Following Thames Water’s supply chain launch event on 18 September for its AMP8/9 Major Projects Framework, the water company has now formally gone out to tender with a contract for the framework.

When the water company announced the launch event at the beginning of September it referred to a total estimated value of c £1 billion (inc VAT) – revised value in its tender document is now £ 5 billion (inc VAT).

The framework will cover major works and asset upgrades across Thames Water's operational regions, with a focus on fostering long-term partnerships and reducing unnecessary bidding efforts. Contracts awarded under the framework will include works, goods, and services essential to AMP8 delivery, with thr potential to extend into AMP9 based on performance.

Current estimated start and end contract dates are 31 March 2026 to 31 March 2030 with further possible extension options to the end of the following investment period 2030 to 2035 - AMP9 - on 31 March 2035.

Thames Water currently envisages that the contract will be awarded for an initial term of 7 years.

Deadline to submit enquiries about the tender is 10:00am on 6 October 2025 and deadline for requests to participate is 10:00am on 15 October 2025.

Technical, commercial, quality and associated weightings will be developed prior to tender invitation and set out in the ITN.

Requests to Participate Stage

Thames Water is now inviting requests to participate from interested suppliers – at this stage the water company simply requires suppliers to complete a Registration of Interest form (see link below) and provide their company name and contact details of two people from their organisation with whom Thames Water can correspond.

All applicants wishing to participate in the Major Projects Framework will need to demonstrate in their submissions that they meet the Conditions of Participation set out in the Procurement Specific Questionnaire Pack (PSQ Pack) and complete a Non-Disclosure/Confidentiality Agreement.

Applications will be submitted via the contracting authority's portal as described in the PSQ Pack - Part 1 Instructions to Applicants.

The submissions will then be assessed and be shortlisted based on a number of pass/fail questions on financial standing, insurances, health and safety etc, along with the following 4 scored questions:

• Core Capability 55%
• Supply Chain 15%
• Health, Safety & Wellbeing 15%
• Environmental & Sustainability 15%

Invitation to Negotiate Stage

Thames Water intends to invite the applicants of the top ten highest scoring compliant submissions to tender for the Major Projects Framework AMP8/9 - the shortlisted applicants will be sent an Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) against which they will be invited to submit a tender.

The water company is looking to appoint up to eight suppliers to the framework.

Technical Questions will be made available at ITN Stage and will follow the following question themes and weightings:

• Pre-construction and programme delivery (35%)
• Delivery, risk and commercial management (20%)
• Organisation, collaboration and behaviours (15%)
• Health, safety, wellbeing and sustainability (20%)
• Innovation and continuous improvement (10%)

For the avoidance of doubt, Thames Water is also reserving the right to award the framework without any negotiation, on the basis of the most advantageous tenders submitted at the ITN Stage.

Following any negotiation stage, the water company also reserves the right to invite tenderers to submit an updated tender - explained further in the ITN.

Thames Water currently expects to announce its award decision in March 2026.

Click here to fill out the details in the form and to request access to the PSQ documents.