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Highland Hydrogen

The Highland Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

14 Oct 2026 at 01:00

OJEU - F2 - Contract Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Highland Council is seeking a strategic supplier for green hydrogen produced to ISO 14687:25, together with the equipment, expertise and support needed to use it. The requirement covers supply for pilot projects and potential later use in heating and fleet operations across the Highland Council area. The supplier will help identify suitable applications and develop supply, delivery, storage and refuelling arrangements, as well as advise on moving away from fossil fuels. The aim is to build a phased, low-carbon hydrogen capability that supports the Council’s hydrogen and net-zero plans. Possible later uses include hydrogen vehicles and district heating. This is a goods procurement, but it extends beyond fuel supply to include technical consultation, competent resources and deployment support.

The Council invited offers through a competitive open procedure to appoint one hydrogen provider to a framework agreement. The process reached the tender stage; bids were due by 18 November 2026 at 12:00. The framework is intended to run for five years, with an estimated value of £30 million. The requirement is structured as a single lot. Suppliers were to submit electronically in English, and variants were not permitted. The evaluation basis is linked to suitability and selection criteria, with relevant criteria set out in the procurement documents and SPD module. The successful supplier must demonstrate renewable origin and lifecycle emissions, security and scalability of supply, and safe distribution and use. The Council will compare hydrogen deployment with other decarbonisation options.

This opportunity is suited to an established hydrogen producer or supplier able to act as a strategic partner, rather than a fuel-only vendor. Strong bids will need to show capability to supply hydrogen meeting the required ISO specification and to evidence its renewable origin and lifecycle emissions. Suppliers should be able to plan secure, scalable supply and safe distribution, and provide suitable equipment, storage and refuelling solutions. The work also calls for technical expertise and competent personnel to advise on applications, demand, capacity, pricing and the transition from fossil fuels. Experience developing phased supply propositions for transport or heating uses will be relevant. The supplier must have the capacity to support pilot activity and, if projects proceed, larger-scale deployment across a wide geographic area, while delivering commercially attractive supply arrangements. The procurement also requires named staff and their qualifications.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Highland Hydrogen

Notice Description

Green Hydrogen produced to specification ISO 14687:25 and supplied for use in different applications with associated equipment throughout the Highland Council region.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Procurement Purpose Highland Council (the "Council") is seeking to procure an experienced, dynamic and innovative strategic partner to deliver a long-term framework contract with the Council, to develop and secure a substantial low carbon journey capability in support of the Councils Hydrogen and Net Zero Vision. As part of its role in this journey, the strategic partner will be expected to provide not only green hydrogen but also equipment and competent resources including consultation in the move from fossil fuels, support and technical expertise. This journey will be in phases and covering different end applications themselves designed and delivered with robust solutions that will be dependent upon commercially attractive pricing for hydrogen. Pilot volumes will commence the development of cost-effective supply of green hydrogen moving on to a steady state based also upon a commercial basis to support both existing and proposed transport projects. Moving on from small intermittent volumes first this will if successful lead to envisaging supply to larger volume utilisation through transitioned e.g. hydrogen vehicles, new solutions for district heating etc The supply partner will enter into a Hydrogen Supply Framework Agreement with the Council for a period of 5 years. This agreement will set out the basic terms upon which related projects move through development commencing with the supply of hydrogen to the Council during pilot development and develop proposals for delivery of hydrogen to the Council during later stages in conjunction with suitable support and equipment included. The Framework Agreement will also set out the terms upon which the Highland Council will be permitted to call-off hydrogen supplies under the framework agreement. The Council proposes to undertake a competitive tender to appoint a hydrogen provider to establish a viable supply of green hydrogen for potential use in heating and fleet operations across Highland. The appointment will develop a phased supply proposition, identifying suitable applications, potential demand, supply capacity, pricing, delivery arrangements and the storage and refuelling infrastructure required to support deployment.. The provider will be required to demonstrate the hydrogen's renewable origin and lifecycle emissions, security of supply, scalability and arrangements for safe distribution and use. Deployment will be informed by the suitability of individual applications and comparison with other available decarbonisation options.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-r6ebe6-0000845680
Publication Source
Public Contracts Scotland
Latest Notice
https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=OCT566644
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
OJEU - F2 - Contract Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

24 - Chemical products

CPV Codes

24111600 - Hydrogen

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£30,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£30,000,000 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
14 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
18 Nov 20264 weeks to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
The Highland 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
INVERNESS
Postcode
IV3 5NX
Postcode Area
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

Further Information

Notice Documents

Notice URLs

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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