2025 - National Grid - Request to Participate in tender establishing a Global Capability Centre for Engineering Services

Description

This notice invites participants to submit a request to participate in a competitive flexible procedure for the award of a contract under Section 19 of the Procurement Act 2023. This is not an invitation to submit tenders. National Grid (NG) is an energy company operating in the UK and US. We deliver electricity and gas safely, reliably and efficiently to the customers and communities we serve - all while working towards a clean energy future. The company is currently undergoing a strategic transformation of its Enterprise Business Services (EBS) organisation and as part of this initiative is successfully operating Engineering Support Services (ESS) activity in India via an incumbent supplier arrangement. ESS is a proven, flexible, and scalable model providing highly skilled engineering support services with diverse technical, project, and analytics skills via an outsource model that transforms engineering processes. At National Grid, these engineering services activities include, but are not limited to, System Modelling and Early Development, Work Management Support, Asset Management Support, Project Controls and Data Management Support. We now wish to create our own Global Capability Centre (GCC) to deliver engineering services at scale and at pace, and we are looking for a single supplier* to I. Establish, grow and deliver engineering services capability at pace II. Co-create and collaborate with us to design the road map to get to the desired end state of an NG-led GCC III. Play an active role as we develop a detailed project plan and Statement of Work that allows us to establish an NG-led Global Capability Centre. IV. Operationalise the Global Capability Centre This notice is for a wide range of services (and, where applicable, supporting goods, works or services) to support National Grid achieve its target end-state of a Global Capability Centre for engineering services in India. Our preference is to establish its GCC using a design build, operate and transfer model, however we are open to other pathways Phase 1 - Design The successful party collaborates with NG to define the requirements of our GCC including location, physical space, office layout, IT infrastructure and network connectivity, service standards and operational requirements and compliance with local laws and regulations. These requirements must satisfy our needs for today and future needs. This phase ensures the GCC is tailored to NG's strategic and operational needs before the Build phase and has the necessary plans and documentation, budget and internal approvals. Phase 2 - Build The successful party establishes the GCC infrastructure, recruits talent and focuses on delivering the planned design on time and within scope and budget. We expect National Grid will be responsible to set up legal entities and gain regulatory approvals. Phase 3 - Operate The successful party will deliver and manage day-to-day operations including engineering services and the necessary enabling functions such as HR, payroll, IT support, compliance, and employee engagement. This phase resembles traditional outsourcing, with service levels and governance models aligned to NG's expectations. Phase 4 - Transfer The successful party is jointly responsible with NG to complete appropriate transfers including operational knowledge, systems and staff to NG within the agreed timescale in such a way that service delivery and service standards are not affected. Phase 5 - After completion of the Transfer phase, both parties may agree additional works for example, enduring functional support such a Finance or IT etc. The deadline for completed requests to participate to be submitted via https://forms.office.com/r/37mdZZdR66 is 17:00 London 29-Sep-25. Please Note National Grid's offshore operations are currently based in India via an incumbent supplier arrangement and India is a preferred location for our Global Capability Centre. However, we intend to explore location strategy as part of our qualification and sourcing activities. National Grid wishes to provide additional insight into the estimated total value figure included in this notice because this public notice permits only a single figure. National Grid used best endeavours when estimating the total cost over the planned duration of this contract and believes the total cost to be in the range of £100,000,000 to £250,000,000 excluding VAT (£100 million to £250 million) Merger/Affiliates Participation Rule. Where two or more suppliers in this competition become connected persons (including by acquisition, merger or common control) at any time: (i) pre-completion they must participate independently and maintain effective information barriers; (ii) post-completion the group must nominate one supplier to remain in the competition within five (5) working days of completion and withdraw the other(s). National Grid may set evidence requirements, request undertakings and, where necessary, exclude one or more suppliers for breach of procedure or improper behaviour, applying equal treatment and proportionality. * A 'single supplier' could include a joint venture or prime contractor although it should be noted a prime contractor will be responsible for management and delivery of all sub-contract elements.