Official UK procurement notice
IT Professional Services Framework
Authority: NORTHERN GAS NETWORKS LIMITED (Public body)
What is being bought4 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionNorthern Gas Networks (NGN) is seeking to establish a multi‑supplier IT Professional Services Framework to provide flexible, on‑demand specialist capability in support of its technology, digital, infrastructure, and cyber security programmes.
The Framework will enable NGN to access appropriately skilled resources to supplement internal teams and support the delivery of projects, programmes, service operations, and specialist technical activities. Services may be required for short‑term assignments or longer engagements, depending on business need, and may be delivered on‑site, remotely, or through a hybrid model.
The scope of services is structured across the following LOTs:
LOT 1 - Project & Programme Management
Including project management, programme management, assurance, and business analysis services.
LOT 2 - Architecture
Including applications, data, enterprise, solution, infrastructure, and security architecture services.
LOT 3 - Software & Infrastructure Delivery
Including software development, testing, DevOps, cloud engineering, infrastructure configuration, and technical analyst services.
LOT 4 - Cyber Security
Including cyber risk and threat assessment, penetration testing (IT and OT), red/blue/purple teaming, incident response planning and testing, and related cyber security services.
Suppliers may apply for one or more LOTs and will only be considered for those LOTs where they can demonstrate the required capability. Appointment to the Framework does not guarantee any volume or value of work. Call‑offs under the Framework may be made by direct award or mini‑competition, depending on the nature and value of the requirement, in accordance with the Framework terms.
The Framework will be awarded for an initial term of three (3) years, with the option to extend for up to five (5) additional one‑year periods, subject to NGN requirements and performance.
This procurement is being conducted in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023, using the Competitive Flexible Procedure, with the Contract Notice published via the Find a Tender Service (FTS). Full details of the scope, evaluation methodology, and procurement process are provided within the procurement documentation.
- How the procedure runs: This procurement will be conducted in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023, using the Competitive Flexible Procedure, and will follow the staged process outlined below. - A Tender Notice is published via the Find a Tender Service (this notice), initiating the participation stage. - Interested suppliers are required to submit Conditions of Participation (COP) responses via Market Dojo, which will be assessed on a Pass/Fail basis. - Suppliers who pass the Conditions of Participation will be invited to complete a Pre‑Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ). - PQQ responses will be evaluated in accordance with the published evaluation methodology. Suppliers achieving a minimum overall score of 60% and meeting all applicable Pass/Fail requirements will be shortlisted to the next stage. - Shortlisted suppliers will be invited to submit a Request for Proposal (RFP) response. The RFP stage will be open for a minimum of 30 days. - RFP responses will be evaluated using the published criteria, based on a 60% Quality (non‑commercial) / 40% Commercial weighting. - NGN may, at its discretion, introduce a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) stage or clarification stage where this is considered necessary to achieve optimal value for money. - Final evaluations will be completed, and suppliers will be notified of the outcome in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 requirements, including the applicable standstill period. Full details of the scope, evaluation methodology, and framework structure are provided within the procurement documentation. NGN reserves the right, in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023, to include, amend, or remove stages within the procurement process where this is considered appropriate. Any such changes will be communicated to all participating suppliers via Market Dojo. NGN will not amend published evaluation criteria or weightings after the submission deadline of the relevant stage. Any clarification or refinement to the procurement process will be issued transparently and on an equal basis to all suppliers.
CPV: IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
How this framework works
From the published notice- Type
- Closed framework
- Call-offs
- call-offs may be awarded directly or by further competition
- Framework period
- 3 yrs · up to 8 yrs from 1 Oct 2026
Published description of the framework
The Framework will operate as a multi‑supplier framework agreement enabling Northern Gas Networks (NGN) to procure IT professional services on an as‑required basis throughout the Framework term.
Pricing
Prices under the Framework will be established through the procurement process and set out as a suite of role‑based day rates for each LOT. These rates will apply for the duration of the initial Framework term and will be used as the basis for awarding call‑off contracts. Pricing submissions will distinguish between on‑shore and off‑shore resources, where applicable, in accordance with the published evaluation methodology.
No minimum or guaranteed volume of work is implied by appointment to the Framework.
Award of Framework Places
Suppliers will be appointed to the Framework following completion of the Request for Proposal (RFP) stage. Appointment will be limited to a maximum number of suppliers per LOT, as set out in the procurement documentation. Suppliers will only be appointed to the LOTs for which they have applied and demonstrated the required capability.
Call‑Off and Contract Award Process
Contracts awarded under the Framework will be let by NGN using one of the following methods, depending on the nature and value of the requirement:
- Direct award, where a supplier offers the most suitable capability for the requirement based on the Framework terms and pricing; or
- Mini‑competition, where multiple Framework suppliers within the relevant LOT are invited to submit proposals for a specific requirement.
Each call‑off will define the scope of services, duration, deliverables, applicable rates, and any specific terms relevant to the requirement.
