Crown Commercial Services (CCS) is bringing the largest public sector water framework agreement in the UK to the market.
From April 1st, the water market in England begins to reform. If you are a business, charity, or public sector organisation, it means you will be able to switch the retail part of your water services to your choice of service provider.
The CCS Water and Sewerage Framework Agreement will help the public sector to save more than £20 million over four years, with central government as well as schools, colleges, universities, museums, housing associations, councils, the blue light services, and NHS Trusts all among those eligible to access it.
TEAM Customers, amongst others, participated in the framework agreement consultation and many expressed an interest in suppliers that can provide TRADACOMS industry standard EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) billing and want this including in their tender.
In summary, under the framework the supplier shall provide EDI billing, providing the customer remembers to ask for it at.
‘Call Off Stage’.
Sam Ulyatt, Strategic Category Commercial Director for Crown Commercial Service said:
The opening up of the water market will create a unique opportunity for efficiency and collaboration and this is the first agreement of its kind in the UK.
The multi-supplier framework will be live and available for the opening of the market in April, running for three years with the option to extend by a further 12 months.
To find out more about the new public sector water framework, email water@crowncommercial.gov.uk.
For further information about the water market and the CCS offering please visit the CCS ‘Buy Water’ web pages.
Planning to go out to tender?
If you’re organisation is planning to tender, many businesses have been referring to the wording from the Best Practice Guide – EDI Billing, produced by ESTA (Energy Services and Technology Association) aM&T Group, to help them in their tender response. It contains suggested text to ensure suppliers provide EDI billing in their preferred format.