Award

Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) ~ D-C Projec

THE HIGHLAND COUNCIL

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Summary of the contracting process

The Highland Council has successfully completed the procurement process for the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) Retrofit Project, with the award given to Union Technical Services. This project falls under the industry category of general public services and involves works to be carried out in the Highland region of Scotland. As part of the procurement process, a limited procurement method was utilised, specifically an award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition. The contract, valued at £9,221,600, was signed on 31st May 2025, and the funding is available until 31st December 2025. The main focus is on energy efficiency measures for Council properties, aligning with the Council’s Net Zero commitments.

This tender provides significant opportunities for Union Technical Services, an SME based in Glasgow, to grow by delivering fully funded energy efficiency improvements. The project offers a chance for businesses specialised in renewable energy and efficiency measures, such as air source heat pumps and solar PV, to expand their service offerings. Businesses capable of securing strong funding agreements with utility companies, similar to those achieved by Union Technical Services, will find advantageous opportunities in this type of procurement. Moreover, the 11-year servicing and warranty agreement highlights a sustainable approach, making it appealing for long-term investments in public sector housing improvements.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) ~ D-C Projec

Notice Description

ECO funded Retrofit Project

Lot Information

Lot 1

Highland Council received up to a 9.2 million GBP, ECO4 funding proposal from Union Technical Services Limited (EES:ABS contractor) to fund and deliver the below energy efficiency measure to Council properties. Funding is available until 31 December 2025. The Council will work with Union Technical to identify Council properties which are eligible for fully funded energy efficiency measures. Following the completion works, Union Technical will submit all relevant paperwork to the energy company to claim ECO funding to cover the full installation cost. Proposed fully funded measures include: * Internal Wall Insulation/ Cavity Internal Wall Insulation * Cavity Wall Insulation (CWI) * Loft Insulation * Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) * Solar PV The proposal provides essential external funding to support the Council to meet the Council's Net Zero commitments and aligns with the Delivery Plan. Additionally, allowing works to be undertaken to ensure properties meet housing standards.

Procurement Information

Call off from Scotland XL energy efficiency contractors framework which permits the use of a direct award. ECO4 funding will be utilised to fully fund energy efficiency works to Council properties, the contractor (Union Technical Services) has secured funding with utility companies and will claim funding direct from the utilities in accordance with Ofgem guidance. Due to time constraints relating to the expenditure/ delivery of the funding proposal (funding is available until 31 December 2025) an exception is sought under section 4.1.5.iii. in accordance with section 3.10. The funding proposal covers the full installation cost of the energy efficiency measures, aligning with the Delivery Plan and providing significant support to the HRA Capital Budget. While there is a significant number of contractors who can access ECO4 funding, the rates and level of funding they have access to will depend on the contract(s) they have with the energy companies. There has been discussions with other contractors who have access to ECO funding and none can offer the level of funding proposed by Union Technical for Council properties. Additionally, Union Technical have offered 11 years of servicing and warranty for ASHPs installed, offering best value.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-r6ebe6-0000801850
Publication Source
Public Contracts Scotland
Latest Notice
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUN532788
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
PCS Notice - Website Contract 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
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

45 - Construction work


CPV Codes

45000000 - Construction work

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£9,221,600 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
17 Jun 20255 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
31 May 20256 months ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
THE HIGHLAND COUNCIL
Contact Name
Joanne Duggan
Contact Email
joanne.duggan@highland.gov.uk
Contact Phone
+44 7747734255

Buyer Location

Locality
INVERNESS
Postcode
IV3 5NX
Post Town
Inverness
Country
Scotland

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLM Scotland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLM2 Highlands and Islands
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLM20 Highlands and Islands
Delivery Location
TLM6 Highlands and Islands

Local Authority
Highland
Electoral Ward
Inverness West
Westminster Constituency
Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

UNION TECHNICAL SERVICES

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

Download

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.

