UK Public Sector Contracts & Tenders

Description Pre- Market Engagement Notice: Productivity, Collaboration and Automation Enablement Northumbrian Water Group (NWG) is undertaking a pre-market engagement exercise to help us understand supplier capability, delivery approaches and partnering models to support our productivity, collaboration and automation landscape. This engagement is intended to inform potential future commercial options and does not constitute a commitment to procure, nor a call for competition. Purpose of Engagement NWG want to understand what services and partner models are available in the market to potentially set up a future multi-supplier framework and help us maximize value from: 1. Microsoft 365 (productivity and collaboration) 2. Power Platform (solution and workflow enablement) 3. Intelligent automation (including UiPath and Microsoft automation capabilities such as Power Automate Cloud & Power Automate Desktop) 4. The insight and reporting layer required to measure adoption and benefits (Power BI / Microsoft Fabric where appropriate) We are interested in suppliers who can work as a trusted partner alongside our teams, helping us improve adoption, strengthen governance, and demonstrate measurable value over time (not just deliver one-off pieces of work). Strategic intent NWG wants to build a repeatable, enterprise-grade capability for modern work and automation. We are looking for partners who can help us: • Improve adoption and effective use of tools (not just deploy features). • Put in place practical governance and support models so solutions are safe, supportable and scalable. • Use the right automation approach for the right job, including: - Power Automate for workflow automation - Microsoft Copilot agents/agent extensions where appropriate (agents that use approved knowledge and can take approved actions in workflows) - UiPath where RPA is genuinely required • Move towards end-to-end automation and orchestration for complex processes, including long running workflows and human approvals where needed. • Make outcomes measurable (adoption, performance and benefits), using Power BI / Fabric where it helps. Our processes run across a wide application estate. We are interested in automation and orchestration that can work end to end across multiple enterprise platforms (for example Oracle, ServiceNow, Maximo, Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC), and other business systems), as well as Microsoft 365. Where possible, we prefer API/connectors and reusable integration patterns, with UI automation where unavoidable. We are also interested in secure integration and supporting components "behind the scenes" (including Azure where needed) to keep solutions reliable at scale. Framework intent - NWG is exploring a potential multi supplier framework to provide access to a broad range of specialist skills, with the ability to call off support as needed through outcome focused work packages and/or embedded delivery models alongside NWG teams. The final scope, structure and commercial approach may be refined based on this engagement. Areas of Interest (Non-Exhaustive) Suppliers are invited to share high level information on capability and experience across the following areas (non exhaustive): 1. Microsoft 365 optimisation and governance (e.g. Teams, SharePoint, Viva) 2. Power Platform development and governance (Power Apps, Dataverse, Power Automate) 3. Workflow automation and orchestration (Power Automate and integration-led approaches) 4. RPA and intelligent automation (UiPath/Power Automate Desktop), including guidance on when RPA is justified 5. Agent based automation in the Microsoft ecosystem (Copilot agents/extensions) and how this is governed safely (NWG is not seeking unmanaged AI tools; Copilot agents must operate within approved knowledge sources, governed actions, and auditable workflows) 6. End to end process orchestration across systems, including long running processes, exceptions and human approvals 7. Adoption, change, upskilling and knowledge transfer (so NWG ownership increases over time) 8. Value realisation and measurement (dashboards/KPIs/benefits reporting using Power BI/Fabric where appropriate) Supplier Response Please submit a short capability overview (maximum 4-6 slides or 3 pages) covering: • Your relevant service offerings (aligned to the 8 capability areas above) • Examples of similar work in large and/or regulated organisations • Your typical engagement model(s) (e.g. outcome based, embedded teams, managed service, call off approach) • How you would support adoption, governance and value realisation (high level) To help us compare responses, please also answer these three short prompts (on a single page): 1. How do you decide between Power Automate, Copilot agents, API-based automation and RPA (UiPath)? 2. Provide one example of an end to end process you've supported across multiple platforms, and how you handled exceptions and approvals. 3. What does "good" look like for governance and support in production (high level)? This information will help NWG shape requirements and consider appropriate commercial models.

Project Scope: - The objective of this project is to reduce nitrogen loadings in the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast Special Protection Area (SPA) by 1st April 2030. This will be achieved by removing the Bran Sands discharge from the River Tees and discharging directly to the North Sea to improve dispersion and dilution. - A Long Sea Outfall for Bran Sands has been supported and approved by Ofwat in the final determination of NWG's PR24 (business plan). - The Levelling Up and Regeneration Act (2023) requires Technically Achievable Limit of Total Nitrogen of 10mg/l at 'designated STWs' that serve a population equivalent of more than 2,000 people by 1 April 2030 and are within the Nutrient Neutrality area. - To deliver this, the driver was included in the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) under the Habitats Directive for Nutrient Neutrality. Project Brief - Option Detail: - The project indicatively consists of three works packages outlined below: - Onshore Headworks/Pumping Station - Onshore pipeline - 3km 2m diameter - Offshore pipeline - 4.5km 2m diameter The packages may be tendered and awarded individually or in combination. Types of work under the packages may include (but are not limited to): - Design of pumped marine outfall pipeline systems - Early Contractor Involvement and/or Works Contractor(s) - Onshore environmental, geotechnical and geophysical surveys - Offshore environmental, geotechnical and geophysical surveys - Onshore tunnelling (tbc) - Offshore tunnelling (tbc) - Flow collection chamber/Pumping station and/or Headworks pumping station - civil, mechanical, electrical and ICA - Dredged outfall installation - long length large diameter PE with concrete ballast - Marine structures - outfall diffuser and diffuser protection