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Geothermal Projects Consultancy Services

University of York

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

19 Dec 2025 at 15:56

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

20 Aug 2025 at 09:46

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The University of York initiated a procurement process for the "Geothermal Projects Consultancy Services" under an open procedure, aimed at establishing a framework agreement with consultants specialised in geothermal well drilling. The tender, classified under the industry category of services, involves the United Kingdom region UKE21 (York). The process progressed to the award stage as of 19 December 2025, with a framework agreement set to commence on 1 February 2026 and potentially extend until 31 January 2030. The project is divided into four comprehensive lots, each involving different aspects of geothermal consultancy services, and has a collective anticipated expenditure of up to £3,800,000. Being a significant flagship scheme, it includes major stakeholders such as the City of York Council as a potential framework user.

This procurement offers substantial growth opportunities for businesses with expertise in engineering, construction consultancy, and geothermal energy solutions. It is particularly appealing to large firms and SMEs capable of providing high-level consultancy within the defined lots, from site design to geological surveys and integration with energy networks. Companies like ATKINSRÉALIS UK LIMITED, AECOM LIMITED, and others have already been engaged as suppliers, highlighting the high calibre and competitive nature of interested parties. Businesses proficient in managing extensive projects and collaborating on innovative energy solutions stand to benefit significantly from participating in this framework, which aligns with national interests in expanding the deep geothermal energy market across the UK.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Geothermal Projects Consultancy Services

Notice Description

The University of York ("the University") is awarding a Framework Agreement following an advertised tender to a small number of Consultants who have specific and market leading experience in deep geothermal well drilling, or equivalent deep well drilling and operating projects. The geothermal project is seen as a flagship scheme for the University and wider region, and as such is being well resourced and prioritised. The City of York Council have expressed an interest to access services through the concluded Framework therefore they are named as a potential user of Framework services once awarded. City of York Council's PPON is PQVW-9426-LDJV The Framework is being awarded as four separate Lots, and bidders were invited to submit tenders for one or more Lots. The tender Lots are as follows, together with anticipated spend per Lot over the four year Framework term: Lot 1: Geothermal well and rig site design and construction consultancy. Anticipated spend of PS0 to PS700,000 incVAT Lot 2: Integration with geothermal well to site energy network consultancy. Anticipated spend of PS0 to PS1,100,000 incVAT Lot 3: Geological surveying, interpretation, modelling and monitoring consultancy. Anticipated spend of PS0 to PS1,500,000 incVAT Lot 4: Client supervisor, drilling operation representation consultancy. Anticipated spend of PS0 to PS500,000 incVAT

Lot Information

Geothermal well and rig site design and construction consultancy

The successful Consultant appointed to Lot 1 shall be required to deliver the following services as a minimum to support the University's deep geothermal well project delivery, providing specific geological, well, rig site design consultancy services: Provide advice and support to enable the University to achieve all relevant permissions and permitting required to establish and operate the drilling site(s), including the planning process (the consultant is not expected to write planning applications in full or conduct legal work regarding planning, services shall be limited to purely technical input). Assist the University from a technical perspective with the University's community engagement processes ensuring local stakeholders are suitably informed. The consultant will support engagement with stakeholders by providing materials or technical input to allow the University to communicate the works across the multiple forums. Provide technical support with regard to all pre drilling activities The consultant will be required to support the completion of a concept well design and site set up plan to be issued to bidding contractors as part of the tender. The development of this design will be the responsibility of the contractors who win the tender. We would expect the consultant to provide a technical critique of the further stages of the design carried out by the contractor. Support the procurement of the drilling contractor - providing support at the tender evaluation and contract award stage. The consultant shall be expected to provide specialist oversight and assistance in reviewing the tender submissions from a technical perspective. The Consultant shall assist with the cost review of the drilling bidders 'open book' approach, providing technical advice as well as any benchmarking data held by the Consultant. The Consultant shall also be required to provide comment on the proposed pricing structure of key materials in line with their experience of past drilling operations. The Consultant shall provide technical oversight and support the University with regard to reviewing all technical designs and plans produced by the drilling contractor for all wells. The Consultant will be expected to attend meetings with the drilling manager and contractors design consultants to provide technical support to the UoY in making sure that what is told to the UoY by the contractors is acceptable. For the initial well drilling all processes shall be under the control of the drilling contractor, however the consultant will be expected to attend meetings with the drilling manager and contractors design consultants to provide technical support to the University in a technical support role. This shall be the case for the second and any subsequent wells also. The Consultant shall provide specification for well testing that the University should be expecting to see from the drilling contractor. The consultant shall provide technical advice on any well testing methodologies.The Consultant shall oversee testing on behalf of the University and provide oversight of the tests being carried out by the drilling contractor, as well as a critiquing and challenging the test results The Consultant shall be required to provide all relevant associated services to facilitate the deep geothermal well projects full delivery. During the drilling phase the Consultant shall be required to provide specialist support to the University with regard to utilisation of heat produced (heat and flow rate analysis etc shall be required as a minimum). The Consultant shall provide consultancy services throughout the drilling stage, supporting the University as a 'critical friend' providing timely technical support.

