Award

Replacement of PSTN Lines and related Telemetry Equipment (for use with Gas Controllers)

WALES & WEST UTILITIES LTD

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

06 May 2022 at 06:09

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The procurement process pertains to Wales & West Utilities Ltd, which is seeking to procure a replacement for PSTN lines and related telemetry equipment for its gas distribution network in the UK. The contract, awarded under a limited procurement method due to specific technical requirements, is currently in the award stage and was signed on 6 May 2022. The classification falls within the telemetry and terminal equipment category, specifically for the gas industry, with a completion deadline set for March 2025. The solution must be deployed across 1,671 sites in Wales and the South West of England, ensuring safety and efficiency in gas pressure control.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses involved in the supply of telemetry hardware and digital communication solutions, particularly those capable of working without traditional power and communication infrastructures. Companies with expertise in mobile communications, especially those proficient in 4G and 5G technologies, would be well-positioned to compete. The unique nature of the requirements—having to accommodate a self-learning, autonomous control system—means that innovators in this field may find a niche for growth in delivering cutting-edge solutions to the gas distribution sector.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Replacement of PSTN Lines and related Telemetry Equipment (for use with Gas Controllers)

Notice Description

Wales and West Utilities Ltd (WWU) operate a UK Gas distribution network, This is a notice to award a contract for provision of Telemetry Hardware Equipment and associated digital communications required to profile and control a low pressure gas network without the use of copper phone lines or mains power. Pressure control is critical to reduce excessive pressure and leakage in the network ensuring safety and environmental risks are limited. Self learning low pressure management and profiling is a key contributor to lowering gas emissions. Ofcom have approved BT Openreach to remove wholesale line rental (PSTN Copper lines) in the UK by 2025 upon which the current gas control system relies and as such an alternative solution is required. We require a self learning, forecast and profiling solution with control equipment and supporting communications solution capable of varying the outlet pressure of the governor to suit network demand; pressures must follow a self learnt profile to be raised at periods of high demand and decreased at periods of low demand automatically within safe limits. Logger data at low point extremities must feed into the profiling solution over a reliable communications solution without the use of copper phone lines PSTN

Lot Information

Lot 1

Telemetry The currently deployed low pressure gas control platform is unique to a single provider's proprietary solution; The current provider is Technolog Ltd and their forecast and profiling solution is used by all UK Gas Distribution networks. We believe that there are no alternative telemetry systems in the market with the capability to operate without mains power, without copper phone lines and with the ability to execute automatic control actions of a gas governor autonomously within fail safe limits. Communications The Technolog Ltd. telemetry solution relies upon mobile digital communications. The digital communications used must have 4G NBIOT / CATM - IP or 5G NBIOT / CATM - IP available in time to meet the commencement of the roll out in Q4 2022, to achieve the March 2025 completion deadline of the project. The solution must be deployed in its entirety across 1671 sites to ensure continued operation of the gas network. The target completion date is the end of March 2025. A telemetry solution, if offered, must - 1. Provide a self-learning, forecast and profiling solution with control equipment capable of varying the outlet pressure of the in situ Technolog Ltd. Gas governors to suit network demand; pressures must follow a self learnt profile to be raised at periods of high demand and decreased at periods of low demand automatically within safe limits. 2. Enable data from District Governors to feed into the profiling solution over a reliable communications solution without the use of copper phone lines PSTN. 3. Enable logger data at low point extremities to feed into the profiling solution over a reliable communications solution without the use of copper phone lines PSTN. If a communications solution is offered it must meet the following requirements - 1. If a solution for both Telemetry and communications is offered - a. The communications must work with the telemetry hardware proposed above b. The communications must work without a PSTN line c. The communication system must work without a mains power supply d. The solution must include provision of a service for managing any failures within an agreed SLA for a Critical Network Infrastructure platform. 2. If a communication solution only is offered - a. The communications must work with Technolog telemetry hardware - Rugged Modem Operations (RMO) and Gas Station 4 (GS4). b. The communications must work without a PSTN line c. The communication system must work without a mains power supply d. If Mobile Digital communications is proposed i. The solution must include provision of SIM cards ii. The solution must include provision of Airtime iii. The solution must include provision of a service for managing communication failures within an agreed SLA for a Critical Network Infrastructure platform. iv. It must have 4G NBIOT / CATM - IP or 5G NBIOT / CATM - IP in time to meet the commencement of the roll out in Q3 / Q4 2022 to meet the March 2025 completion deadline of the project.

Options: Contractual review and extension mechanisms

Procurement Information

The currently deployed low pressure gas control platform is unique to a single provider's proprietary solution; The current provider is Technolog Ltd and their forecast and profiling solution is in use by all UK Gas Distribution networks. We believe that there are no alternative systems in the market with the capability of operating without mains power, without copper phone lines and with the ability to execute automatic control actions of a gas governor autonomously within fail safe limits. The solution must be deployed in its entirety by end of March 2025 to ensure continued operation of the gas network.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-033499
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/011772-2022
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Negotiated without publication of a contract notice
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

32 - Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment

CPV Codes

32440000 - Telemetry and terminal equipment

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
6 May 20223 years ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
5 May 20223 years ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Not Specified
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
WALES & WEST UTILITIES LTD
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
wwuprocurement@wwutilites.co.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
NEWPORT
Postcode
NP10 8FZ
Post Town
Newport
Country
Wales
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLL Wales
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLL5 South East Wales
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLL54 Monmouthshire and Newport
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Newport
Electoral Ward
Tredegar Park and Marshfield
Westminster Constituency
Newport West and Islwyn

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts. 

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