---
title: "Independent Monitor - South East Water"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06d963"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06d963"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06d963.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06d963.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "WATER SERVICES REGULATION AUTHORITY (OFWAT)"
published: "2026-07-31"
---

# Independent Monitor - South East Water

Buyer: WATER SERVICES REGULATION AUTHORITY (OFWAT)  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06d963

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[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06d963.json)

## Summary

The Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat) has initiated a competitive flexible procedure to procure an Independent Monitor for South East Water, under tender ID PROC.0218. The procurement process, introduced on 31st July 2026, requires interested parties to submit their tenders by 7th September 2026 and participate in the Presentation and Interview Stage if shortlisted. This contract falls under the business services industry category, specifically encompassing law, consulting, and related services, with an active status. The procurement, valued at a gross amount of £6,000,000, covers multiple UK regions, including UKF, UKH, UKI, and more. Ofwat, based in Birmingham, seeks a contractor to help monitor and report the operational performance and resilience improvements of South East Water, following enforcement decisions and licence conditions mandated by Ofwat. The process is governed by legal requirements outlined in the Procurement Act 2023.

This tender provides substantial opportunities for businesses specialising in consulting, risk management, and regulatory compliance. It is particularly well-suited for organisations capable of offering scalable and independent assessment services, focusing on business performance improvement. The contract is open to SMEs and VCSEs, offering a chance to collaborate with a central government authority and potentially expand service offerings to other water utilities requiring similar oversight. With a projected contract period starting on 8th October 2026 and lasting two years, with options for extension up to 2030, successful bidders can leverage this opportunity for sustained growth and a solid reputation in public service support.

## Notice

Ofwat is procuring an Independent Monitor (IM) to monitor, assess and report South East Water's progress in delivering a turnaround in their operational performance and resilience. The scope of the Monitor's role is intended to be consistent with undertakings accepted by Ofwat in its enforcement decisions concerning water supply resilience and customer care during supply interruption incidents, and compliance with a licence condition requiring the company to hold two Issuer Credit Ratings that are Investment Grade Ratings. The IM will support Ofwat's monitoring of the company's delivery of remediation actions required under the undertakings, including the development and implementation of a Performance Improvement Plan. The IM will provide independent assessment of progress, governance, risk management and delivery confidence, identify material risks to compliance and delivery, and report findings to Ofwat. The IM will support proportionate, risk-based regulatory oversight, while maintaining clear accountability with the company for delivery of the required improvements. The scope is expected to evolve during the contract term in response to the company's performance, risk profile and progress against the undertakings. The monitoring approach must therefore be scalable, risk-based and proportionate. The IM will be appointed by Ofwat, act independently of the company and provide advice and recommendations to Ofwat only. The costs of the independent monitor will be met by the Company, and will not impact on customer bills.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/072939-2026 |
| Notice type | UK4 - Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Competitive flexible procedure |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Tender |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 31 Jul 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 7 Sep 2026 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 7 Oct 2026 - 8 Oct 2028 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £5,000,000 |
| Lots value | £5,000,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Active |
| Lots status | Active |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| 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 | 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), TLK South West (England), TLL Wales |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

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

### Codes

- 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

## Release History

- 31 Jul 2026 at 18:04 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/072939-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/072939-2026
  31st July 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.mytenders.co.uk/Authority/NoticeBuilder/NoticeBuilder_FileDownload.aspx?id=649538
  PROC.0218 - Appendix A - Terms and Conditions
- https://www.mytenders.co.uk/Authority/NoticeBuilder/NoticeBuilder_FileDownload.aspx?id=649546
  PROC.0218 - Invitation to Tender - Independent Monitor - South East Water

## Notice URLs

- http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.mytenders.co.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-06d963. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06d963.json.