{
    "tag": [
        "compiled"
    ],
    "id": "ocds-r6ebe6-0000801850-2025-06-17T00:00:00Z",
    "date": "2025-06-17T00:00:00Z",
    "ocid": "ocds-r6ebe6-0000801850",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "org-155",
            "name": "The Highland Council",
            "identifier": {
                "legalName": "The Highland Council"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Glenurquhart Road",
                "locality": "Inverness",
                "region": "UKM6",
                "postalCode": "IV3 5NX"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "name": "Joanne Duggan",
                "email": "joanne.duggan@highland.gov.uk",
                "telephone": "+44 7747734255",
                "url": "http://"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer",
                "centralPurchasingBody"
            ],
            "details": {
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "id": "Regional or local authority",
                        "scheme": "TED_CA_TYPE"
                    },
                    {
                        "id": "01",
                        "description": "General public services",
                        "scheme": "COFOG"
                    }
                ],
                "url": "http://www.highland.gov.uk"
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "org-236",
            "name": "Union Technical Services",
            "identifier": {
                "legalName": "Union Technical Services"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "32 Eastwood Avenue",
                "locality": "Glasgow",
                "region": "UKM82",
                "postalCode": "G41 3NS"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "telephone": "+44 7841037671"
            },
            "roles": [
                "supplier"
            ],
            "details": {
                "scale": "sme",
                "url": "http://"
            }
        },
        {
            "id": "org-237",
            "name": "The Court of Session",
            "identifier": {
                "legalName": "The Court of Session"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Parliament House, Parliament Square",
                "locality": "Edinburgh",
                "postalCode": "EH1 1RQ"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "telephone": "+44 1312252595",
                "url": "http://"
            },
            "roles": [
                "reviewBody",
                "reviewContactPoint"
            ]
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "name": "The Highland Council",
        "id": "org-155"
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "ocds-r6ebe6-0000801850",
        "title": "Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) ~ D-C Projec",
        "description": "ECO funded Retrofit Project",
        "status": "complete",
        "items": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "deliveryLocation": {
                    "description": "Highland"
                },
                "deliveryAddresses": [
                    {
                        "region": "UKM6"
                    }
                ],
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ],
        "procurementMethod": "limited",
        "procurementMethodDetails": "Award procedure without prior publication of a call for competition",
        "procurementMethodRationale": "Call off from Scotland XL energy efficiency contractors framework which permits the use of a direct award. ECO4 funding will be utilised to fully fund energy efficiency works to Council properties, the contractor (Union Technical Services) has secured funding with utility companies and will claim funding direct from the utilities in accordance with Ofgem guidance. Due to time constraints relating to the expenditure/ delivery of the funding proposal (funding is available until 31 December 2025) an exception is sought under section 4.1.5.iii. in accordance with section 3.10. The funding proposal covers the full installation cost of the energy efficiency measures, aligning with the Delivery Plan and providing significant support to the HRA Capital Budget. While there is a significant number of contractors who can access ECO4 funding, the rates and level of funding they have access to will depend on the contract(s) they have with the energy companies. There has been discussions with other contractors who have access to ECO funding and none can offer the level of funding proposed by Union Technical for Council properties. Additionally, Union Technical have offered 11 years of servicing and warranty for ASHPs installed, offering best value.",
        "mainProcurementCategory": "works",
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "JUN532788",
                "documentType": "awardNotice",
                "title": "Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) ~ D-C Projec",
                "description": "ECO funded Retrofit Project",
                "url": "https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUN532788",
                "format": "text/html"
            }
        ],
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "description": "Highland Council received up to a 9.2 million GBP, ECO4 funding proposal from Union Technical Services Limited (EES:ABS contractor) to fund and deliver the below energy efficiency measure to Council properties. Funding is available until 31 December 2025. The Council will work with Union Technical to identify Council properties which are eligible for fully funded energy efficiency measures. Following the completion works, Union Technical will submit all relevant paperwork to the energy company to claim ECO funding to cover the full installation cost. Proposed fully funded measures include: * Internal Wall Insulation/ Cavity Internal Wall Insulation * Cavity Wall Insulation (CWI) * Loft Insulation * Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) * Solar PV The proposal provides essential external funding to support the Council to meet the Council's Net Zero commitments and aligns with the Delivery Plan. Additionally, allowing works to be undertaken to ensure properties meet housing standards.",
                "status": "complete",
                "hasOptions": false
            }
        ],
        "coveredBy": [
            "GPA"
        ],
        "procurementMethodRationaleClassifications": [
            {
                "id": "D_OUTSIDE_SCOPE",
                "description": "The procurement falls outside the scope of application of the directive"
            }
        ],
        "classification": {
            "id": "45000000",
            "scheme": "CPV"
        },
        "reviewDetails": "Economic operators that believe they have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of public procurement rules may bring legal proceedings in the Sheriff Court or Court of Session in Scotland. Such proceedings must be brought in accordance with the requirements of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 (as amended). Any such proceedings must be brought promptly and within the time limits set out in the Regulations. Typically, this is within 30 days from the date the economic operator first knew or ought to have known of the alleged infringement."
    },
    "awards": [
        {
            "id": "ocds-r6ebe6-0000801850-1",
            "suppliers": [
                {
                    "id": "org-236",
                    "name": "Union Technical Services"
                }
            ],
            "relatedLots": [
                "1"
            ]
        }
    ],
    "contracts": [
        {
            "id": "ocds-r6ebe6-0000801850-1",
            "awardID": "ocds-r6ebe6-0000801850-1",
            "status": "active",
            "value": {
                "amount": 9221600,
                "currency": "GBP"
            },
            "dateSigned": "2025-05-31T00:00:00Z"
        }
    ],
    "language": "EN",
    "description": "(SC Ref:801850)",
    "bids": {
        "statistics": [
            {
                "id": "733",
                "measure": "bids",
                "value": 1,
                "relatedLot": "1"
            },
            {
                "id": "734",
                "measure": "smeBids",
                "value": 1,
                "relatedLot": "1"
            },
            {
                "id": "735",
                "measure": "foreignBidsFromEU",
                "value": 1,
                "relatedLot": "1"
            },
            {
                "id": "736",
                "measure": "foreignBidsFromNonEU",
                "value": 0,
                "relatedLot": "1"
            },
            {
                "id": "737",
                "measure": "electronicBids",
                "value": 1,
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ]
    },
    "links": [
        {
            "rel": "canonical",
            "href": "https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000801850"
        }
    ],
    "noticetype": "PCS Notice - Website Contract Award Notice"
}