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FA08-27 - Advisory Services (DPC/SIPR)

NORTHUMBRIAN WATER LIMITED

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

PlanningUpdate

23 Sep 2026 at 10:25

UK3 - Planned Procurement Notice
Planning

21 Sep 2026 at 09:06

UK3 - Planned Procurement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Northumbrian Water Limited plans to establish a framework for specialist financial, commercial and legal advice supporting major strategic infrastructure programmes. The work covers the programme lifecycle, from development and procurement through contract award and mobilisation, and includes support for the North Suffolk Reservoir Project and projects using Direct Procurement for Customers or Specified Infrastructure Project Regulations models. The financial and commercial lot includes strategy and modelling, delivery and commercial structures, procurement documentation and strategy, payment mechanisms, market engagement, bid evaluation, negotiations and assurance. The legal lot covers procurement law, contract drafting and negotiation, regulatory compliance, land and planning matters, contract close, mobilisation and corporate finance law. Delivery is across the United Kingdom.

This is at the planning stage: Northumbrian Water has signalled a future procurement, but has not yet invited tenders. It expects a competitive flexible procedure and framework agreements. The stated overall estimated gross value is £100 million, split equally between the financial and commercial services lot and the legal services lot. Each lot is intended to have one appointed supplier plus one reserve supplier. The anticipated contract start is 1 August 2027, with an initial term to 31 July 2032 and possible extensions within a stated 12-year framework duration. The buyer’s indicative timetable is pre-qualification from October to December 2026, invitations to tender from January to February 2027, evaluation in March and April, interviews in April and award in July 2027. These are expected dates, not bid deadlines.

The framework is relevant to established advisory firms able to support complex infrastructure programmes over their development, procurement and mobilisation phases. Financial and commercial consultants will need strength in financial strategy and modelling, commercial and delivery-model design, procurement, payment mechanisms, market engagement, bidder evaluation, negotiation and assurance. Legal advisers will need relevant expertise in procurement law, contract drafting and negotiation, regulatory compliance, land and planning, corporate finance, contract close and mobilisation. Both lots require the ability to work closely with a programme team and technical advisers, and to support different delivery models, including DPC and SIPR. The planned primary and reserve appointments point to a need for dependable capacity and continuity. Suppliers should prepare for a selective competition involving pre-qualification, tender evaluation and interviews; the buyer has not yet set out specific accreditation or experience thresholds.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

FA08-27 - Advisory Services (DPC/SIPR)

Notice Description

Northumbrian Water are looking to appoint Specialist Advisory Services to support the development, procurement and mobilisation of major strategic infrastructure programmes, including activities related to the Direct Procurement for Customers (DPC) / Specified Infrastructure Project Regulations (SIPR) pathways, including the North Suffolk Reservoir Project. The framework will provide access to specialist financial/commercial and legal advisors who will support the delivery of strategic infrastructure programmes through the provision of advisory services covering procurement strategy, commercial structuring, financial modelling and assurance, legal strategy, procurement law support, contract drafting, regulatory compliance and mobilisation support. This Notice is published in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 to forewarn the market of a future tender opportunity, and does not require any action from potential bidders at this time. When the tender goes live a further notice will be published giving details. The tender will be published on our e-tendering platform which can be found at https//:ariba.com. Procurement timetable: PQQ: Oct - Dec 2026 ITT: Jan - Feb 2027 Tender Evaluation: Mar - Apr 2027 Interviews: Apr 2027 Contract Award: Jul 2027 Contract Implementation/Mobilisation: Jul 2027 Please note that these dates are indicative and may be subject to change.

Lot Information

Financial & Commercial Services

Provision of financial and commercial advisory services to support the development, procurement, contract award, and mobilisation of major infrastructure programmes. Services include financial strategy and modelling, commercial and delivery model development, procurement strategy and documentation, payment mechanism design, market engagement, bidder evaluation and negotiations, contract close activities, and associated assurance support. The appointed adviser will provide strategic support throughout the programme lifecycle and will work closely with the programme team, technical advisors and legal advisors. The scope is agnostic to delivery model, including SIPR and DPC models. The intention is to appoint one supplier per lot, with the addition of one reserve supplier per lot to provide additional resilience, capacity and flexibility to support future programme requirements. If there is any change to this strategy, this will be advised in the Tender Notice.

Options: The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.

Renewal: Framework duration: 5 + 3 + 2 + 2 In the case of framework agreements, provide justification for any duration exceeding 8 years: Applicable to all lots: It is the intention to award twelve (12) year framework agreements for the provision of these services. This duration is in recognition of the significant investment required from both the client and consultants to establish a long term framework that will provide NWL with a stable, compliant and scalable mechanism to access specialist advisory services throughout the development, procurement and mobilisation phases of major strategic infrastructure programmes.

Legal Services

Provision of legal advisory services to support major infrastructure procurement programmes, including legal strategy, procurement law, contract drafting and negotiation, regulatory compliance, land and planning matters, contract close and mobilisation activities, and corporate finance legal support. The appointed adviser will provide strategic legal support throughout the programme lifecycle and will work closely with the programme team, technical advisors and financial/commercial advisors. The scope is agnostic to delivery model, including SIPR and DPC models. The intention is to appoint one supplier per lot, with the addition of one reserve supplier per lot to provide additional resilience, capacity and flexibility to support future programme requirements. If there is any change to this strategy, this will be advised in the Tender Notice.

Options: The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.

Renewal: Framework duration: 5 + 3 + 2 + 2 In the case of framework agreements, provide justification for any duration exceeding 8 years: Applicable to all lots: It is the intention to award twelve (12) year framework agreements for the provision of these services. This duration is in recognition of the significant investment required from both the client and consultants to establish a long term framework that will provide NWL with a stable, compliant and scalable mechanism to access specialist advisory services throughout the development, procurement and mobilisation phases of major strategic infrastructure programmes.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-077600
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089978-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK3 - Planned Procurement Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

66 - Financial and insurance services

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

CPV Codes

66171000 - Financial consultancy services

79100000 - Legal services

79210000 - Accounting and auditing services

79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£100,000,000 £100M-£1B
Lots Value
£100,000,000 £100M-£1B
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
23 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
8 Oct 20261 day to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Aug 2027 - 31 Jul 2032 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NORTHUMBRIAN WATER LIMITED
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
PITY ME
Postcode
DH1 5FJ
Postcode Area
Durham
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLC North East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLC4 Northumberland, Durham and Tyne & Wear
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLC41 Durham
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
County Durham
Electoral Ward
Framwellgate & Newton Hall
Westminster Constituency
City of Durham

Further Information

Notice Documents

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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