P&C Framework

Description Pre- Market Engagement Notice: Productivity, Collaboration and Automation Enablement Northumbrian Water Group (NWG) is undertaking a pre-market engagement exercise to help us understand supplier capability, delivery approaches and partnering models to support our productivity, collaboration and automation landscape. This engagement is intended to inform potential future commercial options and does not constitute a commitment to procure, nor a call for competition. Purpose of Engagement NWG want to understand what services and partner models are available in the market to potentially set up a future multi-supplier framework and help us maximize value from: 1. Microsoft 365 (productivity and collaboration) 2. Power Platform (solution and workflow enablement) 3. Intelligent automation (including UiPath and Microsoft automation capabilities such as Power Automate Cloud & Power Automate Desktop) 4. The insight and reporting layer required to measure adoption and benefits (Power BI / Microsoft Fabric where appropriate) We are interested in suppliers who can work as a trusted partner alongside our teams, helping us improve adoption, strengthen governance, and demonstrate measurable value over time (not just deliver one-off pieces of work). Strategic intent NWG wants to build a repeatable, enterprise-grade capability for modern work and automation. We are looking for partners who can help us: • Improve adoption and effective use of tools (not just deploy features). • Put in place practical governance and support models so solutions are safe, supportable and scalable. • Use the right automation approach for the right job, including: - Power Automate for workflow automation - Microsoft Copilot agents/agent extensions where appropriate (agents that use approved knowledge and can take approved actions in workflows) - UiPath where RPA is genuinely required • Move towards end-to-end automation and orchestration for complex processes, including long running workflows and human approvals where needed. • Make outcomes measurable (adoption, performance and benefits), using Power BI / Fabric where it helps. Our processes run across a wide application estate. We are interested in automation and orchestration that can work end to end across multiple enterprise platforms (for example Oracle, ServiceNow, Maximo, Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC), and other business systems), as well as Microsoft 365. Where possible, we prefer API/connectors and reusable integration patterns, with UI automation where unavoidable. We are also interested in secure integration and supporting components "behind the scenes" (including Azure where needed) to keep solutions reliable at scale. Framework intent - NWG is exploring a potential multi supplier framework to provide access to a broad range of specialist skills, with the ability to call off support as needed through outcome focused work packages and/or embedded delivery models alongside NWG teams. The final scope, structure and commercial approach may be refined based on this engagement. Areas of Interest (Non-Exhaustive) Suppliers are invited to share high level information on capability and experience across the following areas (non exhaustive): 1. Microsoft 365 optimisation and governance (e.g. Teams, SharePoint, Viva) 2. Power Platform development and governance (Power Apps, Dataverse, Power Automate) 3. Workflow automation and orchestration (Power Automate and integration-led approaches) 4. RPA and intelligent automation (UiPath/Power Automate Desktop), including guidance on when RPA is justified 5. Agent based automation in the Microsoft ecosystem (Copilot agents/extensions) and how this is governed safely (NWG is not seeking unmanaged AI tools; Copilot agents must operate within approved knowledge sources, governed actions, and auditable workflows) 6. End to end process orchestration across systems, including long running processes, exceptions and human approvals 7. Adoption, change, upskilling and knowledge transfer (so NWG ownership increases over time) 8. Value realisation and measurement (dashboards/KPIs/benefits reporting using Power BI/Fabric where appropriate) Supplier Response Please submit a short capability overview (maximum 4-6 slides or 3 pages) covering: • Your relevant service offerings (aligned to the 8 capability areas above) • Examples of similar work in large and/or regulated organisations • Your typical engagement model(s) (e.g. outcome based, embedded teams, managed service, call off approach) • How you would support adoption, governance and value realisation (high level) To help us compare responses, please also answer these three short prompts (on a single page): 1. How do you decide between Power Automate, Copilot agents, API-based automation and RPA (UiPath)? 2. Provide one example of an end to end process you've supported across multiple platforms, and how you handled exceptions and approvals. 3. What does "good" look like for governance and support in production (high level)? This information will help NWG shape requirements and consider appropriate commercial models.