Customer Research and Engagement

{
  "buyer": {
    "id": "GB-COH-02366703",
    "name": "NORTHUMBRIAN WATER LIMITED"
  },
  "date": "2025-11-17T15:29:10Z",
  "id": "074473-2025",
  "initiationType": "tender",
  "language": "en",
  "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-05e2a8",
  "parties": [
    {
      "additionalIdentifiers": [
        {
          "id": "PRLG-5541-VHHG",
          "scheme": "GB-PPON"
        }
      ],
      "address": {
        "country": "GB",
        "countryName": "United Kingdom",
        "locality": "Pity Me",
        "postalCode": "DH1 5FJ",
        "region": "UKC14",
        "streetAddress": "Northumbria House"
      },
      "contactPoint": {
        "email": "michael.gibson@nwl.co.uk"
      },
      "details": {
        "classifications": [
          {
            "description": "Private utility",
            "id": "privateUtility",
            "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE"
          }
        ]
      },
      "id": "GB-COH-02366703",
      "identifier": {
        "id": "02366703",
        "scheme": "GB-COH"
      },
      "name": "NORTHUMBRIAN WATER LIMITED",
      "roles": [
        "buyer"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "tag": [
    "tender"
  ],
  "tender": {
    "aboveThreshold": true,
    "awardPeriod": {
      "endDate": "2026-03-07T23:59:59Z"
    },
    "contractTerms": {
      "financialTerms": "45 days"
    },
    "description": "NWL are looking for a supplier who can provide customer research and engagement and supporting consultancy services. In main this is to support Price Review 2029 (PR29). The plan will cover the services we will provide from 2030. The contract term will be four years, starting on the 1 April 2026.",
    "documents": [
      {
        "description": "Not published",
        "documentType": "conflictOfInterest",
        "id": "conflictOfInterest"
      },
      {
        "documentType": "biddingDocuments",
        "format": "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document",
        "id": "A-7967",
        "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/Attachment/A-7967"
      },
      {
        "datePublished": "2025-11-17T15:29:10Z",
        "description": "Tender notice on Find a Tender",
        "documentType": "tenderNotice",
        "format": "text/html",
        "id": "074473-2025",
        "noticeType": "UK4",
        "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/074473-2025"
      }
    ],
    "expressionOfInterestDeadline": "2025-12-12T09:00:00Z",
    "id": "NW3023",
    "items": [
      {
        "additionalClassifications": [
          {
            "description": "Research services",
            "id": "73110000",
            "scheme": "CPV"
          }
        ],
        "deliveryAddresses": [
          {
            "country": "GB",
            "countryName": "United Kingdom",
            "region": "UKC"
          },
          {
            "country": "GB",
            "countryName": "United Kingdom",
            "region": "UKH1"
          },
          {
            "country": "GB",
            "countryName": "United Kingdom",
            "region": "UKH3"
          }
        ],
        "id": "1",
        "relatedLot": "1"
      }
    ],
    "legalBasis": {
      "id": "2023/54",
      "scheme": "UKPGA",
      "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
    },
    "lots": [
      {
        "awardCriteria": {
          "criteria": [
            {
              "name": "Quality",
              "numbers": [
                {
                  "number": 70,
                  "weight": "percentageExact"
                }
              ],
              "type": "quality"
            },
            {
              "name": "Price",
              "numbers": [
                {
                  "number": 30,
                  "weight": "percentageExact"
                }
              ],
              "type": "price"
            }
          ]
        },
        "contractPeriod": {
          "endDate": "2030-03-31T23:59:59+01:00",
          "startDate": "2026-04-01T00:00:00+01:00"
        },
        "id": "1",
        "secondStage": {
          "maximumCandidates": 10
        },
        "selectionCriteria": {
          "criteria": [
            {
              "description": "Quality - 70%\nPrice - 30%\nA maximum of 10 vendors will be taken to RFP\n6 vendors to be added to the framework contract",
              "forReduction": true
            }
          ]
        },
        "status": "active",
        "suitability": {
          "sme": true,
          "vcse": true
        },
        "value": {
          "amount": 1000000,
          "amountGross": 1200000,
