---
title: "PRO005166 - ORiW - Design and Integration Partner"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-078c58"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-078c58"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078c58.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078c58.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "United Utilities Water Limited"
published: "2026-10-21"
---

# PRO005166 - ORiW - Design and Integration Partner

Buyer: United Utilities Water Limited  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-078c58

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-078c58)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078c58.json)

## Summary

United Utilities Water Limited is planning to appoint a Design and Integration Partner for its Only Rainwater into Windermere programme. The aim is to improve water quality and ecological resilience in the Windermere catchment, reducing harmful discharges and the risk of algal blooms. The programme’s proposed infrastructure includes connecting currently unsewered properties to public sewers, remote treatment where connection is not feasible, surface-water and highway-runoff management, tunnels and rising mains, and upgrades to wastewater treatment works and discharge points. The partner will develop and integrate the system design and support planning and approvals. Work is centred on Windermere and its catchment in North West England, with infrastructure intended to benefit local communities, businesses and the wider National Park. The service requirement spans engineering design, environmental assessment, planning and construction consultancy.

This is a planning-stage market engagement, not an invitation to tender; United Utilities says it intends to launch a competitive tendering procedure. An online programme launch event is planned for 29 October 2026, with registration expected by 27 October 2026; a further procurement notice is anticipated on 5 November 2026. The initial pre-delivery role is expected to run for four years from April 2027 to March 2031, with an indicative value of around £60m–£100m. The buyer anticipates possible delivery-phase support for up to a further nine years, in increments at its discretion. Two alternative delivery roles are described: system integration support at around £100m, or system integration and detailed design at around £500m, subject to CPIH. The stated overall estimated range is £60m–£600m; the alternatives are not cumulative. One lot is planned.

The work is likely to suit multidisciplinary engineering and infrastructure consultancies able to lead complex water and wastewater programmes from feasibility and outline design through consents and delivery. United Utilities is seeking a partner that can integrate multiple workstreams, manage programme interfaces, maintain design consistency and lead the overall delivery strategy. Relevant capabilities include wastewater and civil engineering design; tunnels, pipelines, treatment facilities and drainage; environmental impact assessment and surveys; ground investigation; planning applications and Development Consent Order preparation; land referencing, acquisition and access; stakeholder and customer engagement; and early contractor involvement. Suppliers should be able to coordinate planning and environmental requirements with design, and support the buyer’s Ofwat reporting. The buyer may seek continuity into delivery through system integration, detailed design or client-side support, depending on its eventual delivery model. No particular accreditation or certification is identified in the planning information.

## Notice

This notice relates to market engagement activity for the provision of certain design and integration services, as explained below. United Utilities Water Ltd (UU) proposes to deliver a programme titled Only Rainwater into Windermere (ORiW), with the ambition to make Windermere the cleanest lake in England by removing discharges from both public and private sources, while also addressing highway runoff. This is a long-term, transformational programme designed to protect the lake's ecology, water quality and amenity value for future generations. The target end state is "Only Rainwater into Windermere", restoring the lake as close as possible to its natural condition and reducing the risk of harmful algal blooms. The programme will deliver resilient wastewater infrastructure that supports communities, businesses and the wider National Park, while creating a potential blueprint for freshwater restoration across England. A coalition has been established to develop and deliver the ORiW feasibility phase. It brings together key stakeholders, including UU, local authorities, regulators and environmental organisations, to provide strategic direction and has sponsored the commission of a 'feasibility study' to ascertain the art of the possible for achieving ORiW. Through the commission there are now feasible options for achieving the ambition, to improve water quality, and enhance the environmental resilience of the Windermere catchment, through a proposed ORiW system and wider infrastructure. The proposed ORiW system is made up of multiple workstreams; * First Time Sewerage (FTS), connecting properties to the public sewer network that are currently outside of the network and have never previously been connected to it. * First time Treatment (FTT), for the sites where FTS is not possible, a remote treatment solution will be implemented. * Reduced weather dependent flow, surface water management and management and treatment of highways runoff through the use of nature- based solutions where possible across the catchment. * Construction of tunnel and rising mains. * Upgrade of an existing wastewater treatment works and discharge point. UU anticipates that the ORiW system and the other strategic wastewater transfer and treatment infrastructure required for the ORiW programme (including the tunnel, rising mains, pumping stations, wastewater treatment facilities, associated drainage works and all ancillary infrastructure), will be promoted through a Development Consent Order (DCO) as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), subject to Section 35 approval by Defra. UU will shortly be launching a competitive tendering procedure for the appointment of a Design and Integration Partner (D&IP) who will be responsible for supporting the next phase of this programme, designing the ORiW system, including whole system integration, to achieve the programme vision. UU requires the D&IP to complete feasibility, outline design, constructability and other related activities to obtain the necessary approvals and consents for the programme to proceed to the delivery phase for the preferred solution. Accordingly, the D&IP will also be responsible for the delivery of the DCO and planning approvals. As such, the outline design needs to fully support and integrate with the DCO, Town and Country Planning Act (TCPA) and land acquisition and access processes. At a high level, the initial scope of requirements for the D&IP will include, but may not be limited to the following activities across each of the workstreams of the ORiW system; * Outline Design * Planning, Consents and Land * Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and surveys * Stakeholder and Customer Engagement * Land Agency, Referencing and Surveying * Preparation and submission of planning applications and all supporting information * Preparation and submission of the DCO and all supporting information * Ground Investigation (GI) * Early Contractor involvement (ECI) * Supporting UU in meeting our reporting requirements with Ofwat UU require a D&IP who has the capability and experience to ensure coordination over integration of all elements of the ORiW system and all other related activities that are required. The D&IP will also need to be capable of leading the overall delivery strategy, managing interfaces across the programme, maintaining design consistency, and ensuring that the complete solution meets the requirements to obtain the necessary approvals and consents. UU is continuing to consider its approach to the delivery phase of the programme and anticipates that it may need ongoing support from the D&IP into the delivery phase to provide continuity throughout the programme lifecycle. The precise form that this ongoing support may take will be dependent on the precise delivery model that UU adopts, but this may include (without limitation): * The D&IP acting as system integrator and detailed design partner to either UU and/or any prime contractor engaged in relation to the programme. * The D&IP acting as a system integrator partner to provide support across different workstreams and work packages forming part of the programme so that the overall programme is delivered as seamlessly as possible. * Providing alternative services to support UU's client-side management of delivery partners engaged to undertake the delivery phase of the programme. It is also conceivable that the D&IP will not be required to provide any ongoing support during the delivery phase. Anticipated value of each role; * Design & Integration Partner (pre delivery phase) > 4 years = circa PS60-100m * System Integrator Partner (during delivery phase) > up to a further 9 years in increments at UUs discretion = circa PS100m (subject to CPIH) * System Integrator and Detailed Design Partner (during delivery phase) > up to a further 9 years in increments at UUs discretion = circa PS500m (subject to CPIH) Please note that the total value is given as a range (PS60m to PS600m) which includes the minimum and maximum total estimated values across those roles. As explained above, the system integrator partner (during delivery phase) and system integrator and detailed design partner roles are alternatives and so the combined value of each is not included in the total (only the higher of the two). This notice does not constitute a call for competition, and does not commit United Utilities to undertake any future procurement.

