Official UK procurement notice
2025 - National Grid - Updated Request to Participate in tender establishing a Global Capability Centre for Engineering Services
Authority: NATIONAL GRID UK LIMITED (Public body)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionPLEASE NOTE
THIS UK4 NOTICE IS RELATED TO A PREVIOUS NOTICE (OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05939e) AND IS NOT A NEW PROCUREMENT BUT AN UPDATE REGARDING THE ORIGINAL NOTICE.
Having considered its requirements in more detail and the form of Competitive Flexible Procedure it wishes to run for this Procurement, National Grid has decided to re-open the qualification event on the terms set out in this tender notice and attached document.
National Grid is publishing this notice in order re-open qualification for the existing tender notice (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-05939e) which, due to constraints with the Find a Tender Service platform, cannot be achieved via another route.
If you have already submitted a request to participate in response to the original or revised notice, you should not submit another request to participate. You will shortly receive an email via Ariba eSourcing with instructions on revising your response.
If you originally requested to participate but did not submit a response, you will shortly receive an email with further instructions.
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National Grid is currently undergoing a strategic transformation of its Enterprise Business Services (EBS) organisation and as part of this initiative is successfully operating Engineering Support Services (ESS) activity in India via an incumbent supplier arrangement.
ESS is a proven, flexible, and scalable model providing highly skilled engineering support services with diverse technical, project, and analytics skills via an outsource model that transforms engineering processes.
At National Grid, these engineering services activities include, but are not limited to, System Modelling and Early Development, Work Management Support, Asset Management Support, Project Controls and Data Management Support.
As National Grid's business units pursue ambitious growth and prioritise system resilience and affordability, ESS continues to serve as a key enabler-providing quality, cost-efficient, and scalable solutions. ESS is now recognised by National Grid's senior executive team as a foundational component of our business unit operating model and a strategic lever for delivering long-term value.
We now wish to create our own Global Capability Centre (GCC) to deliver engineering services at scale and at pace, and we are looking for a supplier to:
a. Establish, grow and deliver engineering services capability at pace during the Build & Operate phase.
b. Collaborate with us to validate, and in some cases inform, our design principles and road map to get to the desired end state of an NG-owned GCC.
c. Play an active role as we develop a detailed project plan and Statement of Work that allows us to establish an NG-owned GCC, including approach to Integration and Transfer.
d. Operationalise the GCC, including the Integration and Transfer of services.
This notice is for a wide range of services (and, where applicable, supporting goods, works or services) to support National Grid achieve its target end-state of a Global Capability Centre for engineering services in India.
The two Core Capabilities we are seeking are:
- Engineering capability in the context of National Grid's Engineering Support Services
- Capability to deliver a GCC via Design, Build, Operate & Transfer
Detailed descriptions of both capabilities are included in Appendix B of the the attached Instruction document. For the qualification phase of this procurement activity, it is not essential that Suppliers have both Core Capabilities and Suppliers may submit on the basis of only one Core Capability, in accordance with the instructions set out in the attached Instruction document.
Please Note
National Grid's offshore operations are currently based in India via an incumbent supplier arrangement and India is a preferred location for our Global Capability Centre.
National Grid wishes to provide additional insight into the estimated total value figure included in this notice because this public notice permits only a single figure.
As at the date of this document, National Grid estimates the total cost to be in the range of £100,000,000 to £250,000,000 excluding VAT (£100 million to £250 million).
National Grid is keen to ensure that this procurement is open to a wide market and that there is genuine competition. The resources, range and depth of skills needed could reside entirely within a single organisation or may involve collaboration between suppliers or a wider supply chain. Please refer to Appendix C (Bid Group rules) of the Instruction document for further information about how Suppliers may organise themselves to respond to this opportunity.
Where two or more suppliers in this competition become connected persons (including by acquisition, merger or common control) at any time:
(i) pre-completion they must participate independently and maintain effective information barriers;
(ii) post-completion the group must nominate one supplier to remain in the competition within five (5) working days of completion and withdraw the other(s).
National Grid may set evidence requirements, request undertakings and, where necessary, exclude one or more suppliers for breach of procedure or improper behaviour, applying equal treatment and proportionality.
Please refer to the Instruction document for more information about the requirements for responding to this opportunity and participating in the procurement process.
