Construction Contract Leads
North West
Category Goods
Type Tender
No. of Lots 1
Status Active
Published 4th Nov 2026
| Reference | ocds-h6vhtk-079721 |
| Common Procurement Vocabulary | Air compressors |
| Procurement Method | Open procedure |
| Value | £1,600,000 |
North West
Category Goods
Type Tender
No. of Lots 1
Status Active
Published 4th Nov 2026
| Reference | ocds-h6vhtk-079721 |
| Common Procurement Vocabulary | Air compressors |
| Procurement Method | Open procedure |
| Value | £1,600,000 |
Scope
Reference
BEC-CAES_031126
Description
Energy Coast West Cumbria Limited, trading as BEC, invites tenders for the design, manufacture and supply of a factory-integrated, modular Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage (A-CAES) demonstrator plant for the BEST CAES project at Westlakes Science Park, West Cumbria.
The requirement comprises an above-ground, transportable system incorporating compression, thermal storage, expansion equipment, compressed-air storage vessels, power electronics and controls, together with specified testing, documentation, training and warranty support. Required performance includes 0.333 MW charging, 1.0 MW discharge and a minimum electrical round-trip efficiency of 80%.
The maximum contract budget is £1,600,000 excluding VAT, with operational handover required by 30 June 2028. Long-term paid maintenance and supplementary rapid-response hardware are excluded from this award. The procurement will follow an open procedure and is subject to funding, planning permissions and necessary approvals.
Total value (estimated)
- £1,600,000 excluding VAT
- £1,920,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 5 January 2027 to 30 June 2028
- Possible extension to 30 June 2029
- 2 years, 5 months, 27 days
Description of possible extension:
Two further periods of 12 months each, at the Buyer's sole discretion.
At least three months' written notice before the current contract period expires.
Extensions on the same terms and conditions, subject to changes expressly permitted under the Contract.
Main procurement category
Goods
CPV classifications
- 42990000 - Miscellaneous special-purpose machinery
- 42123400 - Air compressors
- 71320000 - Engineering design services
Contract locations
- UKD - North West (England)
Participation
Legal and financial capacity conditions of participation
Suppliers must have the legal capacity to enter into and perform the Contract and demonstrate sufficient financial standing and working capital to deliver its requirements. These conditions will be assessed on a pass/fail basis using the evidence requirements and methodology set out in the tender documents, proportionate to the nature, complexity and value of the Contract. Audited accounts are not required; unaudited accounts or other appropriate financial evidence will be accepted.
Suppliers must confirm that, if awarded the Contract, they will obtain and maintain the following insurance in accordance with the contractual requirements:
Public liability insurance: at least £10 million for any one occurrence.
Professional indemnity insurance: at least £10 million for each claim.
These insurance policies do not need to be in place before contract award.
Technical ability conditions of participation
Suppliers must demonstrate technical ability to design, integrate and commission comparable equipment through relevant projects or test evidence, named delivery resources and committed subcontractor support. Consortia and equivalent evidence are accepted; identical project experience and a minimum trading history are not required. Assessment is pass/fail, as detailed in section 4.1 of the Invitation to Tender.
Particular suitability
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
25 November 2026, 12:00pm
Tender submission deadline
9 December 2026, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
info [at] discoverbec.com
Tenders may be submitted electronically
No
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
22 December 2026
Award criteria
| Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Technical solution and performance | Integrated design, energy efficiency, capacity, response, controls, thermal management and scalability, supported by relevant calculations and test evidence. State assumptions and deviations. | Quality | 30.00% |
| 6. Total price | Evaluated Price E: fixed delivered base scope under section 3.5, excluding VAT, including supplier commissioning, testing, training, licences and issued warranty obligations. Informational long-term... service/rapid-response prices are excluded from award and price evaluation. | Price | 30.00% |
| 2. Delivery, installation and commissioning | Achievable programme to handover by 30 June 2028, covering manufacturing, logistics, site interfaces, testing, dependencies and delay mitigation. | Quality | 15.00% |
| 3. Technical assurance and risk management | Design verification, validation, safety/conformity evidence and project-specific technical risk controls. Assess assurance arrangements, not performance already scored under criterion 1 or supplier... eligibility. | Quality | 10.00% |
| 4. Operation, maintenance and through-life support | Maintenance planning, warranty support, spares, training, documentation, remote-support access and life cycle replacement evidence. Assess support and base deliverables, not monetary prices or non-... awarded future service promises. | Quality | 10.00% |
| 5. Project management and governance | Contract-specific responsibilities, reporting, quality records, escalation, change control and coordination with BEC and other contractors. | Quality | 5.00% |
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Documents
Associated tender documents
Tender documentation for the procurement of an integrated Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) Demonstrator Plant, including the technical, commercial, contractual and tender submission requirements.
Contracting authority
Energy Coast West Cumbria Ltd (t/a BEC)
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PQNP-3668-DLDW
Ingwell Hall
Moor Row
CA243JZ
United Kingdom
Contact name: Sam Burrows
Telephone: 01946 595 200
Email: sam.burrows [at] discoverbec.com
Website:
Region: UKD11 - West Cumbria
Organisation type: Public undertaking (commercial organisation subject to public authority oversight)