---
title: "Protecting Customer Credit in the Event of a Disorderly Retail Exit"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-e9e72557-7841-4c9c-880b-df1a134941f2"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-e9e72557-7841-4c9c-880b-df1a134941f2"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-e9e72557-7841-4c9c-880b-df1a134941f2.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-e9e72557-7841-4c9c-880b-df1a134941f2.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "WATER SERVICES REGULATION AUTHORITY (OFWAT)"
published: "2020-02-24"
---

# Protecting Customer Credit in the Event of a Disorderly Retail Exit

Buyer: WATER SERVICES REGULATION AUTHORITY (OFWAT)  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-e9e72557-7841-4c9c-880b-df1a134941f2

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## Summary

The procurement process titled "Protecting Customer Credit in the Event of a Disorderly Retail Exit" is being conducted by the Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat). The project, which falls under the general management consultancy services category, aims to ensure the protection of customers' monetary balances in case of a retail exit, with a contract value of £29,760. The tender process was initiated under an open procedure aimed at suppliers, and the tender period concluded on 13 August 2019, with the contract period running from 12 September 2019 to 23 December 2019. The tender is relevant to regions in the West Midlands and London, UK.

This opportunity could benefit consultancy firms that specialise in regulatory compliance, consumer financial protection, and risk assessment. Businesses that understand the mechanisms of safeguarding customer funds and have experience working with retail or regulatory bodies would be well-suited to compete for this consultancy contract, particularly those capable of providing innovative solutions to enhance customer security in challenging retail scenarios.

## Notice

The overall objectives of the project are, in the event a retailer makes a disorderly exit, to: Gather options for protecting customers' monies; Assess whether there is, or could be, a mechanism to provide recourse for retailers to recover the (reasonable) costs of honouring credit balances when taking over the supply of affected customers; Recommend the most effective option(s) for protecting customers' monies and mitigating the exposure of the incoming retailer, including an assessment of any legal or regulatory changes that may need to be made to the existing framework, as appropriate. External elements Benchmarking/ comparative analysis Review and setting out what other regulators (including, but not limited to Water Industry Commission for Scotland, Ofgem, the FCA and the CAA) do to protect customer's money and provide recourse for retailers to recover (reasonable) costs of honouring credit balances, and by reference to your experience of similar organisations, set out what mechanisms exist that are used to protect customers' money. In doing so, highlight pros and cons across the different schemes. Ofwat to provide some information about the last interim supply event Setting out the costs, risks and feasibility for incoming retailers to take on customer credit balances and exploring mechanisms which might allow those retailers to claim this money back. Information gathered above Evaluation and Options proposal - From your own knowledge, advise on any options to: External Elements a) Secure customers' money, including but not limited to, instances where they have made pre-payments, deposits, etc. b) Introduce mechanisms for incoming retailers to be able to claim money back where they have taken on/ honoured credit balances from an outgoing retailer. Additional information: For Further Information, please contact:procurement@ofwat.gov.uk

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/73faabc4-0061-4d44-bf2e-06219922eb42 |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure (below threshold) |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 24 Feb 2020 |
| Submission deadline | 13 Aug 2019 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 9 Sep 2019 |
| Contract period | 11 Sep 2019 - 23 Dec 2019 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £29,760 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £29,760 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | WATER SERVICES REGULATION AUTHORITY (OFWAT) |
| Locality | BIRMINGHAM |
| Post town | Birmingham |
| Postcode | B5 4UA |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLG West Midlands (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLG3 West Midlands |
| ITL 3 | TLG31 Birmingham |
| Local authority | Birmingham |
| Electoral ward | Ladywood |
| Westminster constituency | Birmingham Ladywood |
| Delivery location | TLG West Midlands (England), TLI London |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | SHEPHERD AND WEDDERBURN |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 79411000 - General management consultancy services

## Release History

- 24 Feb 2020 at 10:32 - AwardUpdate - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/73faabc4-0061-4d44-bf2e-06219922eb42
- 18 Feb 2020 at 14:40 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/73faabc4-0061-4d44-bf2e-06219922eb42

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/73faabc4-0061-4d44-bf2e-06219922eb42
  24th February 2020 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder

## Provenance

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