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Services-Framework-Lab Sample Couriers Service

United Utilities Water Limited

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

22 Oct 2026 at 18:03

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
TenderUpdate

17 Feb 2026 at 10:24

UK4 - Tender Notice
Tender

13 Feb 2026 at 17:00

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

United Utilities Water Limited procured a managed courier service for daily transport of water and wastewater samples from sites across its North-West region to its central laboratory at Lingley Mere, Warrington. The service replaces the utility’s own fleet and covers supplier-provided refrigerated vehicles and drivers, route management and reporting. Couriers collect samples from drop-off points and take them to a Sample Registration Centre or directly to the laboratory; additional runs between the centres and laboratory are required where needed. The service also includes documenting each consignment and transferring samples with the required hand-over records. The work is courier and logistics services (CPV 64120000), supporting the laboratory’s regulatory sample testing and analysis.

The procurement is complete and Delivery Direct Logistics was selected as the sole supplier. The award is dated 22 October 2026 and is recorded as pending; a contract signature was scheduled for 5 November 2026. The award value is £9.6 million excluding VAT (£11.52 million including VAT). The framework contract period runs from 1 February 2027 to 31 January 2033, with United Utilities able to extend it by up to two further 12-month periods, to a maximum end date of 31 January 2035. The process used an open competitive flexible procedure. The tender deadline was 12 June 2026, following a 10 March 2026 deadline for the CoPQ submission. Evaluation weighted technical quality at 60% and commercial price at 40%. The single lot was identified as suitable for SMEs.

For a supplier considering comparable work when this requirement next comes to market, credibility depends on delivering a fully managed, daily sample-courier operation across a broad regional network. The service requires a dependable fleet of refrigerated vehicles and trained drivers, with temperature control maintained between 2°C and 7°C and evidence retained for each consignment. Suppliers need robust collection, delivery and hand-over processes across site drop-off points, Sample Registration Centres and the central laboratory, including any onward runs between centres and the laboratory. Route optimisation must balance efficiency, reliability and timely delivery without compromising temperature requirements. The operation also needs accurate, usable reporting: sample and crate barcodes, vehicle registration, collection and drop-off times, locations, and electronic consignment or delivery records. Experience supporting regulated laboratory sample transport, including requirements linked to MCERTs, DWTS and ISO 17025, would be directly relevant.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Services-Framework-Lab Sample Couriers Service

Notice Description

United Utilities Laboratory Services require a courier service for the transportation of samples from sites across the Company to the central Laboratory at Lingley Mere (Warrington) on a daily basis. It is a requirement of OFWAT (The Water Services Regulation Authority) that the Company constantly undertakes analysis of water/waste water samples from various sample points throughout the North-West Region. Water Quality Officers, Network Owners, Wastewater Operatives, Trade Effluent Officers, Agricultural Advisors and Project Staff obtain the samples requiring analysis. Samples are left at drop off points for collection by the dedicated courier in a refrigerated van. Samples need to be transported under refrigerated conditions to ensure that they are maintained at a temperature of between 2 and 7 degrees centigrade. It is a requirement to maintain evidence that this has been achieved to enable United Utilities to adhere to regulatory requirements with respect to the transportation of accredited samples under the Environment Agency's Monitoring Certification Scheme (MCERTs), Drinking Water Test Specifications (DWTS) and ISO 17025. On collection, the courier takes the samples to a Sample Registration Centre (SRC) or directly to Lingley Mere Laboratories Sample Reception. An additional dedicated courier service is then required to operate between the SRC's and the Laboratories at Lingley Mere, where required. Consignment Notes or Delivery Notes detailing the sample load carried and all other required information to the Laboratory at Lingley Mere are part of the hand-over procedure at the SRCs and the Laboratory. These are currently in paper form, the Company would like to move this to an electronic format, where reports should consist of (minimum requirement): * Sample bottle barcode number * crate barcode number * vehicle registration * collection date and time * collection location * time samples dropped off * location of sample drop off Route optimisation will also be a requirement of the tender, with bidders expected to demonstrate how routes will be optimised to ensure efficiency, reliability, and timely delivery of samples while maintaining required temperature controls. Detailed dates and milestones will be share in the tender documentation. Deadline for CoPQ submission: 10/03/2026

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06545f
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/100201-2026
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
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

64 - Postal and telecommunications services

CPV Codes

64120000 - Courier services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£9,600,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£9,600,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
£9,600,000 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Oct 20264 days ago
Submission Deadline
12 Jun 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
22 Oct 20265 days ago
Contract Period
1 Feb 2027 - 31 Jan 2033 Over 5 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
United Utilities Water Limited
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
WARRINGTON
Postcode
WA5 3LP
Postcode Area
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
TLD North West (England)
Local Authority
Warrington
Electoral Ward
Great Sankey North and Whittle Hall
Westminster Constituency
Warrington South

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Delivery Direct Logistics Limited

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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