--- title: "Solar Partnership Market Engagement" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-068ce0" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-068ce0" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-068ce0.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-068ce0.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "WEST MIDLANDS COMBINED AUTHORITY" published: "2026-04-28" --- # Solar Partnership Market Engagement Buyer: WEST MIDLANDS COMBINED AUTHORITY Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-068ce0 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-068ce0) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-068ce0.json) ## Summary The West Midlands Combined Authority is engaging the market for a Solar Partnership initiative within the energy and related services industry in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The procurement process is currently in the planning stage, with a focus on preliminary market engagement, and written responses are required by 20 May 2026. This exercise aims to gather insights for the future procurement of solar energy services, exploring innovative financing structures and models for scaling operations. Following a review of submissions, selected organisations will be invited for follow-up discussions scheduled for approximately 60 minutes per session. This procurement process is valued at approximately £780,000,000 and is governed by UK legislation 2023/54. The process will provide an opportunity for businesses to contribute to building local capacity in the West Midlands region. This engagement can offer substantial opportunities for businesses specialising in energy services, installation, maintenance, electricity distribution, and consultancy. Companies with the capability to lead, invest, and carry out large-scale delivery, especially those with a track record or innovative approaches in financing and customer engagement, are particularly suited to compete. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) are encouraged to participate and can benefit from growing their presence in the region. Organisations already operating locally or planning to expand their footprint in Birmingham will find additional incentives, as the aim is to strengthen local supply chain relationships and lasting regional growth. ## Notice Solar Partnership Market Engagement. We are issuing a UK2 Preliminary Market Engagement Notice to formally invite market responses. Our prospectus outlines our objectives and current thinking -- and sets out four high-level questions for which we are seeking written responses to through our e-tendering portal. Written responses should be submitted by May 20th 2026. Following an initial review, we will invite selected organisations to structured follow-up conversations. Sessions will last approximately 60 minutes and will follow a consistent format across all respondents. These sessions are intended to better understand and explore the feedback already submitted as part of the pre-market engagement to the 4 questions included. There is no requirement to prepare additional material beyond your original responses. Discussions will be conducted in a structured and consistent manner across all suppliers, using the four questions as the agenda. We may ask follow-up questions to clarify or explore your responses in more detail. We are in listening and understanding mode and will not be sharing additional information beyond that already published in the Prospectus. Any insights that may influence the future procurement approach will be documented and, where appropriate, shared in a transparent manner with all potential bidders. To ensure transparency and an audit trail, notes will be taken. Participation in a follow-up conversation does not confer any advantage in any subsequent procurement process. We are holding the discussions to help WMCA better understand the market, it doesn't mean a supplier has been shortlisted, it's not mandatory and it wont provide an advantage or disadvantage in any future procurement process. Please use the following link to view the PME and respond - https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=4944a9e2-6327-f111-813c-005056b64545 **** The estimated value represents the estimated total gross revenue receivable by the supplier from tenants, grants, grid exports and any other revenue over the potential duration of supplying services to tenants under the contract **** ### Planning Information We are issuing a UK2 Preliminary Market Engagement Notice to formally invite market responses. Our prospectus outlines our objectives and current thinking — and sets out four high-level questions for which we are seeking written responses to. Written responses should be submitted by May 20th 2026 rough our e-tendering portal. Following an initial review, we will invite selected organisations to structured follow-up conversations. We will review all written responses and invite a number of organisations to structured follow up discussions. We are not scoring or ranking responses, but we will use the following criteria to guide our selection: Relevance - We are primarily looking for organisations able to take a leading role in delivery and/or financing — not installers or supply chain providers acting alone. Organisations from the installation and supply chain sector are welcome to respond and their input will inform programme design, but follow-up conversations will focus on those with the appetite to lead, invest and take on commercial responsibility at scale. Scale, track record and ambition - Has the organisation demonstrated, or does it have credible plans to develop, the capacity to deliver at meaningful scale — whether in homes, schools or both? We are interested in evidence of operational programmes as well as well-developed proposals. We recognise that some innovative models are at an earlier stage and will consider potential alongside track record. Innovation and Financing - Does the response demonstrate creative thinking on financing structures, customer engagement or delivery models? We are particularly interested in approaches that could work that could unlock new sources of private or blended finance. Local Interest and Presence - Does the organisation have existing supply chain relationships, operational activity or a stated interest in growing its footprint in the West Midlands? A key objective of this programme is to build local capacity and create lasting regional value, and we will give weight to organisations that share that ambition — whether they are already active in the region or have concrete plans to be. In the situation that the number of qualifying responses exceeds our capacity for follow up conversations, we will prioritise the organisations that best represent and meet the perspectives above. Follow up conversations: Sessions will last approximately 60 minutes and will follow a consistent format across all respondents. These sessions are intended to better understand and explore the feedback already submitted as part of the pre-market engagement to the 4 questions included. There is no requirement to prepare additional material beyond your original responses. Discussions will be conducted in a structured and consistent manner across all suppliers, using the four questions as the agenda. We may ask follow-up questions to clarify or explore your responses in more detail. We are in listening and understanding mode and will not be sharing additional information beyond that already published in the Prospectus. Any insights that may influence the future procurement approach will be documented and, where appropriate, shared in a transparent manner with all potential bidders. To ensure transparency and an audit trail, notes will be taken. Participation in a follow-up conversation does not confer any advantage in any subsequent procurement process. We are holding the discussions to help WMCA better understand the market, it doesn't mean a supplier has been shortlisted, it's not mandatory and it wont provide an advantage or disadvantage in any future procurement process. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/038614-2026 | | 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 | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 28 Apr 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 2 Nov 2026 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 May 2027 - 31 May 2032 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £731,000,000 | | 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 | WEST MIDLANDS COMBINED AUTHORITY | | Locality | BIRMINGHAM | | Post town | Birmingham | | Postcode | B19 3SD | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLG West Midlands (England) | | ITL 2 | TLG3 West Midlands | | ITL 3 | TLG31 Birmingham | | Local authority | Birmingham | | Electoral ward | Newtown | | Westminster constituency | Birmingham Ladywood | | Delivery location | TLG West Midlands (England) | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 50 - Repair and maintenance services - 51 - Installation services (except software) - 65 - Public utilities - 66 - Financial and insurance services - 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services - 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support ### Codes - 50000000 - Repair and maintenance services - 51000000 - Installation services (except software) - 65300000 - Electricity distribution and related services - 65400000 - Other sources of energy supplies and distribution - 66000000 - Financial and insurance services - 71000000 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services - 71314000 - Energy and related services - 72224000 - Project management consultancy services ## Release History - 28 Apr 2026 at 13:07 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/038614-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/038614-2026 28th April 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=4944a9e2-6327-f111-813c-005056b64545 - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents - https://www.wmca.org.uk/ ## 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-068ce0. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-068ce0.json.