Procurement for Housing Cymru (PfH Cymru) has published notice of the PfH Wales Decarbonisation, Retrofit and Planned Works Framework, a four-year procurement valued at £546 million including VAT. Covering 12 lots across works, goods, services, and consultancy, this framework will be a central vehicle for Welsh social landlords looking to decarbonise and improve their housing stock over the coming years.
This is primarily a framework for building contractors, retrofit specialists, and associated trades – including insulation contractors, heating system installers, planned maintenance businesses, and construction consultancies. If your business delivers any of these services in Wales or is looking to expand into the Welsh social housing market, this framework deserves serious attention.
If you are weighing up whether to bid, contact Thornton & Lowe for a rapid assessment of your suitability and resources.
About PfH Cymru and Why This Framework Matters
PfH Cymru is the Welsh arm of Procurement for Housing, a national collaborative that gives social landlords access to pre-tendered frameworks without the cost and resource of running their own procurements. Member organisations – housing associations, local authorities, and other registered social landlords – can call off from PfH frameworks directly, which means a single framework appointment can generate demand from a wide range of Welsh organisations.
The decarbonisation and retrofit agenda in Wales is well-funded and politically prominent. The Welsh Government has set ambitious targets for the social housing sector, and social landlords are under increasing pressure to upgrade their stock to meet energy efficiency and carbon reduction standards. This framework is a direct response to that pressure – and the breadth of its scope reflects how much work needs doing.
For context on how retrofit and decarbonisation contracts are evolving across the UK, see our guide to carbon neutral tenders.
Scope and Lot Structure
The framework is structured across 12 lots, encompassing a wide range of works, goods, services, and consultancy. While the precise lot definitions will be detailed in the full tender documents, businesses in the following areas should review the framework carefully:
- External wall insulation (EWI) and solid wall insulation
- Cavity wall insulation and loft insulation
- Heating system installation and replacement (including heat pumps and gas boiler upgrades)
- Roofing and building fabric works
- Solar PV installation and energy storage
- Planned maintenance and cyclical works
- Retrofit coordination and assessment services
- Energy performance consultancy and compliance services
Bidding Considerations
- Select lots strategically: With 12 lots on offer, focus on those where your credentials and capacity are strongest. A well-evidenced bid for two or three lots will outperform a thin submission across many.
- Know your Welsh social housing market: PfH Cymru's members are social landlords operating in distinctly Welsh regulatory and policy contexts. Demonstrate your understanding of their priorities and the specific challenges of improving older, harder-to-treat housing stock.
- Evidence at scale: Frameworks of this value require suppliers who can demonstrate the capacity, systems, and supply chains to deliver at volume. Be specific about your previous delivery on comparable programmes.
- Tenant engagement matters: Retrofit works in occupied social housing properties require sensitive, well-managed tenant engagement. This is often underestimated in bids – make sure yours addresses it.
- Check the deadlines: Confirm current submission timings via the full notice on Find a Tender.
Quick Facts
- Framework value: £546,000,000 including VAT
- Procurement route: Framework agreement
- Scope: Decarbonisation, retrofit, and planned works (12 lots)
- Lead authority: Procurement for Housing Cymru (PfH Cymru)
- Duration: 4 years
- View the full notice on Find a Tender
The PfH Wales Decarbonisation, Retrofit and Planned Works Framework is one of the most significant construction and retrofit procurement opportunities in Wales right now. For businesses with genuine credentials in social housing improvement, it is a framework worth investing serious bid resource in.
Ready to explore whether your business is a good fit? Get in touch with Thornton & Lowe for a fast, expert assessment and bid support tailored to the Welsh social housing sector.
