Tender

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

2026-072 Future Price Control Frameworks

Ofgem

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

17 Aug 2026 at 16:36

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Ofgem is procuring external consultancy support for its Future Frameworks project on network price control beyond 2031. The commission will build on the Future Systems and Network Regulation review, assessing changes in the energy sector and Ofgem’s regulatory capabilities since that work. It will examine the relative attractiveness, feasibility and risks of possible future frameworks for gas and electricity network companies, including approaches using enhanced planning, adaptive regulation, monitoring, improved data, digital tools, Intelligent Oversight and artificial intelligence. The work is intended to provide independent strategic analysis rather than a detailed post-2031 price control design. Outputs will inform Ofgem’s long-term thinking on affordable bills, resilient networks, service quality and Net Zero delivery. The services will be delivered in the United Kingdom and include energy-sector and business-management consultancy.

The process reached tender: Ofgem invited offers through a below-threshold open competition, with electronic submissions allowed via mytenders.co.uk. Questions were due by 2 September 2026 at 12:00 BST, and offers by 9 September 2026 at 12:00 BST. There is one lot. The contract is scheduled to run from 8 October 2026 to 31 January 2027, with Ofgem reserving the right to extend it by up to three months, to 30 April 2027. Its estimated value is £166,666.67 excluding VAT, or £200,000 including VAT. Evaluation is weighted 80% technical quality and 20% commercial terms. The tender documents include a procurement questionnaire, technical and commercial sections, additional evaluation criteria, declarations, certificates and contract terms.

This opportunity suits consultancy firms and specialist advisers with strong experience in energy network regulation, price controls and the UK electricity or gas sectors. Relevant suppliers will need to analyse regulatory framework options, external market and technology changes, and the implications of evolving network investment, system planning, flexibility markets and energy demand. The work calls for independent strategic judgement, structured appraisal of strengths, weaknesses, risks and opportunities, and the ability to recommend options for further consideration against the RIIO model. Useful capability includes understanding how data, digital systems, Intelligent Oversight and AI could support allowances, incentives, performance measures and accountability. Suppliers should also be able to identify enabling capabilities and practical opportunities for testing new approaches during later price-control periods. SMEs are identified as suitable participants.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

2026-072 Future Price Control Frameworks

Notice Description

This procurement is for support to help Ofgem develop its thinking on future network price control frameworks for the post-2031 period, building on the Future Systems and Network Regulation (FSNR) review rather than re-running it from first principles. The work should assess what has changed since FSNR and what those changes mean for the relative attractiveness, feasibility and risks of different future regulatory framework options. Ofgem is seeking external consultancy support to inform its Future Frameworks project, which is considering what the next generation of network price controls could look like beyond 2031. While RIIO has evolved significantly since its introduction in 2013, the energy sector is entering a period of unprecedented change driven by electrification, increasing network investment requirements, strategic system planning, changing patterns of energy demand, advances in flexibility markets and rapid technological development, including artificial intelligence. The requirement forms part of Ofgem's wider Reimagining Network Regulation programme and builds on work previously undertaken through the Future Systems and Network Regulation (FSNR) review. The purpose of the procurement is to obtain independent expert analysis on how changes in the external environment and developments in Ofgem's own regulatory capabilities may inform the design of future regulatory frameworks. In particular, the work will explore how enhanced data, digital, Intelligent Oversight and AI-enabled capabilities could create opportunities for alternative approaches to setting allowances, incentives, performance measures and accountability arrangements for gas and electricity network companies. Building on and advancing the work undertaken in FSNR, the successful tenderer will be expected to assess the relative strengths, weaknesses, risks and opportunities of different future framework options. The supplier should recommend a list of potential options for further consideration against the RIIO model, such as enhanced planning-based approaches, more adaptive and responsive ex ante regulatory arrangements and models with a greater focus on monitoring. The work will help Ofgem understand which options warrant further consideration, what enabling capabilities would be required to deliver alternative models, and what elements of new approaches could be tested during RIIO-3 and ED3 to inform future policy decisions. This procurement is intended to provide strategic insight rather than develop a detailed post-2031 price control design. The outputs will support Ofgem's long-term thinking on how network regulation can continue to deliver affordable bills, resilient networks, high-quality service and effective delivery of Net Zero objectives in an increasingly digital and data-enabled environment. Scope of Requirements The scope of this work is to support and help Ofgem develop its thinking on future network price control frameworks for the post-2031 period, building on the Future Systems and Network Regulation (FSNR) review rather than re-running it from first principles. The work should assess what has changed since FSNR and what those changes mean for the relative attractiveness, feasibility and risks of different future regulatory framework options. The commission will build on Ofgem's internal work which has begun to consider these questions, and which will be made available to the successful bidder upon contract commencement. Further information can be found in the attached 2026-072 Future Price Control Frameworks ITT document.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: Ofgem reserves the right to extend the contract for up to 3 months.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06e5f5
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/078270-2026
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
Below threshold - open competition
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

65 - Public utilities

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

65200000 - Gas distribution and related services

65300000 - Electricity distribution and related services

65400000 - Other sources of energy supplies and distribution

79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£166,666 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£166,666 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
17 Aug 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
9 Sep 20262 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
8 Oct 2026 - 31 Jan 2027 1-6 months
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
Ofgem
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
E14 4PU
Postcode Area
East London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI4 Inner London - East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI42 Tower Hamlets
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Tower Hamlets
Electoral Ward
Canary Wharf
Westminster Constituency
Poplar and Limehouse

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.

Loading OCDS record...