### Planning Information

UU would like to invite interested parties to attend a virtual Programme Launch Event that will be held on Thursday 29 October 13:30- 17:00 via Microsoft Teams, to share further information about the ORiW programme and the D&IP procurement. Please note attendees are restricted to 2 individuals per supplier. If you are interested in this opportunity and would like to attend the event, please complete the information requested in the Microsoft form which can be accessed here- https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/mdBFVcDfdB. Please note the deadline to register your interest to attend this event is Tuesday 27 October 2026 at 2pm. UU reserves the right (but does not currently intend) to extend the market engagement activity to encompass other events or activities (including further virtual and in-person sessions as well as written engagement such as surveys and questionnaires) as required. Suppliers should ensure that they have registered using the means, and by the deadline, described above if they wish to be included in any of those further events or activities.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/099229-2026 |
| Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Not Specified |
| Procurement method details | Not specified |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 21 Oct 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 5 Nov 2026 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 1 Apr 2027 - 31 Mar 2031 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £600,000,000 |
| 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 | United Utilities Water Limited |
| Locality | WARRINGTON |
| Postcode area | Warrington |
| Postcode | WA5 3LP |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLD6 Cheshire |
| ITL 3 | TLD61 Warrington |
| Local authority | Warrington |
| Electoral ward | Great Sankey North and Whittle Hall |
| Westminster constituency | Warrington South |
| Delivery location | TLD North West (England) |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 45 - Construction work
- 70 - Real estate services
- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
- 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
- 90 - Sewage, refuse, cleaning and environmental services

### Codes

- 45111250 - Ground investigation work
- 70332100 - Land management services
- 71000000 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
- 71242000 - Project and design preparation, estimation of costs
- 71246000 - Determining and listing of quantities in construction
- 71310000 - Consultative engineering and construction services
- 71311000 - Civil engineering consultancy services
- 71313400 - Environmental impact assessment for construction
- 71313410 - Risk or hazard assessment for construction
- 71313420 - Environmental standards for construction
- 71313430 - Environmental indicators analysis for construction
- 71313440 - Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) services for construction
- 71313450 - Environmental monitoring for construction
- 71320000 - Engineering design services
- 71321100 - Construction economics services
- 71322000 - Engineering design services for the construction of civil engineering works
- 71322100 - Quantity surveying services for civil engineering works
- 71322200 - Pipeline-design services
- 71324000 - Quantity surveying services
- 71333000 - Mechanical engineering services
- 71334000 - Mechanical and electrical engineering services
- 71351200 - Geological and geophysical consultancy services
- 71351210 - Geophysical consultancy services
- 71351500 - Ground investigation services
- 71351720 - Geophysical surveys of archaeological sites
- 71351810 - Topographical services
- 71351811 - Topographical surveys of archaeological sites
- 71351914 - Archaeological services
- 71354500 - Marine survey services
- 71420000 - Landscape architectural services
- 71500000 - Construction-related services
- 71530000 - Construction consultancy services
- 71540000 - Construction management services
- 71541000 - Construction project management services
- 71800000 - Consulting services for water-supply and waste consultancy
- 72224000 - Project management consultancy services
- 72242000 - Design-modelling services
- 79415200 - Design consultancy services
- 79420000 - Management-related services
- 79930000 - Specialty design services
- 90700000 - Environmental services
- 90711400 - Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) services other than for construction
- 90712000 - Environmental planning

## Release History

- 21 Oct 2026 at 07:52 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/099229-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/099229-2026
  21st October 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/mdBFVcDfdB
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.unitedutilities.com

## 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-078c58. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078c58.json.