Desalination Technical Partner (DTP)

Anglian Water Services (AWS) WRMP24 has identified significant challenges for the East of England, primarily due to a forecasted reduction in available supply of potable water and an increase in the demand forecast. Without intervention, a daily shortfall of 593 megalitres (Ml) of water is estimated by 2050, which equates to approximately half of the current volume of water entering the network. 

As a result, two desalination plants have been identified as part of the Adaptive Plan to address the shortfall in Norfolk and Lincolnshire. Both desalination plants will abstract and desalinate seawater from the North Sea. Initial design assumptions are that the desalination plant will include pre-treatment, reverse osmosis, and remineralisation, before the treated water is blended and pumped into supply and the brine waste is discharged via a long outfall to sea.

Desalination is a new technology for Anglian Water, therefore we do not have sufficient experience within the business and expertise is limited within our usual supply chain.

This is a tender to procure up to two Desalination Technical Partners to support us in the development stages for both sites. The Primary Partner will be awarded the minimum scope of work (as defined in the Scope document) for both sites and any additional work over and above this is to be awarded at Anglian Waters discretion. As a result even though the tender notice value is £29m (ex VAT), the bidder is only guaranteed the minimum scope spend, estimated to be £4.7m.

We also note that the geopolitical landscape, along with regulations from the Environment Agency and other governing bodies, may evolve during the contract period, which may impact spend and / or the scope. This is an known unknown risk to this procurement exercise.