How to win: Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage (A-CAES) Demonstrator Plant

About this contract

Energy Coast West Cumbria Limited, trading as BEC, invites tenders for the design, manufacture and supply of a factory-integrated, modular Adiabatic Compressed Air Energy Storage (A-CAES) demonstrator plant for the BEST CAES project at Westlakes Science Park, West Cumbria. The requirement comprises an above-ground, transportable system incorporating compression, thermal storage, expansion equipment, compressed-air storage vessels, power electronics and controls, together with specified testing, documentation, training and warranty support. Required performance includes 0.333 MW charging, 1.0 MW discharge and a minimum electrical round-trip efficiency of 80%. The maximum contract budget is £1,600,000 excluding VAT, with operational handover required by 30 June 2028. Long-term paid maintenance and supplementary rapid-response hardware are excluded from this award. The procurement will follow an open procedure and is subject to funding, planning permissions and necessary approvals.

How to win contracts like this

• ✓Answer against the marking scheme, not the question text — Energy Coast West Cumbria Ltd (t/a BEC) scores each response, so map your evidence to the published criteria and weightings.
• ✓At £1,600,000, expect quality and social value to carry a large share of the score — price alone rarely wins goods work.
• ✓Show recent, comparable delivery: name similar goods contracts you've delivered for public bodies, with measurable outcomes.
• ✓Start early: it closes 9 December 2026 and a strong bid takes iteration.

BidWriter drafts your responses from your company profile, scores them against the marking scheme, and tracks your whole pipeline. Free to start — no card needed.

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