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Published 2 Feb 2026, 14:49 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

Innovation Academic Framework · UK public procurement notice

Official notice

Authority: NATIONAL GRID ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION PLC (Public body)

Open framework schemeServicesCompetitive flexible procedureAbove thresholdUtilitiesAccelerated
Sectors: Research & Development (R&D) (73) Delivery: UK
Framework ceiling (notional)£70,000,000framework ceiling, not attributable revenue
Submissions closed 12 Feb 2026awarded 26 Feb 2026
Awarded to CARDIFF UNIVERSITY +9 more10 awards
Framework period 5 yrsends 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033 with extensions · starts 1 Apr 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) is seeking collaboration with universities to support delivery of its innovation strategy over the next five years (April 2026 - Mar 2031). The primary objectives during this period include facilitating the energy system transition (including Clean Power 2030 and net zero 2050) and providing support for vulnerable consumers.

University partners will be expected to contribute both resources and technical expertise to the development and execution of Research & Development (R&D)projects.

We expect universities to run projects within Technology Readiness Levels 2 to 8 which includes research, development and demonstration projects.

These initiatives will enable NGET to ensure a safe and reliable electricity network, enhance consumer value, achieve decarbonisation of future networks, and create a positive impact on society.

NGET will invite universities to propose new projects that address specific needs, while also encouraging the generation of innovative project ideas. In addition to individual innovation projects, partners will play a crucial role in fostering innovation through strategic development, knowledge sharing and promoting an innovation-driven culture. Knowledge sharing may include supporting NGET in running dissemination events across the energy sector and other industries to communicate the outputs, learnings and benefits from projects, as well as using these events to learn from others. £70,000,000 excluding VAT

£84,000,000 including VAT each contract value.

  • How the procedure runs: Evaluation Stage No Evaluation Stage Description of Evaluation Methodology Shortlisting Strategy 1 ITT Stage 1 Desktop Evaluation and Moderations - Commercial Price &Non-Commercial Shortlisting may occur at this stage. 2 Negotiation (Optional Stage at NG discretion) Price Negotiation and potential negotiation in respect of proposed deviations to the Framework T& C's. Shortlisting may occur at this stage. 3 Final ITT Moderation Moderation of Commercial and Non-Commercial Submissions. Confirm winning

CPV: Design and execution of research and development · Experimental development services · Research and development consultancy services · Research laboratory services

How this framework works

From the published notice
Type
Closed framework · open framework scheme (admission reopens)
Call-offs
call-offs may be awarded directly or by further competition
Framework period
5 yrs · up to 7 yrs from 1 Apr 2026
Scheme runs until
31 Mar 2033
Published description of the framework

Agreed schedule of rates per contract. In line with PA23 and Utility Exemption Regulations.

Call-offs published through it2

Notices that name this framework as their framework in the official record. Many call-offs are never published, so this is a floor, not utilisation.

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1AwardedRenewal 5 yrsPublished value£70,000,000
Contract period: 1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 (5 yrs) · up to 31 Mar 2033 with extensionsValue: £70,000,000 exc. VAT · £84,000,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: UK
Extensions: Up to 2 years of extensions if required.
73111000 Research laboratory services73120000 Experimental development services73200000 Research and development consultancy services73300000 Design and execution of research and development

What it takes to win
i

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 more
How bids were scored
Quality: 70%Price: 30%
Published sub-criteria (2)
  • Technical: 70%
  • Price: 30%
Published award criteria (2)
  • Price
  • Technical
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 30 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
  • “Innovation Academic Framework” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract: call-offs may be direct or by further competition.

