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Cheshire and Warrington Outline Water Plan

CHESHIRE & WARRINGTON LOCAL ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIP

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

TenderUpdate

16 Sep 2026 at 16:28

UK4 - Tender Notice
Tender

03 Sep 2026 at 11:01

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Enterprise Cheshire and Warrington is commissioning consultancy services to develop the Cheshire and Warrington Outline Water Plan. The work will create a strategic, place-based evidence base covering water infrastructure needs, including upgrades needed to support local economic growth, and the risks posed by flooding and drought. It will consider ecosystem services, farming resilience and alignment between local spatial, economic and infrastructure planning, national and regional water planning, and the emerging North West Regional Systems Planner. The plan is intended to support the authority’s Independent Economic Review and engagement with regional water-planning arrangements. Delivery is focused on Cheshire and Warrington, within the North West of England. The procurement is for research and related consultancy services, classified under CPV 73000000, for a public undertaking.

The procurement reached tender and the buyer invited offers through a below-threshold open competition. The deadline for enquiries was 10 September 2026 at 5:00 pm, and the tender submission deadline was 24 September 2026 at 5:00 pm. The single lot covers a contract running from 5 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. Its estimated value is £80,000 excluding VAT and £96,000 including VAT. Electronic submission is allowed, with tenders submitted by email. Bids must first pass the conformance-to-specification requirement. The scored evaluation then gives 75% to technical merit and quality and 25% to value for money. The opportunity is identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises.

This opportunity suits consultants able to combine strategic water planning, economic analysis and place-based infrastructure advice. Strong candidates will be able to develop an evidence base that connects water-system investment with local growth, spatial planning, environmental objectives and agricultural resilience, while understanding the relationship between local plans, national policy and emerging regional planning structures. The work also calls for the ability to assess infrastructure constraints and the implications of flooding and drought, and to produce a practical outline plan for use in engagement with regional partners. Suppliers should be comfortable working across public-sector, water-sector, environmental and economic stakeholders and translating complex evidence into clear recommendations. Quality is the dominant scored consideration, so relevant analytical capability, methodology and experience are likely to be central to a competitive response.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Cheshire and Warrington Outline Water Plan

Notice Description

The newly established Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority (CWCA) has recently stated its intention to commission an Independent Economic Review (IER) for the subregion - setting out the evidence for the opportunities for and constraints on local growth. In support of this, it is vital to better understand where water infrastructure may require upgrades to support local ambition, and how we can better work together to ensure that flooding and drought are not impediments to growth whilst ensuring that wider ecosystem services and farming resilience are better supported. Simultaneously, the Water White Paper published in January 2026 committed Government to act on the Independent Water Commission recommendation, setting up Regional Systems Planning in England. DEFRA have set out an intention to pilot this through Regional System Planners (RSPs), established across each region of England with the aim of influencing both PR29 and other water system investment plans. Defra are keen for partnerships to pilot RSP governance and structures during this set-up year. and have set out that they only intend to provide high level direction on form. Within this context there is a significant opportunity to influence water planning, and ensure alignment with local growth and wider environmental ambitions. To support the IER along with engagement with the establishing North West RSP, ECW is seeking to appoint consultants to develop a strategic, place based evidence base and outline water plan that sits between national/regional water planning processes and local spatial, economic, and infrastructure planning.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f109
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/087934-2026
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, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£80,000 Under £100K
Lots Value
£80,000 Under £100K
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
16 Sep 20265 days ago
Submission Deadline
24 Sep 20262 days to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
5 Oct 2026 - 31 Mar 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
CHESHIRE & WARRINGTON LOCAL ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIP
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
WINSFORD
Postcode
CW7 1AH
Postcode Area
Crewe
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD6 Cheshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD63 Cheshire West and Chester
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Cheshire West and Chester
Electoral Ward
Winsford Dene
Westminster Constituency
Mid Cheshire

Further Information

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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