Official UK procurement notice
Laboratory Equipment and Maintenance Services Framework – Lots 1 and 2
Authority: United Utilities Water Limited (Public body)
What is being bought2 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionUnited Utilities is seeking to establish a multi-supplier framework agreement for the supply of laboratory equipment and associated maintenance services. The Framework will support regulatory, operational and investigative laboratory testing requirements. Lot 1 – Laboratory Equipment Supply, Installation, Warranty and Lifecycle Support: supply, delivery, installation, commissioning, warranty and associated lifecycle support for new and replacement laboratory equipment. Lot 2 – Laboratory Equipment Maintenance, Repair and Lifecycle Support: planned preventative maintenance, reactive maintenance and repair, service-tier support, spare parts, lifecycle support and associated service-level requirements for laboratory equipment assets. The Framework will operate for an initial term of four years, with options to extend by up to a further four years.
- How the procedure runs: United Utilities Water Limited is conducting a competitive flexible procedure to establish a multi-supplier framework agreement for Laboratory Equipment and Maintenance Services. The procurement is divided into two Lots. Bidders may submit a Tender for Lot 1, Lot 2 or both Lots. Each Lot will be evaluated and awarded separately in accordance with the relevant Lot-specific tender documents. Lot 1 – Equipment Supply, Replacement & Warranty Lot 1 covers the supply of new and replacement laboratory equipment, including associated installation, commissioning, training, handover, warranty support and lifecycle information during the warranty period. Specific equipment requirements will be defined at call-off mini-competition stage. Lot 2 – Maintenance, Repair & Lifecycle Support Lot 2 covers planned maintenance, reactive maintenance, repairs, parts and post-warranty lifecycle support for laboratory equipment and instrumentation. Initial Tenders will be evaluated against the published award criteria and evaluation methodology in the ITN and associated tender documents. United Utilities may conduct clarification sessions and invite revised submissions, including a best and final offer, in accordance with the ITN. No minimum spend or volume is guaranteed under the Framework
CPV: Checking and testing apparatus · Laboratory, optical and precision equipments (excl. glasses) · Repair and maintenance services of gas meters · Repair and maintenance services of measuring apparatus · Repair and maintenance services of measuring, testing and checking apparatus · Repair and maintenance services of testing apparatus · Repair and maintenance services of water meters
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
- 5 yrs · up to 8 yrs from 1 Jan 2027
Published description of the framework
United Utilities will establish a multi-supplier framework agreement comprising two Lots: Lot 1: supply, installation, commissioning, warranty and lifecycle support for laboratory equipment. Lot 2: planned and reactive maintenance, repair, spare parts and post-warranty lifecycle support for laboratory equipment. The framework will operate for an initial term of four years, with options to extend for a further four years, up to a maximum total term of eight years. No minimum spend or volume is guaranteed. Suppliers may be appointed to one or both Lots. United Utilities intends to appoint up to ten suppliers to Lot 1 and up to five suppliers to Lot 2. Call-off contracts will be awarded in accordance with the framework terms and the call-off procedure set out in the procurement documents.
Lots and requirements (2)Procurement structure
2 lots · all with a published value · same evaluation weights on every lotLot #1Laboratory Equipment Supply, Replacement & WarrantyRenewalPublished value£15,800,000
Lot 1 covers the supply of new and replacement laboratory equipment, including associated installation, commissioning, training, handover, warranty support and lifecycle information during the warranty period. The scope is intentionally broad at framework level to ensure United Utilities can access appropriate laboratory equipment and instrumentation as testing requirements evolve. Specific equipment requirements will be defined at call-off mini-competition stage
Lot #2Maintenance, Repair & Lifecycle SupportRenewalPublished value£9,000,000
Lot 2 covers planned maintenance, reactive maintenance, repairs, parts and post-warranty lifecycle support for laboratory equipment and instrumentation. Lot 2 is intended to provide a structured route for maintaining laboratory assets once they are outside warranty, or where a maintenance requirement is otherwise required. The purpose of Lot 2 is to improve service resilience, asset availability, lifecycle visibility and commercial control across the laboratory equipment estate
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)
- Technical: 60%
- Commercial: 40%
Published award criteria (2)
- Technical: Technical evaluation will be undertaken in accordance with the Lot 1 evaluation methodology set out in the ITN and associated tender documents. Tenderers must demonstrate their ability to supply, install, commission and support laboratory equipment in accordance with the required specifications, including warranty and lifecycle requirements. Tenderers must achieve the stated minimum technical threshold
- Commercial: Commercial evaluation will be undertaken in accordance with the Lot 1 Pricing Workbook and the ITN. The evaluation includes unit prices, five-year lifecycle cost, spare-parts discounts and volume rebates, using the published scoring methodology and weightings
- Price carries 40 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 4 points. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
- “Laboratory Equipment and Maintenance Services Framework – Lots 1 and 2” 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
- Goods
- 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
- 16 Sept 2026, 07:02 BST
- Last source update
- 16 Sept 2026, 07:02 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 4 Dec 2026
- Authority reference
PRO005014- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-087536- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06fa9eFind a Tender
- How it runs
United Utilities Water Limited is conducting a competitive flexible procedure to establish a multi-supplier framework agreement for Laboratory Equipment and Maintenance Services. The procurement is divided into two Lots. Bidders may submit a Tender for Lot 1, Lot 2 or both Lots. Each Lot will be evaluated and awarded separately in accordance with the relevant Lot-specific tender documents. Lot 1 – Equipment Supply, Replacement & Warranty Lot 1 covers the supply of new and replacement laboratory equipment, including associated installation, commissioning, training, handover, warranty support and lifecycle information during the warranty period. Specific equipment requirements will be defined at call-off mini-competition stage. Lot 2 – Maintenance, Repair & Lifecycle Support Lot 2 covers planned maintenance, reactive maintenance, repairs, parts and post-warranty lifecycle support for laboratory equipment and instrumentation. Initial Tenders will be evaluated against the published award criteria and evaluation methodology in the ITN and associated tender documents. United Utilities may conduct clarification sessions and invite revised submissions, including a best and final offer, in accordance with the ITN. No minimum spend or volume is guaranteed under the Framework
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 12 Oct 2026, 18:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 30 Sept 2026, 18:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
16 Sept 2026 → 1 Jan 2027 · 5 dates- Tender notice published41 days ago16 Sept 2026, 07:02 BST
- Clarification questions by27 days ago30 Sept 2026, 18:00 BST
- Admission / appointment period ends15 days ago · period end, not a bid countdown12 Oct 2026, 18:00 BST
- Today27 Oct 2026
- Award decision expected byin 38 days4 Dec 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract startsin 65 days1 Jan 2027
Notice history
1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender- Tender notice published16 Sept 2026, 07:02 BSTUK4
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (1)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender