Development & Funding Partner to develop the Birkenhead Heat Network

• How the procedure runs: This Competitive Flexible Procedure will be conducted in five (5) stages. The stages consist of: Stage 1: Conditions of Participation Stage 1 commenced with the issuing of this Tender Notice and the publication of the Invitation to Tender (ITT). The ITT includes a Procurement Specific Questionnaire ("PSQ") at Appendix D: Procurement Specific Questionnaire which all Suppliers are required to complete and return in accordance with the Procurement Timetable and instructions within the ITT. Wirral Council will undertake a review of the completed PSQ with reference to any information held on the Central Digital Platform. Responses to the Conditions of Participation will be assessed in accordance with Appendix D: Procurement Specific Questionnaire. Further details of this are set out in Section 13 (Conditions of Participation) of the ITT. The assessment of these responses will identify up to three Suppliers to be invited to participate in Stage 2. The process for identifying the three Suppliers is set out in paragraphs 13.13 and 13.14 of the ITT, together with minimum score requirements in 13.12. Stage 2: Interim Tender Response Phase (incorporating initial dialogue meetings) Suppliers shortlisted at Stage 1 will be invited to an initial meeting. The anticipated agenda for the initial meeting is as follows: (a) introduce the Promoter's Officers and commercial, legal and technical advisors; (b) meet the Supplier's Team; and (c) to discuss/answer questions on the core elements of the scheme. Following the initial meeting, Suppliers will be required to submit an Interim Tender Response in accordance with the instructions set out in the ITT. The Interim Tender Response shall consist of a detailed mark-up of the Contract Documentation and a commentary table explaining the rationale of the mark-up. Interim Tender Responses will not be formally evaluated but verbal feedback will be provided to Suppliers during dialogue meetings. Stage 3: Dialogue Meetings It is expected that there will be two dialogue meetings with each Supplier. The purpose of the dialogue meetings is to discuss Suppliers' comments and proposed amendments to the draft Contractual Documentation. Further detail on the agenda for the dialogue meetings is set out in paragraph 7.3 of the ITT. If required, a third dialogue meeting may be held with each Supplier. Wirral Council may refine the award criteria in the ITT during or following dialogue meetings with Suppliers. If Wirral Council refines the award criteria, it will notify all Suppliers to any changes made to the award criteria when issuing the Invitation to Submit Final Tenders (ISFT). Stage 4: Invitation to Submit a Final Tender Response Suppliers will be required to submit their Final Tender Response in accordance with the instructions set out in the ISFT. Suppliers must respond to all of the Technical, Commercial and Social Value questions set out in Appendix B: Award Criteria of the ITT. Suppliers' Final Tender Responses will be evaluated in accordance with the assessment methodology set out in Appendix C: Assessment Methodology of the ITT. Wirral Council will conduct an assessment of all Final Tender Responses in order to identify the Supplier which has submitted the Most Advantageous Tender. Stage 5: Preferred Supplier Stage Following conclusion of Stage 4, the Promoter will provide an assessment summary to all Suppliers that submitted Final Tender Responses to:  inform them whether they have been successful in the Procurement;  provide an explanation of the assessment of the Supplier's tender against the relevant award criteria, in accordance with the requirements of the Act;  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's name; and  engage in further discussions with the Supplier who the Promoter considers to have the Most Advantageous Tender (the "Preferred Supplier") in order to finalise the Contractual Documentation, in accordance with the limitations set out in the Act. Notwithstanding the above, Suppliers should note that any further discussions held with the Preferred Supplier will be solely for the purpose of finalising the Contractual Documentation based on their Final Tender Response and will not be an opportunity for further negotiation.
• No preliminary market engagement: Preliminary market engagement was conducted under Public Contract Regulations 2015.

CPV: Construction work · Construction-related services · District heating · Energy and related services · Public utilities

Procedure method

Competitive flexible procedure

Legal basis

UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023

Procurement category

Services

Notice status

Awarded

Procurement threshold

Above threshold (FTS publication)

Regulatory regime

Standard

Commercial structure

Stand-alone contract (no framework)

Competition type

Competitive procedure

GPA / WTO covered

Yes (GPA)

Recurring procurement

Unspecified in notice

First published

23 May 2025, 13:14 BST

Last source update

24 Mar 2026, 15:23 GMT

Award evaluation window

Submission end – 31 Mar 2026

FTS notice number

2025/S 000-033995

Latest notice

Contract award notice (UK6)

Classification (CPV)

Construction workConstruction-related servicesDistrict heatingEnergy and related servicesPublic utilities

Delivery area

North West (UKD74)

Official registry OCID

ocds-h6vhtk-052272 Find a Tender

How it runs

This Competitive Flexible Procedure will be conducted in five (5) stages. The stages consist of:

Stage 1: Conditions of Participation

Stage 1 commenced with the issuing of this Tender Notice and the publication of the Invitation to Tender (ITT).

