Planning

GWR Supply of Water Coolers - Drinking Water at Stations, Offices and Depots

FIRST GREATER WESTERN LIMITED

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

13 May 2026 at 09:47

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

First Greater Western Limited, operating as "Great Western Railway" (GWR), has initiated a procurement process in the planning stage for the supply of water coolers, encompassing both bottled and plumbed-in solutions across its network. This engagement notice is targeted towards potential suppliers who can meet GWR's requirements for various delivery schedules in regions including South Wales, the West Country, the Cotswolds, and Southern England. Suppliers must express their interest by the deadline of 19th June 2026, with a projected contract period from 1st April 2027 to 31st March 2030, and potential extensions until 31st March 2032. This procurement falls under the goods category, specifically in the utilities sector, with an estimated contract value of £450,000 to £540,000.

This tender presents substantial opportunities for businesses involved in the supply and maintenance of drinking water solutions, particularly those focused on sustainability and possessing a capacity for large-scale distribution. Companies specialising in drinks coolers and drinking water provision, with a strong logistics network capable of delivering to widespread locations, would be especially well-suited. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) may find this an attractive opportunity, given the explicit suitability criteria. Engaging in this process enables businesses to partner with a major rail network and facilitate growth by expanding their service reach and product offerings across a diverse and geographically broad customer base. Interested parties should contact Ben Boatman at GWR to express their interest and gain more insights into the requirements and expectations.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

GWR Supply of Water Coolers - Drinking Water at Stations, Offices and Depots

Notice Description

First Greater Western Limited, trading as "Great Western Railway" (GWR), provides high speed, commuter, regional and branch line train services. We help over 100 million passengers reach their destinations every year - across South Wales, the West Country, the Cotswolds, and large parts of Southern England. GWR operates a major rail network connecting London Paddington to Southwest England, the West Country, the Thames Valley, the Cotswolds, and South Wales. Based in Swindon, key routes run from London to major cities including Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Plymouth, and Penzance. Pre Market Notice: GWR is issuing this pre-market engagement notice to gather market intelligence and identify suppliers capable of providing both bottled and plumbed-in water cooler units/solutions across multiple depots in the Southwest region (across the full GWR network). The requirement includes the provision of regular and varied delivery schedules to support operational demands. Suppliers should be able to offer flexible bottled water supply options, typically 19-litre or 11-litre bottles, with the capacity to deliver approximately 200 bottles per week to geographically dispersed sites. Sustainability will form a key part of the service provision. This includes robust reuse and recycling processes for bottles, as well as a proactive approach to increasing the use of plumbed-in units and reducing reliance on bottled-water systems across the network. The are currently around 333 water cooler units across the network, with 202 bottled units and 131 plumbed in units. The supplier will be expected to operate a regular maintenance/service/sanitise programme across the network. What next: If you feel your organisation has the capacity and capability to deliver this requirement, please contact Ben.Boatman@gwr.com to express your interest. Your details will be saved, and once this notice reaches its closing date of 19.06.26, GWR will review the responses and determine the appropriate next steps. This may include arranging individual supplier discussions or hosting a group engagement session with interested and capable suppliers.

Planning Information

Preliminary Market Engagement Notice will expire 19.06.26

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-069755
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/043768-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

37 - Musical instruments, sport goods, games, toys, handicraft, art materials and accessories

41 - Collected and purified water

CPV Codes

37414700 - Drink coolers

41110000 - Drinking water

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£450,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
13 May 2026Yesterday
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
19 Jun 20262 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 Mar 2027 - 31 Mar 2030 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
FIRST GREATER WESTERN 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
WILTSHIRE
Postcode
SN1 1HL
Post Town
Swindon
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK71 Swindon
Delivery Location
TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England)
Local Authority
Swindon
Electoral Ward
Central
Westminster Constituency
Swindon South

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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