Severn Trent Water and Hafren Dyfrdwy are engaging the market ahead of a planned Capital Design Services Framework. The current information indicates an estimated value of £200 million excluding VAT, or £240 million including VAT, over four years.
This is not primarily an architecture and surveying framework. It is aimed at organisations that can support the design of water and wastewater capital investment, including multidisciplinary engineering consultancies, specialist technical designers and businesses able to provide embedded or seconded design resource. Suppliers considering the opportunity can contact Thornton & Lowe for an early fit and readiness review.
What the framework is expected to cover
The planning information refers to design support across water and wastewater networks, treatment assets, developer services requirements, bioresources and secondments. The final work packages and lot boundaries should be confirmed in the tender documents, but potential bidders should expect a need for coordinated civil, structural, process, mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and environmental input.
Some organisations may be able to provide an end-to-end design service. Others may be stronger in a defined discipline or asset class. The final lot structure will determine whether specialist firms can bid directly, need a consortium approach or are better positioned within a larger consultancy’s supply chain.
What strong bidders should evidence
- Water-sector design experience: relevant projects across treatment, networks, pumping, storage, bioresources or related assets.
- Design assurance: checking, approval, technical governance and compliance with client standards.
- Collaborative delivery: integration with client teams, delivery partners, constructors and other designers.
- Resource scalability: the ability to provide the right disciplines and grades as programmes change.
- Digital delivery: controlled information management, common data environments, modelling and asset data handover.
- Carbon and constructability: practical design decisions that improve whole-life value and delivery efficiency.
Use the engagement period well
The market-engagement deadline is currently shown as 9 October 2026, with tender publication estimated for 11 January 2027. Engagement should not be treated as a sales presentation. It is an opportunity to understand the buyer’s intended delivery model, test whether the proposed lotting enables competition and identify requirements that could affect your bidding structure.
Our utilities tender support guide sets out some of the sector-specific issues suppliers need to address when bidding to regulated water, energy and infrastructure buyers.
Check the notice as the procurement develops
Because this is a planning-stage opportunity, values, dates and scope can change before the tender is published. Review the official Find a Tender notice, register on the stated portal and track subsequent notices in the same procurement process.
Potential bidders should also start a structured evidence review now. Identify design case studies, client references, specialist partners, resource data and measurable examples of design optimisation before the formal response period begins.
Thornton & Lowe can help engineering consultancies qualify the opportunity, shape a consortium or lot strategy and prepare for the formal tender. Speak to our utilities bid team.
