North Northamptonshire Council - Provision of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure and Associated Services (LEVI)
Estimated Value
Not specified
Deadline
Not specified
Published
29 May 2026
Type
services
Overview
North Northamptonshire Council ("NNC") conducted a procurement exercise through an open procedure in accordance with The Concession Contracts Regulations 2016 seeking potential providers for the delivery of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across the council area. The proposed arrangement will be a Concession Contract, which includes comprehensive requirements for the provision of end-to-end services.
This involves turnkey solutions for designing, planning, constructing, installing, operating, and maintaining a smart EV charging network. NNC is adopting a portfolio approach to EV infrastructure delivery, which will include on-street installations in towns and villages in areas where households do not have access to off-street parking, as well as deployments in NNC-owned public car park sites.
NNC enter into one (1) Contract for an initial period of 15 years (180 months) with the preferred Potential Supplier, with an option to extend for 12 months, making 192 months in total. An initial capital investment of £2,895,000 from LEVI funding has been allocated for the project, with the potential to increase this to £5,000,000 subject to the availability of additional funding. The commercial model is based on a combination of a revenue-sharing mechanism and an annual concession fee, designed to deliver value for money while encouraging long-term private sector investment and sustainability.
Regulations cited
- The Concession Contracts Regulations 2016
AI Analysis
Powered by AI — always verify against official documents
North Northamptonshire Council is looking for a company to design, build, install, and run an electric vehicle charging network across their area for 15 years. The council will invest between £2.9 million and £5 million upfront, and the chosen company will operate the charging points, collect revenue from users, and share profits with the council while maintaining the infrastructure.
Requirements
- Ability to design and plan EV charging infrastructure to modern standards
- Capability to construct and install charging points on public streets and in council-owned car parks
- Experience operating and maintaining a smart EV charging network long-term
- Compliance with Concession Contracts Regulations 2016
- Ability to manage revenue collection and implement revenue-sharing agreement with the council
- Smart technology integration for network management and monitoring
- Financial stability to invest in and sustain operations over 15-year contract period
- Insurance and liability coverage for public-facing infrastructure
- No specific qualifications or certifications explicitly stated — check full tender documents for technical standards and industry accreditation requirements
Key Tasks & Deliverables
- Design a comprehensive EV charging network plan across North Northamptonshire council area
- Install on-street charging points in towns and villages where residents lack off-street parking access
- Install charging points in council-owned public car parks
- Build smart network management system to monitor and control all charging points
- Operate and maintain all installed charging infrastructure for 15 years
- Collect revenue from EV users and process payments
- Share revenue with the council according to agreed commercial model
- Manage repairs, replacements, and upgrades to keep network operational
- Provide customer support and troubleshooting for charging point users
- Report performance data and financial information to the council regularly
How to Read This Tender
- 1Understand 'Concession Contract' — this is different from a standard supply contract. You're not just selling a product; you're being given the right to operate the charging network and keep some of the revenue from users. The council keeps some revenue too and gets a guaranteed annual fee from you.
- 2The 15-year length is crucial — this is a long-term partnership. Lenders and investors will want to see detailed financial projections showing how you'll make money over this period. Budget for maintenance costs increasing over time.
- 3'LEVI funding' refers to the Local EV Infrastructure scheme — money from central government. This limits what the council can do with the contract; read the LEVI terms carefully as they impose conditions on how the charging network must operate and be funded.
- 4The 'portfolio approach' means you're not building one large charging hub — you're rolling out many smaller installations across multiple town and village locations. This is more complex logistically than a single site.
- 5Watch for 'option to extend for 12 months' — clarify whether this is automatic, at the council's choice, or mutual. This affects your long-term financial planning.
Tips for Small Businesses
- This contract is very large and complex — consider forming a consortium with a specialist EV infrastructure operator (if you're not one already), a construction/installation company, and a software/smart systems provider. Many successful bidders will be partnerships rather than single companies.
- Revenue-sharing models are common in concession contracts but tricky to forecast. Get experienced financial advice on modeling different usage scenarios (low, medium, high adoption of EVs). Be conservative — overestimating user numbers will hurt you.
- Subcontracting opportunity: If you're not an EV charging specialist, you could partner as the construction/installation partner or the maintenance and operations partner for a larger bidder. Don't assume you need to do everything yourself.
- Check what happens if EV uptake is slower than expected — does the revenue-sharing deal protect you, or does the council bear no risk while you're locked into low income for 15 years? Negotiate clear terms.
- Social value will likely be scored in this tender. Document how your proposal creates local jobs (installers, maintenance teams, customer support), training opportunities, and supports the council's net-zero carbon goals.
Before you bid, buyers check
two years of filed accountsyour financial standingturnover vs contract valueyour Companies House recordcash flow for 30-day termscredit scores and ratios
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Key Dates
Published
29 May 2026
Submission deadline
Not specified
Notice type
award
Source
find a tender
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