- How the procedure runs: PLEASE NOTE THIS UK4 NOTICE IS RELATED TO A PREVIOUS NOTICE (OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05939e) AND IS NOT A NEW PROCUREMENT BUT AN UPDATE REGARDING THE ORIGINAL NOTICE. Having considered its requirements in more detail and the form of Competitive Flexible Procedure it wishes to run for this Procurement, National Grid has decided to re-open the qualification event on the terms set out in this tender notice and attached document. National Grid is publishing this notice in order re-open qualification for the existing tender notice (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-05939e) which, due to constraints with the Find a Tender Service platform, cannot be achieved via another route. If you have already submitted a request to participate in response to the original or revised notice, you should not submit another request to participate. You will shortly receive an email via Ariba eSourcing with instructions on revising your response. If you originally requested to participate but did not submit a response, you will shortly receive an email with further instructions. This notice invites participants to submit a Request to Participate in a Competitive Flexible procedure for the award of a contract under Section 19 of the Procurement Act 2023. This is not an invitation to submit tenders. This procurement will follow a Competitive Flexible Procedure under the Procurement Act 2023 in multiple phases, namely (1). Qualification phase: Assess, identify and shortlist suppliers capable of delivering the required Core Capabilities, either independently as a single organisation or through collaborative partnerships with other suppliers. (2). Supplier Selection phase: Evaluate shortlisted suppliers through Initial Proposals, collaborative solution design sessions, Final Proposals and on-site visits with the objective of selecting the preferred supplier and finalising the commercial offer and contractual terms to determine the best-fit partner for successful delivery. (3). Award phase: Formalise the agreement with the successful supplier in compliance with the Procurement Act 2023 incorporating the mandatory standstill period before to establish a legally binding contract for delivery of the required Core Capabilities. In the Qualification phase, National Grid will assess participants against conditions of participation. National Grid will use these conditions of participation assess a participant on their legal and financial capacity and technical ability to perform the contract. National Grid reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to exclude participants not satisfying a condition of participation from participating in, or progressing as part of, the competitive tendering procedure. National Grid may request evidence that is independently verifiable as a condition of participation Participants wishing to request to participate, who have not already done so, should complete the online form at https://forms.office.com/r/37mdZZdR66 The form must be submitted no later than 12:00 London 24-Dec-25 to allow sufficient time to process requests. Participants assessed as satisfying the conditions of participation will be invited to participate in the first activity in the Supplier Selection phase, The Supplier Selection phase will contain a number of activities designed to identify participants best able to meet National Grid's requirements. Participants will be assessed and evaluated at each the conclusion of each activity against requirements detailed in the relevant instructions for that activity and National Grid reserves the right to exclude participants not meeting the requirements. The Supplier Selection phase will include but is not limited to: Service Stories, Initial Proposal, Collaboration and Alignment Sessions, Final Proposal including negotiation, Site Visits and Best and Final Offers including negotiation. National Grid reserves the right to refine award criteria prior to issuing the final invitation to submit a tender, in accordance with Section 24 of the Procurement Act 2023. The Award phase will include necessary internal approval activities, publish a contract award notice and completing the required 8-working day standstill period.
CPV: Administration, defence and social security services · Engineering services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1RenewalPublished value£250,000,000
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).
- Quality: These may include but are not limited to Technical and operational capability including but not limited to engineering and dBOT experience and methodologies, capacity ramp-up and workforce recruitment strategy, delivery capability, risk management and compliance. Transition and mobilisation planning including but not limited to governance, transition and capacity ramp up National Grid intends to assess proposals across multiple stages, including Initial Proposal and Final Proposal. In accordance with Section 24 of the Procurement Act 2023, National Grid reserves the right to refine the award criteria and their relative weightings during the procedure. This may include the introduction of sub-criteria or adjustments to scoring methodologies, provided these refinements relate directly to the original criteria and do not alter the scope or disadvantage suppliers excluded in earlier stages.
- Price: The contract will be awarded based on the Most Advantageous Tender, assessed against qualitative and quantitative criteria related to the contract. Cost: Including but not limited to value for money The contract will be awarded based on the Most Advantageous Tender, assessed against qualitative and quantitative criteria related to the contract.
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
- Yes (GPA, CPTPP)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 15 Dec 2025, 15:43 GMT
- Last source update
- 15 Dec 2025, 15:43 GMT
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 1 Mar 2027
- Authority reference
WS5052814900- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-083012- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Not published
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05f600Find a Tender
- How it runs
PLEASE NOTE
THIS UK4 NOTICE IS RELATED TO A PREVIOUS NOTICE (OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05939e) AND IS NOT A NEW PROCUREMENT BUT AN UPDATE REGARDING THE ORIGINAL NOTICE.
