Award

CONCESSION CONTRACT FOR A STRATEGIC PARTNER TO DELIVER CHESHIRE EAST'S LOCAL ELECTRIC VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE (LEVI) PROJECT

CHESHIRE EAST COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

01 Apr 2026 at 15:25

Tender

03 Apr 2025 at 14:00

TenderUpdate

03 Apr 2025 at 14:00

Summary of the contracting process

The Cheshire East Council has completed the procurement process for a concession contract titled "Strategic Partner to Deliver Cheshire East's Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Project", aimed at strengthening the borough’s electric vehicle charging capacity. The procurement falls under the services category, specifically focusing on the installation services of electrical and mechanical equipment. The council utilised an award procedure with prior competition publication, following the Concession Contracts Regulations 2016. The strategic partner, Qwello UK LTD, was awarded a contract valued at approximately £62 million to manage the installation, maintenance, operation, and administration of electric vehicle charging points using LEVI funding. The contract, signed on 11 March 2026, is expected to last for 15 years, with much of the £2,132,000 grant directed towards establishing grid connections. This initiative addresses the needs for AC and occasional DC charging solutions across urban settings within Cheshire East, with an emphasis on chargers delivering 7kW to 22kW outputs.

This tender presents significant avenues for business growth, particularly for companies specialising in electrical installation, maintenance, and urban infrastructure development. With plans for extensive electric vehicle charge point installations within the borough, businesses capable of adapting to evolving technologies in renewable energy supply and distribution stand to gain markedly from partnerships with the council. Contractors providing innovative solutions for urban and residential environments, especially small to medium-sized enterprises like Qwello UK LTD, which have demonstrated capability in managing groundworks and operational logistics, are ideal candidates for future procurement opportunities. The procurement highlights the importance of strategic investments in sustainable technology, making Cheshire East an attractive prospect for businesses aiming to expand in the electric mobility space.

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Notice Title

CONCESSION CONTRACT FOR A STRATEGIC PARTNER TO DELIVER CHESHIRE EAST'S LOCAL ELECTRIC VEHICLE INFRASTRUCTURE (LEVI) PROJECT

Notice Description

This contract is for a strategic partnership and for the installation, maintenance, and operation of electric vehicle charge points across the borough utilising LEVI funding.

Lot Information

Lot 1

The contracting authority followed a process similar to an Open procurement process, under the Concession Contract Regulations 2016 to appoint a strategic partner for the installation, maintenance, and operation of electric vehicle charging points across the Borough, using LEVI funding for part of that. The chargepoints shall comply with the minimum specification set out in the LEVI Technical Schedule1. In addition to supplying and installing the chargepoints, the contractor shall be required to undertake groundworks and installation, operation and maintenance, and back-office administration, and liaison with CEC and relevant third parties. Because of the power output of the chargepoints it is expected that they will provide AC current to charging vehicles, although a range or solutions that are right for the location in which they are installed should be available and some DC charging may be required. The contractor will provide a range of solutions to suit different settings in the urban environment. The available LEVI grant funding for delivery of this project is PS2,132,000. It is expected that the funding will predominantly be used to fund grid connections. The LEVI grant funding is for charging devices rated lower than 22kW and most chargepoints will deliver between 7kW and 22kW from each connection. Lower ratings than this will be accepted in some circumstances but are less preferable because they will be less suited to charging during the day, but may be required at some sites, particularly on-street. Some DC chargepoints may also be acceptable where standard chargepoints cannot satisfy the residential need. The contractor will invest its own funds in the delivery of the services which has been included in the value of the contract. Please note the current contract value excludes VAT. Additional information: The approximate contract value is PS62million including inflation based on OBR forecasts, excluding VAT. This is based on the capital cost of delivery, combining LEVI grant funding and supplier investment, and the Councils forecast of revenue over the 15year contract term based on industry information available to it for chargepoint utilisation.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-04e28a
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/030546-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure with prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

31 - Electrical machinery, apparatus, equipment and consumables; lighting

50 - Repair and maintenance services

51 - Installation services (except software)

63 - Supporting and auxiliary transport services; travel agencies services

65 - Public utilities


CPV Codes

31158000 - Chargers

50110000 - Repair and maintenance services of motor vehicles and associated equipment

51100000 - Installation services of electrical and mechanical equipment

63712600 - Vehicle refuelling services

65400000 - Other sources of energy supplies and distribution

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£60,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£62,000,000 £10M-£100M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
1 Apr 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
9 Apr 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
11 Mar 20261 months ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
CHESHIRE EAST COUNCIL
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
CREWE
Postcode
CW1 2JZ
Post Town
Crewe
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD6 Cheshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD62 Cheshire East
Delivery Location
TLD6 Cheshire, TLD62 Cheshire East

Local Authority
Cheshire East
Electoral Ward
Crewe Central
Westminster Constituency
Crewe and Nantwich

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

QWELLO

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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