--- title: "Crawley Borough Council - District Heating Scheme - Soft Market Testing Exercise" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04e7d8" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04e7d8" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04e7d8.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04e7d8.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "CRAWLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL" published: "2025-04-01" --- # Crawley Borough Council - District Heating Scheme - Soft Market Testing Exercise Buyer: CRAWLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04e7d8 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04e7d8) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04e7d8.json) ## Summary Crawley Borough Council, a public authority based in Crawley, United Kingdom, is in the planning stage of expanding and decarbonising its district heating network through a proposed Phase Two. The procurement process, titled "Crawley Borough Council - District Heating Scheme - Soft Market Testing Exercise," falls under the industry category of district and long-distance heating, and building installation work. The council is conducting a soft market testing (SMT) exercise to refine and de-risk the project with key milestones including a deadline for suppliers to express interest by 11th April 2025. The exercise, initiated on 1st April 2025, will explore various technical, commercial, and economic options to deliver an expanded, low-carbon heat network. This tender opening represents a significant opportunity for businesses specializing in heating systems, construction, and sustainable energy solutions to engage with a substantial public-sector project valued at £8,000,000. SMEs are particularly encouraged to participate, and the engagement process primarily involves a detailed questionnaire with potential for follow-up discussions. Suppliers can contribute to shaping the project and refine its attractiveness to the market. This can lead to future contract opportunities in the development and implementation of advanced heating systems within the council's network, promoting growth for businesses within this niche. ## Notice Background Crawley Borough Council (CBC) currently operates a small gas-fired Combined Heat and Power (CHP) district heating network in the town centre (Phase One), serving both office and residential buildings. Building on previous feasibility work, CBC now seeks to expand and decarbonise this network through a proposed Phase Two. Purpose CBC is undertaking a Heat Networks Delivery Unit (HNDU) funded mini-development exercise to refine and de-risk this potential Phase Two project. As part of this process, CBC will explore various technical, commercial, and economic options for delivering an expanded, low-carbon heat network, with particular attention to potential delivery structures and regulatory impacts. Soft Market Testing To help shape and inform the next steps, CBC is conducting a Soft Market Testing (SMT) exercise. Through this SMT, we will seek feedback from potential partners and suppliers on: * The technical approaches under consideration * Economic and commercial delivery models * The size of the opportunity * How well do these align with current market preferences * The level of interest in the project in its current form * What modifications could make it more attractive or viable to the market How to Participate Interested parties are invited to express an interest in participating in this market feedback exercise, which will primarily be conducted through a questionnaire; however, CBC may conduct brief, targeted follow-up discussions at its discretion if certain points warrant further exploration. Timescales * Suppliers to express an interest in the Questionnaire from today. * Questionnaire to be finalised and ready for sharing from 10th March 2025 * Closing date for Questionnaires to be completed and returned 11th April 2025 Important Information * This notice is not a call for competition; participation in any soft market testing will neither be required nor mandatory in order to take part in any subsequent procurement exercise. * CBC can neither confirm nor deny that there will be a procurement exercise in the future; the purpose of the soft market testing is to determine the route forward for this project, including if the route forward includes a procurement requirement. ### Planning Information In order to express an interest in the Council's Questionnaire, please contact nicola.faulkner@crawley.gov.uk. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/012177-2025 | | Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Works | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | SME | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 1 Apr 2025 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 11 Apr 2025 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 1 Jan 2026 - 31 Dec 2026 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £8,000,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Planning | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | CRAWLEY BOROUGH COUNCIL | | Locality | CRAWLEY | | Post town | Redhill | | Postcode | RH10 1UZ | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLJ South East (England) | | ITL 2 | TLJ2 Surrey, East and West Sussex | | ITL 3 | TLJ28 West Sussex (North East) | | Local authority | Crawley | | Electoral ward | Three Bridges | | Westminster constituency | Crawley | | Delivery location | TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLJ28 West Sussex (North East), TLK South West (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 09 - Petroleum products, fuel, electricity and other sources of energy - 45 - Construction work ### Codes - 09323000 - District heating - 09324000 - Long-distance heating - 45300000 - Building installation work ## Release History - 1 Apr 2025 at 10:06 - PlanningUpdate - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/012177-2025 - 21 Mar 2025 at 16:32 - PlanningUpdate - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/010785-2025 - 25 Feb 2025 at 15:25 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007181-2025 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/012177-2025 1st April 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/010785-2025 21st March 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/007181-2025 25th February 2025 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04e7d8. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04e7d8.json.