Microsoft 365, AI and Intelligent Automation Framework Agreement

Northumbrian Water Group (NWG) is establishing a multi-supplier framework agreement to access specialist expertise in Microsoft 365, AI, and Intelligent Automation services. NWG serves 2.7 million customers across the North East of England and over 2 million in Essex and Suffolk, with a strategic ambition to become the world's most digitally enabled water company. The framework will support advisory services, architecture, design, implementation, optimisation, governance, adoption, and change management across Microsoft technologies including the Power Platform, Copilot, Azure, and Data & Analytics. Up to 10 pre-qualified partners will be appointed to create a flexible panel enabling NWG to engage specialists through call-off engagements and mini-competitions as business needs arise. The framework runs for 3 years with options to extend for 3+1+1 years (up to 8 years total), with estimated annual spend of up to £900,000 and total potential spend of up to £7,200,000 over the full lifecycle. Implementation is expected within six weeks of contract award, with a planned go-live date of February 2027. This framework prioritises long-term strategic partnerships over transactional relationships, enabling NWG to access diverse skills, capacity, and innovation capabilities while maintaining governance and value for money standards.