Published date: 26 November 2018

Last edited date: 26 November 2018

This notice was replaced on 8 March 2019

This notice does not contain the most up-to-date information about this procurement. The most recent notice is:

Awarded contract (published 8 March 2019)

Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.


Contract summary

Industry

  • Electricity, heating, solar and nuclear energy - 09300000

  • Electricity distribution and related services - 65300000

  • Design and execution of research and development - 73300000

Location of contract

Any region

Value of contract

£0.01 to £3,200,000

Procurement reference

TRN 1642/10/2018

Published date

26 November 2018

Closing date

10 December 2018

Contract start date

11 January 2019

Contract end date

31 March 2021

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Other: Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI)

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

Yes

Description

This is a two stage SBRI. In Phase 1, BEIS will fund up to 5 feasibility studies to scope the design and trial of a smart meter load control device, including giving detail on what functionality will be tested and in what context. Phase 2 will involve selecting and contracting with up to 2 of the above studies/consortia who will each design, build, test, commercially product assure (CPA) and trial the devices, at a scale of around 100 homes, based on existing HCALCS specifications as described above.
HCALCS are specified in Smart Energy Code (SMETS - Schedule 9) and there is existing functionality built into Data Communications Company (DCC) systems to support these devices, but to date no such devices have been manufactured at scale and used. BEIS is procuring the design, build and trial these first of the kind devices, to demonstrate load control using smart meter communications infrastructure to manage domestic electricity loads such as EVs.
Consortiums applying for this SBRI must include an Electricity Supplier & a Meter and/or Charge Point Manufacturer, but could also include a DNO and other parties, such as EV manufacturers and aggregators.
Procurement will be split into two main stages:
Phase 1:
Feasibility
Up to 5 contracts will be awarded to develop a feasibility study which will include device and trial designs, setting out what functionality will be tested, and which partners will be involved and their respective roles. After the feasibility stage there will be a gateway based on evaluation of feasibility studies, resulting in up to 2 contracts being awarded for full design build and trial.
Phase 2:
Full device design, build and test
Involves design, build, testing and pursuance of Commercial Product Assurance of the device by up to 2 consortia. The design and build will include development of "works like, looks like" prototype device and manufacture to scale of ~100 devices, and test will include end to end testing of device functionality and supporting business process.
Trial
Design trial, install devices, manage trial in homes, device removal, trial analysis and write up. Trial should primarily test the ability of smart meter comms infrastructure and connected device to manage/ moderate load of a domestic device, such as an electric vehicle, in response to signals sent by the electricity supplier, but could test other functionalities as proposed by the selected bidder.
The project will produce a 'specification scoping document' at the end of the trial, which will establish any missing use cases identified through the trial and provide a basis for development of a full new device specification by BEIS, with a view to this being adopted into the SEC. This component will be led by a third party that are currently being contracted by BEIS but bidders will be expected to engage in the process to develop it.
This contract is expected to run from January 2019 to March 2021. Overall budget: up to ~£3.25M in total.

More information

Attachments

Additional text

Each attachment must be no larger than 5MB. The following attachments are included with this Notice:

Invitation to Tender (ITT)

BEIS Terms and Conditions (T&Cs)

Questions and answers from the stakeholder engagement process.

For reference 20181101 Innovation Project Pre-procurement Stakeholder Event

Q and A responses on the ITT - published 26/11/2018

If you wish to take part in this procurement, please see the Tender documents attached to this Notice and send your completed Proposal to Ms Mili Malic at email address stipulated in the "Who to Contact" section.

Any late submissions will not be considered. BEIS reserves the right to halt the procurement process and to not award a contract. BEIS will not be held liable for recovery of costs from unsuccessful bids if a contract is not awarded. All costs will be borne by the bidding organisations. If a contract is created it will be upon BEIS Standard Terms and Conditions or the Short Form Terms and Conditions, which are available on Contracts Finder with this notice. Completed tender submission must be returned by email to: smartmeterspmo@beis.gov.uk by 10 December 2018. After reviewing and evaluating the written proposals, BEIS may decide to conduct bid clarification with suppliers. If successful and upon contract signature, the suppliers may be expected to attend a kick-off meeting taking place mid-January. Project completion is required by 31 March 2021, with a deadline for phase 1 completion on 15 March 2019.

About the buyer

Contact name

Mili Malic

Address

1 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0EW
England

Email

smartmeterspmo@beis.gov.uk