Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution has announced a change to the way it awards and manages large capital delivery projects, with the issuing of opportunities to tender for an estimated £320m programme of investment and infrastructure development in the north of Scotland.

The investment will create greater network capacity, enable more connections, and increase network resilience.

SSEN is working to deliver a net zero electricity system by 2035, and is already making the decisions to ensure its network is fully fit-for-purpose to enable the transition to net zero.

To aid in its delivery of this goal, SSEN is now seeking long-term, strategic partners to deliver the £320m programme. SSEN will award Framework Agreements based on geographical areas for underground cable works, substations, and overhead line projects.

This approach will give a commitment to contract partners, which will help facilitate growth, and the development of locally-based workers, thus strengthening their own ability to deliver net zero projects. This new framework agreement will play a significant part in making SSEN's RIIO-ED2 commitments happen, while also driving the delivery of SSE Group's Net Zero Acceleration Programme Plus (NZAP+) targets.

James Flanagan, SSEN Distribution's Director of Procurement, said: "We're delighted to bring these new opportunities to the market. This represents a huge investment in the north of Scotland's electricity network, but also in the supply chain, and the skilled workforce that will deliver it. This new way of working will deliver value for money for customers; it will deliver certainty and operational benefits for both us and our contract partners, and it will power us all to the net zero electricity system we're committed to delivering.

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"Our hope is that this new approach will attract the broadest range of companies to bid for the work. But the fact we've divided the licence area into smaller geographical zones means companies of all sizes have potential opportunities."

How to register your interest in contract opportunities:

• The Pre-Qualification Questionnaire documents (Underground Cable, Substation and Overhead Line Large Capital Delivery Projects - PQQ Questions) can be downloaded from sse.com/potential-suppliers, in the 'Call for Competition' sub-section.

• Should you wish to participate in this PQQ, please email [email protected] and [email protected] and confirm your request to be invited to respond to the PQQ.

Please advise if you are are/are not registered on Jaggaer.

• If your company is already registered on Jaggaer, please contact [email protected] and [email protected] by email to register interest, you will be added to the event and a confirmation email will be sent to you, confirming the usernames registered to your Jaggaer account.

• If your company is not already registered on Jaggaer, please contact [email protected] and [email protected] with the name of your company and contact email address. We will start the registration process for you, and you will receive an invitation by email to complete this.

• Once you have completed the registration, please let us know and we will activate your account, following which you will be able to access and complete the PQQ.

• You will then be added to the PQQ event within our Jaggaer procurement system which can be accessed through the link already provided.

• Any queries should be sent to the above email addresses unless you have been added to the Jaggaer event, in which case queries should be sent through the Jaggaer messaging system.

• Full details of the opportunity can be found at sse.app.jaggaer.com/