The ITT includes a Procurement Specific Questionnaire ("PSQ") at Appendix D: Procurement Specific Questionnaire which all Suppliers are required to complete and return in accordance with the Procurement Timetable and instructions within the ITT.

Wirral Council will undertake a review of the completed PSQ with reference to any information held on the Central Digital Platform. Responses to the Conditions of Participation will be assessed in accordance with Appendix D: Procurement Specific Questionnaire. Further details of this are set out in Section 13 (Conditions of Participation) of the ITT.

The assessment of these responses will identify up to three Suppliers to be invited to participate in Stage 2. The process for identifying the three Suppliers is set out in paragraphs 13.13 and 13.14 of the ITT, together with minimum score requirements in 13.12.

Stage 2: Interim Tender Response Phase (incorporating initial dialogue meetings)

Suppliers shortlisted at Stage 1 will be invited to an initial meeting. The anticipated agenda for the initial meeting is as follows:

(a) introduce the Promoter's Officers and commercial, legal and technical advisors;

(b) meet the Supplier's Team; and

(c) to discuss/answer questions on the core elements of the scheme.

Following the initial meeting, Suppliers will be required to submit an Interim Tender Response in accordance with the instructions set out in the ITT. The Interim Tender Response shall consist of a detailed mark-up of the Contract Documentation and a commentary table explaining the rationale of the mark-up. Interim Tender Responses will not be formally evaluated but verbal feedback will be provided to Suppliers during dialogue meetings.

Stage 3: Dialogue Meetings

It is expected that there will be two dialogue meetings with each Supplier. The purpose of the dialogue meetings is to discuss Suppliers' comments and proposed amendments to the draft Contractual Documentation. Further detail on the agenda for the dialogue meetings is set out in paragraph 7.3 of the ITT.

If required, a third dialogue meeting may be held with each Supplier.

Wirral Council may refine the award criteria in the ITT during or following dialogue meetings with Suppliers. If Wirral Council refines the award criteria, it will notify all Suppliers to any changes made to the award criteria when issuing the Invitation to Submit Final Tenders (ISFT).

Stage 4: Invitation to Submit a Final Tender Response

Suppliers will be required to submit their Final Tender Response in accordance with the instructions set out in the ISFT.

Suppliers must respond to all of the Technical, Commercial and Social Value questions set out in Appendix B: Award Criteria of the ITT.

Suppliers' Final Tender Responses will be evaluated in accordance with the assessment methodology set out in Appendix C: Assessment Methodology of the ITT.

Wirral Council will conduct an assessment of all Final Tender Responses in order to identify the Supplier which has submitted the Most Advantageous Tender.

Stage 5: Preferred Supplier Stage

Following conclusion of Stage 4, the Promoter will provide an assessment summary to all Suppliers that submitted Final Tender Responses to:

 inform them whether they have been successful in the Procurement;

 provide an explanation of the assessment of the Supplier's tender against the relevant award criteria, in accordance with the requirements of the Act;

 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's name; and

 engage in further discussions with the Supplier who the Promoter considers to have the Most Advantageous Tender (the "Preferred Supplier") in order to finalise the Contractual Documentation, in accordance with the limitations set out in the Act.

Notwithstanding the above, Suppliers should note that any further discussions held with the Preferred Supplier will be solely for the purpose of finalising the Contractual Documentation based on their Final Tender Response and will not be an opportunity for further negotiation.

Requests to participate (first stage)

29 Jul 2025, 12:00 BST

Submission deadline

29 Jul 2025, 12:00 BST

Submission channel

Official e-sourcing portal

Electronic submission

Allowed

Accepted languages

en

• VITAL ENERGI UTILITIES LIMITEDAwarded supplierGB-COH: 04050190GB-PPON: PRNH-3543-YBNX Century House, Blackburn, North West, BB1 2LDContact emailShow contact details