Official UK procurement notice
2025 - National Grid - Request to Participate in tender establishing a Global Capability Centre for Engineering Services
Authority: NATIONAL GRID UK LIMITED (Public body)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThis notice invites participants to submit a request to participate in a competitive flexible procedure for the award of a contract under Section 19 of the Procurement Act 2023.
This is not an invitation to submit tenders.
National Grid (NG) is an energy company operating in the UK and US. We deliver electricity and gas safely, reliably and efficiently to the customers and communities we serve - all while working towards a clean energy future.
The company is currently undergoing a strategic transformation of its Enterprise Business Services (EBS) organisation and as part of this initiative is successfully operating Engineering Support Services (ESS) activity in India via an incumbent supplier arrangement.
ESS is a proven, flexible, and scalable model providing highly skilled engineering support services with diverse technical, project, and analytics skills via an outsource model that transforms engineering processes.
At National Grid, these engineering services activities include, but are not limited to, System Modelling and Early Development, Work Management Support, Asset Management Support, Project Controls and Data Management Support.
We now wish to create our own Global Capability Centre (GCC) to deliver engineering services at scale and at pace, and we are looking for a single supplier* to
I. Establish, grow and deliver engineering services capability at pace
II. Co-create and collaborate with us to design the road map to get to the desired end state of an NG-led GCC
III. Play an active role as we develop a detailed project plan and
Statement of Work that allows us to establish an NG-led Global Capability Centre.
IV. Operationalise the Global Capability Centre
This notice is for a wide range of services (and, where applicable, supporting goods, works or services) to support National Grid achieve its target end-state of a Global Capability Centre for engineering services in India.
Our preference is to establish its GCC using a design build, operate and transfer model, however we are open to other pathways
Phase 1 - Design
The successful party collaborates with NG to define the requirements of our GCC including location, physical space, office layout, IT infrastructure and network connectivity, service standards and operational requirements and compliance with local laws and regulations. These requirements must satisfy our needs for today and future needs.
This phase ensures the GCC is tailored to NG's strategic and operational needs before the Build phase and has the necessary plans and documentation, budget and internal approvals.
Phase 2 - Build
The successful party establishes the GCC infrastructure, recruits talent and focuses on delivering the planned design on time and within scope and budget. We expect National Grid will be responsible to set up legal entities and gain regulatory approvals.
Phase 3 - Operate
The successful party will deliver and manage day-to-day operations including engineering services and the necessary enabling functions such as HR, payroll, IT support, compliance, and employee engagement.
This phase resembles traditional outsourcing, with service levels and governance models aligned to NG's expectations.
Phase 4 - Transfer
The successful party is jointly responsible with NG to complete appropriate transfers including operational knowledge, systems and staff to NG within the agreed timescale in such a way that service delivery and service standards are not affected.
Phase 5 - After completion of the Transfer phase, both parties may agree additional works for example, enduring functional support such a Finance or IT etc.
The deadline for completed requests to participate to be submitted via forms.office.com/r/37mdZZdR66 ↗ is 17:00 London 29-Sep-25.
Please Note
National Grid's offshore operations are currently based in India via an incumbent supplier arrangement and India is a preferred location for our Global Capability Centre. However, we intend to explore location strategy as part of our qualification and sourcing activities.
National Grid wishes to provide additional insight into the estimated total value figure included in this notice because this public notice permits only a single figure.
National Grid used best endeavours when estimating the total cost over the planned duration of this contract and believes the total cost to be in the range of £100,000,000 to £250,000,000 excluding VAT (£100 million to £250 million)
Merger/Affiliates Participation Rule.
Where two or more suppliers in this competition become connected persons (including by acquisition, merger or common control) at any time:
(i) pre-completion they must participate independently and maintain effective information barriers;
(ii) post-completion the group must nominate one supplier to remain in the competition within five (5) working days of completion and withdraw the other(s).
National Grid may set evidence requirements, request undertakings and, where necessary, exclude one or more suppliers for breach of procedure or improper behaviour, applying equal treatment and proportionality.
- A 'single supplier' could include a joint venture or prime contractor although it should be noted a prime contractor will be responsible for management and delivery of all sub-contract elements.
- How the procedure runs: This notice invites participants to submit a request to participate in a competitive flexible procedure for the award of a contract under Section 19 of the Procurement Act 2023. This is not an invitation to submit tenders. This procurement will follow a Competitive Flexible Procedure under the Procurement Act 2023 in multiple phases, namely 1. Qualification. 2. Supplier Selection. 3. Award. 1. In the Qualification phase, National Grid will assess participants against conditions of participation. National Grid will use these conditions of participation assess a participant on their legal and financial capacity and technical ability to perform the contract. National Grid reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to exclude participants not satisfying a condition of participation from participating in, or progressing as part of, the competitive tendering procedure. National Grid may request evidence that is independently verifiable as a condition of participation Participants wishing to request to participate should complete visit ( https://forms.office.com/r/37mdZZdR66 ) and complete the necessary registration details. Details must be submitted no later than 17:00 London 29-Sep-25 to allow sufficient time to process requests. 2. Participants assessed as satisfying the conditions of participation will be invited to participate in the first activity in the Supplier Selection phase, The Supplier Selection phase will contain a number of activities designed to identify participants best able to meet National Grid's requirements. Participants will be assessed and evaluated at each the conclusion of each activity against requirements detailed in the relevant instructions for that activity and National Grid reserves the right to evaluate and exclude participants not meeting the requirements. The Supplier Selection phase will include but is not limited to: Service Stories, Initial Proposal, Collaboration and Alignment Sessions, Final Proposal including negotiation, Site Visits and Best and Final Offers including negotiation. National Grid reserves the right to refine award criteria prior to issuing the final invitation to submit a tender, in accordance with Section 24 of the Procurement Act 2023. 3. The Award phase will include necessary internal approval activities, publish a contract award notice and completing the required 8-working day standstill period.
CPV: Administration, defence and social security services · Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security · Engineering services · IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedWhat it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Published award criteria (2)
- Quality: The contract will be awarded based on the Most Advantageous Tender, assessed against qualitative and quantitative criteria related to the contract. These may include but are not limited to • Quality: Technical and operational capability including but not limited to engineering and dBOT experience and methodologies, capacity ramp-up and workforce recruitment strategy, delivery capability, risk management and compliance • Quality: Transition and mobilisation planning including but not limited to governance, transition and capacity ramp up National Grid intends to assess proposals across multiple stages, including Initial Proposal and Final Proposal. In accordance with Section 24 of the Procurement Act 2023, National Grid reserves the right to refine the award criteria and their relative weightings during the procedure. This may include the introduction of sub-criteria or adjustments to scoring methodologies, provided these refinements relate directly to the original criteria and do not alter the scope or disadvantage suppliers excluded in earlier stages. The initial ratio between price and quality is set at 80% for quality and 20% price, however National Grid reserves the right to refine award criteria prior to issuing the final invitation to tender, in accordance with Section 24 of the Procurement Act 2023. All refinements will be communicated transparently via updated tender documents prior to the invitation to submit final tenders.
- Price: The contract will be awarded based on the Most Advantageous Tender, assessed against qualitative and quantitative criteria related to the contract. Cost: Including but not limited to value for money and cost-effectiveness
- Price carries 20 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 2 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Closed
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Utilities
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA, CPTPP)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 3 Sept 2025, 18:48 BST
- Last source update
- 24 Sept 2025, 14:32 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 1 Sept 2026
- Authority reference
WS5052814900- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-053715- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Not published
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05939eFind a Tender
- How it runs
This notice invites participants to submit a request to participate in a competitive flexible procedure for the award of a contract under Section 19 of the Procurement Act 2023.
