Combining our utilities tendering expertise with customer’s specialist skills in water sector

CASE STUDY: Water quality monitoring  • January 2025 • 7 years – extendable to 10 • Project value: £49m

Our teams at Procter Street were engaged by a digital technology client specialising in continuous water quality monitoring to support the submission of a high-value tender to Yorkshire Water. The tender focused on delivering Software as a Service (SaaS) and Data as a Service (DaaS) solutions to help Yorkshire Water meet its statutory obligations under Section 82 of the Environment Agency’s regulations.

Though highly skilled in SaaS and DaaS solution delivery, the team required external support to navigate the structured and complex tendering process associated with regulated utilities.

Project scope:

Our role encompassed full bid management, quality and technical response development, a full commercial contractual review, and comprehensive pricing strategy for a 7-year framework (extendable to 10 years). The submission was successfully delivered on time and within budget, securing the client’s invitation to the next stage of the procurement process.   

What we delivered:

Working closely with the client’s technical and leadership teams, we translated their cutting-edge digital capability into a structured, compelling submission aligned with public procurement expectations. Our key deliverables included:

• Development of a full bid management plan with milestones and review stages

• Drafting of detailed quality responses across several critical areas:

  • Carbon reduction and environmental impact strategy

  • Network capability for remote and rural locations

  • Health and safety management for work near water

  • Data accuracy, quality control, and calibration protocols

  • Supply chain strategy and cost control mechanisms

  • Installation planning aligned with Section 82 compliance

  • Data visualisation and stakeholder communication tools

  • Integration of AI and machine learning for predictive analytics and early warning capabilities

• Design of a five-year deployment programme for 740 monitoring assets, including a recurring 16-week maintenance schedule

• Creation of response templates and organisational structure to reflect a collaborative delivery model

• Review and strategic commentary on contractual terms and risk allocation

• Development of a robust pricing model and strategy aligned to the full 7-year term, with flexibility for the optional 3-year extension

Benefits and successes:

• Streamlined submission process: The structured bid management plan ensured clarity, accountability, and timely delivery across all phases of the tender process

• High-quality, aligned responses: All written content met public procurement standards while accurately reflecting the client’s technical capabilities, increasing evaluation scores and competitiveness

• Demonstrated environmental leadership: Inclusion of a robust carbon reduction and sustainability strategy reinforced the client’s alignment with regulatory and ESG expectations

• Future-proofed technology proposition: Integration of AI and machine learning showcased innovation and positioned the client as a forward-thinking partner in water monitoring

• Clear operational viability: A comprehensive five-year asset deployment and maintenance schedule provided confidence in the client's delivery capability and long-term reliability

• Strengthened risk and compliance profile: The development of health and safety protocols, risk management strategies, and contract commentary helped mitigate potential delivery risks and clarified obligations

• Scalable costing model: A flexible pricing strategy tailored to a 7–10 year framework duration enabled confident financial planning and future bid reusability

• Improved internal resources: Response templates and organisational structures created during the process now support future tendering efforts, promoting internal capability development

• Enhanced stakeholder engagement: Strong emphasis on data visualisation and communication tools highlighted the client’s ability to provide transparency and actionable insights to end users

Background information

The client is a dynamic start-up, operating at the intersection of environmental monitoring and digital innovation. Their proprietary Catchment Monitoring as a Service (CMaaS) platform leverages live data collected from their RiverStation hardware - comprising the Kiosk, BankMount, and Stilling Tube units - to deliver real-time, predictive insights into river health.

Procter Street brought extensive bid management expertise to the partnership, working collaboratively to align the client's technical innovations with procurement requirements. The result was a professionally structured, compelling tender submission that showcased the full strength of the client’s offer.