Official UK procurement notice
Trunk Mains AMP8 Roll Out: Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) Fibre Sensing Solution
Authority: THAMES WATER UTILITIES LIMITED
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThames Water is seeking to significantly improve its ability to detect leakage and bursts across its trunk mains network, where current monitoring coverage remains limited. This lack of visibility restricts early detection and response, increasing the risk of water loss, asset failure, and service disruption. To address this, Thames Water intends to roll out a Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) fibre sensing solution, with the ambition of achieving near-100% coverage across its trunk mains estate.
DAS technology offers the potential to transform network monitoring by converting fibre optic cables into thousands of acoustic sensors, enabling continuous, real-time detection of leaks, bursts, and third-party interference over long distances. The solution must be scalable, cost-effective, and capable of integrating with Thames Water's existing systems and operational workflows.
Thames Water is interested in identifying potential service providers who can propose solutions that directly address this challenge. Providers will need to demonstrate how their approach will deliver reliable coverage, actionable insights, and long-term value. Key considerations include deployment strategy, data quality, system integration, and support for future enhancements in predictive maintenance and leakage reduction. The successful partner(s) will play a critical role in helping Thames Water achieve its strategic goal of near-total trunk main monitoring coverage through fibre sensing.
Thames Water reserves the right to refine the award criteria. Please note that that deadline for asking for access to the PSQ & submitting of the PSQ is Thursday 19 March at 10 am.
- How the procedure runs: This procurement will be conducted using the Competitive Flexible Procedure under the Utilities Contracts Regulations. Following publication of this notice, suppliers will be invited to complete a Pre Selection Questionnaire (PSQ). The PSQ will assess legal, financial, and technical capability against the stated conditions of participation. After evaluation of PSQ submissions, Thames Water will shortlist suppliers to participate in the Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) stage. The ITN is expected to commence in March 2026. Shortlisted suppliers will be required to submit detailed technical and commercial proposals. Thames Water may invite suppliers to present their proposed solution to stakeholders to support clarification of their ITN responses. Following evaluation of ITN submissions and presentations, Thames Water intends to complete supplier selection by June 2026.
CPV: Sensors · Telephone network maintenance services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1RenewalPublished value£7,000,000
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 (4)
- Technical - Functionality of proposed solution: 45%
- Technical - Functionality of proposed solution: 25%
- Commercial - Total Price of solution for the remainder of the AMP8 period (to 31 Mar 2030): 10%
- Commercial: 20%
Published award criteria (4)
- Technical - Functionality of proposed solution: Meeting all the mandatory functional requirements. Meeting all or most of the desirable functional requirements (written response).
- Technical - Functionality of proposed solution: Meeting all the mandatory functional requirements. Meeting all or most of the desirable functional requirements (Presentation).
- Commercial - Total Price of solution for the remainder of the AMP8 period (to 31 Mar 2030): Price of solution for the contract period.
- Commercial: Additional Commercial Responses regarding: Payment Terms, Service Levels, and additional value drivers.
- Price carries 30 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
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
- Closed
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Utilities
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 9 Feb 2026, 16:55 GMT
- Last source update
- 12 Mar 2026, 08:18 GMT
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 1 Jun 2026
- Authority reference
TC2407- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-011563- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-064baaFind a Tender
- How it runs
This procurement will be conducted using the Competitive Flexible Procedure under the Utilities Contracts Regulations.
Following publication of this notice, suppliers will be invited to complete a Pre Selection Questionnaire (PSQ). The PSQ will assess legal, financial, and technical capability against the stated conditions of participation.
After evaluation of PSQ submissions, Thames Water will shortlist suppliers to participate in the Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) stage. The ITN is expected to commence in March 2026.
Shortlisted suppliers will be required to submit detailed technical and commercial proposals. Thames Water may invite suppliers to present their proposed solution to stakeholders to support clarification of their ITN responses.
Following evaluation of ITN submissions and presentations, Thames Water intends to complete supplier selection by June 2026.
How it was run
Official notice- Requests to participate (first stage)
- 19 Mar 2026, 10:00 GMT
- Submission deadline
- 19 Mar 2026, 10:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- 23 Feb 2026, 17:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
To gain access to this PSQ, please fill out the details in for link;
Timeline
9 Feb 2026 → 1 Jul 2026 · 6 dates- Tender notice published260 days ago9 Feb 2026, 16:55 GMT
- Clarification questions by246 days ago23 Feb 2026, 17:00 GMT
- Latest notice published229 days ago12 Mar 2026, 08:18 GMT
- Submission deadline222 days ago19 Mar 2026, 10:00 GMT
- Award decision expected by148 days ago1 Jun 2026, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts119 days ago1 Jul 2026, 00:00 BST
Notice history
2 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 9 Feb 2026- Tender notice published9 Feb 2026, 16:55 GMTUK4
- Tender notice published12 Mar 2026, 08:18 GMTUK4
Published amendments (1)
Please note the deadline has been extended. The deadline to submit your PSQ documents is now 19 March at 10 am.
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender