Contract award notice
Results of the procurement procedure
Section I: Contracting
entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat)
Centre City Tower, 7 Hill Street
Birmingham
B5 4UA
UK
Telephone: +44 1216447534
E-mail: Procurement@ofwat.gov.uk
NUTS: UKG31
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.mytenders.co.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA24607
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
General public services
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
Ofwat Innovation Fund delivery partner 2025-30
Reference number: PROC.0024
II.1.2) Main CPV code
65000000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
We are looking to appoint delivery partners to support Ofwat in delivering the Ofwat Innovation Fund and aspects of the Water Efficiency Fund in AMP 8 (the asset management planning period which runs from April 2025-March 2030). This is a continuation of the existing Innovation Fund which was established in 2020 and the introduction of a new Water Efficiency Fund (WEF) of which this Invitation to Tender is concerned with only two aspects: the Water Efficiency Lab (WEL) – an annual competition similar to the Innovation Fund but focused solely on water efficiency, and the evaluation of the Water Efficiency Campaign (WEC), which is the other part of the two components that make up the WEF.
We are looking for delivery partner support in three distinct but linked areas:
Lot 1: Core Innovation Fund and WEL delivery
Lot 2: Implementation programme
Lot 3: Evaluation
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
Yes
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
18 400 000.00
GBP
II.2) Description
Lot No: 1
II.2.1) Title
Lot 1: Core Innovation Fund and WEL delivery
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
65000000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKG31
UKI
UKI32
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Lot 1: Core Innovation Fund and WEL delivery
Lot 1 is broken down into the following services (detailed descriptions follow):
1. Water Breakthrough Challenge rounds 6-7
2. Water Discovery Challenge round 2
3. Water Efficiency Lab rounds 1-2
4. Collaborative Challenge programme
5. Monitoring of live projects and project closedown
6. Programme governance
7. Marketing and communications
8. Data collection to inform AMP 8 evaluation
The overall budget range for the initial two-year contract for Lot 1: Core Innovation Fund and WEL delivery is 4,400,000-5,800,000
The overall budget for 3-5 of the period will be determined towards the end of year 2 is 6,500,000-8,700,000
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 70
Price
/ Weighting:
30
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Lot No: 2
II.2.1) Title
Lot 2: Implementation programme
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
65000000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKI32
UKG31
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Innovation Fund aims to support the adoption and roll-out of innovative products, services and concepts. We expect most water companies will see the benefits of adopting successful innovations with no further support from Ofwat. However, throughout our engagement with companies in 2023/24 we have understood that it can take many years for companies to adopt an innovation and there have been suggestions that part of the fund should be targeted to help speed up implementation of new products, services and concepts.
The Supplier and Ofwat will work closely together with the sector to determine what an effective implementation programme could look like. The programme will focus on accelerating the adoption and scaling of innovations awarded funding through the Ofwat Innovation Fund but also to support innovation implementation more generally across the sector.
Co-design and delivery of new programme to support the acceleration of adoption and scaling of innovations across sector. Timetable to be agreed with the Supplier in line with the capacity of the sector to engage in design of the programme, but work expected to start in 2025.
The overall budget range for the initial two-year contract for Lot 2: Implementation programme is 500,000-800,000
The possible budget in years 3-5 of extension period for Lot 2: Implementation programme is 800,000-1,100,000
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 70
Price
/ Weighting:
30
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Lot No: 3
II.2.1) Title
Lot 3: Evaluation
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
65000000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKG31
UKI32
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Lot 3 is broken down into the following services
1. AMP 7 Evaluation: Delivery of an impact and Value for Money (VfM) evaluation programme before the end of 2027
2. Delivery and coordination of AMP 8 evaluation activity.
The overall budget range for the initial two-year contract for Lot 3: Evaluation is 600,000-900,000
The overall value in years 3-5 of the period will be determined towards the end of year 2 and could be in the range of 800,000-1,100,000
II.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion: Quality
/ Weighting: 70
Price
/ Weighting:
30
II.2.11) Information about options
Options:
No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
IV.1.8) Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement:
No
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJ S:
2024/S 000-030529
Section V: Award of contract
Lot No: 1
Title: Lot 1: Core Innovation Fund and WEL delivery
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
31/03/2025
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 7
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 3
Number of tenders received from tenderers from EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 7
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 7
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Nesta
58 Victoria Embankment
London
EC4Y0DS
UK
Telephone: +44 7445088652
NUTS: UK
The contractor is an SME:
Yes
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot:
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 14 500 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section V: Award of contract
Lot No: 2
Title: Lot 2: Implementation programme
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
31/03/2025
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 7
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 3
Number of tenders received from tenderers from EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 7
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 7
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Isle
One Eleven, Edmund Street
Birmingham
B3 2HJ
UK
Telephone: +44 7742096537
NUTS: UK
The contractor is an SME:
Yes
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot:
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 1 900 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section V: Award of contract
Lot No: 3
Title: Lot 3: Evaluation
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
31/03/2025
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 14
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 8
Number of tenders received from tenderers from EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 14
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 14
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
ICF Consulting Services Ltd
62 Threadneedle Street
London
EC2R 8HP
UK
Telephone: +44 2030964800
NUTS: UK
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot:
Total value of the contract/lot:
: 2 000 000.00
GBP
V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
(MT Ref:234342)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Public Procurement Review Service
Cabinet Office
London
UK
Telephone: +44 3450103503
E-mail: publicprocurementreview@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Internet address(es)
URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-procurement-review-service-scope-and-remit
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
15/05/2025