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Preliminary Market Engagement: Energy Advice and Guidance Service

Wychavon District Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

23 Oct 2026 at 14:48

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Wychavon District Council and Malvern Hills District Council are considering a coordinated energy advice and guidance service for residents across both districts. It would offer free, impartial, practical help, particularly to households experiencing or at risk of fuel poverty, including vulnerable residents and people facing barriers to support. Possible work includes household energy affordability advice, fuel-poverty screening and casework, help with fuel debt, bills and tariffs, access to grants and discounts, income checks or referrals, and support where heating or hot water is unavailable. The service could also advise on insulation, heating, ventilation, damp and renewable technologies; make supported referrals to other organisations and installers; visit residents where needed; undertake outreach and partnership work; and maintain case records, gather feedback and report outcomes. Delivery would cover Wychavon and Malvern Hills districts.

This is preliminary market engagement at the planning stage, not an invitation to tender or a formal procurement. The councils are seeking supplier feedback through a questionnaire to test interest, scope, service standards, delivery options, affordability, cost drivers and mobilisation needs; participation will not confer an advantage or prevent later participation. The response deadline for this engagement is 12 noon on 5 November 2026. The councils expect to decide their approach to any subsequent procurement after engagement, with a future notice anticipated on 16 November 2026. Indicative annual budgets are £15,000 excluding VAT for Wychavon and £11,000 excluding VAT for Malvern Hills, or £26,000 combined, subject to confirmation. The proposed contract period is 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2028. No final procedure, lots or evaluation criteria are set out.

The work is likely to suit organisations with practical experience delivering household energy advice, fuel-poverty support or related community guidance, particularly for vulnerable residents. Providers should be able to combine accessible advice with proportionate casework on energy bills, fuel debt, grants, benefits and income maximisation, and respond to urgent heating or hot-water problems. Relevant technical knowledge may include home energy efficiency, insulation, heating, ventilation, damp and renewable technologies. The councils are exploring whether one coordinated service can cover both districts efficiently, and are interested in delivery by partnerships, consortia or subcontracting as well as individual providers. Capability to make effective referrals and handovers, undertake home visits and targeted outreach, work with local stakeholders, and produce auditable case management, feedback and outcome reporting will be relevant. Small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community or social enterprises are considered suitable.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Preliminary Market Engagement: Energy Advice and Guidance Service

Notice Description

Wychavon District Council and Malvern Hills District Council are undertaking preliminary market engagement in relation to a proposed Energy Advice and Guidance Service for residents across both districts. The proposed service would principally support residents experiencing, or at risk of, fuel poverty, with particular emphasis on vulnerable households. It may include advice, guidance and casework relating to household energy affordability, fuel debt, grants and other financial assistance, income maximisation, heating and hot-water difficulties, energy efficiency, and access to appropriate support services.

Planning Information

Wychavon District Council and Malvern Hills District Council are seeking preliminary market feedback from suitably qualified and experienced organisations regarding a proposed Energy Advice and Guidance Service. The Councils are considering commissioning a single coordinated service across both districts. The service would provide free, impartial and practical support to residents, particularly households experiencing or at risk of fuel poverty and those who may be vulnerable or face barriers to accessing support. The proposed service may include: accessible household energy and affordability advice; fuel-poverty screening and proportionate individual casework; support with fuel debt, energy bills, tariffs and household energy costs; assistance in identifying and accessing grants, rebates, discounts and other financial support; benefit and income-maximisation checks or effective referral arrangements; support for residents experiencing loss of heating or hot water; advice on insulation, heating, ventilation, condensation, damp, renewable technologies and other relevant energy-efficiency measures; warm referrals and assisted handovers to appropriate organisations, schemes and installers; home visits where residents cannot be supported effectively through other channels; targeted outreach, engagement, partnership working and stakeholder briefings or training; and auditable case management, customer feedback and outcome reporting. The Councils currently anticipate indicative annual budgets of approximately: Wychavon District Council: £15,000 excluding VAT Malvern Hills District Council: £11,000 excluding VAT Combined indicative annual budget: £26,000 excluding VAT These figures remain subject to confirmation. The Councils wish to understand what service and level of provision the market considers realistically deliverable within these indicative budgets, including any efficiencies available through a coordinated two-district service. Purpose of the engagement The purpose of this preliminary market engagement is to: assess the likely level of market interest; understand relevant supplier experience and capability; test whether the proposed scope, service standards and reporting requirements are proportionate and deliverable; understand potential delivery models, including partnerships, consortia and subcontracting; identify the service level and delivery model achievable within the indicative budgets; identify principal cost and delivery drivers; understand potential mobilisation requirements and contract-term considerations; identify barriers that could restrict competition; and inform the Councils’ approach to any subsequent procurement. Organisations are invited to review the draft service outline and complete the market-engagement questionnaire available through the procurement portal. Important information This exercise is being conducted for preliminary market-engagement and information-gathering purposes only. It is not an invitation to tender, a formal expression of interest or the commencement of a procurement procedure. Participation will not provide an organisation with an advantage in any subsequent procurement. Organisations that do not participate in this exercise will not be prevented from participating in any future procurement opportunity. The Councils are not committed to undertaking a procurement or awarding a contract and may amend, postpone or discontinue the proposed requirement. The information received may be used to develop the specification, procurement strategy, budget, evaluation approach and proposed contractual arrangements. How to respond Interested organisations should download and complete the Preliminary Market Engagement questionnaire through the Proactis ProContract Procurement Portal. Portal: Proactis ProContract Reference: PLLQ-1582-DCZZ Response deadline: 12:00 noon on Thursday 5 November 2026 Completed responses and any clarification questions must be submitted through the procurement portal. Organisations should not approach individual Council officers regarding the requirement. For portal-related support, please contact procurement@wychavon.gov.uk or use the Proactis technical support service

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-078f43
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/100593-2026
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
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services

75 - Administration, defence and social security services

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

71314000 - Energy and related services

75300000 - Compulsory social security services

85312310 - Guidance services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£26,000 Under £100K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
23 Oct 20263 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
16 Nov 20263 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Apr 2027 - 31 Mar 2028 1-2 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
Wychavon District Council
Additional Buyers

Malvern Hills District 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
PERSHORE
Postcode
WR10 1PT
Postcode Area
Worcester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLG West Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLG1 Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLG12 Worcestershire CC
Delivery Location
TLG12 Worcestershire CC
Local Authority
Wychavon
Electoral Ward
Pershore
Westminster Constituency
West Worcestershire

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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