Northern Ireland Water has started procurement for a new £10.5bn framework covering civil engineering, pipelaying and mechanical and electrical work across its water and wastewater infrastructure.
The IF109 Integrated Partnerships Framework will support the utility’s capital investment programme and replace the existing IF105 framework, which is due to expire in May 2028. NI Water estimates the total value of IF109 at £10.5bn excluding VAT, with the agreement capable of running for up to 12 years.
The initial framework term will run for six years from 1 October 2027. NI Water will have the option to extend it through three further two-year periods.
IF109 is intended to provide delivery capacity for NI Water’s PC28 investment programme and subsequent regulatory periods. The scope covers programme and project management, design, engineering, construction and commissioning, together with associated services required to deliver the utility’s capital programme.
The framework has been divided into four lots, covering minor pipelaying, minor civil engineering, minor mechanical and electrical work, and larger multidisciplinary projects.
Lot one will cover pipelaying and network rehabilitation across water and wastewater assets. The work will include water mains, sewers, rising mains, communication pipes and associated infrastructure, with individual projects expected to have values of up to £3m.
Lot two covers civil engineering work on infrastructure and non-infrastructure assets. This includes tanks, chambers, reservoirs, pumping stations, treatment works and buildings, with projects typically valued at up to £10m.
Lot three is focused on mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, control and automation work, as well as process engineering at operational water and wastewater facilities. Projects are also expected to typically be worth up to £10m.
The fourth lot will cover larger multidisciplinary projects requiring combinations of civil, mechanical and electrical engineering, instrumentation, control and automation, and process engineering. Potential schemes include treatment works, pumping stations, service reservoirs and strategic network infrastructure.
Projects under lot four will typically exceed £1m, with higher-value work capable of being allocated through supplier-selection mechanisms established under the framework or through further competitions between eligible suppliers.
The procurement will use a competitive flexible procedure under the utilities provisions of the Procurement Act 2023. NI Water has not specified a maximum number of suppliers that can be appointed to the framework and has said contracts may be awarded either directly or following further competition.
At the time the planned procurement notice was published, NI Water was still developing elements of its commercial model, including supplier allocation arrangements, appointment methodology and the detailed procurement strategy.
The scale and structure of IF109 means the framework is intended to cover a broad range of capital works, from relatively small network interventions through to major treatment and infrastructure projects requiring several engineering disciplines.
NI Water is holding a supplier market briefing on 7 October, with companies able to attend either in person or virtually. Registration closes at noon on 22 September.
The utility expects to publish the formal tender notice on 8 October, with requests to participate due by 3pm on 16 November through the eTendersNI portal.
The framework may also be used by Northern Ireland government departments, councils, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and other participating public-sector bodies.
The procurement is being launched ahead of the expiry of IF105, giving NI Water a replacement contracting structure for the next major period of capital investment. Its scope spans the physical renewal and expansion of water and wastewater networks and assets, together with the mechanical, electrical and process systems required to operate treatment and pumping infrastructure.
