Official UK procurement notice
TfL Solar Private Wire Delivery Partner
Authority: Transport for London (Public body)·Consortium: 3 public authorities
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThis procurement was undertaken by Transport for London (TfL) on behalf of London Underground Limited (LUL).
The primary objective of TfL's Solar Private Wire project is to enable TfL to directly receive zero-carbon electricity from decentralised sources, reducing the carbon emissions associated with its operations. The project is primarily focused on private wire connections to new-build solar photovoltaic generation.
The contracting authority (LUL) has appointed an economic operator (a 'Delivery Partner') with whom it can work collaboratively in order to deliver solar private wire projects within reasonable proximity to the London Underground network. Opportunities may also extend to connections into the broader TfL estate. LUL envisages that PPAs will take the form of newly-built solar assets, and LUL may also consider existing assets on a site-by-site basis.
The arrangement takes the form of a single supplier framework agreement, allowing for individual projects to be subsequently 'called-off' (i.e. negotiated and contracted for via a private/direct wire Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)).
The framework agreement will be for a duration of four (4) years, with an option to extend for up to a further four (4) years; the option to execute any extension, and the increments by which this is exercised, will be at LUL's sole discretion.
The contracting authority (and the party to the framework agreement) will be LUL. In addition to LUL, other members of the TfL Group may call-off from the framework agreement. In this case the relevant TfL entity will be the contracting entity who will be party to the PPA.
Where LUL is mentioned in this contract notice, it may also incorporate other members of the TfL Group in its meaning.
The number of PPAs that may be entered into is not fixed or limited and the anticipated length of any PPA under the framework is approximately 25 years (subject to the specific nature of site).
The activities that LUL envisages the Delivery Partner will undertake include (but are not limited to):
(a) preparing, developing and submitting a strategy that outlines potential sites upon which solar farms may be developed (including the identification of suitable sites corresponding to the land classification (i.e. greenfield, brownfield etc.)) and developing project proposals from sites identified;
(b) obtaining all relevant approvals, consents and permissions from the relevant authorities and third parties (as applicable) in relation to any site that is to be taken forward as a solar farm; and
(c) provided that certain contractual requirements are met, undertaking necessary activities in order to design, construct, operate and maintain the solar farm and related connection assets.
Additional associated services that LUL may request from the Delivery Partner include (but are not limited to):
(a) battery storage opportunities related to the installed solar arrays; and
(b) services and products related to the optimisation of generation and efficiency of the installed solar arrays.
CPV: Solar energy
How this framework works
From the published notice- Places
- up to 1 suppliers · 15 bids received (15.0 per place) · 1 appointed (full)
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1The procurement process was carried out under the Competitive Dialogue procedure,…Awarded
The procurement process was carried out under the Competitive Dialogue procedure, consisting of five (5) stages. Full details for the down selection of economic operators (bidders) at the end of each stage were provided in the procurement documents. High-level details are below.
Stage 1: Selection Questionnaire ('SQ') - Up to six (6) highest-ranking compliant bidders invited to ISOS;
Stage 2: Invitation to Submit Outline Solution ('ISOS') - Up to three (3) highest-ranking compliant bidders invited to Dialogue;
Stage 3: Invitation to Participate in Dialogue ('ITPD') - No down selection;
Stage 4: Dialogue - No down selection; and
Stage 5: Invitation to Submit Final Tender ('ISFT') - Highest-ranking compliant bidder is awarded the framework agreement.
Following evaluation of the ISFT stage, the highest-ranking bidder has been awarded the place on the framework agreement. Additional information: REGISTERING ON THE E-TENDERING PORTAL
Interested parties were provided with instructions on how to register and communicate with TfL in regard to this exercise, as detailed in the Contract Notice (2024/S 000-035263).
ESTIMATED TOTAL VALUE (II.1.7 & V.2.4)
The estimated value of the framework referred to in sections II.1.7 and V.2.4 has been developed assuming LUL (including members of the TfL Group) purchases renewable energy through solar farms equating to 64MW of capacity through the framework agreement. This value may fluctuate (increase) in accordance with changes in the economics of the energy market.
What 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 sub-criteria (3)
- Technical: 60%
- Commercial: 15%
- price: 25%
Published award criteria (3)
- Commercial: 15
- Technical: 60
- Price: 25
- Suitability
Bidders wishing to participate should access the detailed procurement documents referred to in this contract notice, decide on their interest in and capacity and capability to deliver the services, supplies and/or works which are the subject matter of this contract notice and complete and submit the SQ by the deadline date specified in section IV.2.2.
Further instructions and guidance are included in the SQ Instructions and other procurement documents.
- Shortlisting
- The contracting authority expressly reserves the right to require a candidate to provide additional information supplementing or clarifying any of the information provided in response to the requests set out in the SQ.
- Successive reduction
- Candidates will be reduced successively across stages
- Price carries 40 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 4 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
- “TfL Solar Private Wire Delivery Partner” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, up to 1 suppliers, not a single contract.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record · publisher note attached- Procedure method
- Competitive dialogue
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0025 Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 (Directive 2014/25/EU)
- Procurement category
- Goods
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- 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
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- No (one-off requirement)
- First published
- 14 Apr 2023, 10:14 BST
- Last source update
- 31 Mar 2026, 14:09 BST
- Authority reference
CW88305 (tender reference WS1600084734)- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-029720- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-03bea3Find a Tender
- Performance terms
Dormant supplier provisions
It should be noted that LUL reserves the right to award two (2) framework agreements pursuant to this procurement, one to each of the two highest ranked compliant bidders at ISFT stage: the first to the winning bidder (as selected in accordance with the procurement process outlined in the procurement documents), and the second as a 'dormant' supplier. Full details for the application of this provision are available within Volume 3 - Framework Agreement of the draft ISOS tender pack.
Where LUL awards a framework agreement to a dormant supplier, such framework agreement will take substantially the same form but will contain appropriate provisions in respect of when it will come into effect (i.e. where certain performance-based failures occur, resulting in a termination of the framework agreement with the winning bidder).
All other conditions related to the framework agreement are as stated in the procurement documents.
- Review procedure
In accordance with the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/274), Part 5.
Please note that award decision notices (standstill letters) will be issued under Regulation 101 (and a Regulation 102 standstill period will be observed) at the completion of the ISFT stage.
This is the point at which the award decision is taken and at which the competitive procurement process concludes (but without prejudice to the dormant supplier provision as described in III.2.2).
No further standstill letters will be issued, and there will be no further standstill periods observed.
Publisher note: The contracting authority is a complex organisation operating both as a subsidiary of TfL which is a functional body of the Greater London Authority (GLA) under the direction of the Mayor of London and as a provider of transport services. The contract or contracts (if any) resulting from this call for competition may be awarded by and may be for the benefit of the contracting authority and/or any of TfL's subsidiaries. Any part of the contracting authority and/or any of TfL's subsidiaries may award contracts as appropriate. The contracting authority reserves the right to award the contract in whole or in part or not at all as a result of this call for competition. The contracting authority shall not be liable for any costs or expenses incurred by any bidders in considering and/or responding to the procurement process. If applicable, all discussions and meetings will be conducted in English. Tenders and supporting documents must be priced in sterling and all payments made under the contract will be in sterling. The contracting authority intends to use electronic means including the internet in carrying out the procurement process. The contracting authority strongly supports and implements the GLA Group Responsible Procurement Policy. Details about the policy can be found on: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/gla_group_responsible_procurement_policy_2021.pdf. Further details as to the application of the Greater London Authority Group Responsible Procurement Policy to this procurement will be set out in the tender documents. Further information on TfL may be found at www.tfl.gov.uk. The contracting authority may interview any or all companies who express an interest in tendering for this work. The framework agreement and call-off contract may include special conditions relating to performance, which may include economic, innovation-related, environmental, social and/or employment-related considerations.
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 20 Dec 2024, 12:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- {"electronicSubmission","written"}
- Accepted languages
- en
- Bid validity
- 270 days from the deadline
Timeline
1 Nov 2023 → 31 Mar 2026 · 4 dates- Next notice expected1 Nov 2023
- Admission / appointment period endsperiod end, not a bid countdown20 Dec 2024, 12:00 GMT
- Invitations to tender expected2 Feb 2025
- Notice published208 days ago31 Mar 2026, 14:09 BST
Notice history
7 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 31 Oct 2024- Published value published: £175,000,00031 Oct 2024, 09:04 GMT
- Status changed to active31 Oct 2024, 09:04 GMT
- Procurement method changed31 Oct 2024, 09:04 GMT
- Deadline moved to 20 Dec 2024, 12:00 GMT31 Oct 2024, 09:04 GMT+597 days · was 3 May 2023, 17:00 BST
- Buyer details updated31 Oct 2024, 09:04 GMT
- Status changed to complete31 Mar 2026, 14:09 BST
- Buyer details updated31 Mar 2026, 14:09 BST
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast1 suppliers are admitted to this framework without individual award values or dates, see the supplier list below.
Contracts
Contract 029720-2026-1
- Signed
- 23 Dec 2025
- Value
- £175,000,000
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15bids · 15 electronic | 6 | — | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
2 public bodies on the noticeConsortium members and other public bodies
- Transport for LondonContracting authorityUrban railway, tramway, trolleybus or bus services
Dispute resolution & review bodies
- HM Courts and Tribunal ServiceReview body
- HM High Courts and Tribunal ServiceReview body
Framework contractors & participating bidders
1 commercial party on the notice- SSE Utility Solutions LimitedFramework contractor
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Economic and financial selection criteria
- Technical selection criteria