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Published 7 Oct 2026, 17:15 BST

Official UK procurement notice

Supply of Natural Gas for Apex Housing Association

Authority: Apex Housing Association (Housing)

3 lotsGoodsOpen procedureAbove threshold
Published estimate£2,142,000envelope for 3 lots · £2,142,000 inc. VAT
Submission deadline 4 Nov 202612:00 GMT · 27d 18h left
Lots 3see the lot list below
Contract term 1 yrup to 2 yrs with extensions · starts 1 Feb 2027

What is being bought3 lots · detail below

Published requirement description

Apex Housing are seeking to appoint a suitable Supplier of Natural Gas The contract will be procured in accordance with the Open Procedure as set out at Section 20(2)(a) of The Procurement Act 2023 (the Act or PA23). The Association reserves the right to not award to the lowest or any tender or to discontinue this Procurement Competition at any time. Apex have considered the use of Lots for this contract and have identified 3 suitable Lots. Lot 1 - Phoenix network area Lot 2 - Evolve network area Lot 3 - Kinecx network area.

  • The authority expects to re-tender this requirement around 2 Oct 2028, 23:59 BST.

CPV: Natural gas

Lots and requirements (3)Procurement structure

3 lots · all with a published value (£2,142,000 together) · same evaluation weights on every lot
Lot #1Phoenix network areaRenewal 1 yrPublished value£126,000
Gas Supply to sites in Belfast Area
Contract period: 1 Feb 2027 — 31 Jan 2028 (1 yr) · up to 2 yrs with extensionsDelivery: Northern IrelandTurnover guideline: ~£252,000/yr≈ 2× annual value
Value
£126,000 exc. VAT · £126,000 inc. VAT
Extensions
12 months optional extension
09123000 Natural gas

Who is likely to bid for this lot ↓

Lot #2Evolve network areaRenewal 1 yrPublished value£21,000
Gas Supply to sites in Mid-Ulster Area
Contract period: 1 Feb 2027 — 31 Jan 2028 (1 yr) · up to 2 yrs with extensionsDelivery: Northern IrelandTurnover guideline: ~£42,000/yr≈ 2× annual value
Value
£21,000 exc. VAT · £21,000 inc. VAT
Extensions
12 months optional extension
09123000 Natural gas

Who is likely to bid for this lot ↓

Lot #3Kinecx network areaRenewal 1 yrPublished value£1,995,000
Gas Supply to sites in Derry / Londonderry Area
Contract period: 1 Feb 2027 — 31 Jan 2028 (1 yr) · up to 2 yrs with extensionsDelivery: Northern IrelandTurnover guideline: ~£3,990,000/yr≈ 2× annual value
Value
£1,995,000 exc. VAT · £1,995,000 inc. VAT
Extensions
12 months optional extension
09123000 Natural gas

Who is likely to bid for this lot ↓

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 are scored · same split on all 3 lots
Price: 100%
Published sub-criteria (1)
  • Tender Evaluation Sum — 100%

No conditions of participation were published on the notice; check the tender documents.

What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 100 of 100 points — a 10% discount moves about 10 points. This one is won on the number — sharpen the price before polishing the prose.
  • Turnover usually expected: about £42,000 – ~£3,990,000 per lot (twice each lot's annual value).

Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring — the tender pack may use another formula. Turnover is an indicative market norm (≈2× annual value), not a published condition.

Competition analysis · published record, not a forecast of who will bid

How Apex Housing Association buys Gaseous fuels (CPV 0912) — and who usually turns up

Apex Housing Association’s own published record, next to the Northern Ireland market for the same work. Frameworks and DPS are kept out: they attract a different number of bids. Whole-market view: Gaseous fuels (CPV 0912) →

1

How the contest usually goes

This buyer’s published record next to the market where the work is delivered — contested contracts only, counted per lot

Question for the bid
This buyerApex Housing Association · all categories
The marketGaseous fuels (CPV 0912) · Northern Ireland
What to do with it
How often do SMEs win?
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.

Last 36 months.