          "currency": "GBP"
        }
      }
    ],
    "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
    "procedure": {
      "features": "Competitive flexible procedure description\nStage 1: Invitation to participate and conditions of participation\nStage 1 commenced with the issuing of this Tender Notice and the\npublication of the Conditions of Participation Document (COP) in NWL\u0027s Ariba Sourcing tool.\nThe document includes a COP questionnaire which all suppliers are required to complete and return in accordance with the procurement timetable and instructions within the document.\nNWL will use this stage to confirm that neither the supplier, nor any related persons within its corporate group, associated persons relied on to meet the conditions of participation, or proposed sub-contractors are listed on the\nCabinet Office debarment list. To the extent that any such entities are listed on the debarment list, NWL will consider whether to exclude the supplier from participating in this procurement in accordance with its obligations\nunder the Act.\nIn addition, NWL will consider whether any supplier or related persons within its corporate group, associated persons relied on to meet the conditions of participation, or proposed sub-contractors are excluded or excludable suppliers, and before NWL determines that a supplier is an excluded or excludable supplier, it will provide the supplier reasonable opportunity to make representations and provide evidence as is proportionate in the\ncircumstances. If the supplier is an excluded or excludable supplier only by virtue of an associated person or proposed sub-contractor, NWL will notify the supplier of its intention to exclude the supplier and provide the supplier with reasonable opportunity to replace the associated person or subcontractor. If as a consequence of this process NWL excludes the supplier\nfrom participating in this procurement or is aware of an associated person or sub-contract having been replaced, it will give notice of this fact within 30 days of its decision to the Procurement Review Unit (PRU).\nNWL will also undertake a review of the completed COP with reference to any information held on the Central Digital Platform. Responses to any conditions of participation will be assessed in accordance with the selection process and any criteria as set out in the tender notice and described in this document. The assessment of these responses will identify the top 10\nnumber of suppliers to be invited to participate in Stage 2.\nStage 1 will complete with suppliers being notified in writing of whether or not they have been successfully shortlisted to participate in Stage 2.\nSuppliers not invited to stage 2 will be provided with a written explanation of the reasons why they have not been shortlisted to participate in Stage 2.\nSuppliers should note that NWL reserves the right to re-assess any response to the conditions of participation at any stage of this procurement, including in light of any new relevant information that comes to NWL\u0027s attention.\nStage 2: Invitation to submit initial tenders\nStage 2 will commence with the notification, inviting those suppliers which have successfully been shortlisted at stage 1 of this procurement to submit initial tenders.\nThe notification will also provide details of any new information made available to suppliers at this stage of this procurement.\nInitial tenders must be submitted in accordance with the procurement timetable and instructions set out in RFP document and any additional information provided.\nFollowing the deadline for submission of initial tenders, NWL will assess initial tenders in accordance with the assessment process and award criteria set out in the tender notice and described in this document. The assessment process will progress to interview (Stage 3).\nAll suppliers part of stage 2 will be invited to stage 3 (interview) to provide additional clarity of responses.\nStage 3: Interview\nWe will notify vendors of how we will describe how the dialogue and/or negotiations will\nbe conducted during interviews, including the location and dates for the relevant meetings, as\nwell as the attendee arrangements.\nStage 4: Invitation to submit a Best and Final Offer (BAFO)\nStage 4 will commence with the issuing of a letter inviting all suppliers\nremaining at stage 3 to submit their Best and Final Offer.\nBest and Final offers must be submitted in accordance with the\nProcurement Timetable and instructions set out in this document and any\nadditional information provided.