Speculative Notice – NATIONAL

1 Authority Details

1.1

Authority Name and Address

1.2

Address from which further information may be obtained

2 Contract Details

2.1

Title

GCRE Energy & Data Centre Opportunity

2.2

Description of the goods or services required

The Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) is offering a major new competition to secure an Energy and Data Centre Partner (EDCP) for its 700-hectare site. This Notice is not for purchase of services, goods or works, it is advertising an opportunity for an investment partner to develop Renewable Energy Sources (RES) at the GCRE site alongside a data centre.

GCRE is a new, purpose-built facility being developed in South Wales that has the potential to become Europe’s leading centre for rail and sustainable mobility innovation. GCRE is set to become the UK’s first ever net zero in operation railway.

Located on a former open cast mine equivalent to the size of Gibraltar, the company is seeking an investment partner to develop Renewable Energy Sources (RES) at the site alongside a data centre.

Any interested parties will need to sign and return a Confidentiality Agreement (CA) prior to gaining access to all associated documentation. The CA can be found attached to this Speculative Notice and also on our Website (https://www.gcre.wales/) and should be returned to strategicinvestment@gcre.wales

The Invitation to Tender (ITT) documentation will be made available to anyone with a valid CA, via the eTenderWales portal which you must be registered with in order to access the ITT documents. You can register for free here (emails registered must be those detailed on the CA):

https://etenderwales.bravosolution.co.uk/web/login.shtml

GCRE will also be providing a Data Room containing further information relating to the business and the opportunity, and access will be granted only after receipt of a valid CA. The Data Room will be hosted via a Microsoft SharePoint site. Emails detailed on the CA will be invited to access the Data Room site.

The opportunity is currently programmed to close at 12 noon on 21 November 2025 and proposals will no longer be accepted after closing. Responses to the ITT (Proposals must be submitted via the eTenderWales portal.

This is a unique investment opportunity for interested parties:

- Long-term partnering with a government-owned entity owning large land assets

- 700 Ha site only 30km from Bridgend and 50km from Cardiff where DC clusters are already forming

- 400kV and 132kV grid crossing the site. Nearby National Grid 400kV Grid Supply Point being planned.

- Excellent future fibre connectivity

- Development of RES assets on site

- Multiple options to bring further renewables onto site via private wires

- Huge local and regional development value in conjunction with GCRE establishing the first Net Zero international rail R&D and testing cluster.

- Political and community support for the GCRE cluster, including the jobs and opportunities that will be created

This Speculative Notice is informing any interested parties that this investment opportunity is open, the Confidentiality Agreement is available for execution and access to the ITT documentation will be made available.

This competition is not a regulated procurement under the Procurement Act 2023, but is informing interested parties of a major investment opportunity at the GCRE site in South Wales.

NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Sell2Wales Web Site at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=156232.

2.3

Notice Coding and Classification

3 Administrative Information

3.1

Reference number attributed to the notice by the contracting authority

3.2

Estimated Start of the Award Procedure

4 Other Information

4.1

Additional Information

This Notice is not for purchase of services, goods or works, is not being administered via Sell2Wales and will not have a follow up Notice.

It is advertising an opportunity for an investment partner to develop Renewable Energy Sources (RES) at the GCRE site alongside a data centre.

Access to relevant documentation will be made available to interested parties who return an executed Confidentiality Agreement to strategicinvestment@gcre.wales.

Any queries should be directed to strategicinvestment@gcre.wales

The opportunity is currently programmed to close at 12 noon on 21 November 2025 and proposals will no longer be accepted after closing.

(WA Ref:156232)

4.2

Download Additional Documentation

4.3

Publication date of this notice