Award

Refrigeration Maintenance/Restricted/Pro/2023

THE OPEN UNIVERSITY

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

02 Feb 2026 at 14:59

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The public procurement process was carried out by The Open University, located in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom, to facilitate the supply and installation of two Daiken chiller units in their laboratory facilities. The contract, titled "Refrigeration Maintenance/Restricted/Pro/2023", falls under the category of refrigerating and freezing equipment. The procurement stage has reached completion with a direct award to JCW Energy Services Limited. The contract was awarded on 2nd February 2026 and is set to commence on 5th March 2026, concluding on 31st March 2027. The procurement method was a direct award due to the proprietary nature of the equipment and the need for compatibility with existing systems, as described in legal framework 2023/54.

This tender presents significant opportunities for businesses specialising in HVAC systems, particularly those experienced with Daiken products and laboratory environments. Companies with expertise in maintaining and integrating complex refrigeration systems are well-suited to participate in similar future procurements. The chosen supplier, JCW Energy Services Limited, is an SME with detailed knowledge of the university's existing system, offering them a competitive edge. This project highlights the importance of technical proficiency and system integration capabilities, making it attractive for businesses seeking to establish or expand their footprint in the public sector procurement landscape.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Refrigeration Maintenance/Restricted/Pro/2023

Notice Description

Modification of contract to facilitate the supply and install of two Daiken chiller units within the OU laboratory facilities

Procurement Information

This is a modification of contract with JCW Energy Services, awarded on 18 March 2024. The existing chillers setup at the OU facility comprises two Daikin units operating in a lead/lag configuration. This tandem operation ensures efficient load sharing and redundancy, with one chiller acting as the primary unit and the second engaging as demand increases. The chillers are integrated into a process cooling system that supports critical laboratory equipment, where uninterrupted and precise temperature control is essential. Given the proprietary controls and communication protocols between the existing Daikin chillers, selecting Daikin for any replacement or expansion is crucial. This ensures seamless integration, maintains system reliability, and avoids compatibility issues that could compromise the performance of the labs. As JCW are the incumbent maintenance contractor, they are familiar with the system, controls and pipework and the cause and effect of removing one unit and running the service only on the other unit. They are also best placed to ensure the installation of the new unit is compatible with the building system and they will be fully responsible for the ongoing maintenance of the unit during the initial warranty period, as well as outside the warranty period. (There will be no issues over who will be responsible for what if a third party contractor supplies and installs the new chiller). The building houses laboratories that have high value equipment and long term research that can not be interrupted by changes in the temperature of the laboratory environment. By using JCW to replace the existing chiller and the second chiller in 6 to 12 months' time, will significantly reduce the risks to system failure and ongoing research.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06146b
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/009047-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

42 - Industrial machinery

CPV Codes

42513000 - Refrigerating and freezing equipment

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£400,000 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
2 Feb 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
2 Feb 20261 months ago
Contract Period
5 Mar 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 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
THE OPEN UNIVERSITY
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
MILTON KEYNES
Postcode
MK7 6AA
Post Town
Milton Keynes
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ12 Milton Keynes
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Milton Keynes
Electoral Ward
Monkston
Westminster Constituency
Milton Keynes Central

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

JCW ENERGY SERVICES

Further Information

Notice Documents

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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