\nAfter the deadline for submission of best and final offers, NWL will\nreconsider, in respect of each supplier that submitted, whether the supplier\nor any related persons within its corporate group, associated suppliers relied\non to meet the conditions of participation, or proposed sub-contractors, are\nexcluded or excludable suppliers and will consider whether to disregard the\nbest and final offer submitted in accordance with its obligations under the\nAct. If the supplier is an excluded or excludable supplier only by virtue of an\nassociated supplier or proposed sub-contractor, NWL will notify the supplier\nof its intention to disregard its tender and provide the supplier with a\nreasonable opportunity to replace the associated supplier or sub-contractor.\nIf as a consequence of this process NWL disregards a tender from an\nexcluded or excludable supplier or is aware of an associated supplier or\nsubcontractor having been replaced, it will give notice of this fact within 30\ndays of its decision to the Procurement Review Unit (PRU)\nNWL will conduct an assessment of all Best and Final offers in order to\nidentify the supplier which has submitted the most advantageous tender in accordance with the assessment methodology and award criteria set out in the tender notice and described in this document. In carrying out this assessment, NWL will disregard any final tender from a supplier who does not satisfy the conditions of participation.\nOnce the assessment has concluded, NWL will provide an assessment summary to all suppliers that submitted Best and Final Offers to:\na. inform them whether they have been successful in being awarded the contract\nb. provide an explanation of the assessment of the supplier\u0027s tender against the relevant award criteria, in accordance with the requirements of the Act\nc. where different to the supplier concerned, provide information in respect of the most advantageous tender submitted, including details of the assessment of this tender against the relevant award criteria and the supplier\u0027s name\nOnce the assessment summaries have been provided to the suppliers that submitted Best and Final offers NWL will also publish a contract award notice on the Central Digital Platform to commence the mandatory standstill period.\nSubject to completion of the mandatory standstill period, stage 4 will end with NWL entering into preferred supplier stage with the preferred supplier.\nStage 5: Preferred supplier stage\nThe highest scoring six supplier will be invited to engage in further discussions with NWL as part of a preferred supplier stage. This stage will be used to finalise the draft contract terms and conditions, in accordance with the limitations set out in the Act."
    },
    "procurementMethod": "selective",
    "procurementMethodDetails": "Competitive flexible procedure",
    "specialRegime": [
      "utilities"
    ],
    "status": "active",
    "submissionMethodDetails": "Applicants are asked to note that this procurement process will be conduced electronically with all documents and communication being managed through the Northumbrian Water e-Sourcing Spend Management portal\ncalled \u0027Ariba\u0027 (https://s1.ariba.com). (https://s1.ariba.com).) Expressions of interest from this notice must be sent to the e-mail address michael.gibson@nwl.co.uk before the deadline date of the 12 December 2025 at 09:00hrs. Once expression of interest has been received that contains the details below, applicants will be given access to the Ariba portal within\n48 hours from request. This portal will contain all the tender documents associated with this procurement that are available at the time. An email link will also be provided to the email address you provide to access the portal.\nThe deadline for return of the completed COPs is also the 12th December 2025 at 09:00. When sending expression of interest, applicants must provide the following information: 1) Full company name 2) Main contact details of the\nperson who will be given access to the Ariba portal - Name, job title, E mail address and telephone number.",
    "submissionTerms": {
      "electronicSubmissionPolicy": "allowed",
      "languages": [
        "en"
      ]
    },
    "techniques": {
      "frameworkAgreement": {
        "description": "It is then our intention to have 6 vendors on this framework contract, if a individual spend is anticipated to be \u00a35,000 or more we will send out a request for a detailed proposal.",
        "maximumParticipants": 6,
        "method": "withReopeningCompetition",
        "type": "closed"
      },
      "hasFrameworkAgreement": true
    },
    "title": "Customer Research and Engagement",
    "value": {
      "amount": 1000000,
      "amountGross": 1200000,
      "currency": "GBP"
    }
  }
}