Planning

Preliminary Market Engagement for a Proposed Procurement of Utilities for Education Buying Group Ltd

EDUCATION BUYING GROUP LTD

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

04 Jun 2026 at 12:21

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Education Buying Group Ltd, a not-for-profit public sector buying organisation based in Cardiff, United Kingdom, has initiated a preliminary market engagement for the upcoming procurement of utilities, encompassing gas, electricity, and water, projected to commence in the summer of 2026. This planning stage is critical in shaping the tender process, with responses to the engagement due by 12 noon on 29th June 2026. The procurement strategy anticipates establishing a framework agreement with a duration of three years and potential extensions. The procurement falls under the category of public utilities and holds an estimated gross value of £80,000,000 GBP.

This preliminary market engagement presents significant opportunities for energy or utility providers to participate in developing a customised utilities solution for the education sector, potentially extending to the broader public sector. Particularly, suppliers of power, gas, and water that are capable of offering innovative solutions could find this opportunity aligned with their business objectives. In addition, businesses focused on the education sector and public utilities, with robust capacity for large-scale service provision, will likely benefit from engaging in this process. By influencing the pre-tender specifications, participating entities can align their offerings with the priorities of the Education Buying Group, enhancing the prospects for inclusion in future procurement processes.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Preliminary Market Engagement for a Proposed Procurement of Utilities for Education Buying Group Ltd

Notice Description

Education Buying Group is a school-led, not-for-profit Public Sector Buying Organisation created to transform procurement for the education sector. Public procurement is complex. Schools and trusts must balance compliance, value for money, risk management and social responsibility - all while focusing on pupils and outcomes. Its governance is led by Multi-Academy Trusts, ensuring procurement decisions are shaped by the real needs of the education sector. For further information regarding Education Buying Group please visit: https://educationbuyinggroup.org.uk/ Education Buying Group Ltd (EBG Ltd) is inviting responses from providers of Energy/Utilities to this Preliminary Market Engagement process in anticipation of a planned Tender process in summer 2026. As Education Buying Group Ltd is a public sector buying organisation collaboration including Churchmarketplace the natural solution is to explore options for an 'EBG' Utilities Solution specifically for the Education Sector but with potential for access by the wider public sector. At present, our proposed procurement strategy is for the procurement of gas, electricity and water to be included within the new utilities solution. This procurement is aimed at engaging suppliers of Power, Gas and or Water and is not for services provided by third party intermediaries/brokers. Following initial consultation with the Education Sector via our EBG Ltd Partners and Customers we believe the most effective solution would be a Framework Arrangement with an initial period of 3 years with options to extend for 3 with a proposed lotting strategy as detailed in the PME Request for Information document. EBG Ltd welcomes consultation with providers and suppliers of this category via a brief questionnaire to understand and test our proposed procurement strategy, lotting strategy, inclusions and seek innovative proposals prior to finalising a tender specification and tender process. Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) is a "pre-procurement" process that enables contracting authorities and/or procurement agents acting on behalf of contracting authorities that are subject to the Procurement Act 2023 to seek responses from the market in a transparent, fair and equitable manner prior to any formal tender process. The preliminary market engagement is your opportunity to influence the potential shape and solution of a future procurement process. Through this process you can express views and confirm latest product/service developments which may meet the need of the contracting authority. This process is not a procurement process, although it may form part of a procurement process in the future and as such will be conducted in accordance with The Procurement Act 2023. The Contracting Authority reserves the right to invite any/all respondents to a meeting/presentation/interview following the closing of the deadline for the receipt of questionnaires. The purpose of this invitation will be to understand and clarify further aspects of the response. Neither this document nor any associated Preliminary Market Engagement Notice constitutes a 'call for competition'. The contracting authority/procurement agent may decide following this process that a future procurement process is not the right solution to meet the specific need identified. No guarantee or warranty is given as to any statement made in these documents. Any information is given entirely in good faith and liable to change as the future procurement process progresses. Respondents are advised therefore to keep up to date on the progress of this process. The contracting authority/procurement agent has an obligation to ensure the principles of equal treatment and transparency as required by The Procurement Act 2023 are upheld throughout this process. It may be required therefore to make available to future candidates and tenderers information provided during this PME process. Respondents should also be aware that in some cases contracting authorities are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and as such no information provided by the market can be deemed exempt from disclosure. All costs and expenses associated with participating in this PME process, including any invitations to meetings and/or presentations will not be reimbursed. Responses to this PME must be submitted no later than 12noon 29 June 2026 via the Delta e-Tendering Portal. All PME documents are available to download via the Delta e-Tendering Portal.For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/3UFXJVQRP7 For more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Cardiff:-Mains-gas./3UFXJVQRP7 To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/3UFXJVQRP7

Planning Information

Responses to this Preliminary Market Engagement can be submitted via the Delta eSourcing platform no later than 12noon 29 June 2026.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06ad77
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/052791-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

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

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

09 - Petroleum products, fuel, electricity and other sources of energy

44 - Construction structures and materials; auxiliary products to construction (except electric apparatus)

65 - Public utilities

CPV Codes

09121200 - Mains gas

09123000 - Natural gas

09310000 - Electricity

44161200 - Water mains

65000000 - Public utilities

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£80,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
4 Jun 2026Today
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
29 Jun 20264 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
29 Sep 2026 - 31 Aug 2029 2-3 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
EDUCATION BUYING GROUP LTD
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
CARDIFF
Postcode
CF35 5HZ
Post Town
Cardiff
Country
Wales
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLL Wales
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLL5 South East Wales
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLL51 Central Valleys and Bridgend
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Bridgend
Electoral Ward
Pencoed and Penprysg
Westminster Constituency
Bridgend

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

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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