Buyer: 3 of 3 known-size awards · market: CPV 0912, n=2
3 of 31 of 2

Small firms have won here. Neither number says whether you qualify; it describes who has been winning.

How often do local suppliers win?
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.

Last 36 months.

Buyer: 4 of 5 known-location awards · market: CPV 0912, n=2
4 of 52 of 2

Most of this buyer’s recorded winners are registered in Northern Ireland.

How long to a decision?
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.

Last 36 months.

Buyer: 6 decided notices · market: n=4
91 days19 days

Half of these awards were announced within 91 days of the bid deadline.

How often single-bid or direct?
i

How often work is awarded with no recorded rival.

Direct awards and tenders where every published lot count shows one bid.

The market share is a minimum: some awards have no bid count.

Thin markets produce this too; it is not proof of a tailored specification.

Last 36 months.

Buyer: exactly 0 of 5 awarded contracts without a rival · market: n=5
0%0%

Missing bid counts may hide more single-bid awards. This share is a minimum.

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.

Last 36 months.

This buyer7 lots with bid counts · all categories
14% had one bid
The market7 lots with bid counts · CPV 0912
0% had one bid
Buyer / market · select a colour for counts
1 bid14% / 0%
Buyer: 1 of 7 lots with published bid counts. Market: 0 of 7 lots with published bid counts.
2–357% / 100%
Buyer: 4 of 7 lots with published bid counts. Market: 7 of 7 lots with published bid counts.
4–629% / 0%
Buyer: 2 of 7 lots with published bid counts. Market: 0 of 7 lots with published bid counts.
7+0% / 0%
Buyer: 0 of 7 lots with published bid counts. Market: 0 of 7 lots with published bid counts.

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.

Past prices are a guide, not a bid price.

Last 36 months.

This buyerNo matched awards
—
The market25 lots with estimate and award · broad CPV 09
36% below estimate
Market · select a colour for counts
Below estimate36%
Market: 9 of 25 lots with an estimate and award.
Within ±2%48%
Market: 12 of 25 lots with an estimate and award.
Above estimate16%
Market: 4 of 25 lots with an estimate and award.
2

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.

Open a lot for its forecast, this buyer’s previous supplier and possible competitors — from published award history, not a bid list

Lot #1Phoenix network areaCPV 0912 12 monthsPublished value£126,000
Expected competition
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.

The bar shows 40 past lots.

A forecast, not a list of bidders.

—5% single-bid risk
Past bids on 40 similar lots
1 bid5%
2 of 40 similar past lots received 1 bid (5%).
2–358%
23 of 40 similar past lots received 2–3 (58%).
4–625%
10 of 40 similar past lots received 4–6 (25%).
7+13%
5 of 40 similar past lots received 7+ (13%).
Comparable past lots usually drew 3 bids.
Commercial price forecast
i

Where the winning 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 guide, not a price to bid.

—No model forecast yet
No comparable awards on record for this lot’s category yet — the published estimate is £126k, and the forecast stays empty until the market has a record to read.

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.

SupplierThis buyer’s earlier contractLotAward valueMatch
—

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.

SupplierWon in this categoryLive contractsAward vs estimate
—
Lot #2Evolve network areaCPV 0912 12 monthsPublished value£21,000
Expected competition
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.

The bar shows 40 past lots.

A forecast, not a list of bidders.

—5% single-bid risk
Past bids on 40 similar lots
1 bid5%
2 of 40 similar past lots received 1 bid (5%).
2–358%
23 of 40 similar past lots received 2–3 (58%).
4–625%
10 of 40 similar past lots received 4–6 (25%).
7+13%
5 of 40 similar past lots received 7+ (13%).
Comparable past lots usually drew 3 bids.
Commercial price forecast
i

Where the winning 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 guide, not a price to bid.

—No model forecast yet
No comparable awards on record for this lot’s category yet — the published estimate is £21k, and the forecast stays empty until the market has a record to read.

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.

SupplierThis buyer’s earlier contractLotAward valueMatch
—

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.

