Crown procurer issues £2bn tender for 2020-24 water framework

Public sector procurement specialist the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) issued a £2bn tender notice on Friday to establish a new framework agreement for water, wastewater and ancillary services. Once agreed, the framework will run for four years, from September 2020 to September 2024, and be available for use by public sector service providers including in health, education, emergency services and local government.

The framework comprises:

• Lot 1 - water and Wastewater services

• Lot 2 - ancillary services

• Lot 3 - “one stop shop” (combined Lot 1 and Lot 2).

Bidders can bid for Lot 1 and/or Lot 2, and Lot 3 will be formed upon award (any bidder successfully awarded both Lot 1 and Lot 2 will be awarded a place on Lot 3).

The tender is open for 36 days, until 27 July.

CCS first established a water framework in March 2017 ahead of the opening of the business retail market. This had the same lot structure, and ran for three years with the option to extend for a further 12 months. Seven water retailers are signed up for Lot 1 and Lot 3, with nine organisations signed up to provide ancillary services under Lot 2.