Tender

South East Strategic Resource Options (SESRO) Preliminary Market Engagement 2025

THAMES WATER UTILITIES LIMITED

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

TenderUpdate

07 Jan 2025 at 09:01

Planning

07 Jan 2025 at 08:22

Summary of the contracting process

Thames Water Utilities Limited has released a preliminary market engagement notice for the South East Strategic Resource Options (SESRO) project, aimed at contractors and investors within the construction industry category. The notice, issued on 7th January 2025, invites expressions of interest for engagement activities, including a market engagement event on 17th March 2025 in central London. This initiative is part of the planning stage of the procurement process and is designed to develop mutual understanding of the SESRO project, which includes the construction of a new storage reservoir in the Upper Thames catchment area, south-west of Abingdon in Oxfordshire. The project is scheduled to be operational by 2040, reinforcing water resource supply during droughts and addressing future challenges posed by climate change and population growth.

This tender represents significant business growth opportunities for companies experienced in infrastructure development, construction equipment supply, tunnelling machinery, and financial services. Key roles include the Infrastructure Provider (IP) responsible for design, building, and financing, and the Main Works Contractor (MWC) charged with constructing and commissioning assets. The SESRO project provides a platform for businesses to collaborate with Thames Water, contributing to long-term regional benefits such as water resilience, environmental enhancement, and public amenities, making it an attractive prospect for firms specialising in construction, engineering, and related services.

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Notice Title

South East Strategic Resource Options (SESRO) Preliminary Market Engagement 2025

Notice Description

As part of Thames Water's ongoing programme of preliminary market engagement for the South East Strategic Reservoir Option (SESRO) project, this notice is intended to inform interested parties about upcoming engagement opportunities and to encourage them to register their interest to participate. Please note that this is not a call for competition. Contractors and investors are invited to express their interest in participating in a series of engagement activities including a spring market engagement event scheduled for 17th March 2025, to be held at a central London venue. The engagement will help develop a wider understanding of the delivery of the project from both a construction and investment perspective by showcasing two large scale future opportunities: Infrastructure Provider (IP): The IP will be responsible for taking forward the design, building, and financing the majority of assets within the SESRO project. Main Works Contractor (MWC): To construct and commission the assets under a target price contract, working initially with TW and then the IP once the IP contract is awarded. This engagement presents an opportunity for Thames Water to collaborate with the market in refining its procurement approach and contracting terms. Additionally, it aims to encourage cross-party discussions that align the project's development with market trends, taking into account the perspectives of both MWCs and investors. To access the link to register your interest in market engagement for SESRO, please refer to Section VI.3 Additional Information.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Meeting the water resource supply-demand balance to ensure resilient supplies during droughts is becoming ever more challenging with increasing pressures from climate change, population growth, societal expectations and increasing environmental aspirations. In response, OFWAT has established RAPID comprising the three water industry regulators: Ofwat, the Environment Agency and Drinking Water Inspectorate - to support and oversee the development of SROs in order to secure long-term drought resilience on behalf of customers while protecting the environment and benefiting wider society. The South East Strategic Reservoir Option (SESRO) is a new storage reservoir which would be sited in the Upper Thames catchment, south-west of Abingdon in Oxfordshire. SESRO is envisaged as a regional asset and is being developed by Thames Water on behalf of three water companies - Thames Water, Affinity Water and Southern Water. The reservoir would be filled with water pumped from the River Thames during periods of high river flow. When river levels drop, or demand for water increases, water would be released under gravity back into the River Thames, for re-abstraction downstream. The reservoir would help to protect supplies and manage future water quality issues created by a changing climate as well as offering regional and local benefits, including environmental and biodiversity improvements and public access and recreation. The project involves construction of the new bunded reservoir with a capacity of up to 150Mm3 and a surface area of approximately 7km2. The reservoir is needed to be operational by 2040. To read more about the SESRO project, please visit the following link: https://thames-wrmp.co.uk/projects/sesro/ Additional information: The CPV codes set out in this PIN are included to give an indication of the likely scope of works and services. TWUL does not guarantee that all the activities referenced by the CPV codes will form part of any future tender notice(s), nor is the list exhaustive of all activities which may be included in any procurement process under this project.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-04cdb5
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/000262-2025
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Planning, Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Planning Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Works
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

43 - Machinery for mining, quarrying, construction equipment

45 - Construction work

50 - Repair and maintenance services

63 - Supporting and auxiliary transport services; travel agencies services

65 - Public utilities

66 - Financial and insurance services

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services


CPV Codes

43123000 - Tunnelling machinery

43320000 - Construction equipment

45000000 - Construction work

45112000 - Excavating and earthmoving work

50000000 - Repair and maintenance services

63712320 - Tunnel operation services

65100000 - Water distribution and related services

65320000 - Operation of electrical installations

66000000 - Financial and insurance services

71000000 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
7 Jan 20251 years ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
30 Sep 2025Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
THAMES WATER UTILITIES LIMITED
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
READING
Postcode
RG1 8DB
Post Town
Reading
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ16 Berkshire West
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
Reading
Electoral Ward
Thames
Westminster Constituency
Reading Central

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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