Soft Market Test for Heat Network Consultancy

Please note that this is not a call for competition. Soft Market Test (SMT) Plus Dane is seeking early feedback from the market on how best to package and scope a potential future procurement opportunity. This is an exploratory stage, prior to any formal procurement process. The SMT aims to: • Understand how providers might deliver the proposed service. • Gauge market interest. • Inform Plus Dane's options appraisal and recommendations. Participation is voluntary and will not affect future opportunities. Responding does not guarantee an invitation to tender or that Plus Dane will proceed with procurement. Any future procurement will comply with the Procurement Act 2023. Confidentiality Each Party shall: a) treat the other Party's confidential Information as confidential and safeguard it; accordingly, and b) not disclose the other Party's Confidential Information to any other person without the owner's prior written consent. Introduction & Background We are a housing association with a strong social purpose. We employ almost 600 people and have more than 13,500 homes across Merseyside and Cheshire. We are an ambitious organisation striving to provide the very best possible services to over 30,000 customers who live in our homes. We are passionate about our social purpose, and the positive impact that we can have on the communities our customers live in. Our Requirements Our heat network portfolio consists of 29 heat networks, with 2 district heat networks and 27 communal heat networks. Plus Dane operate both unmetered and metered heat networks. The heat network industry will soon be fully regulated by Ofgem, having a significant impact on housing providers across the UK. To support with our journey to compliance for both existing and incoming Ofgem regulations, we require: 1. Regulation Readiness Review which will analyse the current situation at Plus Dane regarding compliance with both existing and incoming heat network regulations, and provide an action plan to becoming compliant. 2. A full suite of procurement services, including specifications, for a metering & billing contract. This must be provided by an impartial and independent organisation who are not tied to any manufacturer or service provider. If you are able to provide this, please provide your organisation's details to the email address provided by 05/01/26.