Dwr Cymru Welsh Water has gone out to tender with a major contract for AMP8/9 Water Network Alliance Delivery Frameworks with an estimated value of £752 million.

The water company intends to procure the next iteration of its Water Network Alliance (WNA), for AMP8 and early AMP9. The purpose of the WNA is to successfully deliver a metering installation programme, network, repair and maintenance, and improvements to the water network for a period of up to 8 years.

Welsh Water is tendering the contract for the services and works to be delivered under the following two Lots - each Lot is independent of the other and each requires the delivery of services over the utility’s entire operating region.

Lot 1 – Metering, Customer Appointment Programmes, and Network Maintenance (£400 million)

The work under Lot 1 will include;

• plumber, surveyor water hygiene and civils work associated with the installation, replacement, and appointment of customer (domestic and industrial) meters
• new connections, including self-lay water pipes up to 63 mm
• identification and resolution by means of general civils activity of leakage identified in private land / property identification and replacement of lead pipes where appointment work is required

Lot 1 Work Package 1: progressive (planned) and customer reactive metering programmes, new connections including self-lay connections up to and including 63 mm, private leakage, and lead replacement.

Lot 1 Work Package 2: leakage repair, network apparatus repair and maintenance, standby service, and emergency response, on site investigation services including trial holes.

At the end of the procurement process, Welsh Water intends to award the Work Packages to two separate contractors.

Lot 2 - Mains Rehabilitation & Mains Laying Framework (£352 million)

The works under Lot 2 principally includes the provision of engineering capability and delivery teams to undertake mains replacement and or rehabilitation works including excavation, repair / replacement and cleansing of network assets and reinstatement to compliment the civils activity.

The delivery of works will be on pressurised systems and will require provision of emergency response for network bursts.

Lot 2 Works Package 1: Investment and or Developer Services Schemes that encompass low medium and high complexity civils projects. Works undertaken will include all pressure and main size requirements including up to and including 16 bar pressure and 500mm diameter mains and greater than 16 bar pressure 500 mm mains (both Low- and High-Pressure mains).

Provision of 365-day, 24-hour emergency response service for the repair of burst mains will also be a requirement under this Works Package.

Lot 2 Works Package 2: Developer Services schemes [for mains laying and or connection] that extend up to 16 bar pressure and 500mm diameter only.

Works under Lot 2 will include all pressure and main size requirements up to and including 16 bar pressure and 500mm diameter mains and greater than 16 bar pressure 500 mm mains.

At the end of the procurement process Weklsh Water intends to appoint 6 Contractors to Lot 2 Work Package 1, via a framework under which DCC can call off individual packages of work to meet programme, customer, and developer demands. DCC intends to appoint one contractor to Lot 2 Work Package 1.

There are no restrictions to suppliers applying for both Lots.

Initial contract term agreements will be for an initial period of 60 months with the option to extend for a further 36 months.

Welsh Water’s activities generate £1 billion a year to the Welsh economy, employs almost 4,000 people and supports a further 5,000 jobs through suppliers and contractors.

Ian Christie, Managing Director Water Service, Capital Delivery and Asset Planning Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, commented:

“This contract is a crucial part of our drive to ensure the continuous improvement of our service to our customers across Wales and Herefordshire.

“We have challenging targets for leakage, interruptions to supply and acceptability of water to our customers and we will only succeed with these targets if we work closely together with our partners in the sector to deliver asset improvement works.

“The scope and value of this work shows Welsh Water’s ambition and drive to deliver the best possible quality of service and value to our customers.”

Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate is 5 September 2024 – click here to access the tender documentation.