Official UK procurement notice
C280 (2027) Supply Low Voltage Cable Jointing Systems
Authority: Northern Ireland Electricity Networks Limited (Public body)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionNorthern Ireland Electricity Networks Limited (NIE Networks) intends to establish a framework arrangement under which it shall appoint suppliers to enter into separate framework agreements for C280 (2027) Supply Low Voltage Cable Jointing Systems. It is anticipated that each framework agreement awarded will be for a period of five (5) years with an option, exercisable entirely at the discretion of the contracting authority and subject to the terms of the framework agreement, to extend by a further optional period of up to three (3) years, with a total potential duration of eight (8) years.
NIE Networks estimates that the total spend under framework agreements could be up to £15.5 million over the total potential eight-year duration.
Therefore, NIE Networks is conducting a Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) supplier information event to gather insights from the market before initiating a procurement process for Contract C280 (2027) Supply Low Voltage Cable Jointing Systems.
This engagement aims to assess the market's interest and capabilities in delivering Contract C280 (2027), identify potential solutions and develop an effective procurement strategy. NIE Networks anticipates an ongoing requirement for resin compounds, insulation compounds, joint shells and complete low voltage cable jointing systems. Through this engagement, NIE Networks also wishes to understand developments within the market and identify any innovative products, technologies or approaches that could provide additional benefits in areas such as safety, reliability, installation efficiency, sustainability and security of supply.
NIE Networks currently utilises a range of Low Voltage Cable Jointing Systems across its distribution network. While these products will continue to form a core part of operational requirements, NIE Networks is keen to engage with the market to understand emerging technologies, product developments and best practices that may complement or enhance existing solutions.
CPV: Cable and related products · Cable joining kits · Cable, wire and related products · Insulated cable joints · Insulated cable junctions
How this framework works
From the published notice- Framework period
- 5 yrs · up to 8 yrs from 1 Nov 2027
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no 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).
- “C280 (2027) Supply Low Voltage Cable Jointing Systems” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract.
Pipeline intelligence · planning stage: how this market runs before the tender is published
How Northern Ireland Electricity Networks Limited buys Insulated cable accessories (CPV 3134), and who usually turns up
Northern Ireland Electricity Networks Limited’s own published record, next to the published market for the same work. This notice is a framework or DPS, so only frameworks and DPS are compared. Whole-market view: Insulated cable accessories (CPV 3134) →
How the contest usually goes
Winner shares use published awards; bid and price charts use contested lots.
i
How often small and medium firms win.
Share of awards where the winner’s size is known.
The counts under this question show how many awards have a known supplier size.
Small firms have won here. Neither number says whether you qualify; it describes who has been winning.
i
How often local firms win similar work.
Winners with a registered address in the delivery region, out of awards with a known address.
Here, local means registered in Northern Ireland.
A local branch does not count if the registered address is elsewhere.
No winner locations published for this authority. Local means a registered address in Northern Ireland.
i
How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.
Middle value in days from the deadline to the first award notice, on competitions that published both dates.
Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.
Half of these awards were announced within 238 days of the bid deadline.
i
How often work is awarded with no recorded rival.
Direct awards and tenders where every published lot count shows one bid.
Both shares are minimums: some awards have no bid count.
Thin markets produce this too; it is not proof of a tailored specification.
Direct awards or one recorded bid are common here. Check the route before spending time on a bid.
How many bids did past lots attract?
i
How many bids past lots received.
Each colour is a bid-count range. Only competed lots with a published count are included.
Past bids do not predict this tender.
1 bid10% / 5%
2–331% / 65%
4–631% / 20%
7+28% / 10%
How did awards compare with estimates?
i
Where winning prices landed against estimates.
Each colour shows awards below, close to or above the published estimate, one lot at a time.
On a framework or DPS, prices are agreed when work is called off.
Past prices are a guide, not a bid price.
Not comparable on a framework or DPS. The notice sets up a supplier panel and a ceiling value; what the work actually costs is agreed later, on each call-off or mini-competition, and those publish as contract notices of their own. The award-vs-estimate record of this market therefore sits on the call-offs; this page shows it on the contracts, not on the panel that frames them.
Assess each lot i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
Open a lot for its forecast, this buyer’s previous supplier and possible competitors, from published award history, not a bid list
Lot #1Published estimate£16m
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative. The bar shows 20 past lots.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid5%
2–365%
4–620%
7+10%
i
Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
No earlier contract of this buyer matches this lot on the published record.
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
Candidate suppliers for this notice have not been worked out yet, so this is not a verdict that nobody fits.
About this data
- Source. Official UK public procurement notices (Find a Tender), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. New notices arrive through the day; the figures are rebuilt nightly.
- Two views, kept apart. The authority’s own track record and the wider market for the same kind of work sit side by side and are never mixed. Where the local picture is too thin, a figure widens to a broader market and says which one it used.
- Forecasts are labelled. The price forecast and its range, possible competitors and the earlier-work matches are our estimates from past awards: not published facts, not win chances and not price advice. Official notices do not say who is bidding.
- Every figure shows what it rests on. Not every notice publishes a bid count, a value or a delivery region, so each figure carries the number of records behind it, and one built on few records is marked as such. The on a figure explains it; the counting rules are in the methodology. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Goods
- Notice status
- Planned procurement
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Utilities
- Commercial structure
- Framework agreement
- Who may use this agreement
- Not stated in the notice; call-off rights may be limited to the establishing authority
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 21 Oct 2026, 14:06 BST
- Last source update
- 21 Oct 2026, 14:06 BST
- Authority reference
C280 (2027)- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-099516- Latest notice
- Preliminary market engagement notice (UK2)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-078ceeFind a Tender
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- —
Timeline
21 Oct 2026 → 1 Nov 2027 · 4 dates- Planning notice published1 day ago21 Oct 2026, 14:06 BST
- Today22 Oct 2026
- Market engagementin 71 days31 Dec 2026, 23:59 GMT
Interested parties should register their interest in this PME supplier information event via eSourcingNI (e-sourcingni.ukp.app.jaggaer.com/web/login.shtml ↗). A Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) envelope has been created named "pqq_4773" within Project "project_29324" to supply suppliers with preliminary information and to express their interest in participating in the PME supplier information event. Please note that a draft specification will be available to suppliers defining NIE Networks' requirements so that suppliers can understand these requirements in advance of expressing an interest in this PME supplier information event.
Suppliers must express interest in participating in the PME supplier information event by applying to attend via the messaging function within the PQQ on eSourcingNI. As part of the application to participate in PME, suppliers must provide a short description of their experience of supplying products of the nature outlined in the draft specification. In your response you must provide the name(s) and contact email addresses of who will attend. Attendance shall be limited to a maximum of 4 attendees per organisation. Should the PME supplier information event be oversubscribed NIE Networks reserves the right to shortlist attendees based on direct relevant experience in this area. This PQQ will close at 3.00pm on 13 November 2026 and NIE Networks cannot accept applications to participate in the PME supplier information event after this time.
Upon receipt of suppliers' expressions of interest, NIE Networks will provide additional information with further instructions on how to participate in the PME supplier information event. Suppliers are also encouraged to identify any emerging technologies, innovative products or complementary solutions relevant to low voltage cable jointing systems that may be of interest to NIE Networks.
Interested parties will not be prejudiced by any response or failure to respond to this PME Notice or the PME supplier information event. Participation or non-participation in the PME supplier information event shall not prevent any interested parties from participating in any subsequent procurement process.
- Tender notice expectedin 131 days1 Mar 2027, 23:59 GMT
- Contract startsin 375 days1 Nov 2027
Notice history
1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender- Preliminary market engagement notice published21 Oct 2026, 14:06 BSTUK2
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Pipeline notice- Awards (0)
- No award published
- Contracts (0)
- No contract published
- Bid statistics
- No aggregate bid statistics published
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (1)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender