Notice Information
Notice Title
Provision of Cambridge City Centre District Heat Network
Notice Description
Since June 2023 Cambridge City Council has been working with consultants and academic partners to develop an Outline Business Case for a City Centre District Heating Network. Detailed Project Development has now completed, proposing a low carbon network using air source and river source heat pumps, and supported by a transition to electric boilers from gas boilers to supplement peak heat demand. This work has been brought forward through a partnership between the City Council, the County Council, and 19 Academic institutions with significant heating demand in the city centre. Connections to many of these partner heat loads now forms the basis of the Minimum Viable Product identified for delivery through a Partner-invested Joint Venture Partnership, and with strategic ambition to expand such a network across the City in the long term, informed by an informal Heat Zoning review which has also been completed. A Cambridge City Centre Heat Network represents a timely and valuable opportunity for Cambridge's academic institutions and public-sector organisations, who all share ambitious decarbonisation goals, and we are now seeking expressions of interest from potential partners who wish to be appointed to the established partnership to provide Design, Build, Operation and maintenance Services, inclusive of metering and billing. We feel that establishment of a new district heating network in a city of Global significance is a momentous opportunity, and we wish to procure a DBOM partner who shares our vision and understanding of the opportunities which this may bring. We request that all interested parties put forward contact details for appropriate representatives who wish to be involved with early market testing on the Contracting opportunity, with meeting dates to be confirmed between 23rd February and 6th March 2026. Please contact procurement@cambridge.gov.uk The Council will be represented by Amberside Advisors, who together with Buro Happold and Sustainability Co have provided specialist consultancy services for the DPD Study. Formal procurement is anticipated for Q3 2026, and remains subject to both Council Cabinet approval, and successful receipt of Funding from the Green Heat Network Fund, for which bidding is targeted in March/April 2026. Procurement is anticipated to seek Commercial stage services, moving into a main contract and formal start of works by end-2027. A Phased 5-10yr constriction period is anticipated, with first heat on for phase 1 connections targeted for 2030.
Planning Information
We request that all interested parties put forward contact details for appropriate representatives who wish to be involved with early market testing on the Contracting opportunity, with meeting dates to be confirmed between 23rd February and 6th March 2026.
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-06568b
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/014537-2026
- Current Stage
- Planning
- All Stages
- Planning
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
- Procurement Type
- Standard
- Procurement Category
- Works
- Procurement Method
- Open
- Procurement Method Details
- Below threshold - open competition
- Tender Suitability
- Not specified
- Awardee Scale
- Not specified
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- CPV Divisions
45 - Construction work
71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
-
- CPV Codes
45211360 - Urban development construction work
45232140 - District-heating mains construction work
45232141 - Heating works
71314000 - Energy and related services
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- Not specified
- Lots Value
- Not specified
- Awards Value
- Not specified
- Contracts Value
- Not specified
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 17 Feb 20265 days ago
- Submission Deadline
- 15 Dec 202610 months to go
- Future Notice Date
- 31 Oct 20269 months to go
- Award Date
- Not specified
- Contract Period
- 31 Jan 2027 - 30 Jan 2042 Over 5 years
- Recurrence
- Not specified
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Planned
- Lots Status
- Planned
- Awards Status
- Not Specified
- Contracts Status
- Not Specified
Buyer & Supplier
Contracting Authority (Buyer)
- Main Buyer
- CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL
- Additional Buyers
- Contact Name
- Not specified
- Contact Email
- james.derbyshire@amberside.uk, procurement@cambridge.gov.uk, projectleads@burohappold.com, tenders@sharpepritchard.co.uk
- Contact Phone
- Not specified
Buyer Location
- Locality
- CAMBRIDGE
- Postcode
- CB2 1BY
- Post Town
- Cambridge
- Country
- England
-
- Major Region (ITL 1)
- TLK South West (England)
- Basic Region (ITL 2)
- TLK5 West of England
- Small Region (ITL 3)
- TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire
- Delivery Location
- TLH12 Cambridgeshire CC
-
- Local Authority
- Bath and North East Somerset
- Electoral Ward
- Oldfield Park
- Westminster Constituency
- Bath
Further Information
Notice Documents
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/014537-2026
17th February 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender -
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/014531-2026
17th February 2026 - Planned procurement 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.
