Tender
Wigan tenders 110 million pound EV charging concession for its car parks
By Staff Writer | 08-09-2026
Wigan Council has published a tender notice for a concession contract to supply, install, operate and maintain electric vehicle charging infrastructure in council-owned car parks across the borough. The notice records an estimated total value of 110,000,000 pounds excluding VAT, a 13 year initial term with two possible one year extensions, and a tender submission deadline of 30 November 2026 at 12 noon.
What is being procured
The notice, reference PA106, was published on 7 September 2026. The council says it is looking to identify a long-term partner to provide electric vehicle charging infrastructure in its car parks. The contract will cover supply, installation, operation, maintenance and customer service functions, described as an end-to-end or turnkey service. The stated aim is to increase the number, range and accessibility of public charging points across the borough, with a mix of devices to meet the needs of residents, businesses and visitors.
The main procurement category is services, with works as an additional category. The CPV classifications are electrical equipment and apparatus, installation services of electrical and mechanical equipment, chargers, and electrical installation work. The contract location is Greater Manchester North West.
Term and value
The estimated contract dates are 1 July 2027 to 30 June 2040, with a possible extension to 30 June 2042. The notice describes an initial contract term of 13 years with the option to extend for a further two periods of 12 months, 15 years in total. The estimated total value is 110,000,000 pounds excluding VAT and 132,000,000 pounds including VAT, and the notice records the procurement as above the relevant threshold.
The council reserves the right to additional purchases, such as devices and connectors, while the contract is valid, as permitted under the Procurement Act 2023. As a concession, the value on the notice is the council's estimate of the contract as a whole rather than a sum the council will pay; the notice does not set out how revenue is to be shared and nothing on that point should be inferred.
The procedure
The procurement runs under the competitive flexible procedure, with the special regime recorded as a concession. The notice describes three stages. Stage one is a compliance review and adherence to the invitation to tender, including declarations, a procurement specific questionnaire, quality and social value questions and a commercial evaluation. Stage two is negotiation, if required. Stage three is preferred bidder, if required.
Award criteria are quality and social value at 70 percent and price at 30 percent. The notice records particular suitability for small and medium-sized enterprises, and the Government Procurement Agreement applies. A conflicts assessment has been prepared.
Dates. Tender documents are available free of charge through The Chest procurement portal, and tenders must be uploaded there. There are two clarification deadlines: contract-related clarification questions by 19 October 2026 at 12 noon, and general clarification questions by 16 November 2026 at 12 noon. The tender submission deadline is 30 November 2026 at 12 noon. The estimated award decision date is 26 April 2027, ahead of a contract start estimated at 1 July 2027.
What the record does not say. The notice does not state how many car parks are in scope, how many charging points the council expects, or the mix of charging speeds it wants. It does not name incumbent providers or existing infrastructure. The notice says only that all tender documents are available on the portal; this desk has not read them and does not know what they contain. The contracting authority is Wigan Council, Wigan Town Hall, and enquiries are directed to its procurement team.