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
Awarded
Procurement threshold
Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime
Utilities
Commercial structure
Open framework scheme
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
2 Feb 2026, 14:49 GMT
Last source update
15 Sept 2026, 15:09 BST
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 16 Feb 2026
Authority reference
WS4997397443
FTS notice number
2026/S 000-009035
Accelerated
Using dynamic market
Latest notice
Contract details notice (UK7)
Classification (CPV)
Design and execution of research and developmentExperimental development servicesResearch and development consultancy servicesResearch laboratory services
Delivery area
UK
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-061465 Find a Tender
How it runs

Evaluation Stage No

Evaluation Stage Description of Evaluation Methodology

Shortlisting Strategy

1 ITT Stage 1

Desktop Evaluation and Moderations

  • Commercial Price &Non-Commercial

Shortlisting may occur at this stage.

2

Negotiation

(Optional Stage at NG

discretion)

Price Negotiation and potential negotiation in respect of

proposed deviations to the Framework T& C's.

Shortlisting may occur

at this stage.

3 Final ITT Moderation

Moderation of Commercial and Non-Commercial Submissions. Confirm winning

Related procedures1

How it was run

Official notice
Appointment period ends
12 Feb 2026, 23:59 GMT
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Via National Grid's internal Ariba system.

www.ariba.com ↗

Timeline

2 Feb 2026 → 15 Sept 2026 · 7 dates
  1. Tender notice published260 days ago
    2 Feb 2026, 14:49 GMT
  2. Admission / appointment period ends250 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown
    12 Feb 2026, 23:59 GMT
  3. Award decision expected by246 days ago
    16 Feb 2026, 23:59 GMT
  4. Assessment summaries sent237 days ago
    26 Feb 2026
  5. Standstill ends224 days ago
    10 Mar 2026, 23:59 GMT
  6. Contract starts203 days ago
    1 Apr 2026, 00:00 BST
  7. Latest notice published35 days ago
    15 Sept 2026, 15:09 BST

Notice history

5 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 2 Feb 2026
  1. Tender notice published
    2 Feb 2026, 14:49 GMT
    UK4
  2. Contract award notice published
    26 Feb 2026, 18:40 GMT
    UK6
  3. Status changed to complete
    26 Feb 2026, 18:40 GMT
  4. Contract signature expected
    11 Mar 2026, 23:59 GMT
    scheduled
  5. Contract details notice published
    15 Sept 2026, 15:09 BST
    UK7

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Suppliers appointed 1010 awards · see the list ↓
Contracts signed 10latest 1 Apr 2026

£70,000,000 is the framework's published maximum, restated by the publisher on 10 award rows. It is one ceiling, not 10 separate sums, and no share per lot is published; those rows read “ceiling above”.

Awarded toValueDateStatus
CARDIFF UNIVERSITY1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033Extensions: Optional 1 year plus an additional one year extension to the main contract term.ceiling above26 Feb 2026Awarded
University of Warwick1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033Extensions: Optional one year extension with an additional year extension.ceiling above26 Feb 2026Awarded
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033Extensions: Optional one year extension with an additional year extension.ceiling above26 Feb 2026Awarded
University of Birmingham1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033Extensions: Optional one year extension with an additional year extension.ceiling above26 Feb 2026Awarded
The University of Edinburgh1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033Extensions: Optional one year extension with an additional year extension.ceiling above26 Feb 2026Awarded
UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033Extensions: Optional one year extension with an additional year extension.ceiling above26 Feb 2026Awarded
University of Bath1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033Extensions: Optional one year extension with an additional year extension.ceiling above26 Feb 2026Awarded
University of Exeter1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033Extensions: Optional one year extension with an additional year extension.ceiling above26 Feb 2026Awarded
University of Liverpool1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033Extensions: Optional one year extension with an additional year extension.ceiling above26 Feb 2026Awarded
University of Strathclyde1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033Extensions: Optional one year extension with an additional year extension.ceiling above26 Feb 2026Awarded

Contracts

All 10 of these contracts carry the same published figure, £70,000,000, the framework's maximum for the whole notice, not each contract's own value. They are not eleven separate sums.

  • Contract 1 · CARDIFF UNIVERSITY

    Signed
    1 Apr 2026
    Value
    ceiling above
    Period
    1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    Optional 1 year plus an additional one year extension to the main contract term.