{
"tag": [
"compiled"
],
"id": "ocds-h6vhtk-06568b-2026-02-17T17:45:43Z",
"date": "2026-02-17T17:45:43Z",
"ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-06568b",
"initiationType": "tender",
"planning": {
"documents": [
{
"id": "014531-2026",
"documentType": "plannedProcurementNotice",
"noticeType": "UK3",
"description": "Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender",
"url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/014531-2026",
"datePublished": "2026-02-17T17:26:20Z",
"format": "text/html"
},
{
"id": "014537-2026",
"documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
"noticeType": "UK2",
"description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
"url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/014537-2026",
"datePublished": "2026-02-17T17:45:43Z",
"format": "text/html"
}
],
"milestones": [
{
"id": "engagement",
"type": "engagement",
"description": "We request that all interested parties put forward contact details for appropriate representatives who wish to be involved with early market testing on the Contracting opportunity, with meeting dates to be confirmed between 23rd February and 6th March 2026.",
"dueDate": "2026-03-06T23:59:59Z",
"status": "scheduled"
}
]
},
"parties": [
{
"id": "GB-PPON-PCBT-6819-NDPJ",
"name": "Cambridge City Council",
"identifier": {
"scheme": "GB-PPON",
"id": "PCBT-6819-NDPJ"
},
"address": {
"streetAddress": "The Guildhall",
"locality": "Cambridge",
"postalCode": "CB2 1BY",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom",
"region": "UKH12"
},
"contactPoint": {
"email": "procurement@cambridge.gov.uk"
},
"roles": [
"buyer"
],
"details": {
"classifications": [
{
"id": "publicAuthoritySubCentralGovernment",
"scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
"description": "Public authority - sub-central government"
}
]
}
},
{
"id": "GB-COH-06078852",
"name": "AMBERSIDE ADVISORS LTD",
"identifier": {
"scheme": "GB-COH",
"id": "06078852"
},
"additionalIdentifiers": [
{
"scheme": "GB-PPON",
"id": "PHCN-1919-CCQG"
}
],
"address": {
"streetAddress": "Clubfinance House",
"locality": "Hemel Hempstead",
"postalCode": "HP2 5HA",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom",
"region": "UKH23"
},
"contactPoint": {
"email": "james.derbyshire@amberside.uk"
},
"roles": [
"procuringEntity"
],
"roleDetails": "Specialist Consultancy Services",
"details": {
"url": "http://amberside.uk"
}
},
{
"id": "GB-COH-OC378650",
"name": "SHARPE PRITCHARD LLP",
"identifier": {
"scheme": "GB-COH",
"id": "OC378650"
},
"additionalIdentifiers": [
{
"scheme": "GB-PPON",
"id": "PRCR-4411-VZCV"
}
],
"address": {
"streetAddress": "Elm Yard, 10-16 Elm Street",
"locality": "London",
"postalCode": "WC1X 0BJ",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom",
"region": "UKI31"
},
"contactPoint": {
"email": "tenders@sharpepritchard.co.uk"
},
"roles": [
"procuringEntity"
],
"roleDetails": "Legal support",
"details": {
"url": "http://www.sharpepritchard.co.uk"
}
},
{
"id": "GB-COH-02049511",
"name": "BURO HAPPOLD LIMITED",
"identifier": {
"scheme": "GB-COH",
"id": "02049511"
},
"additionalIdentifiers": [
{
"scheme": "GB-PPON",
"id": "PMYR-5199-WHTD"
}
],
"address": {
"streetAddress": "Pinesgate, Lower Bristol Road",
"locality": "Bath",
"postalCode": "BA2 3DP",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom",
"region": "UKK12"
},
"contactPoint": {
"email": "projectleads@burohappold.com"
},
"roles": [
"procuringEntity"
],
"roleDetails": "Specialist Consultancy support",
"details": {
"url": "https://www.burohappold.com"
}
}
],
"buyer": {
"id": "GB-PPON-PCBT-6819-NDPJ",
"name": "Cambridge City Council"
},
"tender": {
"id": "ocds-h6vhtk-06568b",
"legalBasis": {
"id": "2023/54",
"scheme": "UKPGA",
"uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
},
"title": "Provision of Cambridge City Centre District Heat Network",
"description": "Since June 2023 Cambridge City Council has been working with consultants and academic partners to develop an Outline Business Case for a City Centre District Heating Network. Detailed Project Development has now completed, proposing a low carbon network using air source and river source heat pumps, and supported by a transition to electric boilers from gas boilers to supplement peak heat demand. This work has been brought forward through a partnership between the City Council, the County Council, and 19 Academic institutions with significant heating demand in the city centre. Connections to many of these partner heat loads now forms the basis of the Minimum Viable Product identified for delivery through a Partner-invested Joint Venture Partnership, and with strategic ambition to expand such a network across the City in the long term, informed by an informal Heat Zoning review which has also been completed. A Cambridge City Centre Heat Network represents a timely and valuable opportunity for Cambridge's academic institutions and public-sector organisations, who all share ambitious decarbonisation goals, and we are now seeking expressions of interest from potential partners who wish to be appointed to the established partnership to provide Design, Build, Operation and maintenance Services, inclusive of metering and billing. We feel that establishment of a new district heating network in a city of Global significance is a momentous opportunity, and we wish to procure a DBOM partner who shares our vision and understanding of the opportunities which this may bring. We request that all interested parties put forward contact details for appropriate representatives who wish to be involved with early market testing on the Contracting opportunity, with meeting dates to be confirmed between 23rd February and 6th March 2026. Please contact procurement@cambridge.gov.uk The Council will be represented by Amberside Advisors, who together with Buro Happold and Sustainability Co have provided specialist consultancy services for the DPD Study. Formal procurement is anticipated for Q3 2026, and remains subject to both Council Cabinet approval, and successful receipt of Funding from the Green Heat Network Fund, for which bidding is targeted in March/April 2026. Procurement is anticipated to seek Commercial stage services, moving into a main contract and formal start of works by end-2027. A Phased 5-10yr constriction period is anticipated, with first heat on for phase 1 connections targeted for 2030.",
"status": "planned",
"items": [
{
"id": "1",
"additionalClassifications": [
{
"scheme": "CPV",
"id": "45211360",
"description": "Urban development construction work"
},
{
"scheme": "CPV",
"id": "45232140",
"description": "District-heating mains construction work"
},
{
"scheme": "CPV",
"id": "45232141",
"description": "Heating works"
},
{
"scheme": "CPV",
"id": "71314000",
"description": "Energy and related services"
}
],
"deliveryAddresses": [
{
"region": "UKH12",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom"
},
{
"region": "UKH12",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom"
}
],
"relatedLot": "1"
}
],
"procurementMethod": "open",
"procurementMethodDetails": "Below threshold - open competition",
"mainProcurementCategory": "works",
"aboveThreshold": false,
"tenderPeriod": {
"endDate": "2026-12-15T23:59:59Z"
},
"lots": [
{
"id": "1",
"status": "planned",
"contractPeriod": {
"startDate": "2027-01-31T00:00:00Z",
"endDate": "2042-01-30T23:59:59Z"
}
}
],
"communication": {
"futureNoticeDate": "2026-10-31T23:59:59Z"
}
},
"language": "en"
}