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/014158-2026
- Current Stage
- Tender
- All Stages
- Tender
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- UK4 - Tender Notice
- Procurement Type
- Standard
- Procurement Category
- Services
- Procurement Method
- Open
- Procurement Method Details
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Tender Suitability
- SME
- Awardee Scale
- Not specified
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
- Not specified
- Contracts Value
- Not specified
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 17 Feb 20266 days ago
- Submission Deadline
- 12 Jun 20264 months to go
- Future Notice Date
- Not specified
- Award Date
- Not specified
- Contract Period
- 6 Jul 2026 - 6 Jul 2034 Over 5 years
- Recurrence
- Not specified
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Active
- Lots Status
- Active
- Awards Status
- Not Specified
- Contracts Status
- Not Specified
Buyer & Supplier
Contracting Authority (Buyer)
- Main Buyer
- UNITED UTILITIES WATER LIMITED
- Contact Name
- Sofia Gomes
- Contact Email
- sofia.gomes@uuplc.co.uk
- Contact Phone
- +44 7901172777
Buyer Location
- Locality
- WARRINGTON
- 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
- TLD North West (England)
-
- Local Authority
- Warrington
- Electoral Ward
- Great Sankey North and Whittle Hall
- Westminster Constituency
- Warrington South
Further Information
Notice Documents
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/014158-2026
17th February 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/013630-2026
13th February 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
View full OCDS Record for this contracting process
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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