II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
75242110
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKC
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Northumbrian Water Group (NWG), operating as Northumbrian Water Ltd (NWL) and Essex and Suffolk Water (ESW), invites established companies to submit proposals for the issuance of High Court Writs. We have an aspirational target to issue 3 to 4,000 writs annually, however this is influenced by the external economic climate and customers circumstances. Volumes over the last two years have been as follows;
- 2021/22 issued 4120
- 2022/23 issued 2500
These writs are generated from County Court Judgments through Civil national Business Centre The average writ value is £1,100 - £1,300, targeting domestic/household customers with water service charges debt, and a potential small number of non-household/commercial debts.
Contract Details
NWL are looking to Contract with a maximum of three suppliers. We are offering a 3-year contract with the intended commencement in September 2024, subject to an initial trial period. The contract may be extended based on performance. The volume of batches will vary due to cyclical billing, with any
batch exceeding 500 agreed upon in advance with successful Processor(s)
Pre-Writ Activity and Customer Engagement
Interested bidders must demonstrate the ability to carry out pre-writ activity, including residency checks and customer communication, providing an
opportunity for engagement and payment without incurring fees. All debt has undergone a rigorous internal lettering process, with checks to exclude known vulnerable and absconded Judgment debtors by NWG prior to being issued for enforcement.
Compliance and Data Protection
Potential bidders must comply with our standard Service Level Agreement, Data Processing Agreement, and submit their Data Journey to ensure compliance with Data Protection Regulations. Flexibility in fees and interest forbearance, bespoke reporting (template can be provided), and adherence to
a vulnerability policy, including the Debt Respite Scheme, are mandatory.
NWL mandates that all prospective bidders for this Contract must be members of the Enforcement Conduct board.
Essential Attributes
Interested bidders must possess the following essential attributes:
- Efficient bulk transfer process to the High Court
- Background in handling utility debt on a bulk basis
- Knowledge of the Water Industry and its regulatory obligations
- Ability to provide two references with current success rates, one from a water or utility company.
- Back-office support for instalment payment facilities and maintenance of payment arrangements Wide-ranging opening hours and suitably trained agents
- Client visibility through real-time communication via an online portal
- Adherence to vulnerability policies, with emphasis on mental health issues
- Flexibility during the compliance period on offers from Judgment debtors.
- Variability and flexibility of High Court Officer visits
- Clear and timely invoicing strategy, including separation of writ, abortive, incoming payments, and VAT.
- Willingness to upskill on Client support schemes and actively promote them.
- Actively collate and record appropriate permissions where applicable to support the client's Priority Services Register
II.2.5) Award criteria
Criteria below:
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 100
Cost criterion: Price
/ Weighting: 0
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start:
01/09/2024
End:
31/08/2029
This contract is subject to renewal: No
II.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted:
No
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
Yes
Description of options:
The initial contract term will run from 01/09/2024 for three years to 31/08/2027. The option will be available to extend the Contract from a further two years to 31/08/2029. The total maximum duration of the Contract being five years
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No