Options: Certain sub-threshold supplementary services may be awarded through the Framework Lots where they are similar in nature and not substantially different from the Framework Lot services. Any such supplementary services awarded as options shall not exceed Framework published value, and shall be connected to the delivery of deep geothermal well projects.

Renewal: The Framework shall run for an initial period of two years, with a further two year extension option to be agreed with mutual consent. The maximum term for the Framework shall be four years from the Framework start date. It is anticipated that individual contracts may be awarded (called off) within the term of the Framework which may extend beyond the framework end date within the constraints of the Procurement Act 2023.

Integration of Geothermal Well to Site Energy Network

The successful Consultant appointed to Lot 2 shall be required to deliver the following technical design and other services as a minimum to support the University's deep geothermal well project delivery, providing specific integration of geothermal well to site energy network and site energy network design consultancy services: The Consultant shall provide post drilling operational site preparation design and technical support services with regard to the site energy network for the heat/energy production phase of the project. In order to do this the Consultant shall be expected to deliver supplementary services such as but not limited to civils and mechanical and electrical design services. Consultants shall have the ability to design district heating integration so that heat can be transferred throughout the University Campus and beyond if viable. The consultant will be expected to review all finalised site plans and designs produced by the winning energy generation contractor on behalf of the University prior to construction commencing. The site setup / ground preparation will be expected to be done and checked by the drilling contractor as it is their rig being used. But the consultant is expected to be able to provide some technical input from the client side as to how those conditions might be achieved. Provide technical support to the UoY as the contractor installs and commissioning the above ground infrastructure. Particularly looking at the interaction between the well performance and testing to the performance when connected. The Consultant shall provide specialist design services to produce a concept design to RIBA Stage 3 for the production equipment and works required to obtain and utilise the hot water from the well, and the connection to the University's wider energy infrastructure. Provide operations phase procurement technical support. The consultant shall provide some specific energy modelling services with regard to the heat and energy production from the well(s) The consultant shall provide the University as client with operations phase client overview during the energy infrastructure works and implementation. The Consultant shall be required to provide all relevant associated services to facilitate the deep geothermal well projects full delivery.

Options: Certain sub-threshold supplementary services may be awarded through the Framework Lots where they are similar in nature and not substantially different from the Framework Lot services. Any such supplementary services awarded as options shall not exceed Framework published value, and shall be connected to the delivery of deep geothermal well projects.

Renewal: The Framework shall run for an initial period of two years, with a further two year extension option to be agreed with mutual consent. The maximum term for the Framework shall be four years from the Framework start date. It is anticipated that individual contracts may be awarded (called off) within the term of the Framework which may extend beyond the framework end date within the constraints of the Procurement Act 2023.