This is not an invitation to submit tenders.
This procurement will follow a Competitive Flexible Procedure under the Procurement Act 2023 in multiple phases, namely
- Qualification.
- Supplier Selection.
- Award.
- In the Qualification phase, National Grid will assess participants against conditions of participation. National Grid will use these conditions of participation assess a participant on their legal and financial capacity and technical ability to perform the contract.
National Grid reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to exclude participants not satisfying a condition of participation from participating in, or progressing as part of, the competitive tendering procedure.
National Grid may request evidence that is independently verifiable as a condition of participation
Participants wishing to request to participate should complete visit ( forms.office.com/r/37mdZZdR66 ↗ ) and complete the necessary registration details. Details must be submitted no later than 17:00 London 29-Sep-25 to allow sufficient time to process requests.
- Participants assessed as satisfying the conditions of participation will be invited to participate in the first activity in the Supplier Selection phase,
The Supplier Selection phase will contain a number of activities designed to identify participants best able to meet National Grid's requirements. Participants will be assessed and evaluated at each the conclusion of each activity against requirements detailed in the relevant instructions for that activity and National Grid reserves the right to evaluate and exclude participants not meeting the requirements.
The Supplier Selection phase will include but is not limited to:
Service Stories, Initial Proposal, Collaboration and Alignment Sessions, Final Proposal including negotiation, Site Visits and Best and Final Offers including negotiation.
National Grid reserves the right to refine award criteria prior to issuing the final invitation to submit a tender, in accordance with Section 24 of the Procurement Act 2023.
- The Award phase will include necessary internal approval activities, publish a contract award notice and completing the required 8-working day standstill period.
- Risks
a. 'Known risks include: (i) host state legal or regulatory change affecting service location or personnel mix; (ii) cross-border data transfer, localisation constraints and security assurance requirements; (iii) export control sanctions outcomes; (iv) pace of transition and stabilisation; (v) sector approvals (including national security) affecting timing. National Grid may issue proportionate modifications to address such risks.'
b. 'The contract may be transferred, in whole or part, to a National Grid group company (including an overseas subsidiary) to reflect corporate structuring of the dBOT operating model.'
We advise that a conflicts assessment has been prepared and will be kept under review and revised as necessary
How it was run
Official notice- Requests to participate (first stage)
- 29 Sept 2025, 17:00 BST
- Submission deadline
- 29 Sept 2025, 17:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Requests to participate must be submitted here forms.office.com/r/37mdZZdR66 ↗
Timeline
3 Sept 2025 → 1 Sept 2026 · 5 dates- Tender notice published3 Sept 2025, 18:48 BST
- Latest notice published392 days ago24 Sept 2025, 14:32 BST
- Submission deadline387 days ago29 Sept 2025, 17:00 BST
- Contract starts51 days ago1 Sept 2026, 00:00 BST
- Award decision expected by50 days ago1 Sept 2026, 23:59 BST
Notice history
2 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 3 Sept 2025- Tender notice published3 Sept 2025, 18:48 BSTUK4
- Tender notice published24 Sept 2025, 14:32 BSTUK4
Published amendments (1)
Merger/Affiliates Participation Rule. Where two or more suppliers in this competition become connected persons (including by acquisition, merger or common control) at any time: (i) pre-completion they must participate independently and maintain effective information barriers; (ii) post-completion the group must nominate one supplier to remain in the competition within five (5) working days of c…
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (5)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Bidding documents and specifications Participants successfully requesting participation will be invited to participation in the qualification activity via National Grid's eSourcing system ( https://supplier.ariba.com )
- Bidding documents and specifications 20250818 Project Glossary for Participants in Engineering Services vFINAL.pdf
- Bidding documents and specificationsAccess: Participants successfully requesting participation will be invited to participation in the qualification activity via National Grid's eSourcing system ( https://supplier.ariba.com )
Notices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender