Cwm Taf Project

Description

Dŵr Cymru Cyfyngedig (DCC/Welsh Water) intends to deliver a construction project, the Cwm Taf Water Supply Project (Cwm Taf Project) to provide long-term water supply resilience to Cardiff, Newport and several smaller towns located within the Merthyr Valley. DCC will utilise a Competitively Appointed Provider (CAP) to deliver the project which is to be procured using Ofwat’s new Direct Procurement for Customers (DPC) approach. Further information regarding the Ofwat methodology for DPC can be viewed via the following link: https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Appendix-9-Direct-procurement-FM.pdf The Cwm Taf Project will be delivered on a Design, Build and Finance (DBF) basis and will include: (a) Design and Build including testing, and commissioning of the works; and (b) Financing of the activities. The formal designation of the DPC scheme by Ofwat is scheduled for publication before the end of the year. This Periodic Indicative Notice (PIN) is the next iteration of a previously published PIN in April 2021 (reference: 2021/S 000-008569). DCC (Welsh Water) are continuing to test market interest for the Design, Build and Financing (DBF) of the project before publication of the contract notice currently expected in September 2023. Lot 1: DCC is seeking to procure a Competitively Appointed Provider (CAP) which, subject to Ofwat approval, will undertake the Design, Build and Financing (DBF) of the following: • A new Water Treatment Works near Merthyr Tydfil designed for 180Ml/day. The reduction in capacity from the previously stated 225Ml/day has arisen as a result of DCC’s longer term review of future network demand; • A new 90Ml treated water storage tank (previously 150Ml); and • Associated raw and treated water pipelines, and existing network reconfigurations. The overall scheme strategy is to ensure DCC’s ability to treat raw water consistently throughout the year to the required standards, to protect the supply of safe drinking water to around 400,000 people across the DCC South-East Wales Conjunctive Use System (SEWCUS), and to meet future 2050 Water Resource Management Plan (WRMP) outputs. We have initiated the first stage of the planning approval process for the project and launched our pre-application consultation in February 2022. The link below will take you to our online interactive Cwm Taf consultation homepage: https://cwmtafproject.exhibition.app/ Project estimate Our current estimate to construct the 180Mld water treatment works, tank, pipeline, and associated works is circa. £500 million including risk and inflation. Approach to contract model We determined early in the process to use the Mutual Investment Model agreement and have been refining the drafting to reflect the Design, Build and Finance (DBF) nature of the Cwm Taf DPC project and our approach to key commercial and contractual areas including a move to a target price approach for all works, risk, and change. We continue to prepare our Outline Business Case required by Ofwat prior to commencement of the formal procurement process including development of our financial model and approach to indexation, refinancing and agreement duration. Procurement DCC intends to utilise the negotiated procedure with prior call for competition and intends to award the entire scope to a single CAP. Following the Prequalification Questionnaire (PQQ) stage, DCC intends taking 3 tenderers through the Invitation to Tender process, until Contract Award, to enable an efficient and competitive process. DCC also proposes to pay a contribution to the tendering costs incurred by each of the unsuccessful tenderers, subject to specific conditions being met, the details of which are currently under development and which will be stated in the formal procurement documentation. To ensure that DCC run a competitive process, DCC are minded to include an exclusivity clause within the procurement documentation that stipulates that the main EPC contractor and designer can only be part of one consortium and, therefore, cannot submit or be part of more than one bid. A revised programme is set out below, please note that dates are indicative only, based on current plans and activities, and DCC reserves the right to amend any or all dates. Market engagement: 2022 - September 2023 Commence pre application planning process: Q1 2023 Issue Contract Notice and Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ): September 2023 Issue Invitation to Tender (ITT): Q1 2024 ITT period: Q1 2024 – Q2 2025 Notify preferred bidder and commence standstill: Q3 2025 Contract award: Q1 2026