Geological Surveying, Interpretation, Modelling and Monitoring

The successful Consultant appointed to Lot 3 shall be required to deliver the following services as a minimum to support the University's deep geothermal well project delivery, providing specific geological surveying, interpretation, modelling and monitoring consultancy services: The consultant shall provide some further and ongoing surface exploration phase consultancy support, including; Seismic data analysis and interpretation to assist in determining the target site(s) for the wells Carry out additional seismic surveys if required The consultant shall provide critique and comment on geological models and surveys, and shall evaluate targets identified by the geological models and provide feedback on the technical feasibility of reaching them. To provide some on-going seismic monitoring during the drilling phase of the project The Consultant shall be required to provide ad-hoc specialist support for site or ground testing when required The consultant will be required to review seismic data as required and report findings to the University. The Consultant shall be required to provide all relevant associated services to facilitate the deep geothermal well projects full delivery.

Options: Certain sub-threshold supplementary services may be awarded through the Framework Lots where they are similar in nature and not substantially different from the Framework Lot services. Any such supplementary services awarded as options shall not exceed Framework published value, and shall be connected to the delivery of deep geothermal well projects.

Renewal: The Framework shall run for an initial period of two years, with a further two year extension option to be agreed with mutual consent. The maximum term for the Framework shall be four years from the Framework start date. It is anticipated that individual contracts may be awarded (called off) within the term of the Framework which may extend beyond the framework end date within the constraints of the Procurement Act 2023.

Client Supervisor / Drilling Operations Representative

The successful Consultant appointed to Lot 4 shall be required to deliver the following services as a minimum to support the University's deep geothermal well project delivery, providing specific University (client) supervisor / drilling operations representative consultancy services: Sign off drilling plans Provide regular oversight of the drilling contractor on behalf of the client Provide a regular site presence Have proven previous experience of drilling management The Consultant shall be required to provide all relevant associated services to facilitate the deep geothermal well projects full delivery.

Options: Certain sub-threshold supplementary services may be awarded through the Framework Lots where they are similar in nature and not substantially different from the Framework Lot services. Any such supplementary services awarded as options shall not exceed Framework published value, and shall be connected to the delivery of deep geothermal well projects.

Renewal: The Framework shall run for an initial period of two years, with a further two year extension option to be agreed with mutual consent. The maximum term for the Framework shall be four years from the Framework start date. It is anticipated that individual contracts may be awarded (called off) within the term of the Framework which may extend beyond the framework end date within the constraints of the Procurement Act 2023.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-058aee
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085062-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Large, SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

76 - Services related to the oil and gas industry

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

71310000 - Consultative engineering and construction services

71311300 - Infrastructure works consultancy services

71314300 - Energy-efficiency consultancy services

71320000 - Engineering design services

71321000 - Engineering design services for mechanical and electrical installations for buildings

71334000 - Mechanical and electrical engineering services

71351200 - Geological and geophysical consultancy services

71351210 - Geophysical consultancy services

71352140 - Seismic processing services

71355000 - Surveying services

71530000 - Construction consultancy services

76430000 - Well-drilling and production services

79415200 - Design consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£3,800,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£2,910,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
£2,910,000 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
19 Dec 20258 months ago
Submission Deadline
19 Sep 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
19 Dec 20258 months ago
Contract Period
1 Feb 2026 - 31 Jan 2028 1-2 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
University of York
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
YORK
Postcode
YO10 5DD
Postcode Area
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
TLE21 York
Local Authority
York
Electoral Ward
Hull Road
Westminster Constituency
York Central

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
6
Supplier Names

AECOM LIMITED

ATKINSRÉALIS UK LIMITED

British Geological Survey (BGS) a component of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

GEOSCIENCE LIMITED

OVE ARUP & PARTNERS LIMITED

TETRA TECH RPS ENERGY LIMITED

Further Information

Notice Documents

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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