Having considered its requirements in more detail and the form of Competitive Flexible Procedure it wishes to run for this Procurement, National Grid has decided to re-open the qualification event on the terms set out in this tender notice and attached document.
National Grid is publishing this notice in order re-open qualification for the existing tender notice (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-05939e) which, due to constraints with the Find a Tender Service platform, cannot be achieved via another route.
If you have already submitted a request to participate in response to the original or revised notice, you should not submit another request to participate. You will shortly receive an email via Ariba eSourcing with instructions on revising your response.
If you originally requested to participate but did not submit a response, you will shortly receive an email with further instructions.
This notice invites participants to submit a Request to Participate in a Competitive Flexible procedure for the award of a contract under Section 19 of the Procurement Act 2023.
This is not an invitation to submit tenders.
This procurement will follow a Competitive Flexible Procedure under the Procurement Act 2023 in multiple phases, namely
(1). Qualification phase: Assess, identify and shortlist suppliers capable of delivering the required Core Capabilities, either independently as a single organisation or through collaborative partnerships with other suppliers.
(2). Supplier Selection phase: Evaluate shortlisted suppliers through Initial Proposals, collaborative solution design sessions, Final Proposals and on-site visits with the objective of selecting the preferred supplier and finalising the commercial offer and contractual terms to determine the best-fit partner for successful delivery.
(3). Award phase: Formalise the agreement with the successful supplier in compliance with the Procurement Act 2023 incorporating the mandatory standstill period before to establish a legally binding contract for delivery of the required Core Capabilities.
In the Qualification phase, National Grid will assess participants against conditions of participation. National Grid will use these conditions of participation assess a participant on their legal and financial capacity and technical ability to perform the contract.
National Grid reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to exclude participants not satisfying a condition of participation from participating in, or progressing as part of, the competitive tendering procedure.
National Grid may request evidence that is independently verifiable as a condition of participation
Participants wishing to request to participate, who have not already done so, should complete the online form at forms.office.com/r/37mdZZdR66 ↗
The form must be submitted no later than 12:00 London 24-Dec-25 to allow sufficient time to process requests.
Participants assessed as satisfying the conditions of participation will be invited to participate in the first activity in the Supplier Selection phase,
The Supplier Selection phase will contain a number of activities designed to identify participants best able to meet National Grid's requirements. Participants will be assessed and evaluated at each the conclusion of each activity against requirements detailed in the relevant instructions for that activity and National Grid reserves the right to exclude participants not meeting the requirements.
The Supplier Selection phase will include but is not limited to:
Service Stories, Initial Proposal, Collaboration and Alignment Sessions, Final Proposal including negotiation, Site Visits and Best and Final Offers including negotiation.
National Grid reserves the right to refine award criteria prior to issuing the final invitation to submit a tender, in accordance with Section 24 of the Procurement Act 2023.
The Award phase will include necessary internal approval activities, publish a contract award notice and completing the required 8-working day standstill period.
- Risks
a. 'Known risks include: (i) host state legal or regulatory change affecting service location or personnel mix; (ii) cross-border data transfer, localisation constraints and security assurance requirements; (iii) export control sanctions outcomes; (iv) pace of transition and stabilisation; (v) sector approvals (including national security) affecting timing. National Grid may issue proportionate modifications to address such risks.'
b. 'The contract may be transferred, in whole or part, to a National Grid group company (including an overseas subsidiary) to reflect corporate structuring of the dBOT operating model.'
We advise that a conflicts assessment has been prepared and will be kept under review and revised as necessary
How it was run
Official notice- Requests to participate (first stage)
- 9 Jan 2026, 14:00 GMT
- Submission deadline
- 9 Jan 2026, 14:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Participants wishing to request to participate, who have not done so already, should complete the form at forms.office.com/r/37mdZZdR66 ↗
Details must be submitted no later than 12:00 London 24-Dec-25 to allow sufficient time to process requests.
Timeline
15 Dec 2025 → 1 Mar 2027 · 4 dates- Tender notice published317 days ago15 Dec 2025, 15:43 GMT
- Submission deadline292 days ago9 Jan 2026, 14:00 GMT
- Today29 Oct 2026
- Contract startsin 122 days1 Mar 2027
- Award decision expected byin 123 days1 Mar 2027, 23:59 GMT
Notice history
1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender- Tender notice published15 Dec 2025, 15:43 GMTUK4
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (3)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
Notices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender