Tender

Liverpool City Region tenders 35m pound electrical works framework

By Staff Writer  |  13 October 2026

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has opened a tender for a two lot electrical works framework covering its estate and that of Merseytravel, with an estimated value of 35,000,000 pounds excluding VAT.

The tender notice was published on Find a Tender on 7 October 2026 and cites the Procurement Act 2023. The value including VAT is recorded as 42,000,000 pounds. The framework will be closed, with up to six suppliers, and will run for 48 months. Call offs may be placed by either the combined authority or Merseytravel, subject to budget.

The two lots

Lot 1, Minor Electrical Works, is valued at 5,000,000 pounds excluding VAT and will be awarded to one supplier. Lot 2, Major Electrical Works, is valued at 30,000,000 pounds excluding VAT and will be awarded to five suppliers. Call offs with an estimated value up to 50,000 pounds go through Lot 1, and those over 250,000 pounds go through Lot 2 by further competition. Work valued between 50,001 and 250,000 pounds will be placed in either lot following an assessment of the individual requirement under a lot appraisal matrix.

Lot 1 call offs will be priced from a framework rate card. Items not on the rate card must be quoted at no more than the rates in a published mechanical and electrical services price book for 2026, with the supplier's tendered percentage discount applied. For Lot 2, the rates submitted in the price schedule will be the maximum that can be charged.

How suppliers will be chosen

The authority is running a two stage competitive flexible procedure for each lot. After the first stage, a procurement specific questionnaire, the five highest scoring compliant suppliers for Lot 1 and the ten highest for Lot 2 will be invited to tender. The authority will check that no supplier, related person, associated person relied on to meet the conditions of participation or proposed subcontractor appears on the debarment list held by the Cabinet Office, and will review responses against information held on the Central Digital Platform.

First stage scoring gives 40 per cent to operational capacity in both lots. The other 60 per cent goes to an LV maintenance programme for Lot 1 and to the first part of the relevant experience questions for Lot 2. Financial capacity, an Ultimo licence and subcontractor management are assessed on a pass or fail basis in both lots, as is relevant experience for Lot 1 and the second part of the experience questions for Lot 2.

At the tender stage price carries 30 per cent and social value 10 per cent in both lots. For Lot 1 the remaining marks go to performance management at 15 per cent, a high voltage transformer failure scenario at 20 per cent, compliance, audit and record keeping at 15 per cent, and health and safety at 10 per cent. For Lot 2 they go to major works definition, design coordination and pre-construction assurance; a scenario on planned LV switchgear replacement within a live operational asset; health and safety; and call off cost certainty, change control and value for money, at 15 per cent each. The authority reserves the right under section 24 of the Procurement Act 2023 to refine the award criteria before inviting final tenders.

Tenders are due by 13:00 on 2 November 2026 through the Chest portal, and the award period ends on 1 February 2027. The contract period shown for both lots runs from 15 February 2027 to 14 February 2031. The authority did not hold preliminary market engagement, judging it unnecessary for the nature of the requirement. The notice reference is 094676-2026.