Green hydrogen supply and support framework for Highland

Section one: Contracting authority Section I: Contracting authority one.1) Name and addresses I.1) Name and addresses Highland Council Glenurquhart Road Inverness IV3 5NX Country United Kingdom NUTS code UKM6 - Highlands and Islands Internet address(es) Main address https://www.highland.gov.uk/ Buyer's address https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA00045 one.2) Information about joint procurement I.2) Information about joint procurement The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body one.3) Communication I.3) Communication The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk one.4) Type of the contracting authority I.4) Type of the contracting authority Regional or local authority one.5) Main activity I.5) Main activity General public services Section two: Object Section II: Object two.1) Scope of the procurement II.1) Scope of the procurement two.1.1) Title II.1.1) Title Highland Hydrogen Reference number HC/FFMA/HYD/27 two.1.2) Main CPV code II.1.2) Main CPV code 24111600 - Hydrogen two.1.3) Type of contract II.1.3) Type of contract Supplies two.1.4) Short description II.1.4) Short description Green Hydrogen produced to specification ISO 14687:25 and supplied for use in different applications with associated equipment throughout the Highland Council region. two.1.5) Estimated total value II.1.5) Estimated total value Value excluding VAT: £30,000,000 two.1.6) Information about lots II.1.6) Information about lots This contract is divided into lots: No two.2) Description II.2) Description two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s) II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s) 24111600 - Hydrogen two.2.3) Place of performance II.2.3) Place of performance NUTS codes UKM6 - Highlands and Islands Main site or place of performance Highland council region wide two.2.4) Description of the procurement II.2.4) Description of the procurement Procurement Purpose Highland Council (the "Council") is seeking to procure an experienced, dynamic and innovative strategic partner to deliver a long-term framework contract with the Council, to develop and secure a substantial low carbon journey capability in support of the Councils Hydrogen and Net Zero Vision. As part of its role in this journey, the strategic partner will be expected to provide not only green hydrogen but also equipment and competent resources including consultation in the move from fossil fuels, support and technical expertise. This journey will be in phases and covering different end applications themselves designed and delivered with robust solutions that will be dependent upon commercially attractive pricing for hydrogen. Pilot volumes will commence the development of cost-effective supply of green hydrogen moving on to a steady state based also upon a commercial basis to support both existing and proposed transport projects. Moving on from small intermittent volumes first this will if successful lead to envisaging supply to larger volume utilisation through transitioned e.g. hydrogen vehicles, new solutions for district heating etc The supply partner will enter into a Hydrogen Supply Framework Agreement with the Council for a period of 5 years. This agreement will set out the basic terms upon which related projects move through development commencing with the supply of hydrogen to the Council during pilot development and develop proposals for delivery of hydrogen to the Council during later stages in conjunction with suitable support and equipment included. The Framework Agreement will also set out the terms upon which the Highland Council will be permitted to call-off hydrogen supplies under the framework agreement. The Council proposes to undertake a competitive tender to appoint a hydrogen provider to establish a viable supply of green hydrogen for potential use in heating and fleet operations across Highland. The appointment will develop a phased supply proposition, identifying suitable applications, potential demand, supply capacity, pricing, delivery arrangements and the storage and refuelling infrastructure required to support deployment. two.2.5) Award criteria II.2.5) Award criteria Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents two.2.6) Estimated value II.2.6) Estimated value Value excluding VAT: £30,000,000 two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system Duration in months 60 This contract is subject to renewal No two.2.10) Information about variants II.2.10) Information about variants Variants will be accepted: No two.2.11) Information about options II.2.11) Information about options Options: No two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds II.2.13) Information about European Union Funds The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No two.2.14) Additional information II.2.14) Additional information The provider will be required to demonstrate the hydrogen’s renewable origin and lifecycle emissions, security of supply, scalability and arrangements for safe distribution and use. Deployment will be informed by the suitability of individual applications and comparison with other available decarbonisation options. Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information Section III. Legal, economic, financial and technical information three.1) Conditions for participation III.1) Conditions for participation three.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers III.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers List and brief description of conditions the relevant selection criteria will be included in the SPD module. three.1.2) Economic and financial standing III.1.2) Economic and financial standing Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents three.1.3) Technical and professional ability III.1.3) Technical and professional ability Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents three.2) Conditions related to the contract III.2) Conditions related to the contract three.2.2) Contract performance conditions III.2.2) Contract performance conditions the relevant selection criteria will be included procurement documents. three.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract III.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract Section four. Procedure Section IV. Procedure four.1) Description IV.1) Description four.1.1) Type of procedure IV.1.1) Type of procedure Open procedure four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement Framework agreement with a single operator In the case of framework agreements, provide justification for any duration exceeding 4 years: This is a developing sector and associated vehicles etc that coudl ultimately use this fuel source as a replacement to fossil fuels are also under innovation and development- we need to run this framework concurrently with the economic development of these end use applcations which coudl take slightly longer than 4 years hence why we have specified 5 years as the framework duration four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes four.2) Administrative information IV.2) Administrative information four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate Date 18 November 2026 Local time 12:00pm four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted English four.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender Tender must be valid until: 1 April 2027 four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders IV.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders Date 18 November 2026 Local time 12:00pm Section six. Complementary information Section VI. Complementary information six.1) Information about recurrence VI.1) Information about recurrence This is a recurrent procurement: No six.3) Additional information VI.3) Additional information This notice is being placed on behalf of The Highland Council. All dates, timescales and values set out in this notice and the procurement documents are estimates only and therefore subject to change during the tender process, if required. NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?1D=649932.A summary of the expected community benefits will be provided in the tender documents. NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=657968. The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx. Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last-minute problems. NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the Public Contracts Scotland Web Site at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=845680. The buyer has indicated that it will accept electronic responses to this notice via the Postbox facility. A user guide is available at https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/sitehelp/help_guides.aspx. Suppliers are advised to allow adequate time for uploading documents and to dispatch the electronic response well in advance of the closing time to avoid any last minute problems. A sub-contract clause has been included in this contract. For more information see: http://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/info/InfoCentre.aspx?ID=2363 Community benefits are included in this requirement. For more information see: https://www.gov.scot/policies/public-sector-procurement/community-benefits-in-procurement/ A summary of the expected community benefits has been provided as follows: Community Benefits are required and details and evaluation etc will be included in the relevant selection in the procurement documents. (SC Ref:845680) Download the ESPD document here: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/ESPD/ESPD_Download.aspx?id=845680 six.4) Procedures for review VI.4) Procedures for review six.4.1) Review body VI.4.1) Review body Inverness Sherrif Court Inverness Justice Centre - Longman Road Inverness IV11AH Country United Kingdom