SupplierWon in this categoryLive contractsAward vs estimate
—
Lot #3Kinecx network areaCPV 0912 12 monthsPublished value£1,995,000
Expected competition
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.

The bar shows 40 past lots.

A forecast, not a list of bidders.

—5% single-bid risk
Past bids on 40 similar lots
1 bid5%
2 of 40 similar past lots received 1 bid (5%).
2–358%
23 of 40 similar past lots received 2–3 (58%).
4–625%
10 of 40 similar past lots received 4–6 (25%).
7+13%
5 of 40 similar past lots received 7+ (13%).
Comparable past lots usually drew 3 bids.
Commercial price forecast
i

Where the winning 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 guide, not a price to bid.

—No model forecast yet
No comparable awards on record for this lot’s category yet — the published estimate is £2.0m, and the forecast stays empty until the market has a record to read.

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.

SupplierThis buyer’s earlier contractLotAward valueMatch
—

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.

SupplierWon in this categoryLive contractsAward vs estimate
—
Coverage and what to read with care
  • Each figure explains itself. The on a figure says what it is, how it is counted and which scope this notice’s own record came from (class, division, all categories, or the authority’s 24-month row). The two sides are never blended. A lot’s own market is read at its delivery region where the lot names one; where it names several, or none that can be resolved, the chart falls back to the UK-wide record for the same category and says so under the bar. An empty cell means the source published nothing usable. Long form: Methodology.
  • When we call out a difference. A buyer figure is only flagged against the market when the sample is large enough that the gap is unlikely to be chance; at most two callouts appear, always phrased as a comparison with both numbers and the sample size.
  • Coverage (re-measured 5 Oct on the live record, 94,497 awarded procedures of the last three years). 51 % publish a bid count and 72 % a delivery region, so the market column reads the authority’s registered region when the notice names none, labelled. Of the 17,687 award-vs-estimate pairs, 34 % sit exactly on the estimate — the buyer published the award at the figure it advertised. n is on every figure; a thin sample is muted, never hidden, and a distribution is not drawn as percentages below ten observations.
  • “Match”, text similarity, the expected-bid figure and the distribution drawn beneath it are model outputs, not published facts or win probabilities. Find a Tender does not publish who is bidding. Never shown: contact details, payment behaviour, or a recommended price.

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Open procedure
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Goods
Notice status
Open for tender
Procurement threshold
Above threshold (FTS publication)
Regulatory regime
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Yes · next expected 2 Oct 2028
First published
7 Oct 2026, 17:15 BST
Last source update
7 Oct 2026, 17:15 BST
Award evaluation window
Submission end — 18 Nov 2026, 23:59 GMT
Authority reference
APX053
Latest notice
Tender notice (UK4)
Classification (CPV)
Natural gas
Delivery area
Northern Ireland (UKN)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-078334 Find a Tender

How to participate & submission route

Official notice Submit via eTendersNI
Submission portal named on this notice: eTendersNI · Who buys & how to bid on eTendersNI
Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowedLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free Northern Ireland registration
Expression of interest (EOI)
—
Tender submission deadline
4 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT
Clarification deadline
—
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Timeline

4 published dates · Europe/London
  1. Tender notice publishedearlier today
    7 Oct 2026, 17:15 BST
  2. Submission deadlinein 28 days
    4 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT
  3. Award decision expected byin 42 days
    18 Nov 2026, 23:59 GMT
  4. Contract startsin 116 days
    1 Feb 2027, 00:00 GMT

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Nothing awarded yet
Awards (0)
No award published
Contracts (0)
No contract published
Bid statistics
No aggregate bid statistics published

Notice history

1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender
  1. Tender notice published
    7 Oct 2026, 17:15 BSTUK4

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Apex Housing Association

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central governmentNorthern Irish devolved regulations apply GB-PPON: PGVD-2259-CJZQ 10 Butcher St, Derry / Londonderry, Northern Ireland, BT48 6HL [email protected]

Official documents & specifications (2)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

  • Conflict of interest declarationtenderConflict of interest declarationNot published

Notices published for this procedure

  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender