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Strategic Research and Advisory Support of IT and Cyber

Wales & West Utilities Limited

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

22 Jul 2026 at 13:25

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Wales & West Utilities Limited intends to procure strategic research and advisory support focused on IT, cyber and data. The requirement is for a data advisory services partner providing independent, vendor-neutral and actionable guidance on data strategy, governance, analytics, architecture and emerging technologies. The work will support IT, Cyber, Risk, Asset and business functions to make evidence-based decisions and mature their data capabilities. The scope includes improving data governance, enabling data-driven decision-making, planning technology roadmaps, benchmarking against industry standards, aligning cyber risk and compliance, and adopting modern data platforms and architectures. It also includes senior subject-matter expertise covering CIO-level issues, cyber, IT vendor management and architecture, associated toolkits, and access to domain-specific conferences. Delivery is across Wales & West Utilities’ United Kingdom operations.

This procurement is at the planning stage and is not yet an invitation to tender. Wales & West Utilities expects to issue a future notice on 1 September 2026. It plans one lot, with an estimated value of £400,000 excluding VAT and £480,000 including VAT. The anticipated contract period is from 1 November 2026 to 1 November 2029, with a possible extension to 1 November 2032 and renewal rights. The buyer is conducting pre-market engagement through a questionnaire: suppliers were asked to request a copy by close of business on 19 August 2026 and return the completed questionnaire by close of business on 27 July 2026. The procurement is for services and is above the relevant threshold. The lot is identified as suitable for SMEs and VCSEs.

This will suit established data, IT and cyber advisory firms able to provide independent advice rather than promote a particular vendor. Relevant suppliers should be able to combine strategic data governance, analytics, architecture and technology-roadmap expertise with practical support for risk, compliance, cyber security and IT vendor management. The requirement is likely to favour teams comfortable advising senior CIO-level stakeholders, benchmarking capability against industry standards and guiding the adoption of modern data platforms and architectures. Firms should also be able to provide usable toolkits and access to specialist, domain-specific conferences. The buyer has indicated that the partner must support evidence-based decisions and the continuing modernisation of its IT and data landscape. SMEs and voluntary, community or social enterprises are expressly considered suitable for the single lot.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Strategic Research and Advisory Support of IT and Cyber

Notice Description

Wales & West Utilities (WWU) seeks to procure a Data Advisory Services partner capable of providing expert, independent, and actionable guidance across data strategy, governance, analytics, architecture, and emerging technologies. The partner must deliver trusted, vendor neutral advisory services that support IT, Cyber, Risk, Asset, and Business functions in making evidence based decisions and maturing WWU's data capabilities. WWU is continuously modernising its IT and data landscape and requires a research and advisory partner to support. WWU currently has a partner providing these services, however this tender is driven by the need to reengage with the market after many years since its last tender. - Data governance improvements - Data driven decision making * Technology roadmap planning * Benchmarking against industry standards * Cyber risk and compliance alignment * Adoption of modern data platforms and architectures - Subject Matter Expertise in CIO levels, Cyber, IT Vendor Management and Architecture and toolkits to support these functions - Access to domain specific conferences

Planning Information

The pre-market engagement involves the completion of a pre-market questionnaire. To obtain a copy of this questionnaire, please email expressing your interest to wwuprocurement@wwutilities.co.uk Please ensure you request a copy of this questionnaire by no later than COP on 19/08/2026. Please return completed questionnaire by COP on 27th July 2026

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d0de
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/069168-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

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

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

CPV Codes

72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£400,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Jul 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
1 Sep 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Nov 2026 - 1 Nov 2029 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
Wales & West Utilities 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
NEWPORT
Postcode
NP10 8FZ
Postcode Area
Newport
Country
Wales
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLL Wales
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLL5 South East Wales
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLL54 Monmouthshire and Newport
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Newport
Electoral Ward
Tredegar Park and Marshfield
Westminster Constituency
Newport West and Islwyn

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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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