Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat)
Centre City Tower, 7 Hill Street
Birmingham
B5 4UA
Telephone
+44 1216447534
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKG31 - Birmingham
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://www.mytenders.co.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA24607
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Ofwat Innovation Fund delivery partner 2025-30
Reference number
PROC.0024
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 65000000 - Public utilities
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
We are looking to appoint delivery partners to support Ofwat in delivering the Ofwat Innovation Fund and aspects of the Water Efficiency Fund in AMP 8 (the asset management planning period which runs from April 2025-March 2030). This is a continuation of the existing Innovation Fund which was established in 2020 and the introduction of a new Water Efficiency Fund (WEF) of which this Invitation to Tender is concerned with only two aspects: the Water Efficiency Lab (WEL) – an annual competition similar to the Innovation Fund but focused solely on water efficiency, and the evaluation of the Water Efficiency Campaign (WEC), which is the other part of the two components that make up the WEF.
We are looking for delivery partner support in three distinct but linked areas:
Lot 1: Core Innovation Fund and WEL delivery
Lot 2: Implementation programme
Lot 3: Evaluation
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £18,400,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: Yes
Tenders may be submitted for all lots
Maximum number of lots that may be awarded to one tenderer: 2
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 1: Core Innovation Fund and WEL delivery
Lot No
1
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 65000000 - Public utilities
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKG31 - Birmingham
- UKI - London
- UKI32 - Westminster
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Lot 1: Core Innovation Fund and WEL delivery
Lot 1 is broken down into the following services (detailed descriptions follow):
1. Water Breakthrough Challenge rounds 6-7
2. Water Discovery Challenge round 2
3. Water Efficiency Lab rounds 1-2
4. Collaborative Challenge programme
5. Monitoring of live projects and project closedown
6. Programme governance
7. Marketing and communications
8. Data collection to inform AMP 8 evaluation
The overall budget range for the initial two-year contract for Lot 1: Core Innovation Fund and WEL delivery is 4,400,000-5,800,000
The overall budget for 3-5 of the period will be determined towards the end of year 2 is 6,500,000-8,700,000
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 70
Price - Weighting: 30
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £14,500,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
24
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
3 year extension following review in year 2
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 2: Implementation programme
Lot No
2
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 65000000 - Public utilities
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI32 - Westminster
- UKG31 - Birmingham
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Innovation Fund aims to support the adoption and roll-out of innovative products, services and concepts. We expect most water companies will see the benefits of adopting successful innovations with no further support from Ofwat. However, throughout our engagement with companies in 2023/24 we have understood that it can take many years for companies to adopt an innovation and there have been suggestions that part of the fund should be targeted to help speed up implementation of new products, services and concepts.
The Supplier and Ofwat will work closely together with the sector to determine what an effective implementation programme could look like. The programme will focus on accelerating the adoption and scaling of innovations awarded funding through the Ofwat Innovation Fund but also to support innovation implementation more generally across the sector.
Co-design and delivery of new programme to support the acceleration of adoption and scaling of innovations across sector. Timetable to be agreed with the Supplier in line with the capacity of the sector to engage in design of the programme, but work expected to start in 2025.
The overall budget range for the initial two-year contract for Lot 2: Implementation programme is 500,000-800,000
The possible budget in years 3-5 of extension period for Lot 2: Implementation programme is 800,000-1,100,000
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 70
Price - Weighting: 30
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £19,000,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
24
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
3 years
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
two.2) Description
two.2.1) Title
Lot 3: Evaluation
Lot No
3
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 65000000 - Public utilities
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKG31 - Birmingham
- UKI32 - Westminster
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Lot 3 is broken down into the following services
1. AMP 7 Evaluation: Delivery of an impact and Value for Money (VfM) evaluation programme before the end of 2027
2. Delivery and coordination of AMP 8 evaluation activity.
The overall budget range for the initial two-year contract for Lot 3: Evaluation is 600,000-900,000
The overall value in years 3-5 of the period will be determined towards the end of year 2 and could be in the range of 800,000-1,100,000
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 70
Price - Weighting: 30
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £2,000,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
24
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
3 year extension
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions
As outlined in the ITT
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
20 November 2024
Local time
12:00pm
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: 2 (from the date stated for receipt of tender)
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
20 November 2024
Local time
12:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.3) Additional information
NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the myTenders Web Site at https://www.mytenders.co.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=232815.
The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.mytenders.co.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx.
Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems.
(MT Ref:232815)
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Public Procurement Review Service
Cabinet Office
London
publicprocurementreview@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Telephone
+44 3450103503
Country
United Kingdom
Internet address
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-procurement-review-service-scope-and-remit