Ofwat has gone out to tender with a wide-ranging framework contract for support services including HR, FM, finance, IT, procurement, customer services and business support worth almost £10 million.
The water industry regulator is seeking to procure a Strategic Partner to help transform its support services such as HR, FM, finance, IT, procurement, business support and customer services. However, the water sector regulator does not want to outsource all of the services – Ofwat is looking a strategic partner to work with on a co-sourcing delivery model approach, where it uses the partner's capacity to augment its own capabilities as and when required.
Ofwat plans to first work with the partner on a 6 — 12 month project to improve its own processes and systems and bring them in line with the partner's processes. The partner would then provide off-site (including off shore) capacity, to assist with busy periods or address skills gaps on a pay as you go basis. The partner would also work on future projects (e.g. replacement of an IT system), supply temporary staff and manage the regulator’s IT Supply Chain.
Ofwat is creating a single supplier Framework Agreement through which other UK regulatory authorities and arms-length bodies who could also benefit from the service can contract, including:
- Office of the Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem)
- Utility Regulator, Northern Ireland(UREGNI)
- Office of Rail and Road (ORR)
- Legal Services Board
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
- Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)
- Office of Communications (Ofcom)
- Oil and Gas Authority (OGA)
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
- Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
- Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
- Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB)
- Consumer Council for Water (CCWater)
- UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO)
- Natural England
- HS2 ltd (HS2)
- National Infrastructure Commission (NIC)
Estimated total value of the Ofwat contract, which will run for four years, is £ 9.95 million.
Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate is 1st August 2017 – click here to download the tender documentation.