  • Contract 10 · University of Warwick

    Signed
    1 Apr 2026
    Value
    ceiling above
    Period
    1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    Optional 1 year plus an additional one year extension to the main contract term.

  • Contract 2 · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON

    Signed
    1 Apr 2026
    Value
    ceiling above
    Period
    1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    Optional 1 year plus an additional one year extension to the main contract term.

  • Contract 3 · University of Birmingham

    Signed
    1 Apr 2026
    Value
    ceiling above
    Period
    1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    Optional 1 year plus an additional one year extension to the main contract term.

  • Contract 4 · The University of Edinburgh

    Signed
    1 Apr 2026
    Value
    ceiling above
    Period
    1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    Optional 1 year plus an additional one year extension to the main contract term.

  • Contract 5 · UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER

    Signed
    1 Apr 2026
    Value
    ceiling above
    Period
    1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    Optional 1 year plus an additional one year extension to the main contract term.

  • Contract 6 · University of Bath

    Signed
    1 Apr 2026
    Value
    ceiling above
    Period
    1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    Optional 1 year plus an additional one year extension to the main contract term.

  • Contract 7 · University of Exeter

    Signed
    1 Apr 2026
    Value
    ceiling above
    Period
    1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    Optional 1 year plus an additional one year extension to the main contract term.

  • Contract 8 · University of Liverpool

    Signed
    1 Apr 2026
    Value
    ceiling above
    Period
    1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    Optional 1 year plus an additional one year extension to the main contract term.

  • Contract 9 · University of Strathclyde

    Signed
    1 Apr 2026
    Value
    ceiling above
    Period
    1 Apr 2026 – 31 Mar 2031 · up to 31 Mar 2033 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    Optional 1 year plus an additional one year extension to the main contract term.

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

NATIONAL GRID ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION PLC

Contracting authorityPrivate utility GB-COH: 02366977 · GB-PPON: PHHJ-6513-BWZT 1 - 3 Strand, London, London, WC2N 5EHContact email

Framework contractors & participating bidders

10 commercial parties on the notice
  • CARDIFF UNIVERSITYFramework contractorGB-COH: RC000089GB-PPON: PHVT-4343-HWYR Park Place, Cardiff, Wales, CF10 3ATContact email
  • Southampton UniversityFramework contractorGB-CHC: rc000688GB-COH: RC000668 University Road, Highfield, Southampton, South East, SO17 1BJContact email
  • THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAMFramework contractorGB-COH: RC000645GB-PPON: PHCQ-3464-LVTM Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands, B15 2TTContact email
  • THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTERFramework contractorGB-COH: RC000797GB-PPON: PHDN-5322-MMHL Oxford Road, Manchester, North West, M13 9PLContact email
  • The University of EdinburghFramework contractorGB-PPON: PGGY-6115-PNHDGB-SC: SC005336 Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH8 9YLContact email
  • UNIVERSITY OF BATH (THE)Framework contractorGB-COH: RC000644GB-PPON: PNGV-7869-ZHZQ Claverton Down, Bath, South West, BA2 7AYContact email
  • UNIVERSITY OF EXETERFramework contractorGB-COH: RC000653GB-PPON: PZYG-2396-XCRZ Northcote House, Queens Drive, Exeter, South West, EX4 4QJContact email
  • UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOLFramework contractorGB-COH: RC000660GB-PPON: PYNH-9859-XVMD Foundation Building, 765 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, North West, L69 7ZXContact email
  • UNIVERSITY OF WARWICKFramework contractorGB-COH: RC000678GB-PPON: PGDC-7539-YXVM University House, Kirby Corner Road, Coventry, West Midlands, CV4 8UWContact email
  • University of StrathclydeFramework contractorGB-PPON: PGVP-7923-NDTWGB-SC: SC015263 16 Richmond Street, Glasgow, Scotland, G1 1XQContact email

Official documents & specifications (31)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

Notices published for this procedure

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