NI Water has started the formal procurement process for its upcoming Integrated Partnerships Framework contract - the tender has an estimated total value of £12.3 billion including VAT.

The IF109 Integrated Partnerships Framework is being established to support the successful delivery of NI Water's capital investment programme and will succeed the existing IF105 Integrated Partnerships Framework, which is due to expire in May 2028. The Framework is intended to support delivery of the PC28 investment programme and future regulatory periods whilst securing the capacity, capability, flexibility, value for money and resilience required to deliver NI Water's future capital programme.

The IF109 Framework will support a range of works and related services including programme and project management, design, engineering, construction, commissioning and other supporting or ancillary activities.

The Framework is intended to support delivery of NI Water's future investment priorities, including regulatory compliance, service improvement, resilience enhancement, environmental performance and long-term sustainability objectives.

Together, the Lots will support the delivery of projects ranging from small-scale network investment and rehabilitation activities through to large-scale, complex, multidisciplinary capital programmes across NI Water's water and wastewater asset base.

The Framework has been designed to support long-term delivery of NI Water's investment programme whilst providing the flexibility required to respond to evolving programme, funding and operational requirements throughout its duration.

Current estimated start and end contract dates are 1 October 2027 to 30 September 2033 with further possible extension options up to 30 September 2039. Current estimated award decision date is 1 October 2027.

The water company says the anticipated Framework term reflects the scale, complexity and long-term nature of NI Water’s capital investment programme and the works to be delivered under the Framework. A longer duration is considered necessary to support continuity and effective delivery of complex infrastructure projects across successive investment periods

Suppliers can apply for all four Lots, with the proviso that a maximum of three Lots may be awarded to any Economic Operator. Specific restrictions apply to the combination of Lots that may be awarded to an individual Economic Operator in order to support resilience, competition and diversity of supply.

Applicants will be required to indicate their Lot preferences as part of the procurement process.

The IF109 Integrated Partnerships Framework comprises four Lots covering:

Lot 1. Minor Civil Pipelaying (£180 million including VAT)

Intended to support the delivery of pipelaying and network rehabilitation activities associated with below-ground water and wastewater infrastructure assets across Northern Ireland. Activities may include the design, investigation, installation, renewal, repair, rehabilitation, testing and commissioning of water distribution mains, wastewater sewers, rising mains, communication pipes and associated network assets. Typical project values are expected to range from £0 million to £3 million.

Lot 2. Civil Minor Works (£1.62 billion including VAT)

Intended to support the delivery of civil engineering works across infrastructure and non-infrastructure assets where the principal delivery requirements are civil in nature. Activities may include the design, construction, refurbishment, testing and commissioning of tanks, chambers, reservoirs, pumping station civil works, treatment works civil infrastructure, building works and associated civil engineering activities. Typical project values are expected to range from £0 million to £10 million.

Lot 3. Minor MEICA & Process Works (£4.26 billion including VAT)

Intended to support the delivery of MEICA-driven projects undertaken within operational water and wastewater treatment, pumping and process environments. Activities may include the design, manufacture, installation, integration, testing, commissioning, optimisation and replacement of mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, control and automation systems, together with associated process engineering activities. Typical project values are expected to range from £0 million to £10 million.

Lot 4. Major Civil, MEICA & Process Works (£6.54 billion including VAT)

Intended to support the delivery of large-scale, high-value and complex capital investment projects requiring integrated civil, mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, control, automation and process engineering capabilities. Typical projects may include the planning, design, construction, refurbishment, installation, testing, commissioning and handover of major water and wastewater treatment works, pumping stations, service reservoirs, network infrastructure and other strategic capital projects.

Typical project values are expected to exceed £1 million. Projects are generally anticipated to exceed £10 million, although projects between £1 million and £10 million may be awarded under this Lot where appropriate due to their scale, complexity or multidisciplinary requirements.

Specific arrangements may apply to higher-value and more complex projects within this Lot. Call-off contracts may be awarded either following a competitive selection process between eligible Framework suppliers or, where permitted under the Framework, without further competition in accordance with the objective supplier selection mechanism specified in the Framework. The applicable selection process and allocation arrangements will be as set out in the Framework documentation.

Ni Water is looking to appoint up to 18 suppliers to the Framework -  it is envisaged that it can also be used by NI Water's  subsidiaries and other participating authorities, including local authorities and other NI Government departments.

Deadline for submission of enquiries is 4:00pm on 12 November 2026 and deadline for requests to participate/tender submissions is 3:00pm on 18 November 2026.

NI Water is tendering the contract via a competitive flexible procedure - a Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) constitutes the first formal stage of the Procedure. The PSQ will assess applicants' suitability, capability, capacity and experience against the conditions of participation specified within the procurement documentation.

Only applicants that satisfy the conditions of participation and achieve the required evaluation standard will be invited to participate in the subsequent Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) stage.

Click here to access the tender documents, submission address and any special instructions

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