Award

External Procurement and Commercial Support

UNITED UTILITIES WATER LIMITED

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

26 Aug 2025 at 12:06

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

26 Aug 2025 at 12:01

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

United Utilities Water Limited has awarded a contract to Efficio Limited for external procurement and commercial support under a direct award procedure. This process falls within the industry category of procurement consultancy services and involves significant sourcing and negotiation activities crucial to the company’s operation. The contract, valued at £1,560,000 gross, will address immediate resource needs to ensure compliance and operational continuity. The award was completed on 26th August 2025, with the contract period spanning from 9th September 2025 to 8th August 2026. The activity will primarily take place in the UKD region, supporting strategic categories such as Bioresources, Fleet, Energy, and more.

This contract presents substantial opportunities for firms specialising in management consultancy and procurement services to engage with large-scale utility organisations like United Utilities. Companies with expertise in category strategy development, tender execution, supplier evaluation, and negotiation planning will find this procurement especially relevant. By leveraging this tender, such businesses can expand their portfolio in the utility sector, align themselves with high-impact initiatives, and foster long-term partnerships. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) could also gain access to a burgeoning market by aligning their capabilities with the forthcoming Management Consultancy Dynamic Market, set to launch in October 2025, ensuring a continuous stream of opportunities.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

External Procurement and Commercial Support

Notice Description

United Utilities have a requirement for external procurement and commercial support, to assist with a significant bow wave of sourcing and negotiation activity that require immediate mobilisation. A full assessment of future resource has been undertaken, which confirms that short term external support is essential but once this activity concludes any further resource support / requirements are expected to be delivered through a combination of recruitment and competitions issued through the Management Consultancy Dynamic Market (current live opportunity). The activity is critical to mitigate procurement and compliance risk, drive measurable commercial value, and support the delivery of new procurements across Bioresources, Fleet, Energy, Chemicals, Wastewater, Scientific Services, and other strategic categories. This award is for the fully managed delivery of 6 high-impact initiatives, with some advisory support, and the supplier will need to work with United Utilities' internal team to ensure a timely execution of said initiatives. Deliverables include: * Category strategy development and preparing sourcing documentation * Tender execution and supplier evaluation * Negotiation planning and award recommendations * Contracting support and handover materials * Strategic advisory input for client-led sourcing activity

Procurement Information

This direct award is being made under Section 41 of the Procurement Act 2023, based on urgency as set out in Schedule 5, paragraph 12. The authority has an immediate and time-critical requirement to ensure continuity of services which are essential to the delivery of statutory and business critical functions. No existing framework agreement is in place which could practicably be used to meet the requirement within the time available. Failure to act would create significant operational costs and service delivery risks for United Utilities. In this circumstance, a direct award to Efficio represents a viable option to maintain continuity of services pending completion of a longer-term solution. That longer term solution being the live procurement of PRO004901-Management Consultancy Dynamic Market which will go live in October 2025 following the conclusion of the procurement process. This contract is being awarded strictly due to the time-limited requirements; however, future requirements of this kind will be suited to PRO004901-Management Consultancy Dynamic Market. Once this Dynamic Market is live, requirements of this nature will be issued in accordance with said agreement.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-058dbc
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/051255-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

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

CPV Codes

79418000 - Procurement consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£1,300,000 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
26 Aug 20256 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
25 Aug 20256 months ago
Contract Period
8 Sep 2025 - 8 Aug 2026 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
UNITED UTILITIES WATER LIMITED
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
commercialapprovalsboard@uuplc.co.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
GREAT SANKEY
Postcode
WA5 3LP
Post Town
Warrington
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD6 Cheshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD61 Warrington
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Warrington
Electoral Ward
Great Sankey North and Whittle Hall
Westminster Constituency
Warrington South

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

EFFICIO

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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