Severn Trent Water and Hafren Dyfrdwy are engaging the market on future Capital Programme Delivery Frameworks intended to support a major pipeline of water and wastewater investment. The planning notice indicates an estimated total value of £25 billion excluding VAT, or £30 billion including VAT, across an eight-year period.
The scale is significant, but the opportunity should not be narrowed to electrical, mechanical and building-services businesses. It is likely to involve water infrastructure contractors, design-and-build partners, civil engineering firms, process and MEICA specialists, programme delivery organisations and their supply chains. Suppliers can contact Thornton & Lowe for an early assessment of the likely route that best fits their capability.
Proposed delivery routes
The planning information refers to potential routes including managed service, design and build, and directed delivery. These labels may change as the procurement develops, but they indicate that the utilities are considering different levels of supplier responsibility rather than a single uniform framework.
A managed-service partner may need to coordinate a broad programme and supply chain. A design-and-build provider will need integrated engineering and construction capability. Directed delivery may suit businesses delivering defined packages to client-led designs or programmes. The final documents will be essential for understanding where each type of supplier belongs.
What should potential bidders test?
- Delivery scale: whether annual capacity, balance sheet and management systems match the chosen route.
- Asset experience: relevant evidence across clean water, wastewater, treatment, networks, pumping, storage or bioresources.
- Design integration: constructability, assurance, change control and management of multidisciplinary interfaces.
- Supply-chain model: access to regional labour, specialist subcontractors, plant and materials.
- Safety and performance: leading indicators, behavioural controls, quality metrics and transparent reporting.
- Carbon and efficiency: practical examples of reducing whole-life cost, embodied carbon and programme duration.
A large headline value does not make every lot suitable
The overall estimate covers a long investment horizon and potentially several framework routes. Suppliers should not assume that a place guarantees work or that all appointed partners will need national-scale capability. The meaningful questions are the value and risk profile of each lot, the expected call-off pipeline and the conditions for participation.
Thornton & Lowe’s utilities tender support guidance outlines the importance of sector-specific evidence, operational assurance and clear technical delivery methods in utility bids.
Engage now and monitor later notices
The engagement deadline is currently shown as 30 November 2026, with tender publication estimated for 1 February 2027. Review the official Find a Tender notice and subsequent linked notices as the commercial model is refined.
Potential bidders should use this period to identify the most credible delivery route, assess consortium needs, map regional capacity and gather quantified case studies from comparable regulated infrastructure programmes.
Thornton & Lowe can support framework qualification, partner strategy, bid planning and response development across water and infrastructure procurements. Speak to our utilities bid team.