Lots and requirements (4)Procurement structure
4 lots · all with a published value · same evaluation weights on every lotLot #1Project & Programme ManagementRenewalPublished value£3,200,000
Provision of project and programme management capability to support the delivery of IT and digital initiatives, including project managers, programme managers, assurance roles, and business analysts. Services may be required for short‑term assignments or longer engagements to supplement internal delivery teams.
Lot #2ArchitectureRenewalPublished value£2,600,000
Provision of architecture services including applications, data, enterprise, solution, infrastructure, and security architecture. Services will support technical design, governance, assurance, and alignment with NGN's technology and cyber strategies across IT and OT environments.
Lot #3Software & Infrastructure DeliveryRenewalPublished value£4,500,000
Provision of software development, testing, DevOps, cloud engineering, infrastructure configuration, and technical analyst services to support application development, systems enhancement, platform delivery, and infrastructure change.
Lot #4Cyber SecurityRenewalPublished value£2,500,000
Provision of cyber security services including risk and threat assessment, penetration testing (IT and OT), red/blue/purple teaming, cyber resilience activities, and incident response planning and testing.
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 (2)
- Quality (Non-Commercial): 60%
- Commercial: 40%
Published award criteria (2)
- Commercial
- Quality (Non-Commercial)
- Price carries 40 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 4 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
- “IT Professional Services Framework” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract: call-offs may be direct or by further competition.
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
- 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
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 26 Mar 2026, 13:53 GMT
- Last source update
- 26 Mar 2026, 13:53 GMT
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 27 Jul 2026
- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-027961- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06753aFind a Tender
- How it runs
This procurement will be conducted in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023, using the Competitive Flexible Procedure, and will follow the staged process outlined below.
- A Tender Notice is published via the Find a Tender Service (this notice), initiating the participation stage.
- Interested suppliers are required to submit Conditions of Participation (COP) responses via Market Dojo, which will be assessed on a Pass/Fail basis.
- Suppliers who pass the Conditions of Participation will be invited to complete a Pre‑Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ).
- PQQ responses will be evaluated in accordance with the published evaluation methodology. Suppliers achieving a minimum overall score of 60% and meeting all applicable Pass/Fail requirements will be shortlisted to the next stage.
- Shortlisted suppliers will be invited to submit a Request for Proposal (RFP) response. The RFP stage will be open for a minimum of 30 days.
- RFP responses will be evaluated using the published criteria, based on a 60% Quality (non‑commercial) / 40% Commercial weighting.
- NGN may, at its discretion, introduce a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) stage or clarification stage where this is considered necessary to achieve optimal value for money.
- Final evaluations will be completed, and suppliers will be notified of the outcome in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023 requirements, including the applicable standstill period.
Full details of the scope, evaluation methodology, and framework structure are provided within the procurement documentation.
NGN reserves the right, in accordance with the Procurement Act 2023, to include, amend, or remove stages within the procurement process where this is considered appropriate. Any such changes will be communicated to all participating suppliers via Market Dojo.
NGN will not amend published evaluation criteria or weightings after the submission deadline of the relevant stage. Any clarification or refinement to the procurement process will be issued transparently and on an equal basis to all suppliers.
How it was run
Official notice- Requests to participate (first stage)
- 16 Apr 2026, 23:59 BST
- Appointment period ends
- 16 Apr 2026, 23:59 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
The aim of this Tender Notice is to:
- Ensure we provide bidders with adequate information to determine if they wish to proceed with this tender event.
- Provide NGN with a more detailed understanding of the interest within the market.
The Tender Notice process is the first stage of multistage procurement process. All interested suppliers must follow the below steps in order to proceed with the conditions of participation and PQQ stages of this procurement event:
Sign up or Sign in to NGNs Tendering Portal - Market Dojo. Follow this link to do so:
secure.marketdojo.com/signup ↗
When you have logged in to your dashboard, you'll need to click the 'Show all or enter invite code' button under the Event Invitations section.
You'll need to enter this code: 74EF614731
It will then notify NGN to approve you onto the tender event. Once approved you will be given access to the event, where you'll be taken to the Conditions of Participation stage, this stage is a pass/fail and will be locked until after the PQQ submission deadline. Any supplier who fails this stage will automatically be withdrawn from the process and will not gain access to the PQQ.
All suppliers who pass this stage will be automatically taken to the PQQ where they will be given a deadline and detail to complete.
Once the PQQ has been evaluated by NGNs internal evaluation team all those who meet the criteria will be sent to the RFP stage where NGN will assess against award criteria.
Timeline
26 Mar 2026 → 1 Oct 2026 · 4 dates- Tender notice published216 days ago26 Mar 2026, 13:53 GMT
- Admission / appointment period ends194 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown16 Apr 2026, 23:59 BST
- Award decision expected by92 days ago27 Jul 2026, 23:59 BST
- Contract starts27 days ago1 Oct 2026, 00:00 BST
Notice history
1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender- Tender notice published26 Mar 2026, 13:53 GMTUK4
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
Notices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender