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Major Water Infrastructure Programme (MWIP) - Programmatic Delivery and Opportunity Assessment

O F W A T

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

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17 Sep 2026 at 14:13

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat) commissioned programme-wide value-for-money appraisal services for the Major Water Infrastructure Programme, including its Reservoir Programme. The work examines opportunities to reduce cost and improve value, schedule, risk and deliverability at early project stages. It covers identifying, testing and prioritising value-for-money drivers and opportunities; quantifying potential cost, schedule and wider benefits; assessing delivery, commercial and governance implications; and producing practical recommendations. The two-stage approach comprises an initial programme-wide assessment followed by separately commissioned technical, commercial or delivery assessments for priority opportunities. Required outputs include a value-for-money appraisal report and prioritised opportunity matrix. Delivery covers England and Wales, with relevant application across the wider Reservoir Programme and other Major Water Infrastructure Programme asset types. This is a professional water infrastructure consultancy service, classified under CPV 71800000.

The procurement is complete and the contract was awarded to Allora Infrastructure Limited. Ofwat used a direct award below the threshold without competition, for one completed lot. The contract was signed on 1 August 2026 and runs from 1 August to 31 October 2026, with an optional two-month extension that could take delivery to 31 December 2026. Its value is £100,000 excluding VAT and £120,000 including VAT. The selected supplier is responsible for determining the methodology and activities needed to deliver the appraisal. The required work is assessed against credible opportunity identification and prioritisation, evidence-based analysis of cost, schedule, risk, deliverability and wider benefits, practical recommendations, and a clear, transparent evidence base for Ofwat and stakeholders. The contract is active.

This requirement suits specialist infrastructure, water-sector and value-for-money consultancies able to assess major capital programmes rather than deliver construction directly. A credible competitor would need experience of programme-wide cost and value analysis, especially for reservoirs or comparable water assets, and the ability to challenge opportunities with relevant industry and technical experts. Strong capability is needed in cost and schedule assessment, risk and deliverability analysis, commercial models, governance, delivery approaches and wider system enablers. Suppliers should be able to distinguish evidenced benefits from indicative opportunities, state confidence levels, identify assumptions and evidence gaps, and explain dependencies and enabling conditions. The work also favours teams that can run stakeholder workshops, produce decision-ready reports and opportunity matrices, and turn analysis into practical recommendations that can be applied across a complex infrastructure programme.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Major Water Infrastructure Programme (MWIP) - Programmatic Delivery and Opportunity Assessment

Notice Description

Undertake a programme-wide Value for Money (VfM) appraisal of the Major Water Infrastructure Programme (MWIP) to identify, test and prioritise credible cost reduction and VfM opportunities, with a focus on decisions that can influence cost, schedule, risk and deliverability at the early stages of the project lifecycle across identified VfM drivers. The study will adopt a two-stage approach to delivery. Stage 1 will provide a programme-wide VfM assessment, covering VfM drivers and identifying, testing and prioritising credible opportunities. Greater emphasis will be placed on those drivers where there is currently greatest potential to influence VfM, particularly given the maturity of assets within the Reservoir Programme. Stage 2 will comprise subsequent steps required to further develop, evidence and unlock priority opportunities identified through Stage 1. These may include targeted technical, commercial or delivery assessments, where required. Any such subsequent work will be defined and commissioned separately based on the findings and recommendations from Stage 1. The objectives of the Services are to: * Identify potential VfM drivers across MWIP. * Challenge and develop the initial opportunities through structured input from relevant industry and technical experts. * Identify and prioritise the most significant opportunities for further assessment. * Quantify potential benefits, where sufficient evidence is available, including potential cost and schedule benefits and wider value. * Assess each priority opportunity against cost, schedule, risk, deliverability, commercial implications and wider value. * Identify key assumptions, evidence gaps, confidence levels, dependencies, enabling conditions and risks. * Assess the implications for delivery approaches, governance, commercial models and wider system enablers. * Identify opportunities that may be applicable across the wider Reservoir Programme and, where relevant, other asset types in MWIP. * Develop practical recommendations for taking priority opportunities forward. * Provide Ofwat and relevant stakeholders with a robust and transparent evidence base to support decision-making. Scope of Services The Supplier shall be responsible for determining the appropriate methodology, approach and activities required to achieve the purpose and objectives of the Services. Outputs / Deliverables The Supplier shall provide a VfM Appraisal Report and Prioritised VfM Opportunity Matrix setting out, where evidence permits. Schedule The Supplier shall deliver the Services in accordance with the following indicative programme: * Week 1: Project mobilisation and receipt of information. * Weeks 2-3: Baseline review and development of the VfM diagnostic framework. * Week 4: Expert input, workshops and opportunity prioritisation. * Week 5: Draft findings issued for review, followed by final report and presentation. The Supplier shall maintain and update the programme throughout the Services and provide a revised schedule where required to reflect progress, dependencies and any changes to the delivery approach. The schedule shall include key milestones, review points and stakeholder meetings, including, as appropriate, meetings/checkpoints with key stakeholders. The Supplier shall ensure that sufficient time is allowed for stakeholder review and feedback and shall promptly identify any risks to the agreed programme, together with proposed mitigation actions. Success criteria The Services will be considered successful where they: A. Identify and prioritise credible VfM opportunities across the agreed VfM drivers. B. Provide, evidence-based assessment of potential cost, schedule, risk, deliverability and wider benefits. C. Clearly distinguish between evidenced benefits, indicative opportunities and areas requiring further investigation, with appropriate confidence levels. D. Provide practical and actionable recommendations, including enabling conditions, dependencies, owners and next steps. E. Demonstrate how priority opportunities can be implemented and applied across the MWIP, where relevant. F. Provide Ofwat and stakeholders with a clear, transparent and decision-ready evidence base to support investment and delivery decisions. G. Deliver the agreed report, opportunity matrix and recommendations within the agreed programme, allowing sufficient time for stakeholder review and challenge.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-077486
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/088268-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Below threshold - without competition
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

CPV Codes

71800000 - Consulting services for water-supply and waste consultancy

Notice Value(s)

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

Notice Dates

Publication Date
17 Sep 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Aug 2026 - 31 Oct 2026 1-6 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
O F W A T
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BIRMINGHAM
Postcode
B5 4UA
Postcode Area
Birmingham
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLG West Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLG3 West Midlands
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLG31 Birmingham
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Birmingham
Electoral Ward
Ladywood
Westminster Constituency
Birmingham Ladywood

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Allora Infrastructure Limited

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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