Scope
Reference
PROC.0100
Description
This isn't your typical brief - and we're not looking for your typical agency-client relationship.
We're on the lookout for a Delivery Body - essentially a strategic delivery partner to take the reins on the Water Efficiency Campaign (WEC). That means the Delivery Body will be leading the way on strategy development, implementation and evaluation - all with Ofwat's oversight and collaboration.
This is an exciting time for Ofwat and the sector. Ofwat is pioneering a sector-leading transformational approach - leveraging our unique position to establish the first large-scale, centrally funded behaviour change, water efficiency marketing campaign covering both England and Wales.
To make this happen, Ofwat will facilitate the procurement process on behalf of the 16 water companies and the successful supplier.
What is a Delivery Body?
The Delivery Body (DB) will be Ofwat's end to end delivery partner for the WEC. Think of it as a campaign dream team - combining sharp marketing know-how, consumer expertise with current knowledge of the water and / or utility sectors.
This isn't just about great creative ideas (though we want that too). It's about building a group that can develop, deliver and evaluate a campaign that cuts through the noise, is grounded in insight, built for impact, and backed by sector expertise.
What should the Delivery Body do?
We expect the Delivery Body to cover the full range of marketing skillsets including (but not limited to): creative, content development, branding, channel planning, digital, social, media buying, partnership marketing, multicultural expertise, PR, evaluation. These skillsets must be firmly underpinned by extensive, demonstrable evidence of behaviour change marketing with proven results that have delivered impact.
We also require project management, governance and stakeholder engagement.
Upon appointment, we will work with the successful bidder to develop and refine the Delivery Body role, including any relevant SLAs and KPIs.
The Water Efficiency Campaign (WEC) will be a major marketing initiative covering England and Wales, representing a step change in both budget and collaboration across the sector. Expectations are high, sector support is strong and our ambitions are even higher. We're looking for talent to match. We want the best minds from across water, utilities and marketing to join forces and help us make a splash (pun very much intended)!
We're outlining the challenge, then passing the baton to you. We want your fresh thinking and bold recommendations to help us bring this campaign to life to deliver measurable behaviour change.
Ofwat's internal Water Efficiency Campaign team brings together deep expertise in behaviour change marketing, utility sector engagement, communications, and water efficiency policy experts. It's been carefully built to support this work and will partner with you as the delivery lead. You'll be working closely with us as a trusted, strategic partner - not just a supplier or an extra pair of hands. The Delivery Body will be overseen by Ofwat's Principal Head of Marketing.
This isn't just about getting a campaign out the door - it's about setting a high standard for how we collaborate with water companies, consumers, environmental groups and other stakeholders to drive a step change in water efficiency. We expect the Delivery Body to reflect this approach, bringing in organisations or individuals with deep experience in the water and/or utility sectors. This isn't optional - it's essential.
We need a strategic partner who's ready to think big, challenge the status quo, and deliver work that ultimately changes behaviour and saves water.
The scope covers the WEC only and we don't expect this campaign to extend into other areas of Ofwat's work. The WEC and the associated funding has been allocated specifically as part of the Price Review process, and it must be used solely for this purpose.
Please note that, as above, Ofwat are undertaking this procurement exercise on behalf of the 16 water and wastewater companies of Wales and England:
Anglian Water - ANH
Dŵr Cymru - WSH
Hafren Dyfrdwy - HDD
Northumbrian Water - NES
Severn Trent Water - SVE
South West Water - SBB
Southern Water - SRN
Thames Water - TMS
United Utilities Water - UUW
Wessex Water - WSX
Yorkshire Water - YKY
Affinity Water - AFW
Portsmouth Water - PRT
South East Water - SEW
South Staffs Water - SSC
SES Water - SES
Total value (estimated)
- £75,000,000 excluding VAT
- £90,000,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 11 November 2025 to 31 March 2030
- 4 years, 4 months, 20 days
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 79341000 - Advertising services
- 79342000 - Marketing services
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
Participation
Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation
Legal Capacity Conditions of Participation
Please confirm whether your company is a UK registered company?
If the answer is "no", please provide evidence that the terms of the contract would be valid and enforceable in the relevant jurisdiction.
[Yes/ No]
[If "No", insert evidence that the terms of the contract would be enforceable in your relevant jurisdiction]
Please confirm that you have in place, or that you will have in place by the award of the contract, the human and technical resources to perform the contract to ensure compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation and to ensure the protection of the rights of data subjects.
Please provide details of the technical facilities and measures (including systems and processes) you have in place, or will have in place by contract award, to ensure compliance with UK data protection law and to ensure the protection of the rights of data subjects. Your response should include, but should not be limited to facilities and measures:
● to ensure ongoing confidentiality, integrity, availability and resilience of processing systems and services
● to comply with the rights of data subjects in respect of receiving privacy information, and access, rectification, deletion and portability of personal data
● to ensure that any consent based processing meets standards of active, informed consent, and that such consents are recorded and auditable
● to ensure legal safeguards are in place to legitimise transfers of personal data outside the UK (if such transfers will take place)
● to maintain records of personal data processing activities
● to regularly test, assess and evaluate the effectiveness of the above measures
[Insert Yes or No]
[Insert information]
Technical ability conditions of participation
Technical Question 1: Please provide details and evidence of your organisation's application in creation of public behavioural change marketing campaigns. (Maximum 750 words)
Information provided in response to this question must relate to past delivery and experience and not how you would deliver our requirement.
Technical Question 2: Please provide evidence of your organisation's ability to form a Delivery Body, as outlined and defined within the WEC Specification document in the Tender Notice. (Maximum 750 words)
Particular suitability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Submission type
Requests to participate
Deadline for requests to participate
1 August 2025, 5:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Stage 1: Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ)
Submission of PSQ to:
Stage 2: Written tender submission
Submission of completed tender to:
Stage 3: Verbal pitch
Submission details to be confirmed at a later date
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Suppliers to be invited to tender
Maximum 15 suppliers
Selection criteria:
Pass 2 technical questions with a score of 3 or above for each and be in the top 15 (max) suppliers by score.
Award decision date (estimated)
27 October 2025
Award criteria
| Name | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Quality | This will be outlined in the Invitation to Tender document |
Quality |
| Price | This will be outlined in the Invitation to Tender document |
Price |
Weighting description
This will be outlined in the Invitation to Tender document
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Competitive flexible procedure description
Stage 1: Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ)
Stage 2: Written tender submission
Stage 3: Verbal pitch
Please note that Ofwat are undertaking this procurement exercise on behalf of the 16 water and wastewater companies of Wales and England:
Anglian Water - ANH
Dŵr Cymru - WSH
Hafren Dyfrdwy - HDD
Northumbrian Water - NES
Severn Trent Water - SVE
South West Water - SBB
Southern Water - SRN
Thames Water - TMS
United Utilities Water - UUW
Wessex Water - WSX
Yorkshire Water - YKY
Affinity Water - AFW
Portsmouth Water - PRT
South East Water - SEW
South Staffs Water - SSC
SES Water - SES
Reduced tendering period
Yes
State of urgency - minimum 10 days
Documents
Documents to be provided after the tender notice
Stage 2: Written tender submission
Documents will be release to relevant suppliers via:
Stage 3: Verbal pitch
Details will be released to relevant suppliers at a later date via:
Contracting authority
The Water Services Regulation Authority
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PPCX-7855-VXBT
Ofwat, Centre City Tower, 7 Hill Street
Birmingham
B5 4UA
United Kingdom
Email: WECprocurement@ofwat.gov.uk
Region: UKG31 - Birmingham
Organisation type: Public authority - central government