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SHF Wave 3 Design and Build (Heat Pumps 2025)

Southend-on-Sea City Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

11 Sep 2026 at 14:42

Award Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Southend-on-Sea City Council procured design, supply, installation and commissioning of ground-source heat pump systems for up to 231 homes in Balmoral tower blocks: Brecon House, Blackdown House and Grampian House. The works replace existing electric storage and direct-electric heating and include design, resident liaison, installation, testing, commissioning and associated works needed to provide compliant, operational systems. The project supports the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 programme, housing decarbonisation, improved energy performance, lower carbon emissions and reduced household energy costs. This is a public-sector housing retrofit and heating-works requirement, with heat pumps as the principal specialist element. Delivery is within the Balmoral blocks in Southend-on-Sea, England, for the Council as the buying organisation.

The procurement has been completed and awarded. Kensa Contracting Limited was selected for the contract, which was signed on 19 December 2025. The contract value is £7.2 million and the term runs until 31 March 2028. Southend-on-Sea City Council used a limited procedure with a direct award under the Fusion21 framework, without publishing a separate call for competition. The framework route was chosen to support rapid mobilisation against fixed grant spending requirements. The award was evaluated on price. One bid was recorded. The contract is active. The procurement was subject to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, with the direct award made under the framework’s established terms and Regulation 33.

This requirement indicates demand for contractors able to deliver complete ground-source heat pump retrofit schemes in occupied, high-rise residential buildings. A credible competitor for comparable work would need design capability, specialist heat pump installation expertise and the operational capacity to manage testing, commissioning and associated building works across a substantial number of homes. Resident liaison is central to the delivery model, so experience of communicating with residents and coordinating work in occupied housing would be important. The Council’s stated requirements also point to the need to meet demanding technical, operational and programme outcomes within grant-funded delivery constraints. Suppliers already able to work through relevant public-sector frameworks, demonstrate compliant installation and mobilise quickly would be well placed for similar Council requirements.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

SHF Wave 3 Design and Build (Heat Pumps 2025)

Notice Description

The Council has awarded a contract for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of ground source heat pump systems to up to 231 dwellings within the Balmoral tower blocks comprising Brecon, Blackdown and Grampian House. The project is funded through the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 programme, supported by Council match funding, and forms part of the Council's wider housing decarbonisation and fuel poverty reduction objectives. The contract has been procured via FrameworkX and is subject to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

Lot Information

Lot 1

The contract provides for the delivery of energy efficiency improvement works through the replacement of existing electric storage heating and direct electric heating systems with ground source heat pump technology in up to 231 residential properties. The scope includes design, resident liaison, installation, testing, commissioning and associated works required to deliver a compliant and operational system. The contract will support the Council's Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 programme and contribute towards improving energy performance, reducing carbon emissions and lowering household energy costs for residents. The contract term runs until 31 March 2028, in line with funding programme requirements. Additional information: The contract has been awarded by direct award under the Fusion21 framework. The Council was required to mobilise the project within challenging programme timescales associated with the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 grant. Grant funding is subject to fixed annual expenditure profiles and delays in procurement risked the loss of allocated funding and the Council's ability to deliver the project within the required programme period. A framework route was selected as the most efficient and economically advantageous procurement mechanism, providing pre-competed terms and demonstrable value for money while enabling accelerated project mobilisation. Market assessment of the relevant framework lot identified a limited number of suitable suppliers capable of delivering the specialist ground source heat pump installation works required for high-rise residential buildings. Of the suppliers available on the framework, one supplier had subsequently entered administration and was therefore unable to undertake the contract, while the remaining alternative supplier was not considered capable of delivering the required services and programme outcomes within the necessary timescales. The appointed contractor was therefore the only available framework supplier able to meet the Council's technical, operational and programme requirements and ensure delivery of the funded scheme within the grant timetable.

Procurement Information

The contract was awarded by direct award under the Fusion21 framework agreement, which was established in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The framework permits the award of call-off contracts without further competition where the relevant terms are established. The Council selected the supplier as the provider best able to meet the technical, programme and funding requirements of the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 project. Accordingly, the award of this contract without prior publication of a separate contract notice is lawful under Regulation 33 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06f842
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/086493-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Works
Procurement Method
Limited
Procurement Method Details
Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

42 - Industrial machinery

45 - Construction work

CPV Codes

42511110 - Heat pumps

45232141 - Heating works

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£7,200,000 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
11 Sep 20264 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Southend-on-Sea City Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
SOUTHEND ON SEA
Postcode
SS2 6FA
Postcode Area
Southend-on-Sea
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH3 Essex
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH31 Southend-on-Sea
Delivery Location
TLH31 Southend-on-Sea
Local Authority
Southend-on-Sea
Electoral Ward
Victoria
Westminster Constituency
Southend East and Rochford

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Kensa Contracting Limited

Further Information

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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