all lots
CPV classifications, contract locations and contract dates are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Framework
Open framework scheme end date (estimated)
1 November 2033
Maximum number of suppliers
Unlimited
Maximum percentage fee charged to suppliers
0%
Framework operation description
Refer to PQQ/ITT documentation
Award method when using the framework
Either with or without competition
Contracting authorities that may use the framework
SSE group companies
Submission
Enquiry deadline
2 June 2025, 12:00pm
Submission type
Requests to participate
Deadline for requests to participate
9 June 2025, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
SSEN invite interested suppliers to view the Tender Documents on our Jaggaer e-procurement system under "Current Opportunities" here:
https://sse.app.jaggaer.com/esop/guest/go/opportunity/detail?opportunityId=426
Full details of the service required and how to respond to the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire can be found on that page.
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
14 July 2025
Award criteria
| Name | Type |
|---|---|
| As per PQQ / ITT Doumentation | Quality |
Weighting description
As per PQQ / ITT Doumentation
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Special regime
Utilities
Competitive flexible procedure description
PQQ to be issued -2 step procedure under PA23 utilising Jaggaer / Find a tender. Open Framework to be utilised. Following PQQ evaluation, down selection will be made to move to ITT stage.
Contracting authority
SCOTTISH HYDRO ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION PLC
- Companies House: SC213461
Inveralmond House, 200 Dunkeld Road
Perth
PH1 3AQ
United Kingdom
Region: UKM77 - Perth & Kinross and Stirling
Organisation type: Private utility