Business Stream hails £45m contract win

Published on Monday 12 April 2010 22:04

BUSINESS Stream, the commercial arm of Scottish Water, has secured a £45 million contract with Scotland's colleges, universities and central government bodies.

Under the three-year deal, the company will offer different services to each of the 56 central government agencies and 62 colleges and universities but under a single pricing structure.

Advanced Procurement for Universities and Colleges (APUC), the body that awarded the contract, said 26 expressions of interest had been received during the European Union-wide tender.

But out of the six licensed water retailers in Scotland, only two made formal bids.

Andy Anderson, senior procurement manager at APUC, said: "Water is often forgotten about as part of an organisation's cost base, but clearly colleges and universities are under pressure to be as efficient as possible, and we're confident that Business Stream will play an important role in aiding that process.

"Business Stream was able to demonstrate considerable value and we were very impressed by the breadth of expertise and knowledge available."

The bodies covered by the agreement will also be able to access emergency support from Business Stream and a service to help identify potential leaks before they happen. They will also receive advice about how to reduce their water usage to increase efficiency and save money.

Mark Powles, chief executive of Business Stream, said: "This is a great win for us, and we're delighted to have been appointed by APUC following a competitive procurement process. Our market offering is very strong and we were pleased to be able to show that during this tender.

"We have significant knowledge and experience of providing water and related services in Scotland, and over the last two years we've focused on combining that with a commitment to customer service.

"We're looking forward to helping Scottish universities, colleges and public bodies achieve significant water, cost and environmental efficiencies."