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RFI - Data Centre Transformation & Rationalisation Programme

Southern Water Services Ltd.

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Planning

07 Sep 2026 at 12:57

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

02 Sep 2026 at 09:58

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Southern Water Services Limited is developing a data centre transformation and rationalisation programme. The requirement is for IT consultancy, software development, internet and support services (CPV 72000000), focused on changing and rationalising the water company’s data centre estate. The anticipated scope includes technical and delivery approaches, technology options, innovation, and potentially supporting the movement towards a more efficient data centre operating model. Southern Water is also considering how the requirement should be packaged into lots. The work would support Southern Water’s operations in England, with the buyer based in Worthing. This is a utilities-sector programme intended to shape a future sourcing exercise rather than a current tender for immediate delivery.

This procurement is at the planning and preliminary market-engagement stage: Southern Water is seeking information before deciding its sourcing strategy and eventual procurement approach. Interested organisations are invited to respond through Southern Water’s Coupa Sourcing Portal by 23 September 2026. The buyer expects the future contract period to run from 1 October 2027 to 30 September 2031. The published procurement value is £0 gross, indicating that no contract value has been established at this stage. The planned requirement is above the relevant threshold and is expected to use a services procurement in the utilities sector. There is one planned lot, although Southern Water is specifically seeking market views on the most suitable lotting approach. The engagement will test the realism of the proposed delivery timescale and inform the business case.

This engagement will suit organisations able to deliver complex data centre transformation, consolidation or rationalisation programmes for large utility or other critical-infrastructure environments. Southern Water is looking for evidence of market capability, capacity and appetite, so established delivery teams with sufficient resources for a multi-year programme should prepare relevant credentials. Useful contributions will include practical delivery models, technical options, innovative approaches, indicative commercial models and case studies from comparable work. Suppliers with experience advising on data centre strategy, designing target estates, migrating or modernising infrastructure, and supporting operating-model change are likely to be well placed to contribute. Businesses able to explain realistic implementation timescales and recommend an effective packaging or lotting structure should also find the engagement relevant. This is preparation for a possible future procurement, not an opportunity to bid for a contract now.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

RFI - Data Centre Transformation & Rationalisation Programme

Notice Description

Southern Water is developing a programme to transform and rationalise its data centre estate. This Request for Information (RFI) is a preliminary market engagement exercise under the Procurement Act 2023, intended to inform and shape the emerging vision ahead of any procurement. Through it, Southern Water is seeking to: * Understand the capability, capacity and appetite of the market to deliver a programme of this nature; * Test the feasibility and realism of the emerging vision, and in particular the delivery timescale; * Gather delivery approaches, technical options, innovations, case studies and indicative commercial models; * Understand how the market would best package (Lot) the requirement; and * Inform Southern Water's business case, sourcing strategy and eventual procurement approach.

Planning Information

Any interested parties can respond via Southern Water's Sourcing Portal (Coupa): https://supplier.coupahost.com/quotes/public_events?customer=southernwater&company_name=Southern+Water

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f01c
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/084383-2026
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
Not specified
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
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
7 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Oct 2027 - 30 Sep 2031 4-5 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
Southern Water Services 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
WORTHING
Postcode
BN13 3NX
Postcode Area
Brighton
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ2 Surrey, East and West Sussex
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ27 West Sussex (South West)
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Worthing
Electoral Ward
Northbrook
Westminster Constituency
Worthing West

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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