Award

EPCs and EICRs - Surveys, Inspections & Testing

INCLUSION GROUP LIMITED

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

11 Jul 2025 at 08:21

Summary of the contracting process

The Inclusion Group Limited, a Community Interest Company focused on housing and community amenities, has concluded a public procurement process with the award of a three-year contract to Eco Approach Limited. This contract pertains to "EPCs and EICRs - Surveys, Inspections & Testing" in the services category, with a legal basis under EU Directive 2014/24/EU. The procurement, valued at £430,000, follows a limited, direct award procedure without prior competition, justified by substantial costs and risks associated with changing suppliers. The contract was activated on 27th June 2025, covering multiple regions across the UK, including UKC, UKD, UKE, UKF, UKG, UKH, UKI, UKJ, UKK, UKL, and UKM.

This procurement presents key opportunities for businesses specialising in inspections and certifications, particularly those offering services for Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs) and Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs). Given the inclusivity of remedial works and reactive repairs, there are growth prospects for companies adept at managing long-term service contracts within public housing sectors. Eco Approach Limited, serving as a preferred supplier, indicates the potential benefits for companies that can maintain service continuity and compliance in specialised frameworks while minimising operational transition costs—critical factors for securing such contracts for newly tendering businesses.

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Notice Title

EPCs and EICRs - Surveys, Inspections & Testing

Notice Description

Inclusion Group, as the contracting authority, has awarded a 3 year contract to ECO Approach Limited for EPCs and EICRs - Surveys, Inspections & Testing. This award was made via a direct award, under Procurement for Housing's Funded Retrofit Works & Delivery framework.

Lot Information

Lot 1

The scope of this procurement covers the following essential services: EICR Inspections and Certification: Comprehensive Electrical Installation Condition Report inspections and subsequent certification. EPC Inspections and Certification: Energy Performance Certificate inspections and subsequent certification. All EICR and EPC inspections and certifications will be completed in line with agreed contract costs as per the asset list. The appointed supplier (ECO Approach Limited) will be responsible for ensuring the programme of inspections strives to achieve 100% compliance for both EICRs and EPCs across Inclusion Group's portfolio. Additionally, the contract outlines provisions for: Remedial Works: Works resulting from Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) activities that exceed a self-certification threshold (PS150+) will require separate order numbers. Reactive Repairs and Improvements: Any reactive repairs and improvements will each be issued as separate orders

Options: Option to extend +2 years

Procurement Information

Inclusion Group, as the contracting authority, hereby provides the justification for the direct award of the contract to ECO Approach, without prior publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) or the Find a Tender Service (FTS). This decision is made in strict accordance with the provisions of Regulation 32(3) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (or the equivalent national transposition of EU Directive 2014/24/EU, as applicable), which permits the use of the negotiated procedure without prior publication for additional services by the original contractor under specific circumstances. ECO Approach is the incumbent supplier for the services in question, and our assessment, conducted under PfH's call-off procedures which permit consideration of a "lawful advantage of an incumbent Supplier," has concluded that a change of supplier would unequivocally result in considerable inconvenience and substantial duplication of costs for Inclusion Group. Specifically, our analysis has identified the following critical factors: Unavoidable Costs of Changing Supplier: Transitioning to a new supplier would necessitate significant and unavoidable financial outlays. These include, but are not limited to, the costs associated with: Extensive re-training of our staff on new systems and processes, leading to productivity losses during the transition phase. Potential investment in new or adapted infrastructure to ensure compatibility with a different supplier's operational model. The inherent administrative burden and resource allocation required for onboarding a new provider, including contract negotiation, legal reviews, and extensive due diligence processes. Potential for initial service disruption during the migration period, which could impact our residents and operational efficiency, incurring indirect costs. Lower Risks of Service Migration: The continued engagement with ECO Approach, as the incumbent, presents a demonstrably lower risk profile for service migration. ECO Approach possesses an in-depth understanding of Inclusion Group's specific operational requirements, existing infrastructure, and the unique needs of our residents. This established knowledge base mitigates the significant risks associated with: Potential delays or failures in service continuity that could arise from a new supplier's learning curve or unforeseen integration challenges. The risk of non-compliance or misinterpretation of our specific service level agreements and regulatory obligations by an unfamiliar provider. The disruption to established communication channels and working relationships that are critical for the efficient delivery of services to our vulnerable residents. Based on this thorough assessment, Inclusion Group is satisfied that the cumulative impact of these unavoidable costs and elevated risks associated with changing suppliers constitutes the "considerable inconvenience and substantial duplication of costs" as stipulated by Regulation 32(3). Therefore, to ensure the continuity of essential services, safeguard our operational integrity, and responsibly manage public funds by avoiding disproportionate expenditure and risk, the direct award of the contract to ECO Approach is deemed lawful and necessary under these exceptional circumstances.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-055d4d
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/039122-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

98 - Other community, social and personal services


CPV Codes

98300000 - Miscellaneous services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£430,000 £100K-£500K

Notice Dates

Publication Date
11 Jul 20257 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
26 Jun 20258 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
INCLUSION GROUP LIMITED
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
hanson@inclusiongroup.co.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
YORK
Postcode
YO31 7TQ
Post Town
York
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLE Yorkshire and The Humber
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLE2 North Yorkshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLE21 York
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England), TLL Wales, TLM Scotland

Local Authority
York
Electoral Ward
Heworth
Westminster Constituency
York Central

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

ECO APPROACH

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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