In short: a charger tender gets comparable bids only when it defines what it is asking for. Specify uptime with a measurement method and a remedy, fault response times, payment, open data and software, warranty and spares. For public sites in Great Britain, the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 already define reliability, payment, data and helpline duties, so use them as your floor.
Most charger tenders ask for “high reliability” and “responsive support”. Every supplier says yes. The bids that come back cannot be compared, and the contract that follows cannot be enforced. The fix is to write requirements a supplier can price and you can measure.
Start from the law
For public charge points in Great Britain, the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 came into force on 24 November 2023 and set clear duties. The main ones for a tender are:
- Reliability. A “rapid charge point” means a public charge point of 50 kW or above. An operator’s network of rapid charge points must be, on average, reliable for 99% of the time during each calendar year.
- Contactless payment. New public charge points of 8 kW or above, and existing rapid charge points, must offer contactless payment.
- Helpline. Operators must provide a staffed telephone helpline, free of charge, available 24 hours a day, every day of the year, with the number displayed on or near the charge point.
- Open data. Operators must publish charge point data free of charge in a machine-readable format, using version 2.2.1 of the Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI), and update charge point status within 30 seconds.
- Reporting and penalties. Operators report reliability each year, with the first reports for 2025 due on 14 January 2026. Penalties can reach £10,000 per charge point, or per network for a reliability breach.
The regulation also explains how reliability is measured. A charge point that is available, charging or reserved counts as working; one that is inoperative or out of order does not. Copy that method into your contract so that your supplier’s reports and your own obligations line up.
Why the floor is not enough
Meeting 99% is hard. In a 2025 survey of more than 200 UK charge point operators by Monta, just 4% reported average uptime of 99.5% or above, and 56% named the 99% requirement as their single greatest concern. If your supplier’s hardware and service cannot support that level, the risk lands on you as the operator.
A good tender therefore asks for more than compliance. It asks how the supplier will help you achieve it, and what happens when they do not.
What to specify
Uptime
State the target, the measurement method (ideally the one in the regulations), the reporting period, and the service credits or remedies if the target is missed. Ask suppliers for uptime data from comparable sites, not just a promise.
Response and repair times
Define fault categories, for example a charger fully down, one connector down, or a payment failure. Set a response time and a fix time for each. Ask where engineers are based and whether spares are held in the UK.
Software and data
Require OCPP so the chargers work with any compliant back office, and ask which version and whether it is certified. State who owns the charging data. Include an exit plan: what happens if you change back-office provider.
Payment and pricing
Specify contactless and any other payment methods you want, and how prices are displayed, so you meet the regulations from day one.
Warranty, spares and continuity
Ask for the warranty term on chargers and key components, the expected life of the equipment, and what happens to support and spares if the manufacturer leaves the UK market.
Score bids before they arrive
Agree your scoring weights before opening any bid. A simple model weights total cost of ownership, technical performance and service terms, then checks pass or fail items such as regulatory compliance. Fixing the weights first keeps the decision honest and makes it easier to explain to your board.
| Area | Example weight | What a strong bid shows |
|---|---|---|
| Total cost of ownership | 35% | Hardware, installation, software and maintenance over the contract term |
| Performance and reliability | 35% | Uptime evidence from similar sites, power delivery, OCPP certification |
| Service terms | 20% | Response and fix times, UK spares, remedies that bite |
| Supplier strength | 10% | Financial stability, UK presence, references |
Adjust the weights to suit your priorities. The point is to decide them in advance.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Public Charge Point Regulations apply to private depots?
They apply to public charge points. A depot used only by your own fleet is generally outside their scope, but they still make a sensible benchmark for reliability and support.
What counts as a rapid charge point?
Under the regulations, a public charge point with a power of 50 kW or above.
Should I ask for a specific OCPP version?
Ask which versions are supported and whether the product holds a certificate from the Open Charge Alliance. Certification shows it has been tested against the protocol, not just described as compatible.
Writing tenders that suppliers can answer clearly is a core part of our procurement and supplier selection service. Tell us what you are buying and we will help you specify it.
